Places to visit in MakkahA family ziyarat guide

A note on ziyarat before you go

The visits with a clear basis in the Sunnah are the Masjid al-Haram itself and, during Hajj, the ritual sites. IslamQA (answers 100274 and 11669) says going to see historic places is allowed as long as you don't treat the visit as worship with a set reward. There is no special prayer, dua or ritual at Jabal al-Nour, Jabal Thawr or Jabal al-Rahmah. Some scholars are stricter than this, so if you're unsure, ask a scholar you trust.

Jabal al-Nour and the Cave of Hira

Jabal al-Nour, the Mountain of Light, is on the north-east side of Makkah. Near its top is the small Cave of Hira. Before prophethood, the Prophet ﷺ used to spend nights there in worship, and it is where the angel Jibril brought the first verses of the Qur'an, the opening of Surah al-Alaq (96:1-5). Aisha's account of that night is the third hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari.

How hard is the climb?

The path is a long staircase of uneven rock steps with little shade. How long it takes depends on your fitness, the heat and how crowded the steps are, so give it a good part of the morning. Fit adults and older children with a parent close by can manage it. We advise elderly parents, anyone with heart or knee problems, pregnant women and small children to stay at the base and spend the time in the Hira Cultural District next door. Climbers should go after Fajr, take water, wear shoes with grip and come down well before the next prayer.

IslamQA (answer 100274) says climbing to the cave as an act of worship has no basis, while going up to see the place is not forbidden. Some scholars are stricter, so ask a scholar you trust if it matters to you.

Hira Cultural District

This visitor area at the foot of Jabal al-Nour holds the Revelation Exhibition and the Holy Quran Museum. It is indoors and air-conditioned, so it is the easiest stop for elderly parents and children.

On 10/06/2026 Saudi Arabia's Pilgrim Experience Program (pep.gov.sa) reported that the Holy Quran Museum and the Revelation Exhibition are open 24 hours a day, except on Fridays, when they close from 7 am to 3:30 pm. Some older official pages still show earlier hours, and the announcement gives no ticket price, so check both on the day you go. Allow one to two hours.

Jabal Thawr and the Cave of Thawr

Jabal Thawr is a mountain on the south side of Makkah. During the Hijrah to Madinah, the Prophet ﷺ and Abu Bakr hid in a cave near its top. The Qur'an refers to this in Surah al-Tawbah (9:40), where the Prophet ﷺ tells his companion not to grieve, because Allah is with them.

The climb is longer and harder than Jabal al-Nour, with no visitor centre at the base, so most families look at the mountain from the road. The IslamQA note on Hira (answer 100274) covers Thawr too.

Masjid Aisha at Tan'im

Masjid Aisha is a large mosque at Tan'im, just outside the boundary of the Haram on the road towards Madinah. People already staying in Makkah who want to perform another Umrah go there to put on ihram and make the intention. The practice comes from the Prophet's ﷺ instruction to Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Bakr to take his sister Aisha to Tan'im for her Umrah (Sahih al-Bukhari 1784).

Many people come already in ihram and only make the intention and pray there.

Doing another Umrah from Tan'im

Scholars differ on repeating Umrah on one trip. SeekersGuidance, answering on Hanafi fiqh, says you may perform as many as you wish, entering ihram at Masjid Aisha or anywhere outside the Haram boundary each time. IslamQA (answer 180123) says most scholars allow it for someone who has travelled far, while answer 49897 records scholars such as Ibn Taymiyah who advised against repeating it often and wanted time to pass so the hair can grow back for shaving. Ask a scholar you trust which view to follow.

Before you go, check in the Nusuk app whether the extra Umrah needs its own permit on your dates. In Ramadan, Nusuk has refused permits for a repeat Umrah in recent years. Our Nusuk app guide explains permits.

The next Umrah has the same walking as your first. If your parents struggled with the first one, think hard about whether a second is worth the strain on them.

Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafat

East of Makkah are the valleys and plain where Hajj takes place. Outside the season a drive shows the tent city of Mina, the Jamarat bridge, Muzdalifah, and Arafat with Jabal al-Rahmah, the Mount of Mercy.

Most of the visit is from the car, with a stop at Arafat. Standing at Arafat is the heart of Hajj only on the 9th of Dhul Hijjah. IslamQA (answer 109290) quotes scholars including al-Nawawi and Ibn Taymiyah who call climbing Jabal al-Rahmah as a ritual, or praying on it for blessing, an innovation. You can make any dua you like there, as you would anywhere.

In recent Hajj seasons the Saudi authorities have banned unauthorised vehicles from the holy sites for several weeks; in 2024 the ban ran until 19 July. On the 1448 calendar every Umrah visa holder must leave by 07/04/2027, before that period, so the drive fits most Umrah trips.

It is the easiest stop for elderly parents, and a good chance to explain Hajj to children.

Jannat al-Mu'alla

This is the historic cemetery of Makkah, a short drive from the Haram. Khadijah, the first wife of the Prophet ﷺ, and many members of his family are buried here.

What visitors may do changes, so check at the gate on the day. If you visit, you can use the Sunnah greeting for graves; our Madinah guide gives the words narrated in Sahih Muslim 975. For anything beyond that, and on whether women should visit graves, ask a scholar you trust.

Museums in Makkah

These three are indoors, which makes them useful on a hot afternoon between Dhuhr and Asr.

Clock Tower Museum

A museum about time, astronomy and the tower itself, inside the Abraj Al Bait complex next to the Haram, with a viewing deck near the clock. Online resellers quote very different prices and hours, so check the official Discover Makkah page and book only through the channel it names. Our hotels page explains the Clock Tower hotels.

Exhibition of the Two Holy Mosques Architecture

A museum in the Umm al-Joud area with pieces from the Masjid al-Haram and the Prophet's Mosque over the centuries. Published hours conflict between sources, so check before you make the trip.

The Kiswa complex

The King Abdulaziz Complex for the Holy Kaaba Kiswa is where the black cloth that covers the Kaaba is woven and embroidered. In June 2025 Malaysia's news agency Bernama reported that visits could be booked online through the General Presidency's website. The visits reported in 2026 were for invited groups, so ask before you count on a place.

A half-day route for families

This order avoids doubling back. Adjust it to the prayer times on your dates.

If someone climbs to Hira, the morning runs longer, so start straight after Fajr and leave the museum for another day if time runs short.

Ziyarat with elderly parents

Skip the climbs. The base of Jabal al-Nour, the Hira Cultural District and the Arafat drive make a calm morning, back before midday. If a parent uses a folding wheelchair, tell us when you book so we can ask for a vehicle that takes it. Keep the tour short on the day before or after your Umrah so they have energy for tawaf and sa'i.

Our guide to Umrah with elderly parents covers wheelchairs and carts inside the Haram.

Ziyarat with children

Young children usually prefer the Hira Cultural District and the Arafat drive to a climb. Put a card with your phone number and hotel name in each child's pocket, or on a wristband. Tell them the story of each place in the car before you arrive: the first verses at Hira, the hiding at Thawr. See Umrah with kids for more.

How Maqam e Haram helps

Tell our team on WhatsApp which day suits you and who is travelling, including anyone who needs a wheelchair. We plan the tour around your family: the stops you want, how long you can manage, and getting you back before the prayer. Our team on the ground in Makkah checks what is open on your dates and stays on WhatsApp during the tour. Ask us for today's price. If you are still planning the trip, our family Umrah packages put hotels, transport and ziyarat in one written plan, or you can book the ziyarat tour on its own.

WhatsApp or call +92 309 9022120, or email info@maqameharam.com.

Questions and answers

Related pages

• Ziyarat tours in Makkah and MadinahBook a private ziyarat car.
• Family Umrah packagesHotels, transport and ziyarat in one plan.
• Hotels in Makkah and MadinahHow to choose a hotel near the Haram.
• Umrah with elderly parentsWheelchairs, pace and rest.