Makkah Route Initiative Serves 388,694 Pilgrims Across 10 Countries
Saudi Arabia's Makkah Route Initiative concluded its 1447 AH operations after pre-clearing 388,694 pilgrims from 10 countries, adding Senegal and Brunei for the first time.
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Last updated: 21 Jun 2026, 1:40 AM (Saudi time)
Saudi Arabia's Makkah Route Initiative concluded its 1447 AH operations after pre-clearing 388,694 pilgrims from 10 countries, adding Senegal and Brunei for the first time.
Pakistan's Ministry of Religious Affairs will open mandatory registration for Hajj 2027 later this month, urging pilgrims to ensure passports are valid until 16 November 2027.
Indonesia has started planning its 2027 and 2028 Hajj operations early to offset rising aviation fuel prices, which feed directly into the flight costs borne by pilgrims.
Indonesia has placed nearly 17,000 regular Hajj pilgrims in four-star and five-star Madinah hotels for the first time, with priority given to elderly pilgrims and those with special needs.
Saudi Arabia's 2027 Hajj timeline requires 1.5 doctors and 1.7 nurses per 1,000 pilgrims, mandatory Nusuk contracting with e-wallet payments, and operations through a single service provider.
Saudi health authorities say the 2026 Hajj concluded with no epidemiological outbreaks and no major crowd accidents, crediting heat mitigation, AI-guided pathways, and a large medical deployment.
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Licensable picture: Pilgrims visit Grand Mosque ahead of annual hajj pilgrimage, in Mecca reutersconnect.com