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We were the first international company to arrange hajj and umrah trips from Britain and have established an excellent reputation with the Ministry for Hajj in Saudi Arabia.

With experience in this field since 198l, we have the expertise to ensure that your umrah or hajj is performed in accordance with the Sunnah of the Prophet (may the blessing and peace of Allah be upon him).

We also have the resources to take care of all the umrah and hajj arrangements on your behalf to give you peace of mind during your stay in the Holy Cities of Makkah and Madinah.

HAJJ AND UMRAH ARRANGEMENTS

EL-Sawy Travel Ltd will arrange a pre-Hajj briefing with a panel of scholars at the Islamic Cultural Centre, to help you to obtain the most from your visit and to answer any queries. A reputable scholar recommended by the Islamic Cultural Centre will accompany the group to Saudi Arabia on a voluntary basis, to serve as a religious guide during the Hajj.

VISA
The issuance of visas is the prerogative of the Saudi Embassy. While El-Sawy Travel Ltd will endeavour to obtain a Hajj/Umrah visa from the Saudi Embassy on behalf of each group member, it cannot accept responsibility for any visa application turned down by the Embassy on whatever grounds.

FLIGHT DETAILS
Please refer to the separate itinerary information sheet distributed by El-Sawy Travel for precise travel details concerning the full hajj and hajj express packages. The sheet gives the dates of travel, flight departure and arrival times, and flight numbers.
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DEPARTURE All members of the hajj group are required to assemble at the Saudi check-in desk at Heathrow Terminal 3 on the date of departure, five hours before take-off time. The early arrival at the airport is necessary to allow sufficient time to meet up with the rest of the group, check in and complete security clearance. Due to the large number of pilgrims making the journey to Saudi Arabia and the numerous friends and relatives seeing them off, you should expect the airport to be very crowded.

JEDDAH Upon arriving in Jeddah, one should expect to wait for up to twelve hours at the airport before proceeding to Makkah. This is due to the large number and frequency of flights arriving, resulting in delays in respect of baggage collection and customs clearance.

ACCOMMODATION IN MAKKAH Shared accommodation is provided at EI-Sawy's own air-conditioned flats in Alsaigh Building. Separate flats are provided for the ladies. Mattresses are supplied on which to sleep; beds are only available for medical reasons. Address:

Alsaigh Building, Umm Al-Qura Street,
above the Saudi-Cairo Bank, Nearby Al-Atargi Mosque, Makkah.
Telephone (incoming calls only): 00 9662 5375731

AT MINA AND ARAFAT accommodation is provided in tents. in Mina, the tents are supplied with cold water, fans and electricity, whereas at Arafat only cold water is supplied.

AT MADINAH, Shared accommodation is provided at El-Sawy's own air-conditioned flats. Address:

Waqf Abdulrahman Zafer Building,
Above the National Commercial Bank,
Al-Malik Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz (formerly Al-Matar) Street,
Next to the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency.
Opposite the Tower Petrol Station.

All the above facilities are self-catering. Each member of the group is expected to help to maintain the cleanliness of the accommodation as no cleaning services are provided.

ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION Accommodation can be arranged in Makkah at the five star Ajyad Makkah Hotel or the Hilton Hotel and in Madinah at the five star Medina Oberoi Hotel. Double bedrooms are available for husbands and wives, and single members of the group will share a room with others.

FOOD With the exception of guests staying in hotel accommodation, everyone is responsible for his or her own food and drink. Due to customs restrictions on food imports, one is strongly discouraged from taking any food with you into Saudi Arabia. One may obtain all food items there cheaply and in abundance.

PERSONAL POSSESSIONS One should travel very light, taking only the minimal amount of essential items, such as ihram clothes, underwear, slippers, toiletries, a towel, umbrella, etc. Cameras or camcorders may be taken to Saudi Arabia, but it is forbidden to use them inside the mosques, airports or any public places. Everybody is responsible for taking care of his or her own personal belongings, including documentation, money etc.

MONEY It is recommended that each person should take with them a minimum of 500.00 pounds to cover personal expenses, e.g. food and drink, private transport costs, gifts etc.

IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENTS All passports will be kept with the Hajj authority which is responsible for the group during its stay in Saudi Arabia. In London, El-Sawy Travel Ltd will issue each member of the group with their own identification card. This should be carried by the individual at all times while in Saudi.

MEDICATION The level of medical care provided in Saudi Arabia is excellent. However, those who are taking regular, prescribed medication should ensure that they have an adequate supply for the duration of the trip. Usually some doctors form a part of our hajj group, and they will kindly offer their medical services voluntarily, should the need arise. Individuals will be required to cover any private medical expenses they may incur.

The hajj is physically demanding and requires a lot of walking. Intending pilgrims are advised to prepare themselves physically beforehand to avoid undue hardship, as they should expect to walk from twenty to forty-five minutes each day.
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TRANSPORTATION Travel from Jeddah airport to Makkah, from Makkah to Madinah, and from Madinah to Jeddah on the date of departure will be by air-conditioned coach. El-Sawy Travel reserves the right to allocate the seating arrangements on the coaches as it sees fit.

The flats in Makkah are about one and a quarter miles from the haram al-sharif. It is possible to travel there by bus or taxi. The cost of public transport is very reasonable.

Transportation will be provided from Makkah to Mina, where the group will spend three days. EI-Sawy Travel will provide transport back to Makkah on the last day. Individuals wishing to visit Makkah to perform the tawaf al-ifadah during this three day period may do so, on condition that they make their own travel arrangements and ensure that they return to Mina before sunset, to meet the requirements of the hajj.

TELEPHONES Telephones are available in Makkah, Mina and Arafat for incoming calls only. Although the government has provided many public pay phones on all the major routes, our advice would be to avoid making telephone calls until after the Hajj as the public telephones tend to be in great demand.

INSURANCE Individuals should make their own insurance arrangements, should they so wish. El-Sawy Travel Ltd., in accordance with Islamic principles, cannot provide guarantees against illness, delays or cancellation.

REFUNDS Once a confirmed booking has been arranged, no refund may be made for any part of the cost of the trip.

GROUP ETHOS Finally, we would like to remind you that the hajj group should act as one family, in a spirit of mutual co-operation. We should assist each other in all matters, including the transportation of luggage as no porter service is available.

HAJJ ITINERARY

IHRAM : The pilgrims in El-Sawy's group should attire themselves in ihram either before leaving home, at Heathrow airport, or on board the aircraft.

ARRIVAL IN MAKKAH : The group will perform Umrah when they arrive in Makkah, prior to the Hajj. Members of the group will remove their ihram after performing Umrah (Hajj al-Tamatu').

During the group's stay in Makkah, approximately 50-60.00 pounds will be collected from each member of the party for the sacrifice in Mina. A representative from the group will then be requested to pay the money to Al-Rajhi bank in Makkah, which will then undertake the responsibility of fulfilling the sacrificial requirement on
behalf of each individual. A receipt will be issued by the bank. Alternatively, an individual may go to the nearest abattoir in person to arrange for the sacrifice to be carried out

7TH DHU'L-HIJJAH : The group will attire themselves in ihram in preparation for the Hajj at 9.00 p.m. The journey to Mina will be made by coach some time between 9.00 p.m, and 4.00 a.m.

8TH DHU'L-HIJJAH : The group will spend the day at Mina, and perform the five prayers there. After the 'Isha prayer, the group will travel by coach to Arafat.

9TH DHU'L-HIJJAH : Salat al-Zuhr and al-'Asr will be prayed in congregation at Arafat (jam' al-taqdim, before the time for salat al-'Asr has arrived). Staying at any part of Arafat is sufficient to fulfil the conditions for hajj. It is not essential to visit the Jabal al-Rahma or the mosque in Nimra It is recommended that members of the group should remain within the vicinity of their tent, engage in prayer and keep out of the sun.

The pilgrims will leave Arafat after sunset, and proceed to Muzdalifah. Salat al-Maghrib and 'Isha' will be prayed (jam' al-ta'khir, after the time for salat al-'Isha') in Muzdalifah. Pilgrims in the group will each collect forty-nine stones to throw at the Jamarat (pillars) upon return to Mina.

Due to the pressure of numbers on the coach transportation service, it is possible that some members of the group may be advised to walk from Arafat to Mina.

10TH DHU'L-HIJJAH : the group will return to Mina in the morning. Each member of the group will throw seven stones at Jamrat al-Aqaba. On this day, pilgrims may shave or cut their hair. Pilgrims may make their own arrangements to visit Makkah to perform the tawaf al-ifadah, providing they return to Mina before sunset.

11TH AND 12TH DHU'L-HIJJAH : members of the group will stone Jamrat al-Sughra, Jamrat al-Wusta and Jamrat al-Aqaba in turn, each with seven stones. The group will carry out the stoning in the early morning, before fajr, to avoid the crowds and the intense heat of the day.

Upon returning to Makkah on 12th of Dhu'I-Hijjah, pilgrims who have not already performed Tawaf al-Ifadah may now do so, to complete the obligations of the hajj. The Tawaf al-Ifadah may be performed at any time up to the end of the month of Dhu'I-Hijjah. Ihram may be removed after the performance of Tawaf al-lfadah.

VISIT TO MADINAH : Visiting al-Madinah is Sunnah, but does not form a part of the Hajj rituals. Pilgrims are not obliged to spend a specific number of days in Madinah. Generally speaking, pilgrims on the full hajj package can expect to spend about one week in Makkah after performing the Hajj before travelling to Madinah, where they will spend upwards of three days before travelling home via Jeddah. Pilgrims on the hajj express package can expect to spend two days in Makkah before travelling to Madinah, where they will spend one or two days before travelling home. Please refer to the separate itinerary sheet for precise travel details.
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USEFUL SAUDI TELEPHONE NUMBERS : Information Affairs Manager; 665 8873
Hajj Administration Manager (Madinah): 826 8593
The National Establishment of Guides for Turkish, European, American and Australian Pilgrims:
President: 543 4791
Telephone Exchange:542 4792
Mina Lost Pilgrims: 558 3694
Mina Headquarters:558 3715
Arafat Headquarters: 557 0221
Fax: 542 0992

HOTELS : Ajyad Makkah Hotel: 00 9662 572 0500, Fax: 574 606I
Medina Oberoi Hotel: 00 9664 826 3355, Fax: 826 3155
Green Palace Hotel: 00 96B4 823 7000, Fax: 824 2666

EL-SAWY TRAVEL'S ACCOMMODATION : Makkah:
Address: Alsaigh Building, Umm Al-Qura Street,
Near Al-Samady Sweet Shop & Mirza Book Shop,
Nearby Al-Atargi Mosque, Makkah.
Telephone (incoming calls only): 00 9662 537 5731
GSM mobile phones can also be used

Madinah:
Address: Waqf Abdulrahman Zafer Building,
Above the National Commercial Bank,
Al-Malik Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz (formerly Al-Matar) Street,
Next to the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency,
Opposite the Tower Petrol Station.
Telephone (incoming calls only): 00 9664 836 2597
GSM mobile phones can also be used

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