Umrah Plus AlUla

**✨ Umrah Plus AlUla: A Journey Through Faith, Heritage & Hidden Gems**

*“From the sands of AlUla to the sacred peace of Makkah — one journey, many stories.”*

It all started with a headline that caught my eye: **"AlUla’s Timeless Heritage Earns Global Acclaim."**

Curious, I clicked — and got completely lost in the story.
The article described AlUla as a place where time seemed to pause — vast desert landscapes, golden cliffs and ancient tombs carved deep into rock faces. A land that once connected civilizations thousands of years ago.

And then it hit me:

*What if I could include AlUla — Saudi Arabia’s breathtaking open-air museum — as part of my Umrah route?*

That’s how the “Umrah Plus AlUla” idea was born: fly into the new AlUla airport (ULH), spend a day exploring, then journey overland to Madinah. It sounded perfect — in theory. But as every savvy traveller knows, the magic is in the details. And so is the budget.

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### **🛑 The First Hurdle: The "Golden" Hotel Prices**

Of course, ideas are free… but flights and hotels aren’t! 😅

I decided to skip the crowded — and expensive — December period. That meant avoiding both school holidays and the famous **Ancient Kingdoms Festival (Dec 18, 2025 – Jan 10, 2026)**— so hotel prices in AlUla were bound to skyrocket.

I thought I was being clever. I checked 2-night stays in mid-January across my go-to platforms: Trip.com, Klook and Expedia.

**Reality check time.** My dream of a comfortable hotel stay in AlUla vanished fast. Prices were jaw-dropping — thousands of Ringgit for just two nights! My “AlUla dream stay” was turning into a luxury fantasy.

That’s when another idea struck me:

“Okay, maybe I don’t need to stay in AlUla. What if I just visit for a day?”

And that’s how Plan B — the Money Trip — was born.

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### **🚍 Plan B: The "Money Trip" Day Tour**

They say necessity is the mother of invention — and in this case, she’s also a great travel planner.

If I couldn’t *stay* in AlUla, I’d just *visit* for the day.

A quick look at the NWBus website gave me hope: there’s a bus from AlUla to Madinah at 1:09 a.m., reaching around 6:15 a.m. Perfect timing to arrive just before Fajr.

My initial dream of a scenic daytime bus ride faded, but the overnight option made even more sense: it was cost-effective and saved a hotel night. 
At first, I thought about traveling during the day to admire the desert views, but the more I looked at it, the more sense the overnight bus made — cheaper, time-saving and it doubled as my “moving hotel.”

I’d nicknamed it the **“Money Trip”**!

Here’s the new plan:

1.  Arrive in AlUla a day earlier.
2.  Spend the day exploring
3.  Hop on the overnight bus to Madinah — saving a night’s accommodation and arriving in the holy city just in time for Fajr.

Simple, efficient and a little bit adventurous.

Now I just needed to pick the right day tour.
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### **🏛️ Choosing My AlUla Adventure: Klook vs. Trip.com**

I narrowed it down to two solid options:

**🥉 Option 1: The Hegra Highlight (by Klook)**
- **Price:** RM 385.49
- **Time:** 3:00 PM – 6:30 PM (3.5 hours)
- **Meet/Drop Point:** Winter Park Bus Station, AlUla (same as the Madinah bus!)
- **Attractions:** Focused on the UNESCO World Heritage Site **Hegra** and the **Tomb of Lihyan**
- **Logistics:** If you’re flying in the morning, this one fits nicely. You’ll even have a few hours to explore AlUla town before the tour starts. You’d just need a ride from the airport to the Winter Park station.

**🥇 Option 2: The Grand Tour (by Trip.com)**
- **Price:** RM 999.65
- **Time:** 9:00 AM – 7:20 PM (Full day)
- **Meet/Drop Point:** Winter Park Bus Station, AlUla
- **Attractions:** The full package — **Hegra, Dadan, AlUla Old Town and the mesmerizing Elephant Rock**
- **Logistics:** This was the winner. More value, more sights. The catch? I had to land in AlUla and get to the pickup point by 9:00 AM.

That decision locked in my flight criteria: **I needed to land in AlUla (ULH) before 8:30 AM** and grab a Careem to the Winter Park Bus Station.

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### **✈️ Cracking the Flight Code: The Multi-City Search**

I turned to **Trip.com’s multi-city search** (since the Price Graph doesn’t handle multi-leg routes) and set my criteria:

- **KUL → AlUla (ULH):** Arrive before 8:30 a.m.
- **JED → KUL:** Return after Umrah

Here’s what I found with **Qatar Airways**:

**🛫 Departure: Kuala Lumpur → AlUla (Jan 7, 2026)**
- 02:40 — Depart Kuala Lumpur (KUL)
- 05:15 — Arrive Doha (DOH), transit 2h 15m
- 07:30 — Depart Doha
- 10:10 — Arrive AlUla (ULH)

✈️ Note: My Day 1 would actually start on January 5, 2026, as I’d need to be at the airport a few hours before midnight for check-in, immigration and all the pre-departure formalities. It’s that familiar pre-travel excitement — a mix of anticipation, last-minute packing checks and a quiet prayer before the journey begins.

**🛬 Return: Jeddah → Kuala Lumpur (Jan 16, 2026)**
- 11:35 — Depart Jeddah (JED)
- 13:45 — Arrive Doha (DOH)
18h 25m layover (hello, mini adventure!)
- 08:10 — Depart Doha (Jan 17)
- 20:40 — Arrive Kuala Lumpur (KUL)

**💰Total fare: RM3,525 — premium airline, but worth every sen.

Perfect — I’d arrive mid-morning, explore a bit, join the 3 p.m. tour and catch the overnight bus to Madinah.

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🌙 My “Umrah Plus AlUla” Itinerary

🕌 Day 1/2: Travel to AlUla
My journey begins before the sun even rises — departing Kuala Lumpur at 2:40 AM, transiting briefly in Doha and landing in AlUla at 10:10 AM. Just enough time to breathe in the crisp desert air and make my way to Winter Park Station, the starting point for my AlUla adventure.

The rest of the day will be about discovery: golden canyons, ancient tombs and the breathtaking sunset hues that dance over AlUla’s sandstone cliffs. As night settles over the desert, I’ll rest and prepare for the next leg of my journey — to Madinah, the City of Light.

🚌 Day 3: AlUla Half-Day Tour → Overnight Bus to Madinah
After exploring AlUla’s timeless wonders, I’ll catch the 1:09 AM NWBus to Madinah — a simple, budget-friendly way to travel under the starlit desert sky. Around 5:00 AM, the bus stops briefly at a mosque for Fajr prayer, allowing a peaceful moment of reflection before arriving in Madinah at 6:15 AM.

Since hotel check-in is usually at 4:00 PM, I’ll leave my luggage at the lobby and walk to Masjid An-Nabawi. There, I plan to visit the Rawdah (the Sacred Garden) — one of the gardens of Jannah — and offer my salam to Rasulullah (ﷺ) and his closest companions, Abu Bakr and Umar (RA). (Note to self: apply for the Nusuk permit early!)

Later, I’ll head to Masjid Quba, the first mosque built in Islam. The Prophet (ﷺ) said that performing two raka’ah here is equivalent to the reward of an Umrah — a beautiful way to begin this blessed stay.

By late afternoon, I’ll officially check in, rest and let the serenity of Madinah take over.

🌴 Day 4–6: Ziarah in Madinah — Walking Through History
These are the days that fill the heart — quiet, reflective and profoundly humbling. Madinah holds stories in every stone and I want to walk through them all.

🕋 Masjid Qiblatain — The mosque of two Qiblahs. Here, during prayer, the Prophet (ﷺ) received revelation to change the Qiblah from Masjid Al-Aqsa to the Kaabah in Makkah. Standing here reminds me that obedience and faith often begin with a single moment of surrender.

🕌 Mount Uhud — A mountain that the Prophet (ﷺ) loved and said, “Uhud is a mountain that loves us and we love it.” Visiting the resting place of the martyrs, especially Sayyidina Hamzah (RA), is always an emotional moment — a reminder of sacrifice, courage and steadfastness.

🌙 Masjid Al-Jum’ah — Built at the place where the Prophet (ﷺ) led his first Friday prayer upon migrating to Madinah. A stop here always feels like a symbolic renewal of intention — to continue life’s journey with taqwa and gratitude.

🍃 Quba Date Market (Souq Al-Tamr) — Before sunset, I’ll explore this vibrant local market — sampling fresh dates, chatting with friendly sellers and picking up small gifts that carry the sweetness of Madinah.

Each night, I’ll return to Masjid An-Nabawi for prayers and reflection. The rhythm of Adhan echoing across the city is something words can barely describe — it’s peace in its purest form.

🕋 Day 6–10: Umrah in Makkah
On Day 6, I’ll board the Haramain High-Speed Train to Makkah, gliding through the desert in comfort. Upon arrival, I’ll perform Umrah, beginning with Tawaf, Sa’i and Tahallul — moments that renew the heart each time.

I’ll spend four spiritually enriching nights in Makkah, performing ibadah, making du’a and simply sitting in awe before the Kaabah, the house that unites the ummah. Each tawaf feels like time slowing down — a quiet dialogue between soul and Creator.

✈️ Day 10: Journey Home via Doha
My journey home begins from Jeddah at 11:35 AM, with a long 18-hour layover in Doha — arriving at 1:45 PM and departing the next morning at 8:10 AM.

Rather than see it as an inconvenience, I see it as a bonus — a chance to experience Doha by night. Maybe a stroll along the Corniche, a visit to Souq Waqif, or just a peaceful rest at Hamad International Airport, one of the world’s most beautiful transit hubs.

And just like that, the journey circles back — a pilgrimage of faith, discovery and gratitude.

✨ Combining Umrah with AlUla isn’t just about seeing more places — it’s about tracing the footsteps of faith through time, from the desert’s silence to the Kaabah’s sacred call.
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### **🌙 Bonus: Doha Stopover Adventure**

Most people dread long transits. I see them as bonus trips.

With 18 hours in Doha, I plan to wander Souq Waqif, stroll along The Corniche and take in the skyline’s glow before spending the night at Hamad International Airport — one of the world’s most comfortable.

Sometimes, travel magic happens in between destinations.
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### **💭 Final Thoughts**

Combining Umrah with AlUla isn’t just about ticking another destination off your list — it’s about connecting faith with history.

Standing among the ancient tombs of Hegra, then finding peace in the courtyards of Masjidil Haram… it feels like walking through time, tracing footsteps of civilizations and prophets alike.

Sure, AlUla’s hotel prices may be a shock, but a day-trip strategy keeps it affordable without missing the essence.

If you’re planning your 2026 Umrah, consider this route:  
**KUL → AlUla → Madinah → Makkah → Jeddah → KUL**

It’s a beautiful blend of faith, ancient discovery and smart travel planning — a true **“Umrah Plus” experience**.

So, is **#UmrahPlusAlUla** possible? Absolutely. It takes a little more planning, some flexibility and a willingness to take an overnight bus — but walking through 200,000 years of history alongside your pilgrimage? That’s a story worth living.

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✍️ **Written by: AaraStories**  
📍 blog.aara.cloud/umrah

*Perjalanan suci bukan tentang kemewahan, tetapi tentang keikhlasan dan perancangan yang bijak.* 🌸

***Disclaimer:*** *Flight prices and tour availability are subject to change. Always check the latest details before booking.*