December Umrah Packages from Canada
December is the busiest Umrah month for Canadian families because it lines up with school winter break. Qiblatain packages start at CAD$1,115 per person from Toronto and include flights, hotels in Makkah and Madinah, visa processing, and ground transport. Book eight to twelve weeks ahead. December seats sell out first, and prices climb as the date gets closer.
What a December trip look like?
Most of our December pilgrims travel for 5, or 7 nights, leaving from Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton, or Vancouver. Prices start at CAD$1115 per person on a twin-sharing basis, and every package covers flights, hotels in both cities, the visa and your transfers.
Makkah sits around 30°C in the daytime through December, cooling off after dark. It is comfortable weather for a family and a long way from what you left behind at home.
December is one of the two busiest Umrah months of the year, because school holidays in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom all land in the same fortnight. The Haram fills early before each salah, and the courtyard stays busy well past Isha. If a quiet Tawaf matters more to you than school dates, September through November is calmer and cheaper.
Book eight to twelve weeks out, and add a month if there are five or more of you travelling together.
Why so many Canadian families go in December?
The reason is simple. It is the only long school break in the first half of the year that does not fall in Ramadan.
Ramadan 2027 begins around early February, so our Ramadan Umrah Packages fall in the middle of a school term and cost considerably more. December gives you a two-week window where nobody misses school and most workplaces are quieter anyway.
The weather helps too. Makkah in July sits above 40°C, which is hard on older parents and small children. December brings that down to around 30°C in the daytime. Tawaf in the open courtyard becomes something you can do at midday without struggling.
And there is the part nobody plans for. You leave a Canadian December behind. You fly out of freezing rain and land in warmth. Pilgrims mention it every year.
|
Departure city |
Lowest package price |
Typical December price |
|---|---|---|
|
Ottawa |
CAD$1,030 |
CAD$1,330 |
|
Edmonton |
CAD$1,080 |
CAD$1,280 |
|
Calgary |
CAD$1,180 |
CAD$1,300 |
|
Toronto |
CAD$1,300 |
CAD$1,450 |
|
Vancouver |
CAD$1,310 |
CAD$1,500 |
|
Montreal |
CAD$1,380 |
CAD$1,300 |
If your dates can move, compare these against our year-round Umrah packages. The same hotel in October often costs several hundred dollars less than it does over the winter break.
Why the gap between cities? Toronto and Montreal have the most direct routes to Jeddah. From Calgary, Edmonton or Vancouver you will usually connect through Toronto, Doha, Istanbul or Dubai, which adds both cost and hours. A Vancouver pilgrim should expect 20 to 24 hours of travel each way.
What is included?
- Return flights from your Canadian city
- Umrah visa processing
- Hotel in Makkah and hotel in Madinah
- Airport transfers and travel between the two cities
- Ziyarat tours in both cities
- Nusuk-compliant bookings, so your visa is not rejected on a paperwork technicality
What is not included?
We would rather you knew now than found out at the airport.
- Meals, unless your package says otherwise
- The MenACWY vaccine, which you arrange at home
- Travel insurance
- Ihram clothing and personal items
- Extra baggage
- Zamzam water to bring home, if the airline allows it
When to book, and why does December fill early?
Airline seats to Jeddah over the winter break are limited, and they are sold to the whole North American and European Muslim community at once. You are not only competing with other Canadians.
Book by early October for a December departure. That is the honest window.
By November, the cheaper 3-star rooms near the Haram are usually gone. What is left is either further out or a higher star rating you did not budget for.
In December itself, you can still sometimes travel, but expect a hotel a good walk from the Haram and a fare well above these prices.
If you are booking for five or more people, add a month. Group rooms are harder to hold together, and families who book late end up split across two floors or two hotels.
Watch your school board's dates
Most Ontario boards break around December 21 and return the first week of January. Alberta, British Columbia and Quebec differ by a few days. Check your own board's calendar before you pick a departure date, because a two-day mismatch can turn a 10-night trip into a 7-night one.
Weather in Makkah and Madinah in December
Expect around 30°C in Makkah during the day, dropping to the high teens or low twenties at night. Madinah gets noticeably colder after dark which bring a light jacket, especially for older pilgrims who plan to stay for Tahajjud.
Rain is uncommon but not impossible. When it comes, it arrives as one short heavy burst rather than an all-day Canadian drizzle. The marble around the Haram gets slippery fast.
Pack this and you will be fine:
- Sandals with grip. Marble plus rain is the most common cause of falls.
- A light jacket or shawl for Madinah nights
- A refillable water bottle
- Unscented soap and unscented lotion for ihram
- Any medication in its original packaging, with the prescription
- A small backpack you can carry to the Haram
Leave the heavy coat in Canada. You will only carry it.
Visa, vaccine and Nusuk: what you must have
These rules change with little notice. What follows is current at the time of writing, and we confirm every requirement for you before you fly.
Umrah visa: Canadian passport holders can apply through the Nusuk platform, or perform Umrah on a Saudi tourist eVisa outside Hajj season. We handle your Saudi Umrah Visa application inside the package, so you are not filling in forms yourself.
MenACWY vaccine: Saudi Arabia requires proof of quadrivalent meningococcal vaccination for pilgrims aged one and over. The dose must be given at least 10 days before you arrive, and the certificate must show the vaccine name, type and date. Book your appointment early. Most provincial health plans do not cover this for adults, so expect to pay at a travel clinic or pharmacy.
Hotel and transport bookings: Saudi Arabia now links visa approval to confirmed bookings made through approved channels. This is the single most common reason independent applications get refused. Booking a package removes the risk.
Canadian permanent residents: If you hold a non-Canadian passport, your process may differ. Call us before you book anything, and we will tell you honestly whether we can process your case.
Women travelling alone: Since 2022, adult women can perform Umrah without a mahram. You will need a confirmed itinerary or a group booking, which a package provides.
For current official requirements, check the Government of Canada's Hajj and Umrah travel advice and the Nusuk platform. We are a travel agency, not a health authority — speak to your doctor about the vaccine.
Travelling with children or elderly parents
This is most of what we do in December, so a few honest words.
With small children: pick a hotel inside a five-minute walk of the Haram, even if it costs more. You will make that walk five times a day and once at 3 a.m. The cheaper hotel 20 minutes out stops being cheaper by day three.
With elderly parents: ask us about wheelchair access before booking, not after. Wheelchairs are available at the Haram, and pushing services can be arranged. Some hotels handle mobility needs far better than others, and we know which ones.
Jet lag with kids: Saudi Arabia is eight hours ahead of Toronto. Give the family two nights to adjust before planning a heavy day. A 10-night package is much kinder to young children than a 5-night one.
What "close to the Haram" really means?
Every agency says their hotel is close. Ask for the walking distance in metres, and ask which gate it is near.
- Under 300 m: you hear the adhan from your room. You will pray most salah in the Haram.
- 300 to 800 m: a comfortable walk, but in December crowds it takes longer than the map says.
- Over 1 km: you will use the shuttle. During peak hours, the shuttle queue can take longer than walking.
In December the courtyard fills well before iqamah. Add fifteen minutes to whatever the distance suggests.
How to check any Umrah agency before you pay?
Do this with us, and do it with everyone else you are considering.
Check the TICO registration: Any agency selling travel in Ontario must be registered with the Travel Industry Council of Ontario. Qiblatain Canada operates as Harmain Travel Limited, TICO registration 50018801. You can look that number up at https://tico.ca/ in under a minute. Ontario registration also means the Travel Industry Compensation Fund applies to eligible claims.
Ask who holds your money: A registered agency keeps client funds in a trust account. A private e-transfer to somebody's personal account has no protection at all.
Get the hotel name in writing: Not "4-star near Haram." The actual name of the actual building.
Ask what happens if the flight is cancelled: A real answer names a process. A vague answer is a warning.
Be careful with prices far below everyone else: In December, a fare hundreds of dollars under the market usually means a hotel much further out, a longer connection, or costs that appear later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is December a good time for Umrah?
Yes, for weather and for school holidays. It is one of the busiest months, so the Haram is crowded and prices are higher than in September or October. If crowds matter more to you than school dates, travel in the autumn instead. Families who cannot get away in winter often look at our Easter Umrah Packages in the spring break instead.
How much is a December Umrah package from Canada?
December Packages start at CAD$1115 per person from Canada for 5 to 7 nights, twin sharing. Price depends on your departure city, hotel rating and distance from the Haram.
How long should we go for?
Seven nights suits most first-time pilgrims. Five nights is tight once jet lag is counted. Ten nights is better for families with children and for anyone travelling with elderly parents.
Do I need the meningitis vaccine for Umrah?
Yes. Proof of MenACWY vaccination is required for pilgrims aged one and over, given at least 10 days before arrival. Book the appointment as soon as you book the trip.
Can my wife travel without me?
Yes. Adult women can perform Umrah without a mahram, with a confirmed itinerary or group booking.
How far ahead should I book for December?
Eight to twelve weeks. Add a month if you are booking for five or more people.
Can I add Madinah days or a stop in Istanbul or Dubai?
Yes. Many Canadian pilgrims break the long flight with a few days on the way home. Ask us and we will price it.
What if I do not want flights?
We offer Umrah Packages without Flight if you are booking your own airfare, using points, or travelling from outside Canada.
Talk to us about your December Plans
Tell us your city, your dates and how many are travelling, and we will send you real December pricing with hotel names.
Call: 647 258 1244 WhatsApp: +1 (647) 258-1244 Email: info@qiblatain.ca Office: 785 Wonderland Road South, Unit C3, London, Ontario N6K 1M6
Harmain Travel Limited, TICO registration 50018801, operating as Qiblatain.