How much walking is Umrah? Tawaf, sa'i and hotel walking distances
During the rites of Umrah itself you walk about 4 to 7 kilometres (roughly 5,500 to 10,000 steps): seven circuits of tawaf, seven laps of sa'i between Safa and Marwah, and the walk inside the mosque. The bigger number is often the daily walk between your hotel and the Haram for each prayer, and that is decided by the hotel you choose.
In short
- The Umrah rites: about 4–7 km in total, more if you do tawaf on the upper floors.
- Sa'i alone is about 3 km; tawaf on the ground floor is 0.7–2 km.
- A hotel 15 minutes away means 7–11 km a day for the prayers; a hotel 3 minutes away only about 1.5–2.5 km.
Walking distance of the Umrah rites
| Rite | Details | Approx. distance |
|---|---|---|
| Tawaf on the ground floor (mataf) | About 100 m per circuit close to the Kaaba, up to about 300 m at the edge of the courtyard | 0.7–2 km |
| Tawaf on the upper floors or roof | Each circuit is much longer; the full tawaf can take an hour or more | About 2–3.5 km or more |
| Sa'i between Safa and Marwah | About 395–450 m each way × 7 laps | 2.8–3.2 km |
| From the gate to the mataf, and from Marwah back out | Depends on the gate and the crowds | 0.5–1.5 km |
Distances are approximate and depend on how close you walk to the Kaaba, the crowds and the floor you use. Steps assume about 0.72 m per step.
Daily walking by your hotel's distance from the Haram
Most pilgrims go to the Haram and back 3 to 5 times a day (many stay between Maghrib and Isha). This is what your hotel's distance means in numbers:
| Walk to the Haram | Distance each way | Per day (3–5 round trips) | Steps per day | Makkah hotels in our data within this |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 min | 225 m | 1.4–2.3 km | 2,000–3,000 | 18 |
| 5 min | 375 m | 2.3–3.8 km | 3,000–5,000 | 25 |
| 10 min | 750 m | 4.5–7.5 km | 6,500–10,500 | 40 |
| 15 min | 1125 m | 6.8–11.3 km | 9,500–15,500 | 54 |
| 20 min | 1500 m | 9–15 km | 12,500–21,000 | 64 |
Distance each way is worked out from the walking minutes (about 75 m per minute along the actual route) to the nearest edge of the mosque, not counting the walk inside it.
Tips to make the walking easier
- Wear comfortable shoes you have already broken in, and pack blister plasters.
- Do tawaf on the ground floor if you can: the circuits are far shorter than on the upper floors.
- Perform Umrah at a quieter time, and rest between tawaf and sa'i if you need to.
- For elderly pilgrims and anyone who finds walking hard: wheelchairs and carts are available at Masjid al-Haram, and choosing a close hotel matters most.
References for distances: published estimates of tawaf and sa'i distances, including Pilgrim: Tawaf distance and the description of the Mas'a on WikiShia.
FAQ
How much walking is done in Umrah?
The Umrah rites themselves are about 4 to 7 km: 0.7–2 km of tawaf on the ground floor, about 3 km of sa'i, and walking inside the mosque. Add the walk between your hotel and the Haram.
How many steps is Umrah?
About 5,500 to 10,000 steps for the rites, and over 20,000 steps a day if you also walk to the prayers from a distant hotel.
How long is sa'i between Safa and Marwah?
About 395–450 m each way, so roughly 2.8–3.2 km for the seven laps.
How many km is tawaf?
On the ground floor about 0.7–2 km for seven circuits depending on how close you are to the Kaaba; on the upper floors and roof about 2–3.5 km or more.
How much do you walk per day in Makkah?
It depends on the hotel: about 2–4 km a day for the prayers from 5 minutes away, and about 7–11 km from 15 minutes away.
Last updated: 2026-10-23