eSIM for Hajj 2027: staying connected in Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah

Hajj 2027 is expected to begin around 14 May 2027, with the Day of Arafah around Saturday 15 May, following the Umm al-Qura calendar. The exact dates depend on the sighting of the moon, so treat them as a guide until they are announced.

It is the largest gathering most pilgrims will ever be part of: 1,707,301 pilgrims in 2026, according to Saudi Arabia's statistics authority, over 1.5 million of them from abroad. The networks are built for it, and they are still the thing that most often lets people down at the worst moment.

How much the network carries

Saudi Arabia's communications regulator reported that during Hajj 2025 each pilgrim used around 1.26 GB of data per day on average, and figures reported for 2026 were higher still. STC, the network our Saudi eSIM uses, reported more than 430 fixed towers, 259 5G sites and nearly 1,000 Wi-Fi access points dedicated to the 2025 season.

What that means in practice: messages almost always go through, and calls and video can struggle at the moments when everyone reaches for their phone at once, such as the afternoon of Arafah or the stoning in Mina.

What your phone needs to do during Hajj

• The Nusuk card is mandatory from arrival to departure, and its digital version lives in the Nusuk app. Install it and sign in at home, on a calm connection.
• Live location shared with your group is the cheapest insurance against getting separated.
• Maps offline: Mina's tent city is enormous, and the way back to your camp is the classic problem.

Before you fly

1. Install the eSIM at home on Wi-Fi, and check that it activates.
2. Download Nusuk and sign in.
3. Save offline maps of Makkah, Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah, and your camp number.
4. Agree meeting points with your group for each day of the rites.
5. Pack a power bank, and a second if you can: searching for signal in a crowd drains batteries fast.

During the rites

• Text and voice notes instead of calls at peak moments.
• Send photos and videos later, from the hotel or once the crowd thins.
• Keep your home line on for calls and bank codes, with data roaming off on it.

Which plan

Buy for the full length of your stay, including the days in Madinah, with a margin. If you call home by video every day, a day pass is steadier than a fixed amount you might empty before Arafah. You can top up the same eSIM from the app if the trip runs longer.

Buying a local SIM on arrival is possible, but it involves your passport, your visa and, according to recent guides, a fingerprint scan, on the busiest days of the year at the airport.

For everything else about Makkah and Madinah, see our eSIM for Umrah guide and staying connected during Ramadan.

Quick answers

When is Hajj 2027?

Expected from around 14 to 19 May 2027, with the Day of Arafah around 15 May. The dates depend on the moon sighting.

Is there internet in Mina and Arafat?

Yes. Saudi operators deploy extra towers, 5G and Wi-Fi at the holy sites every year. At peak moments it gets slow, so keep what matters offline.

Do I need the Nusuk app during Hajj?

Yes. The Nusuk card is mandatory, and its digital version is in the app.

Sources: GASTAT (May 2026), Communications, Space and Technology Commission (June 2025), STC Hajj page (2025), Ministry of Hajj (2026). Checked 21 September 2026.