ADVICE TO BRITISH HAJJIS
Saudi government regulations stipulate that British pilgrims performing Umrah and Hajj can only travel with UK travel agencies accredited with the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia. You should confirm the full itinerary for your pilgrimage before departing the UK. If you find yourself in difficulties during your pilgrimage, you or your relatives should contact the British Consulate-General in Jeddah (tel: +966 2 622 5550/5557/5558).
In recent years, many pilgrims have been killed due to over-crowding. In 2006 over 400 pilgrims, including three British Nationals, were killed in a stampede at the Hajj.
There has been an increase in the number of reported cases of pickpocketing and other forms of theft in Mecca, particularly in the region of the Grand Mosque and in Medina. You should take additional care with travel documents, tickets and other valuables while visiting these two areas. We also recommend that you should make a copy of your passport before you travel, and keep it in a safe place.
