When Plans Change, the Journey Teaches

A DIY Umrah Plus Story: Madinah, Makkah, Cairo & Turkey

Overview: When the Path Keeps Shifting

This journey was never meant to be rushed.

The original plan was simple — Umrah Plus Turkey & Cairo in October. Everything seemed aligned until a close friend needed to undergo minor surgery. The trip was postponed without hesitation.

November came with hope, but health takes precedence. Hospital visits continued, and eventually, my friend gently suggested that I continue the journey without him — for his well-being, and for my peace of mind.

January then appeared as a new possibility. Another friend joined the plan, but with four sons in tow, January was not ideal. A different idea emerged — celebrating Eid in Makkah during early Syawal. A beautiful thought, yet one that came with its own reality: crowds steadily increase from January through Ramadan.

Somewhere between calendars, flight searches, and rescheduled hopes, a quiet realisation settled in:

What matters most is not when we go — but how present our hearts are when we arrive.

I longed to stand before the Multazam, asking for change, clarity, and goodness — with focus, calm, and sincerity. Perhaps Syawal, often gentler after the intensity of Ramadan, would offer that space. Even if plans needed to shift again.

From this process of reflection and planning, several articles were born this week:

• What Makes Performing Umrah Difficult for You?
  A reflection on the real barriers to Umrah — beyond visas, tickets, or budgets.
  👉 https://blog.aara.cloud/apa-yang-membuatkan-melakukan-umrah-sukar-untuk-anda
• Travel Light, Travel Well — Why “Light” Often Wins in Umrah & Travel
  On how travelling lighter — in luggage and in mind — creates room for calmer ibadah.
  👉 https://blog.aara.cloud/travel-light-travel-well
• Stay in Style in Makkah Near Masjid Al-Haram — Why voco Makkah Deserves a Place in Your Umrah Planning
  A practical look at comfort, location, and value — because rest shapes worship.
  👉 https://blog.aara.cloud/stay-in-style-in-makkah-near-masjid-al-haram

Sharing the Planning Approach

Rather than presenting one “perfect” route, I want to share how the planning itself evolved — and how different Umrah travel styles can be shaped based on time, budget, energy, and intention.

Broadly, DIY Umrah planning can fall into three simple categories:

1. Just Umrah
   (with optional stopover / layover in one or more cities)
2. Umrah Plus One Country
   (with stopover / layover flexibility)
3. Umrah Plus Multiple Countries
   (using multicity or segmented one-way flights)

For this exploration, the proposed travel window starts from
4th Syawal onwards (after 24 March 2026), with the end date depending on the route chosen.

Flight Planning: One-Way Thinking for Better Decisions

Although Trip.com’s Multicity Search is powerful, I found that breaking the journey into one-way segments often leads to clearer decisions — especially when comparing prices, layovers, arrival times, and fatigue.

1️⃣ Just Umrah

(with optional stopover / layover)

This is the simplest and most flexible option, especially when paired with Trip.com’s:

• Price Graph
• Price Alert

What you need to decide first is not the airline — but duration:

• 3 days
• 5 days
• 8–10 days

In this example:

• 2–3 nights in Madinah
• 4–5 nights in Makkah
• Entry via Madinah, exit via Jeddah

✈️ Segment 1: Kuala Lumpur → Madinah

Based on the price graph, the lowest fare appeared on 26 March (RM1,209).
However, I chose the following option because it offered something extra: time.

Thu, 26 Mar – Fri, 27 Mar

• Air Arabia (via Sharjah)
• Layover: 18h 30m
• Opportunity to explore Sharjah, and possibly Dubai or Abu Dhabi
• Arrival Madinah: 9:45 AM, in time for Friday prayer at Masjid Nabawi

Fare: RM 1,488

✈️ Segment 2: Jeddah → Kuala Lumpur

My personal goal was to experience two Fridays — one in Madinah, one in Makkah.

Although the cheapest option departed Jeddah at 6:00 AM on Friday, that would mean missing Friday prayer. I therefore chose Saturday, still with a reasonable fare and a direct flight.

Sat, 4 Apr

• AirAsia X
• Jeddah → Kuala Lumpur (direct)
• Fare: RM 1,194

🔹 Summary: Just Umrah Option

• Travel period: 26 Mar – 4 Apr (10 days)
• Total airfare: RM 2,682
• Layover: 1 night in UAE
• Remaining nights: Madinah & Makkah

💡 Tip:
• If travelling by bus from Jeddah, arrive in the morning to reach Madinah by noon
• For long layovers, starting in the morning gives more value and less fatigue

2️⃣ Umrah Plus One Country

(Example: Turkey)

Turkey works beautifully as an Umrah Plus destination — whether for:

• 3–4 days (Istanbul & Bursa), or
• 7 days (Istanbul, Ankara, Konya, Cappadocia)

With a Saudi Tourist Visa valid for one year, re-entry into Saudi Arabia is allowed. This flexibility opens up smarter routing.

Approach 2.1: Extend the Return Date (One-Way Logic)

Instead of returning to KL on 4 April, extend the journey to 11 April.

✈️ Kuala Lumpur → Madinah

(Same as before)
RM 1,488

✈️ Jeddah → Istanbul

Using Trip.com one-way search on 4 April, fares start from ~RM546, with options via Riyadh, Ankara, Amman, Kuwait, or Bahrain.

In this example, I chose Ankara as part of the journey:

Sat, 4 Apr

• AJet via Ankara (10h layover)
• Arrival Istanbul (SAW): 7:10 PM
• Fare: RM 624

✈️ Istanbul → Jeddah

For a 7-day stay in Turkey, departure falls on Friday, 10 April.

Fri, 10 Apr

• Flynas (direct)
• Istanbul (SAW) → Jeddah
• Fare: RM 430

✨ Note: Turkey has multiple useful airports — Ankara, Antalya, Kayseri — allowing creative routing beyond Istanbul alone.

✈️ Jeddah → Kuala Lumpur

Option to:

• Perform another Umrah
• Rest in Jeddah
• Fly home the next day

Sat, 11 Apr

• AirAsia X (direct)
• Fare: RM 1,194

💰 Total Airfare (Umrah + Turkey)

RM 1,488 + 624 + 430 + 1,194 = RM 3,736

Approach 2.2: Trip.com Multicity Search (Comparison)

Using the same dates:

• KUL → MED
• JED → IST
• IST → KUL

Total: RM 3,710

The price is almost the same, but one-way planning offers more flexibility

3️⃣ Umrah Plus Multiple Countries

(Example: Adding Cairo)

Using the same logic, it’s easy to extend further.

Instead of:
Istanbul → Kuala Lumpur

Replace with:

• Istanbul → Cairo
• Cairo → Kuala Lumpur

New Segments Added

✈️ Istanbul → Cairo

Fri, 10 Apr

• Flynas via Riyadh
• Fare included in multicity

✈️ Cairo → Kuala Lumpur

Tue, 14 Apr

• Oman Air via Muscat (long but comfortable layover)
• Fare included

⚠️ Important: Departure is just after midnight — arrive at the airport on Monday evening (13 Apr).

💰 Total Multicity Fare (Umrah + Turkey + Cairo)

RM 4,613

➡️ The additional cost of adding Cairo + Muscat layover is about RM900,
which is significantly cheaper than travelling separately.

💰 Flight Cost Comparison (MYR)

Visa Requirements (Check Based on Passport)

• Saudi Arabia: Tourist eVisa / Umrah via Nusuk
• Egypt: Visa on Arrival / eVisa (nationality dependent)
• Turkey: eVisa / visa-free for some passports

Optional layovers:

• UAE
• Jordan (Amman)
• Greece (Athens)
• Turkmenistan (Ashgabat)

Accommodation Strategy

Hotels are selected based on location, comfort, and loyalty value, using:

• Millennium Hotels
• IHG (voco, Holiday Inn, etc.)
• Trip.com (for comparison)

🏨 Madinah (2 Nights)

Mar 27 – Mar 29
Close to Masjid Nabawi, allowing rest between prayers.

🏨 Makkah (5 Nights)

Mar 29 – Apr 3
After Friday prayer, transfer to Jeddah for Cairo flight.

🏨 Cairo (2 Nights)

Apr 5 – Apr 7
Central location for historical exploration.

🏨 Turkey

• Konya (1N)
• Cappadocia (1N)
• Istanbul (2N)

Each stay chosen for proximity to transport and key attractions.

Transportation (Estimated)

Below are essential transfers only. Costs may vary and are adjustable:

These are baseline estimates for planning clarity, not fixed costs.

Tours & Experiences

Booked via Trip.com / Klook / Pelago:

• Madinah Hop-On Hop-Off Bus
• Hira Cave Tour (Makkah)
• Cairo historical tours
• Cappadocia Hot Air Balloon
• Istanbul city experiences
• UAE layover tour (if applicable)

Proposed Day-by-Day Itinerary (Highlights)

🗓️ Day 1–2

Kuala Lumpur → Madinah
Layover: Sharjah (optional UAE exploration)

🗓️ Days 3–4

Ziarah Madinah:
Masjid Nabawi, Quba, Uhud

🕌 Days 5–8

Makkah:
Umrah, ibadah, reflection, and spiritual reset

🗓️ Days 9–11

Jeddah → Cairo
Pyramids, Al-Azhar, Islamic Cairo, Nile experience

🗓️ Days 12–16

Turkey journey:
Antalya → Konya → Cappadocia → Istanbul

Highlights:

• Rumi heritage in Konya
• Hot air balloon over Cappadocia
• Hagia Sophia, Bosphorus, Grand Bazaar

Conclusion: Let the Journey Shape You

This itinerary may still evolve — and that is okay.

Because Umrah is not about perfect timing, flawless routes, or ticking destinations. It is about showing up with sincerity, allowing space for reflection, and accepting that sometimes, delays are part of the invitation.

When plans change, the journey teaches.
And sometimes, the heart arrives before the body ever does.