Saudi Arabia unveils 25-year Hajj timeline through 2050
Eight seasons of Hajj to fall in spring starting 2026
DUBAI: Saudi Arabia has announced that Hajj will not fall during summer again until 2050, thanks to a natural shift in the Islamic lunar calendar.
Beginning in 2026, the annual pilgrimage will occur during spring, followed by winter and autumn over the next 24 years. This transition is expected to ease physical strain on millions of pilgrims, particularly the elderly and those with health conditions.
The National Centre for Meteorology (NCM) has published a 25-year calendar detailing how the dates of Hajj will align with the Gregorian seasons. Hussein Al Qahtani, spokesman of the NCM, told Gulf News that this year's pilgrimage marks the end of Hajj coinciding with the summer. He said the next eight seasons would occur in spring, followed by eight in winter, and another eight in autumn, before the pilgrimage returns to summer in 2050.
Spring to autumn
Due to the Hijri calendar being 11 days shorter than the Gregorian calendar, the dates of Hajj shift earlier each year. From 2026 to 2033, Hajj will fall in spring (May–March). Between 2034 and 2041, it will occur in winter (February–January, later December), and from 2042 to 2049, it will take place in autumn (November–September). It is projected to return to summer in August 2050.
This seasonal transition is expected to improve crowd management and enhance safety, logistics, and medical preparedness.
Umrah resumes
Meanwhile, Saudi authorities resumed issuing Umrah visas from Tuesday as the Hajj season concludes. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah confirmed that the first wave of foreign pilgrims will begin arriving on Wednesday.
Unlike Hajj, Umrah can be performed year-round, with the current cycle extending into 2026.