While most of the 1.8 million Hajj 2026 pilgrims arrive in Saudi Arabia by air, a quieter but historically significant stream of Iraqi pilgrims crosses into the Kingdom overland through the Jadidat Arar border post in the Northern Borders Region. Their route traces the path of one of Islam's most famous ancient roads: the Darb Zubaydah, a 1,400-kilometre Hajj trail that connected Kufa in present-day Iraq to Makkah over a thousand years ago.
The Ancient Road
The Darb Zubaydah is named after Zubaydah bint Jaafar, the wife of the Abbasid Caliph Harun al-Rashid, who invested heavily in infrastructure to support Hajj pilgrims during the 8th and 9th centuries CE. Under her patronage, the route was equipped with an advanced support network that was remarkable for its time: deep wells for drinking water, reservoirs and ponds to collect rainwater, rest stations offering shelter and security, and cone-shaped stone markers ("flags") placed approximately 24 kilometres apart to guide travellers across the featureless desert.
At its height during the Abbasid era, the Darb Zubaydah was the primary artery for pilgrims travelling from Iraq, Persia, and Central Asia to the holy cities. Tens of thousands of Muslims would have walked, ridden camels, or travelled by caravan along this route each year. Some of the original wells and structures remain functional to this day - a testament to the quality of construction over a millennium ago.
The route is on UNESCO's tentative list as a World Heritage Site, recognised for its outstanding universal value as both a religious pilgrimage trail and an example of early Islamic civil engineering.
The Modern Crossing
Today, Iraqi Hajj pilgrims travelling overland enter Saudi Arabia through the Jadidat Arar border post, the modern gateway that sits along the path of the ancient Darb Zubaydah. According to the Saudi Press Agency, the border crossing provides comprehensive services including health screening, logistical coordination, and guidance services to ensure a smooth transition into the Kingdom.
The overland option is particularly significant for Iraqi pilgrims who may face challenges with air travel - whether due to cost, limited flight availability, or the disruptions caused by ongoing regional tensions. For families travelling together or pilgrims who prefer to avoid the airport experience, the land crossing offers an alternative that connects them directly to the historical tradition of the Hajj journey itself.
A Living Heritage
Saudi Arabia has invested in preserving and highlighting the Darb Zubaydah as part of its broader heritage and tourism strategy under Vision 2030. The route is not merely a historical curiosity - it is a living connection between modern pilgrims and the millions who walked the same path before them.
For Iraqi pilgrims crossing at Jadidat Arar, the journey carries a resonance that a two-hour flight from Baghdad to Jeddah cannot replicate. They are following in the footsteps of scholars, merchants, and ordinary Muslims who made this same journey - on foot, in the desert heat, carrying only what they could bear - for over a thousand years.
The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was commanded by Allah to "proclaim to the people the Hajj; they will come to you on foot and on every lean camel; they will come from every distant pass" (Quran 22:27). The Darb Zubaydah is one of those distant passes - and in 2026, it remains open.
What Pilgrims Should Know
Iraqi pilgrims planning to travel overland should ensure all documentation is in order before reaching the border, including a valid Hajj visa, Nusuk card, and medical fitness certificate with proof of the mandatory meningitis ACYW vaccination. The border crossing includes health screening, so arriving with complete documentation speeds up the process significantly. Once inside Saudi Arabia, overland pilgrims join the same transport and accommodation systems as those arriving by air.