DIY Umrah Trips Offer Flexibility in Accommodation, Budget, and Activities

Wintry forest and a pulse-responsive starry cavern that shimmers when you place your hands under sensors in the room.

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Besides shopping at one of the brand's largest stores, I also visit its immense outdoor sculpture park. There, I see families gather for picnics on the lawn, against a backdrop of mountains and twinkling crystals catching light from the sun.

WHERE TO STAY Rates in Innsbruck are higher than those in other Austrian cities, but the chic Stage 12 Hotel by Penz (www.stage12.at; rooms from €160 a night) offers good value for its location right next to the Old Town square.

FROM C1 Despite the growing trend, Mr Sulaiman says there is still strong demand among the older generation for guided umrah tours.

At Ar Raiyan Tours and Travel, he estimates that about 80 per cent of his customers prefer group tours, while about 20 per cent want tours with a free-and-easy portion. The majority who book group tours tend to be aged 50 and above, he adds.

He notes that some challenges persist, especially when it comes to language barriers that can hinder communication and navigation in Mecca.

"We do everything from securing transport and hotels to ensuring their safety to getting medical help if needed. It gives them peace of mind," he says.

MORE GROUP AND SOLO WOMEN TRAVELLERS TO MECCA Before 2022, female pilgrims were typically required to be accompanied by a male guardian, and were mostly prohibited from undertaking the journey on their own.

That changed when the Saudi government relaxed the rules in 2022—a move widely regarded as progressive in advancing women's rights in the kingdom.

Since then, solo female travellers and all-women groups have become a more common sight in Mecca.