The Clear Evidence

Table of contents

• Summary
• Riyadh to Taif
• Taif to Makkah
• Bus from Hada Parking to Haram
• Performing Umrah
• Halq / Haircut
• Bus from Haram to Hada Parking
• To Taif and Riyadh
• FAQ

Summary

Since Ramadan 2025 was set to begin on a weekend, we planned to perform Umrah at the start of Ramadan. As soon as the booking opened, we reserved Umrah slots for Saturday, March 1st, from 6 PM to 8 PM. This timing ensured that our Umrah would fall within Ramadan, regardless of whether the moon was sighted on Friday or Saturday.The outline of our plan was:

• Friday: Travel to Taif and spend the night there.
• Saturday: Visit Makkah to perform Umrah, then return to Taif.
• Sunday: Depart from Taif and drive back to Riyadh.

Riyadh to Taif

Our journey began on Friday morning at around 9:15 am., which was later than ideal. The roads had significant traffic, which is unusual for a Friday morning. My son counted 612 trucks in an hour of journey. To avoid traffic, it is recommended to leave earlier, around sunrise or just after Fajr prayer, as the roads are typically much clearer at that time. We reached Taif and checked-in hotel at 4:30 pm.

Taif to Makkah

We left Taif around 1:45 pm, traveled via the Hada route and reached the parking outside Makkah by 2:45 pm. This is called Hada Parking or Hada Bus Station. During Ramadan, cars from outside Makkah are not allowed to enter the city, specially if you are wearing an ihram, so we had to park our car in this parking and take a bus to the Haram. This restriction is to manage traffic in Makkah and it is more convenient than trying to find a parking near Haram. The bus ticket price was SAR 18.4 per adult. Kids were free. Upon entering the parking area, you receive two receipts—one for your car and another for the bus ride. Keep both receipts safe. The bus ride receipt will be checked while boarding the bus and the car receipt will be taken back while leaving the parking on your car. Carefully note down the location of your car so that its easier to find it upon your return.

Bus from Hada Parking to Haram

The buses were ready, and we only had to wait for a few minutes before departure. However, despite the quick boarding process, the driver faced difficulties navigating Makkah’s roads due to diversions and detours. It took approximately an hour to reach Haram parking. He should have been an expert of this route but that was not the case and we faced similar situation last year thus a tip for planning your trip is to allocate at least an hour for this bus ride to account for potential delays. This parking near Haram is near Sheraton Makkah Jabal Al Kaaba Hotel. This parking is dedicated for buses going to and from Hada parking thus white returning, you will need to return to this parking to take your bus.

Performing Umrah

Upon arrival, it was Asr time, and we aimed to perform Tawaf in the Mataf area. Nearest entrance to reach Mataf area was Umra Gate. Upon reaching it, security guards informed us that entry would only be permitted after Asr prayer. We offered Asar outside the Umra Gate. Once the entrance was opened, we tried to reach Mataf but the stairs and escalators to Mataf were closed due to huge crowd. After waiting for some time it opened but we found that the Mataf was extremely crowded, even in the outermost circle. Given the slow movement, we decided to proceed to the rooftop instead. It is recommended that you see the crowd situation of Metaf on live stream before targeting it. The rooftop had fewer people, and the weather was pleasant. Although the rooftop route is longer, it was still a better option than the ground or first floors. We completed Tawaf in approximately 50 minutes. Following Tawaf, we performed Sa’ee on the same floor, which took around 40 minutes, finishing just before Maghrib prayer.

Continue Reading: Umrah in Ramadan 2025: A Road Trip from Riyadh (English, Urdu)