New Zealand Muslims travel further to reach the Haramain than almost anyone Tarteel Travel serves. From Auckland, the journey to Madinah takes roughly 20 hours with a connection through Doha or a transit via an Australian hub. That distance is part of what makes the decision to go meaningful. If you have been putting it off, Tarteel Travel is here to make the logistics straightforward so you can focus on why you are going.
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "(The performance of) Umrah is an expiation for the sins committed (between it and the previous one). And the reward of Hajj Mabrur (the one accepted by Allah) is nothing except Paradise." (Sahih al-Bukhari 1773)
Tarteel Travel runs fixed group departures throughout the year. New Zealand travelers join one of those groups, and Tarteel coordinates your flights from your nearest airport to meet the group itinerary. See what previous travelers say on our Instagram and in our reviews.
Umrah is the lesser Islamic pilgrimage to Makkah al-Mukarramah, which can be performed at any time of year. Its essential acts are: entering Ihram (declared at the Miqat), performing Tawaf (seven circuits around the Ka'bah), walking Sa'i (seven times between Safa and Marwa), and completing with shaving or trimming the hair. Many Muslims describe Umrah as a turning point in their relationship with Allah, a chance to make tawbah and return to their Deen with renewed intention.
Auckland Airport (AKL) is New Zealand's main international departure point and where most New Zealand Muslims begin their Umrah journey. From AKL, the standard routing is via Doha on Qatar Airways, with a total travel time of around 19 to 21 hours to Madinah. Muslims in Wellington and Christchurch connect to AKL on domestic flights before the international leg. Those in Hamilton, Tauranga, or Palmerston North typically drive to Auckland or take an InterCity coach.
Tarteel Travel has partnered with Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines to provide New Zealand travelers with reliable routing to Saudi Arabia. When you fill out the booking form, note your preferred departure airport and Tarteel will build your flights around the group itinerary.
Tarteel Travel selects hotels in Makkah and Madinah that are close to the Haramain, so you are not spending energy on long transfers when your focus should be on worship. Daily breakfast is included at both hotels. Your itinerary includes guided Ziyarah to Masjid Qubaa', Mount Uhud, and other significant sites in both cities, with context and explanation at each stop. Travel between Makkah and Madinah is on the Haramain high-speed train.
New Zealand passport holders can obtain a Saudi Arabia tourist visa, and Tarteel Travel handles the full application on your behalf. You receive a one-year, multiple-entry tourist visa, which means you could return for a second Umrah or to explore other parts of Saudi Arabia within the same visa period.
Every group is led through the Umrah rituals step by step by Tarteel's guides. If this is your first Umrah, you will not be left to figure things out alone.
How to Make the Best of Your Umrah Trip
New Zealand's Muslim community numbers around 75,000, concentrated in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Hamilton. The community draws from a wide range of backgrounds, including significant South Asian, Indo-Fijian, Middle Eastern, and Somali populations, as well as a growing number of New Zealand-born converts. What that diversity means practically is that many New Zealand Muslims are performing Umrah for the first time without family members who have done it before. Tarteel's guided format is built for exactly that situation. The guides walk you through every step of the rituals during the trip, not just before departure.
Tarteel Travel's itineraries arrive in Madinah first. That means your Miqat is Dhul Hulayfah (Abyar Ali), the Miqat designated for the people of Madinah and the furthest of all Miqat points from Makkah. Your Tarteel guide will tell you exactly when and how to enter Ihram before you leave the Madinah area for Makkah.
Tarteel Travel is founded and led by Mohamed Abu Rayan, who was born and raised in Makkah al-Mukarramah and has been working in the Hajj and Umrah field since 2000. His brothers and fellow guides were also born and raised in the Haramain. That background is not a marketing point. It means your guide knows where to stand during Tawaf to maintain your concentration, which lesser-visited sites in Madinah carry significant history, and how to help a first-time pilgrim who is feeling overwhelmed. Every trip also includes a visit to a local camel farm where travelers drink fresh camel milk, a Sunnah practice that many pilgrims describe as one of the unexpected highlights of the experience.
Is It Better to Go for Umrah With a Group or By Yourself?
If you are a Muslim in New Zealand and you are ready to go, Tarteel Travel will coordinate your flights from Auckland or your nearest airport to the House of Allah and back. Book your place in an upcoming group.
