NusukSheet 5 of 6Reviewed 28 September 2026
First: Mina is not a hotel.
Majar Al-Kabsh, Mu'aisim, Camp 72 and Saudia Towers — with the real walk to Jamarat, and the questions to ask before you book.
Mina is a city of tents filled with two million people performing Hajj. What you are paying for is where you will be placed within it, not a way to avoid it. Come prepared for the reality rather than a resort version of it.
Your camp matters more than your hotel. You will spend several of the most important days of your life in it, and the difference between camps is measured in miles walked on the hardest days of the journey.
The four camps, and the walk that separates them
Package listings assume you already know these names. Details reflect recent seasons and can change, so confirm the specifics in the package itself.
| Camp | Walk to Jamarat | Pilgrims it holds | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Majar Al-Kabsh | ~330 yd walk | ~5,000 pilgrims | The most desirable traditional camp: closest to Jamarat, smallest, less crowded tents. Sells out in the first phase. Served by the Mashair train between sites, though waits for it can still be long |
| Mu’aisim | ~2.5 miles each way | ~40,000 pilgrims | The largest and most common camp, and usually the most budget-friendly. Denser tents with side-by-side cots — but substantially upgraded facilities in recent seasons |
| Camp 72 | On foot — distance not confirmed | — | Newer, near Mina Station 2, with Mu’aisim-level amenities. The Mashair train takes you between the sites; it does not take you to the Jamarat. Confirm your group has dedicated staff assigned there |
| Saudia Towers (formerly Kidana) | On foot — distance not confirmed | — | Apartment-style towers rather than tents: air conditioning, elevators, hotel-like facilities. Sold separately as a premium option and booked through Nusuk, historically with far less launch-day competition. The rooms are more comfortable, but you still walk to Jamarat like everyone else |
The walk to Jamarat, drawn to scale
Every package names its camp and assumes you know what that means. This is what it means.
One way, to the Jamarat.
Majar Al-Kabshholds ~5,000
330 yards
Closest to Jamarat and the smallest. Sells out in the first phase.
Camp 72
On foot — distance not confirmed—
Newer, near Mina Station 2. Walking distance not confirmed.
Saudia Towers
On foot — distance not confirmed—
Apartment-style towers with elevators. Walking distance not confirmed.
Mu'aisimholds ~40,000
2.5 miles
The largest and most common camp, and usually the cheapest.
330yards
Majar Al-Kabsh
One way, on foot
2.5miles
Mu'aisim
One way, an hour or more in crowds
13×
The difference
Between the two camps, on the same days
Every camp walks to the Jamarat; only the distance differs. Transport is arranged for the moves between the sites — Mina to Arafah, Arafah to Muzdalifah, Muzdalifah back to Mina, and from Mina to Makkah for Tawaf — and never to the Jamarat.
Distances are approximate and reflect recent seasons. Confirm the camp and zone in the package itself — the walk varies within a camp as well as between camps.
The distances, honestly
Package descriptions talk about services, not distances, and nobody publishes the distances side by side. The straight-line figures below are calculated from map coordinates (the same ones used on the Mashair map); the real route by road is always longer. Walking times assume a crowded-day pace of two miles an hour, which sounds slow until you are in a Hajj crowd.
| The leg | Distance | How it is usually covered |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel to the Haram | A few hundred yards to over a mile, by package | On foot, several times a day — judge the route, not the brochure’s number |
| Mina camp to Jamarat | 330 yd to 2.5 mi by camp | On foot, on the 10th and each day of Tashriq. See the camp table above; this is the distance that matters most |
| Makkah to Mina | ~4 mi straight line | Bus, on the 8th |
| Mina to Arafah | ~7 mi straight line | Bus or train, morning of the 9th |
| Arafah to Muzdalifah | ~4 mi straight line | Bus, train, or partly on foot in heavy years, after sunset |
| Muzdalifah to Mina | ~3.5 mi straight line | Bus or Mashair train, on the 10th |
| One Tawaf | ~1.4 mi around the Ka’bah (the mataf) | On foot — considerably more from the upper floors |
| Sa’i | ~1.9 mi | On foot, air-conditioned throughout |
Add up the 10th: camp to Jamarat and back, then to Makkah for Tawaf and Sa’i and back again. That is how the busiest day comes to nine to twelve miles. It is the day the twelve-week walking program is designed for, and the day your choice of camp makes the biggest difference.
What to ask before you book
Two packages can name similar hotels and hide very different camps. Ask the provider, and get the answer before you pay rather than in Mina:
- Which camp, and which zone within it? Distance to Jamarat varies enormously even inside one camp.
- What bedding is provided — mats, sofas or beds — and how many people share the sleeping space?
- What are the bathroom facilities?
- What meals are included, and can the kitchen cater for diabetics, vegetarians and people with allergies?
- Is the tent air-conditioned?
- What assistance exists for elderly guests, and what staff will be present?
- Is there scholar or guide support inside the camp?
- What transportation plan moves you between the sites — bus, train, or a mix?
If any answer is vague, treat that as a warning sign.
Arafah and Muzdalifah
These two are simpler to describe. Arafah is the heart of Hajj and deserves more preparation than any other day. Muzdalifah is a night under the open sky with limited facilities. That simplicity is intended and part of the experience, not a sign that something has gone wrong.
Full expectations for both are in Hajj Day by Day.
Your Mina mindset
Bring less than you think. Take care of your belongings. Keep the walkways clear. Do not take over the power outlets. Do not argue with other pilgrims about the air conditioning.
The people who find Mina hardest are usually the ones who expected it to be something else.