TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian government is finalizing preparations for the 1447 Hijriyah or 2026 Hajj pilgrimage. The Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Mochamad Irfan Yusuf, stated that the series of hajj pilgrimages will begin with prospective pilgrims entering the hajj dormitories on April 21, 2026. The next day, the first group of hajj pilgrims will depart for Saudi Arabia.
"The departure of the first wave will start on April 22, 2026, heading to Madinah and then continuing to Makkah. Meanwhile, the second wave will depart starting on May 7, 2026, directly to Jeddah and then proceeding to Makkah," said Irfan on Wednesday, April 8, 2026.
He mentioned that the departure of all Indonesian prospective hajj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia is targeted to be completed by May 21, 2026. The total number of Indonesian hajj pilgrims this year is 221,000 people, consisting of 203,320 regular hajj pilgrims and 17,680 special hajj pilgrims.
The peak of this year's hajj pilgrimage is expected to occur on May 26, 2026, during the gathering at Arafah. After that, the hajj pilgrims will undergo the rituals of staying overnight at Muzdalifah, stoning the pillars at Mina, and other rites.
The next stage will be the return of the first group of hajj pilgrims to the homeland, scheduled on June 1, 2026. The return of hajj pilgrims will be carried out gradually until July 1, 2026.
In terms of accommodation, Irfan stated that the government has prepared several placement areas for hajj pilgrims in Makkah, such as Syisyah, Raudhah, Jarwal, Misfalah, and Aziziyah Janubiyah. Meanwhile, in Madinah, the accommodations are centralized in the Markaziyah area, close to the Prophet's Mosque.
"The number of pilgrims in each sector ranges from 18,000 to 21,000 people to maintain service balance," said Irfan.
He continued that for catering services, the government has prepared 51 kitchens in Makkah and 23 in Madinah. The government also made adjustments to the distribution after one provider withdrew, reallocating its capacity to three catering companies. The distribution scheme was designed considering kitchen capacity, hotel distances, and the number of pilgrims to ensure the timeliness and quality of meals.
Irfan conveyed that intercity bus tickets for Hajj pilgrims in Saudi Arabia are 100 percent ready. Meanwhile, facility readiness is around 60 percent, and personnel placement is about 70 percent. Furthermore, preparations for the salawat buses, routes, and stops have been completed. This includes providing 40 special buses for people with disabilities.
The government also reiterated the prohibition of giving tips to drivers to maintain operational hajj service standards.
Additionally, he mentioned that the documentation aspect of the pilgrimage services is nearing completion. As of April 1, 2026, out of a total of 203,320 visas, 203,276 have been printed. The rest are still in the process. This group consists of 38 pilgrims with "under processing" status, two pilgrims waiting for an MLC check, and four pilgrims with a new status.
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