Best Time to Visit Saudi Arabia: A Month-by-Month Guide
The best time to visit Saudi Arabia is November to March, when daytime temperatures are comfortable across the country. Summer, from May to September, is extremely hot and best avoided for sightseeing. If you are travelling for Umrah, the calmest and cheapest months are usually October, November and January.
Saudi Arabia is a big country, and the weather varies more than people expect. Riyadh gets genuinely cold at night in January. Jeddah stays warm all year. AlUla is scorching in July and needs a jacket in December.
On top of that, two calendars run at once. The Gregorian one decides the weather and your children’s school holidays. The Islamic one decides Ramadan and Hajj — and it moves about eleven days earlier each year, so the busy periods land in a different season every year.
This guide covers both.
The short version
- Best overall: November, December, February, March
- Best for value: October and January
- Avoid if you can: June to August, unless you are prepared for the heat
- Book earliest for: Ramadan and Hajj, whenever they fall
January
Cool and clear. Riyadh sits around 8–20°C and can drop close to freezing overnight in the desert. Jeddah is much milder, around 19–29°C.
This is one of the best months of the year for sightseeing, and one of the quieter ones for Umrah once the New Year rush passes. Prices settle after the December school holidays.
Pack a jacket if you are heading inland or to AlUla. People rarely expect that and rarely bring one.
February
Similar to January but slightly warmer. Excellent conditions everywhere — AlUla, Riyadh, Jeddah and the Red Sea coast are all comfortable.
Note that Ramadan is expected to begin in early February 2027, and earlier again in 2028. When Ramadan falls in this window, expect prices in Makkah and Madinah to climb sharply and availability to tighten from about six weeks beforehand.
Verdict: one of the best months, but check where Ramadan sits in the year you are travelling.
March
Warm, dry and still very pleasant. Daytime temperatures in Riyadh reach the high twenties. The desert landscapes are at their best.
A good month for combining a pilgrimage with a few days elsewhere in the country, because the weather works for both.
April
The last comfortable month before summer arrives properly. Temperatures climb into the low to mid thirties inland.
April often contains the Easter school holidays, which makes it popular with UK families who do not want to take children out of school. Our Umrah packages cover that window, and it books up earlier than people expect because the dates are fixed and demand is concentrated.
Verdict: good, but book well ahead if you are tied to school dates.
May
Hot. Riyadh regularly passes 40°C by late May, and Madinah is not far behind. Jeddah is humid.
Manageable for Umrah if you plan around the middle of the day, harder work for sightseeing. Prices start to fall as demand drops.
Hajj is expected around mid-May in 2027, moving earlier in following years. When Hajj falls, Makkah is effectively closed to other visitors in the surrounding period.
June, July and August
The three hardest months. Temperatures across most of the country sit above 40°C and often reach 45°C or more. Jeddah adds humidity to it.
You can still travel. Many people do, and prices are at their lowest. But sightseeing becomes an early-morning and late-evening activity, and AlUla is genuinely unpleasant in the middle of the day.
If you are travelling in summer, take the heat seriously. It causes hospital admissions every year, particularly among older pilgrims.
Verdict: cheapest months, hardest conditions. Fine for a short Umrah trip, poor for a touring holiday.
September
Still hot, but the tail end of it. Temperatures begin easing in the second half of the month.
Prices remain low and crowds are thin. If you can tolerate heat and want value, late September is an underrated window.
October
The turn of the season, and one of our favourite months to recommend.
Temperatures across the country become comfortable again. AlUla reopens as a realistic destination. Crowds have not yet built up for the winter, and prices are still reasonable.
Verdict: excellent balance of weather, cost and quiet.
November
Arguably the best month of the year. Warm days, cool evenings, low humidity. Everything from Riyadh to the Red Sea coast is at its most comfortable.
The main event calendar picks up around this time too, with the Riyadh Season running through the winter months.
Demand rises accordingly, so book ahead.
December
Cool and busy. Riyadh and AlUla get cold at night — single figures is normal — while Jeddah stays mild.
For UK families, December is the obvious window because of the school holidays, and it is one of our busiest periods. December Umrah packages sell out earliest of any non-Ramadan month, usually by early autumn.
Verdict: great weather, high demand. Book by September if you want a hotel close to the Haram.
Timing by purpose
For Umrah on a budget
Late September, October or January. Enough distance from Ramadan and the school holidays to keep hotel prices sensible.
For Ramadan
The reward is the reason people go, and the atmosphere in the Haram is unlike anything else. Be realistic: it is the most expensive time of year, and the last ten nights are extraordinarily crowded. The first half of Ramadan costs noticeably less and is easier going. Our Ramadan Umrah packages cover both halves of the month.
For AlUla and Hegra
November to March. Outside that window the heat makes walking the site unpleasant, and there is very little shade.
For the Red Sea
Diving works year-round. Water is warmest between August and October; visibility is generally best in spring and autumn.
For families with school-age children
December, Easter and the summer holidays, in that order of preference for weather.
Two things people get wrong
Assuming Ramadan is at a fixed time of year. It moves earlier by roughly eleven days annually. If you are planning two or three years ahead, check where it falls rather than assuming it sits where it did last time.
Booking Umrah late for December. UK demand for the Christmas school holidays is concentrated into about two weeks, and the hotels closest to the Haram go first. Three months’ notice is late for that window.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best month to visit Saudi Arabia?
November is generally the best month. Daytime temperatures are comfortable across the whole country, humidity is low, and conditions suit both the holy cities and destinations like AlUla.
What is the cheapest time to visit Saudi Arabia?
June to September. Prices for flights and hotels are at their lowest because of the heat. Late September offers the best balance of low cost and bearable weather.
When should I avoid visiting Saudi Arabia?
Avoid June to August if you plan to do much sightseeing, as temperatures regularly exceed 45°C. Also avoid the Hajj period unless you are performing Hajj, as Makkah is closed to other visitors around it.
When is the best time to perform Umrah?
For comfort and value, October, November and January. For spiritual significance, Ramadan — though it is the most expensive and crowded time of year.
How cold does Saudi Arabia get in winter?
Riyadh averages around 8–20°C in January and desert nights can approach freezing. Jeddah stays much milder at around 19–29°C. Bring a jacket for inland travel.
Does Ramadan happen at the same time each year?
No. The Islamic calendar is lunar, so Ramadan moves roughly eleven days earlier each year against the Gregorian calendar. Always check the expected dates for your travel year.
