The government is continuing to do all possible to prepare for the Hajj trip. The Ministry of Religious Affairs has issued the Hajj Travel Plan (RPH) 1444 Hijri/2023 AD as a guide for pilgrims.

The RPH, signed on 16 January 2023 by the Director General of Hajj and Umrah (RPH) of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, contains a series of stages of activities for organizing the hajj pilgrimage. Starting from the initial entry of the congregation into the Hajj hostel, flying to the holy land, and finally returning from Medina to Indonesia.

According to the website of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the first batch of pilgrims is scheduled to arrive at the embarkation hostel on 3 Zulkaidah 1444 H/23 May 2023. The following day, they will gradually depart to Medina Al-Munawwarah to do arbain (congregational prayer for 40 consecutive times at the Prophet's Mosque).

Meanwhile, the second batch of pilgrims will enter the dormitory starting on 7 June 2023. Gradually, they will depart for Jeddah starting from 19 Zulkaidah 1444/8 June 2023.

Wukuf in Arafat is scheduled for Tuesday, 27 June. Starting on 4 July, Indonesian hajj pilgrims are returned to their homeland in stages. The pilgrims' final arrival in Indonesia is scheduled for Muharram 16, 1445 AH or 3 August 2023.

Here are the full details:

Hajj Travel Plan for 1444 H/2023 AD

1. 23 May 2023 (3 Zulkaidah 1444): Pilgrims enter the Hajj dormitory;
2. 24 May 2023 (4 Zulkaidah 1444): Departure of the first batch of pilgrims from Indonesia to Madinah;
3. 2 June 2023 (13 Zulkaidah 1444): Departure of the first batch of pilgrims from Madinah to Makkah;
4. 7 June 2023 (18 Zulkaidah 1444): End of the departure of the first batch of pilgrims from Indonesia to Madinah;
5. 8 June 2023 (19 Zulkaidah 1444): Beginning of the departure of the second batch of pilgrims from Indonesia to Jeddah;
6. 16 June 2023 (27 Zulkaidah 1444): End of the departure of the first batch of pilgrims from Madinah to Makkah;
7. 22 June 2023 (4 Zulhijah 1444): End of the departure of the second batch of pilgrims from Indonesia to Jeddah;
8. 22 June 2023 (4 Zulhijah 1444): Closing date of KAAIA Jeddah Airport (24:00 Saudi Arabia Time/WAS);
9. 26 June 2023 (8 Zulhijah 1444): Departure of pilgrims from Makkah to Arafat;
10. 27 June 2023 (9 Zulhijah 1444): Wukuf in Arafat (Tuesday);
11. 28 June 2023 (10 Zulhijah 1444): Eid al-Adha 1444 Hijri;
12. 29 June 2023 (11th Zulhijah 1444): Tashreeq Day I;
13. 30 June 2023 (12 Zulhijah 1444): Day of Tashreeq II (Nafar Awal);
14. 1 July 2023 (13 Zulhijah 1444): Day of Tashreeq III (Nafar Tsani);
15. 4 July 2023 (16 Zulhijah 1444): The beginning of the return of the first batch of Hajj pilgrims from Makkah through King Abdul Aziz International Airport (KAAIA) to Indonesia;
16. 4 July 2023 (16 Zulhijah 1444): The beginning of the arrival of the first batch of Hajj pilgrims in Indonesia;
17. 10 July 2023 (22 Zulhijah 1444): The beginning of the departure of the second batch of pilgrims from Makkah to Madinah;
18. 18 July 2023 (30 Zulhijah 1444): The end of the return of the first batch of Hajj pilgrims from Makkah through KAAIA Jeddah Airport to Indonesia;
19. 19 July 2023 (1 Muharram 1445): New Year 1445 Hijri;
20. 19 July 2023 (1 Muharram 1445): The beginning of the return of the second batch of pilgrims from Medina to Indonesia;
21. 24 July 2023 (6 Muharram 1445): End of the departure of the second batch of pilgrims from Makkah to Madinah;
22. 2 August 2023 (15 Muharram 1445): End of the return of the second batch of hajj pilgrims from Madinah to Indonesia;
23. 3 August 2023 (16 Muharram 1445): The end of the arrival of the second batch of hajj pilgrims in Indonesia.

The operational period for the departure and return of Indonesian hajj pilgrims is 30 days, consisting of Batch I 15 days and Batch II 15 days. Meanwhile, the maximum period of stay for pilgrims in Saudi Arabia is 42 days.

Hilman Latief, Director General of Hajj and Umrah at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, said on Wednesday, 8 February that the operational period of Hajj is highly dependent on the length of the process of pilgrim departure and return.

According to Circular from the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) of Saudi Arabia No. 50867/2 dated 11 May 2022, the flight period for the departure of Indonesian pilgrims is 30 days. The same rule applies to the flight at the return of the congregation. This is due to Indonesia's regular Hajj quota of over 200,000 pilgrims. This is because the current GACA rules for hajj flight operations for countries with more than 30,000 pilgrims are 30 days.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of Indonesia have agreed on a hajj quota of 221,000 pilgrims for this year. This quota consists of 203,320 regular pilgrims, and 17,680 special pilgrims. Meanwhile, the number of hajj officers is set at 4,200.

GACA in its circular divides three groups of flight periods based on the number of pilgrims. Countries that send less than 20,000 pilgrims with a flight period (both departure and return) of 20 days, countries that send 20,000 - 30,000 pilgrims with a flight period of 25 days, and countries that send more than 30,000 pilgrims with a flight duration of 30 days.

Writer: Kristantyo Wisnubroto
Editors: Ratna Nuraini/Elvira Inda Sari/Siti Chodijah
Translator: Irvina Falah