Shifting vs non-shifting Hajj: what the terms mean

Shifting vs non-shifting Hajj in short

The terms describe where you stay in Makkah around the days of Hajj. In a shifting package, you change your stay once or twice. In a non-shifting package, you stay in one hotel for the whole Makkah part of the trip.

Both cover the same Hajj. The days in Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah are the same for everyone.

What a shifting package means

In a shifting package, you move to a building closer to Mina for the Hajj days. A common pattern looks like this:

• Before Hajj: a hotel within walking distance of the Haram.
• A few days before 8 Dhul Hijjah: you move to an apartment building in an area such as Aziziyah, a few kilometres from the Haram and closer to Mina.
• Hajj days: tents in Mina and Arafat, and the night at Muzdalifah.
• After Hajj: you rest in the apartment, then may move back to a hotel near the Haram, or go on to Madinah.

Some operators use the word for a different order, so always ask for the stay on each date.

What a non-shifting package means

In a non-shifting package, you keep the same hotel in Makkah, usually near the Haram, for your whole stay. You go to Mina and Arafat from that hotel and come back to it after Hajj.

You unpack once and pray in the Haram every day. These packages usually cost more, because hotel rates near the Haram are at their highest during Hajj.

Pros and cons of each

Neither is right for everyone. It depends on your budget, your health and how you want to spend your days.

• Shifting, for: usually lower cost; the apartment is closer to Mina and the Jamarat, so travel on the Hajj days is shorter.
• Shifting, against: packing and moving once or twice; during the Hajj days, reaching the Haram from the apartment takes a bus or taxi, and traffic is heavy.
• Non-shifting, for: one hotel, no moving, and the Haram within walking distance for most of the trip.
• Non-shifting, against: usually a higher price; the trip to Mina and back is longer.

How the Haj Committee stay compares

The Haj Committee of India does not use these terms. Under Haj Policy 2027, it hires buildings in Makkah for the whole Haj season, so every pilgrim pays the same accommodation charge, however long they stay.

The Haj Committee also offers a 20-day Short Haj for up to 10,000 pilgrims. “Short” is about the number of days, not about shifting.

Questions to ask before you book

Whatever the package is called, these questions tell you what you are really getting:

Our Hajj 2027 packages

We run three private Hajj groups for 2027 from Mumbai: Premier Hajj (43 days), Classic Hajj (43 days) and Short Hajj Express (17 days). Each package page lists the stay for each part of the trip. Ask our team which applies to each package, shifting or non-shifting, and what that means for you.

Seats depend on the quota allotted to us for Haj 2027. All dates and arrangements are tentative and subject to Saudi and Indian government policy and approvals.