
The area around Islam's holiest site is bustling with pilgrims who are all in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, to perform their hajj pilgrimage. It is estimated that more than 1.5 million are already in the city, and thousands more are expected to arrive in the coming days. People have traveled from far and wide; some by plane, others by train, coaches or ferries. The price of going on the hajj can be costly, with many pilgrims saving for a lifetime and spending thousands of dollars to perform the pilgrimage, one of the five pillars of Islam. For some people traveling from Britain, for example, the cost of a hajj travel and accommodation package can cost between 2500- to 6000 pounds sterling, the equivalent of $4000 - $9600. But even for those who don't need to travel so far, the price of hajj is still expensive. "The cost of hajj is around 4000 dollars, and 1000 dollars of expenses for the household, food and drink," said al-Hayan, a pilgrim from Morocco. Due to the high costs, some people like Egyptian Rajab Abdullah save up for years. ''For 28 years, I've been working, and I've worked hard. But I had to come and do my hajj, I had to, I had to," he said. Some people are willing to spend vast amounts to secure a comfortable travel and accommodation package. Hajj packages vary from $5000 to $27000. Many pilgrims are fortunate enough to have their hajj expenses paid for by other people, as an act of charity. Some countries like Egypt also offer hajj packages at government-subsidized <b>...</b>
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