Updated · Saudi Arabia Taxi Services
Why plan your Miqat stop by car?
A Miqat is a fixed boundary point where pilgrims heading to Makkah for Umrah or Hajj enter Ihram. When you travel by car, your Miqat depends on the road you take, and the car will pass it at highway speed unless you plan the stop. Planning your Miqat by car in advance means you can change, pray and make your intention without rushing.
This guide covers what is widely agreed about which Miqat applies to which road. Rulings for individual situations can differ, so ask a scholar you trust about your own case. Our Miqat locations guide has more background.
Which Miqat applies to your road into Makkah?
There is also a fifth Miqat, Dhat Irq, for people coming from the direction of Iraq. Most road travellers today reach Makkah on one of the roads in the table.
| Coming from | Road | Miqat | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madinah | Route 15 (Al Hijrah Highway) | Dhul Hulayfah (Abyar Ali) | About 12 km from Al-Masjid an-Nabawi, at the start of the trip |
| Taif via Al Hada | Al Hada mountain road | Qarn al-Manazil, at Wadi Muharram | Miqat mosque on the Al Hada road near Taif |
| Taif via Al Sail, Riyadh and the east | Al Sail road (Route 40 from Riyadh) | Qarn al-Manazil, at As-Sayl al-Kabir | The usual stop on the Riyadh to Makkah drive |
| Yanbu and the north-west coast | Route 5 coastal road via Rabigh | Al-Juhfah, near Rabigh | Many pilgrims enter Ihram at Rabigh |
| The south | Roads from the south | Yalamlam | Tell us your route so the driver plans the stop |
| Jeddah | Route 40 (Haramain Expressway) | No Miqat on this road | Jeddah is inside the Miqat boundary |
| Already in Makkah | Short city drive | Nearest point outside the Haram: Masjid Aisha (Al-Tan'eem) or Al-Ji'ranah | For another Umrah from Makkah |
Leaving Madinah: Dhul Hulayfah (Abyar Ali)
Dhul Hulayfah, also called Abyar Ali, is the Miqat for anyone travelling from Madinah to Makkah for Umrah or Hajj. It is about 12 km from Al-Masjid an-Nabawi, so the stop comes early in the drive.
There are washrooms and changing areas on site. Many men put on their Ihram garments at the hotel, then pray and make the intention at the Miqat mosque. Allow 30 to 45 minutes. The rest of the trip takes about 4 h 30 min on Route 15, and a taxi costs from SAR 770 per car.
From Taif and Riyadh: Qarn al-Manazil
Qarn al-Manazil is the Miqat for travellers from Taif, Riyadh and the east. It has two Miqat mosques, one on each road from Taif: As-Sayl al-Kabir on the Al Sail road and Wadi Muharram on the Al Hada road. Tell the driver which one you plan to use.
From Taif, the Al Hada road to Makkah is about 90 km and runs down a steep escarpment with many sharp bends; the Al Sail road is about 20 km longer but flatter. A Taif to Makkah taxi costs from SAR 160. From Riyadh, the 880 km drive on Route 40 passes As-Sayl al-Kabir, from SAR 1,500 per car.
Coast roads: Al-Juhfah and Yalamlam
Al-Juhfah, near the town of Rabigh, is the Miqat for travellers coming down the north-west coast, for example from Yanbu, and the traditional Miqat for pilgrims from Egypt, the Levant and North Africa. Many pilgrims on this road enter Ihram at Rabigh. A Yanbu to Makkah taxi covers about 392 km and costs from SAR 670 per car.
Yalamlam is the Miqat for travellers coming from the south, the traditional route from Yemen. If you are driving up from the south, tell us your exact route when you book so the driver plans the stop at the right Miqat mosque.
Flying into Jeddah or starting in Jeddah
Jeddah lies inside the Miqat boundary. If you fly in for Umrah, the usual position is that you should be in Ihram before or when the plane passes the Miqat, so the drive from Jeddah Airport to Makkah has no Miqat stop. Many pilgrims change into Ihram garments before boarding or on the plane, and some airlines announce when the plane is near the Miqat.
If your journey starts in Jeddah, for example because you live there, you enter Ihram where you are before setting off. If you are unsure which case applies to you, ask a scholar before you travel. Our guide to getting from Jeddah Airport to Makkah covers the drive itself.
Already in Makkah: Masjid Aisha and Al-Ji'ranah
If you are in Makkah and want to enter Ihram for another Umrah, you go out to the nearest point beyond the Haram boundary. Masjid Aisha at Al-Tan'eem, about 7 km from the Haram, is the closest and the busiest. Al-Ji'ranah, about 25 km north-east of Makkah, is quieter; it is where the Prophet ﷺ entered Ihram for Umrah after the Battle of Hunayn.
The driver waits while you change and pray, and most pilgrims go straight back to the Haram afterwards. You can book the trip as a return ride or by the hour, from SAR 80 per hour.
How to plan the stop with your driver
- Tell us at booking that you need a Miqat stop, and which road you will take.
- Do ghusl and get ready at the hotel if you can; it shortens the stop.
- Keep your Ihram garments and toiletries in a hand bag, not in the boot.
- Allow 30 to 45 minutes at the Miqat. At Dhul Hulayfah, washrooms and changing areas are on site.
- If you want a quiet stop, avoid arriving just as a prayer begins, or plan to pray there.
- If anything about your Ihram is unclear, ask a scholar before the day, not at the roadside.