Skip to content
PakkaSIM

Guides

eSIM for Umrah and Hajj: the simple guide

Which plan works in Makkah and Madinah, how to install it before you fly, and how to share one plan across the family.

Published 20 Aug 2026 · Updated 19 Sept 2026 · 6 min read

For most pilgrims the answer is a 15 to 30 day Saudi plan on STC or Mobily, installed at home on Wi-Fi and switched on after landing. Below is the pick from today's data, then the steps.

Which networks cover the Haram?

STC is the strongest network in both Makkah and Madinah, with Mobily close behind. Zain is fine in Jeddah and Riyadh but drops inside the Haram during peak crowds. The destination score on our Saudi page already reflects this, which is why providers reselling STC rank higher there than their overall stars suggest.

How to install before you fly

Install a Saudi eSIM before Umrah

  1. Check your phone supports eSIM using our device checker.
  2. Buy the plan two or three days before you fly, not at the airport.
  3. On home Wi-Fi, open the provider app or scan the QR code and add the eSIM. Do not turn it on yet.
  4. Keep your Indian or Pakistani SIM as the default for calls and SMS so bank OTPs still arrive.
  5. After landing, turn on the eSIM line and set it as the data line. Turn off data roaming on your home SIM.
  6. If the plan needs activation, it starts when it first connects in Saudi Arabia, not when you install it.

Sharing one plan across the family

A 20 GB plan with hotspot on one phone is cheaper than four 5 GB plans, and older relatives on phones without eSIM can join the hotspot. The catch: the hotspot phone's battery. Carry a power bank and keep the group on WhatsApp messages rather than video calls inside the Haram, where congestion slows every network.

Local SIM instead?

For stays over 30 days, or if you need a Saudi number for Nusuk or hotel calls, an STC or Mobily tourist SIM from the airport counter is worth the queue. For a two to three week Umrah, the eSIM is cheaper once you count the time and the registration.