Over 1.5 million pilgrims descend on Mina, marking official beginning of Hajj

Over 1.5 million pilgrims descend on Mina, marking official beginning of Hajj

Over 1.5 million pilgrims have arrived in Mina, Saudi Arabia, on the Day of Tarwiyah, officially opening the 2026 Hajj season with a 5-6 day pilgrimage cycle that peaks at the Standing of Arafat on Tuesday. For travel, hospitality, and logistics operators, Hajj remains one of the highest-density crowd-management operations globally, with Saudi Arabia deploying fully integrated transport, catering, and security systems across the holy sites.