How Preston Families Can Prepare for Umrah: A Complete Guide

There are more than 25000 Muslims in Preston, which is a city in the UK. Some of those Muslims go for Umrah every year. Some people go to perform Umrah with their families. It is challenging to perform something with multiple people, even with your own family. But it is sometimes necessary to share your spiritual moments with your family. In this case, you have to obtain the proper knowledge to move with your family when planning to perform Umrah from Preston. You have to learn about planning, preparation, booking and the whole Umrah journey.

It’s not just a challenge but has some significant benefits, like it’s a beautiful gift to your family and you are training your children to perform and prioritise their religious worship along with their social responsibilities. This will develop an interest in their minds. So, let’s find out how it can be done practically. 

Planning and Preparation for Umrah from Preston

Planning for a solo Umrah and a family Umrah is totally different. You have to keep in mind that your responsibilities increase as the leader and guide of this whole family's Umrah journey. You not just have to arrange a budget for yourself but also for your family. You must have knowledge of the packing and package costs for multiple persons. And you must know when you should book an Umrah package and when you should perform Umrah. 

Learning and Practising Umrah

Learn everything related to Umrah journey from different trusted sources, like an Islamic scholar, a YouTube channel, or a trusted book. If you have good communication skills, you can teach this all to your family members. Otherwise, hire an Islamic scholar for them, who can teach them all about this journey. Practice Umrah rituals at home with your family members, so you all get familiar with them.

Medical and Physical Preparation for Family Umrah

Visit a doctor along with your family for an overall check-up to make sure that you and your family are alright to perform Umrah. If there’s any patient, he/she should keep taking medicine on time. Conduct a 30-minute walk daily with your family to keep yourselves fit for the journey. If someone can’t do the walk due to his/her medical condition, don’t force him/her.

Best time to perform Umrah from Preston

Umrah can be performed at any time of the year but as you are going to travel along with your family, you should perform Umrah in cold, pleasant weather. Which means you should perform Umrah in the winter season (from November to February).

Crowd Management: People generally perform Umrah in the winter season so it’s more crowded in the Masjid al-Haram. But here’s a useful catch: if you want to perform Umrah in a less crowded environment, you may reach Makkah at night by setting up your departure and arrival accordingly. For example, if you depart from the UK in the daytime, arrive in Saudi Arabia at night, and perform your Umrah from 1:00 am to 5:00 am, you will face fewer crowds and can perform Umrah easily with your family. Otherwise, you will have to do it in a bigger crowd, which requires more intense safety measures. 

Umrah in Ramadan: Most people perform Umrah in the month of Ramadan because of the best reward of performing Umrah during this month. Because the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: Umrah in Ramadan is equivalent to Hajj (in Rewards). If you plan to perform Umrah at night, you may face lower crowds. The best news here is, “Ramadan meets winter for the next 9 years”, which means you can perform Umrah in Ramadan during the winter for the next 9 consecutive years. 

Umrah Booking From Preston

It is very important to know the best platform from which you can buy an Umrah package without getting scammed. For this purpose, you will have to do a little research. Here’s how:

1. Search or ask for “ATOL-Protected Travel Agency” on any search engine or AI chatbot.
2. Pick any travel agency from the results and visit its website.
3. Look for its ATOL registration number in the “About” section of its website.
4. Confirm its membership by putting its ATOL number in the search bar of ATOL’s official website.
5. Upon the confirmation of its ATOL-Protection, start checking the reviews given by its customers on Google My Business and other business directories. 
6. Read some positive and negative reviews carefully to know its pros and cons.
7. Choose it if these ratings and reviews satisfy you. Otherwise, repeat the same research for another one.

Table of Costs of Umrah Packages from Preston

Umrah Package Setup: Booking from Preston

If you are booking Umrah from Preston, here’s a sample Umrah package setup for you:

Flights: Preston doesn’t have an international airport, so you will have to set your departure from Manchester. You can reach there by train or through any other type of vehicle before the flights departure. Now, come to the benefits of a departure from Manchester for Umrah. Manchester offers more direct flights than other smaller cities in the UK and it costs comparatively less than other smaller cities. Book your return tickets and keep their hard copies with the travel documents.

Hotel Booking: Booking a double or a quad room for a family is cheaper than booking a single room for each family member. Book your hotel with a 5-minute walking distance and all the other necessities like overall hygiene, escalators, elevators, wheelchairs (if applicable), etc. 

Transport Booking: Book your transport according to your budget and the number of your family members travelling with you. If you can’t afford to go to Ziyarah places (historic religious places), just perform Umrah and stay in Makkah, but if you can afford to visit Ziyarah places, it’s a chance to show your children the history of Islam in the form of those historic places. It will inspire them spiritually and will be a source of their spiritual attachment to the religion. It is more reliable to book private transport. Pre-book all the transport when booking your Umrah package. Do not trust local transporters. You may use Haramain High Speed Train to travel across the cities (in Saudi Arabia).

Umrah and Ziyarah Guides: If you are going to perform Umrah for the first time with your family, or if you have any confusion left in your mind, you may add an Umrah guide, a Ziyarah guide or both to your Umrah package. An Umrah guide will guide you on how to perform Umrah, and during the Umrah, while a Ziyarah tour guide will tell you the history related to the ziyarah places you will visit.

 Family Umrah Packing List

Common (Shared by All)

These items go in one central suitcase for the whole family.

• Slippers: 2 pairs each (easy slip-on for washrooms)
• Waist Pouch/Belt: 1 per person for ID/phone
• Sunglasses
• Unscented Soap: 1 bar for whole family
• Unscented Wet Wipes: Large pack
• Tissues: Pocket packs for all
• Sunscreen
• First Aid Kit: Band-aids, Betadine
• Painkillers: Paracetamol/Ibuprofen
• ORS/Electrolytes: For dehydration
• Hand Sanitizer: Clip-on bottles for each family member
• Universal Travel Adapter
• Power Bank: 3 high capacity for family sharing
• Multi-USB Charging Hub
• Empty Water Bottle: Fill after security at Jeddah/Medina airport
• Travel Prayer Mat: Thin foldable type
• Printed Hotel Card: One in each person's waist pouch
• Small Scissors: Check-in luggage only
• Pocket Quran: With translation
• Digital Tasbih Counter

Men-Specific Packing

Ihram & Attire:

• Ihram Towels: 2 sets (cotton for comfort)
• Plain White Vest/T-shirt (under Ihram if needed)
• Unstitched Sandals (must expose ankle bone top)

Health & Comfort:

• Unscented Vaseline/Petroleum Jelly (Prevent thigh chafing while walking)
• Smartwatch (to track steps/distance - must be on silent)

Women-Specific Packing

Ihram & Attire:

• Abayas/Jilbabs: 3-4 lightweight (Dark & Light)
• Hijabs: 4-6 breathable cotton/georgette
• Hijab Pins & Safety Pins

Health & Toiletries:

• Sanitary Pads/Liners (Even if not due, stress changes cycles)
• Leave-in Conditioner (Hair gets dry under scarf)
• Small Hair Dryer (For drying hair after ghusl/hotel shower)

Children-Specific Packing

Clothing & Comfort:

• Ihram for Boys: 1 set (optional, if they want to wear)
• Favorite Slippers/Crocs (must be familiar to avoid fussing)
• Pull-ups 

Health & Entertainment:

• Thermometer & Infant Fever Drops
• Anti-nausea bands (for travel)
• Tablet with Headphones (Pre-download Quran/stories)
• Quiet Snacks: Puffs, Dates, Crackers
• Stickers & Small Notebook
• ID Wristband (Write parent's Saudi number on it)
• Child's Dua Book (Picture format)

Oldies-Specific Packing

Clothing & Comfort:

• Lightweight Sweater/Cardigan (A/C in hotels can be harsh on joints)

Health & Mobility:

• Prescription Meds (with Doctor's note)
• Compression Socks (Prevent swelling on flight & Tawaf)
• Knee/Back Brace
• Unscented Lip Balm (Lips dry faster for elderly)
• Portable Folding Stool (For waiting times in lobbies)

Electronics & Accessories:

• Simple Flip Phone (If smartwatch is too complex)
• Hearing Aid Batteries
• Neck Pillow: Memory foam, not inflatable
• Reading Glasses: Spare pair

Important Family Coordination Tips

• The "Common" Bag: Pack all toiletries, electronics, and snacks in one specific suitcase. Label it "COMMON - OPEN FIRST."
• Men's Waist Pouch Duty: Men usually cannot carry stitched backpacks in Ihram. The Waist Pouch in the Common list is critical for carrying the whole family's passports, hotel key cards, and mobile phones during Tawaf and Sa'i.
• Oldies & Children Sync: Combine the Folding Stool (Oldies) and Stickers (Children) for waiting times. The elderly person can sit, and the child can play at their feet.
• Shoe Strategy: Bring identical, cheap slippers for all adults (Men, Women, Oldies) so you find them easily. For children, choose bright neon shoes to spot them in a crowd.

Tips for a Comfortable Umrah Journey from Preston

Follow these tips for a comfortable and reliable Umrah journey:

1. Book your Umrah journey from a reputable ATOL-Protected travel agency.
2. Just pack the things you are going to need during the journey. Don’t overload your luggage.
3. Wear Ihram from home after trimming your nails, removing your unnecessary hair and performing the religious bath (Ghusl).
4. Men should wear Ihram dress (two unstitched clothes) while women should wear modest loose cloths that cover their whole body except face and hands.
5. Men should wear any easy walking footwear (like flip-flops) that doesn’t cover their toes while women can wear any easy walking footwear that even can cover their toes.
6. Tell your females to control their periods if their periods date matches the Umrah date.
7. Reach your airport before the time of departure to catch your flight.
8. Don’t let your children or oldies drag the luggage if they can’t.
9. Avoid getting engaged in a war of arguments and a physical fight.
10. Keep yourselves hydrated during the whole journey. Take electrolytes through Oral Rehydration Solutions.
11. Take enough rest upon reaching the hotel rooms.
12. Use wrist links to stay connected with your children.
13. Attach the tags with your children and oldies with your name, country and Saudi phone number.
14. Use your mobile phones to contact each other.
15. Tell the nearest security staff in case you or any of your family member are lost. Also tell your family (including children) to do so.
16. Don’t force your children to do anything. Behave gently with them and your elders.
17. If it’s too crowded during the Tawaf, you may use the upper floors.
18. If any of you is exhausted during the Tawaf or Sai, let him/her take a 5-15 minute rest accordingly.
19. If any of you breaks any of the Ihram restrisction, he/she will have to slaughter an animal as Dam. (Children below 7 years are excluded).
20. Save these emergency contacts and contact them in the case of any emergency:

If you still have any questions, ask any trusted Islamic scholar for a satisfying and legitimate answer. May Allah accept you Umrah and all other worship, Ameen!