Five Miqats Around Makkah: Locations and Route Planning

The miqats are five geographic points on the roads that lead to Makkah. Pilgrims travelling for Umrah or Hajj pass one of them on the way to the city, and almost every organised trip builds a stop there into the schedule. If you travel by bus, taxi or your own car, or move between cities in Saudi Arabia, it helps to know in advance which point is on your road, how far it is from Makkah and how much time to leave.

A note on what this is. ZiyaraGo is an independent information service. We describe where the places are and how to plan the journey; we do not give religious instructions. Rules and procedures are set by the Saudi authorities, your country and your organiser, so confirm every step with them. All distances below are approximate: sources differ by a few kilometres.

How the five miqats are arranged

The miqats sit roughly in a ring around Makkah, each on the approach from one direction: Dhul Hulayfah to the north near Madinah, Al-Juhfah to the northwest, Qarn al-Manazil to the east, Yalamlam to the south and Dhat Irq to the northeast. The nearest are only about 80 to 100 km from the city; the farthest, Dhul Hulayfah, is around 420 to 450 km away on the road from Madinah.

Which one is on your road depends on the direction you come from, not on the country you come from. That is why the same traveller can pass a different miqat on the way in and on a later trip. The simplest rule for planning: look at the route, find the miqat on it, and ask your organiser where the stop will be.

Dhul Hulayfah (Abyar Ali): the miqat on the road from Madinah

Dhul Hulayfah, also called Abyar Ali, lies near Madinah on the road towards Makkah, about 14 km southwest of the Prophet’s Mosque. It is the closest miqat to Madinah and the farthest from Makkah, around 420 to 450 km. Anyone who travels from Madinah to Makkah by road passes it.

The site is built for pilgrims: there is a large mosque, areas for ablution and shaded places to rest. Because it is the first stop on a long drive, many groups use it to rest, eat and let everyone get ready before continuing for several hours. If you travel with a group, ask how long the stop will last, and if you travel on your own, add extra time to the plan.

• Masjid Dhul-Hulayfah (Miqat) — To the Prophet's Mosque: 9.1 km in a straight line

Al-Juhfah (Rabigh): the northwest approach

Al-Juhfah is on the coastal side, close to the town of Rabigh, roughly 180 to 190 km from Makkah. It serves the road from the north and the west, which means travellers arriving from Syria, Egypt, Turkey, Europe and North Africa by land.

Because it is so far from Makkah, the stop here usually comes early in the journey. Ask your organiser which stop is planned and how long the group will stay.

• Miqat Al-Juhfah

Qarn al-Manazil (As-Sayl): the eastern approach via Taif

Qarn al-Manazil, also known as As-Sayl al-Kabir, lies to the east of Makkah, about 80 to 95 km away, near the city of Taif. It is the closest miqat to the city and serves the roads from Najd and the east: the UAE, Oman, Pakistan and other countries that arrive through that side.

If you are visiting Taif first, Qarn al-Manazil is on the way to Makkah. Allow extra time in busy seasons and plan fuel and water before you continue.

• Miqat Qarn al-Manazil (As-Sail al-Kabir)

Yalamlam (As-Sa’diyah): the southern approach

Yalamlam is to the south of Makkah, about 90 to 100 km from the city. It serves the road from Yemen and the southern regions of Africa, and the highway from the south coast.

Check the services of the stop in advance and bring water and snacks with you.

• Miqat Yalamlam

Dhat Irq: the northeastern approach

Dhat Irq is to the northeast of Makkah, about 90 to 100 km away. It serves the roads from Iraq, Iran and the countries from which the route runs through the northeastern regions of the Kingdom.

We do not yet have a separate page for Dhat Irq in our catalogue, so we give only the general location here. Ask your organiser for the exact stop.

How to choose your route and plan the stop

Start from the map, not from the country. For a trip from Madinah the miqat is Dhul Hulayfah. For a trip from the west coast, Europe or Egypt by land it is Al-Juhfah. For the east and the Taif road it is Qarn al-Manazil, for the south it is Yalamlam and for the northeast it is Dhat Irq.

Then plan the stop. Stops are agreed in advance by tour operators and carriers, so ask where it will be and how long it will take. If you travel on your own, leave at least an hour of reserve, bring water and cash, and check the time of the day: midday heat and evening prayer times can lengthen the stop. Air travellers should follow the instructions of the airline and the organiser, since the procedure on a flight is different from the one on the road.

Not a miqat, but often confused: the Haram boundary and Masjid Aisha

The miqat points are far from the city, while the boundary of the sacred area around Makkah runs much closer, roughly 7 to 24 km from the Kaaba. The two are different things. The nearest boundary point, At-Tanim in the north, has a mosque, Masjid Aisha, which many visitors know as a landmark. We describe all the boundary points in our guide to the boundaries of the Haram.

If you are planning where to stay once you arrive, see our guide to hotels near the Haram.

• Masjid Aisha (Aisha Mosque) — To Masjid al-Haram: 5.7 km in a straight line

How we chose

We built this guide from the distances and descriptions in our own place catalogue and from official and public sources, and we left out details on which sources disagree. Distances are approximate and depend on the road. The guide is information for planning and does not replace the instructions of the authorities, your operator or the official apps.

Tips

• Find the miqat on your route before you book the transport, and ask the organiser where the stop will be.
• Allow extra time at the stop in busy seasons and in the midday heat.
• Bring water, snacks and cash, and check the facilities of the stop in advance.
• Distances in this guide are approximate; confirm the route and time with the organiser or official sources.

Questions and answers