u/Hmgkt

1. Where did you travel from? London Heathrow
2. Who was your local Saudi provider (ex. Al Rajhi, Ithraa Al Khair, etc). ABG
3. Overall experience/rating: what were the highs and lows. Where was your Mina camp (Al Muaisim, Majar Al Kabsh, etc)? Amazing experience, Muasim, 5/5.
4. Package price, if you're comfortable. Around 9k per person.

So originally wanted to go with a tarbiyah-based hajj program, but dates weren't fitting.

Knew I wanted to go with an ABG package and B1820 fit the bill.

ABG seminar at the hotel near the O2 was amazing, and I got to meet the fellow hujjaj and our guides.

A couple of seminars pre-hajj were a balance between too much information and too little.

Went from LHR T4 and straight to Jeddah. From there, I went on HHR to Madinah.

All very regimented and guided throughout from collecting luggage, dropping it off for the trucks and boarding the HHR.

Madinah hotel was Waqf Outhman and was decent enough. Mufti Menk joined the group here.

Ziyarah and ibadah for the 4 days - Al Baqi, group Rawdah visit, Uhud cemetery, Quba walk.

Travel to Makkah prior to Mina days by HHR; stopped off at the Hilton Convention for a base to perform group and individual umrah, then on to NEMCO! NEMCO was out 'aziziyah' building, but the cabbies said this area was Sheesha? So beware if trying to get fares to this area. Stayed in NEMCO for a couple of nights and then on to Mina!

Muasim camps were very good. No issues with toilets or long waits for food, etc. Obvious times that toilets will be busy- salah, before leaving for arafat, before bed, etc.

Food-wise, there is enough to go around, but some hujjaj do stockpile, and that is an issue, as always, lots of wastage.

Arafat was transferred by coach. Excellent tent with floor-level sofa bed. Napped before Zawaal, then read Zuhr/Asr and heard the khutbah. If you need to get omn with prayer best to leave the tents and find a spot in the shade outside. The group left Arafat late, by which time the kitchen had closed. Some Hujjaj brothers sourced some biryani and bread for the whole group, so they had a bite to eat before leaving for Muzdalifah, and we were one of the last groups to leave.

Muzdalfiah got there just before Fajr, read Maghrib/Isha, and then Fajr. Left promptly after collecting stones. There were coaches for Mina where we freshened up and walked to the Jamaarat. NEMCO is 10 minutes max from the Jamaraat. so stopped off there to nap, sleep and get halq. That evening, I went to Haram to do tawaf ifada. Taxi charge was 100SAR pp, and there were 10 of us in a Staria. Got back via an ABG coach from the Hilton Convention (it did take time and was at the mercy of the cops). It dropped us off a little farther away from our camp in Mina, but our lead guide, Brother Rizwan, and Legend Brother Sohail were quickly available to guide us back to our camp entrance.

We stayed the optional days, and walking back and forth to Jamaraat was not that difficult, and probably credit goes to the ABG Walking groups. Depending on the routes closed by the cops, the distance varied, but it was challenging. However, in Hajj, even 4miles became easy.

On Mina's last day, we transferred by coach, and each day we were careful to take our luggage back so we were as light as possible if we had to walk.

In the days left at NEMCO, we chilled, got to know our fellow Hujjaj, and it was awesome! We had a pre-representation ceremony by Mufti Menk, and throughout, there were Q&A sessions with Mufti Menk and Shaikh Yusri. All very helpful. I don't think anyone felt unguided as Brother Adam had his finger on the pulse and was very responsive to any concerns.

The remainder of the stay was at the Hilton Convention, 10 minutes from the haram. the slope to the Hitlon was a killer are tawaf or umrah though. Rooms were very spacious and comfortable.

Overall, an amazing experience- I can't say anything bad to be honest, as nothing that was controllable went wrong. The transport was government-run, and the accommodation was more than satisfactory.

Now, 3 weeks after Hajj, I miss it like anything! The hujjaj, the sites, the energy and the oneness of the ummah that were apparent during Hajj were irreplaceable.

Please, if you can afford it and are able, please try your best to book for Hajj 1448!

TL;DR: Amazing experience. ABG gives you a sense that they care. Nothing went wrong. Inshallah, Hajj Mabroor.