Makkah Ziyarat by Bus: Jabal Thawr, Arafat, Jabal-e-Rehmat, Muzdalifah, Mina and Jabal al-Noor at Night
The Makkah ziyarat bus tour stop by stop, plus the new night route up Jabal al-Noor to the Cave of Hira and a free bus ride through Makkah after Isha.
By Hafiz Tayyab · 14 October 2026 · 2 min read
The route
- HoteltoJabal Thawr
- Jabal ThawrtoArafat
- ArafattoMuzdalifah
- MuzdalifahtoMina
- Hira Cultural DistricttoGhar-e-HiraNight climb
Jabal-e-Rehmat
Panoramic view over the plain of Arafat.
Mina
The tent city beside the Jamarat.
Cave of Hira by night
The new winding path and Makkah's lights below.
Makkah's ziyarat sites are spread across the desert around the city, so a pilgrim tour bus is the easiest way to see them. I did the tour in Ramadan, and climbed Jabal al-Noor separately at night.
The bus tour, stop by stop
We boarded the local tour bus at our hotel.
- Jabal Thawr (Ghar-e-Soor). The mountain with the cave where the Prophet ﷺ and Hazrat Abu Bakr (R.A) sheltered during the Hijrah. We stopped near its foot, among hundreds of pigeons.
- The plain of Arafat. We saw Masjid Nimra (it was closed when we visited) and then climbed the stairs of Jabal-e-Rehmat for a view across the whole plain. Finding water in the afternoon heat was a challenge.
- Nahr-e-Zubaida. On the way back, the old stone channels that once carried water to Makkah.
- Muzdalifah, with Masjid Mash'ar al-Haram.
- Mina, the tent city, right by the Jamarat.
Jabal al-Noor and the Cave of Hira, at night
The Cave of Hira is where the first revelation came. The climb used to be all steep stairs. Now there's a new paved, winding path that starts in the Hira Cultural District.
We climbed at night. As you go up, Makkah and the glowing Clock Tower open up behind you. At the top you squeeze through narrow rocks into the cave. Even with the Ramadan night crowd, we managed to pray nafl and make dua.
A free bus through Makkah after Isha
One evening after Isha we walked Ibrahim Al Khalil Road, where pavement stalls sell prayer mats, thobes and souvenirs for 10 SAR, and then took the free Makkah bus towards Ajyad to visit friends. Mist fans cool the crowds along the way.
Tips
- Go in the morning for the bus tour. Arafat in the afternoon is very hot.
- Carry water, a cap and sunglasses.
- Climb Hira at night for cooler air and the view.
- Wear proper shoes for the path and the rocks at the top.
Before ziyarat comes the Umrah itself: read the step-by-step Umrah guide. For Madinah, see the Madinah ziyarat guide.
Watch the episodes
Questions people ask
What does the Makkah ziyarat bus tour cover?
On Hafiz Tayyab's tour: Jabal Thawr (Ghar-e-Soor), the plain of Arafat with Masjid Nimra and Jabal-e-Rehmat, then Nahr-e-Zubaida, Muzdalifah and Mina by the Jamarat on the way back.
Is there a new path to the Cave of Hira?
Yes. Instead of the old steep stairs, a paved winding path now starts from the Hira Cultural District.
Can you climb Jabal al-Noor at night?
He climbed it at night in Ramadan on the new path and was able to pray nafl inside the cave despite the crowd.
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