Pilgrims planning Umrah this month can avoid the crowds by timing their visit, according to guidance from the General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque, which has published expected crowd levels in the Tawaf and Sa'i areas across the day.

Crowds are low between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. and again between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., the authority said. From 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. density is moderate, while it peaks between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m.

The guidance is part of the authority's ongoing awareness campaign to make Umrah easier, help visitors choose suitable times and keep movement smooth, comfortable and safe in the Tawaf and Sa'i areas.