Riverside HajNews: Why Choose Riverside Haj
Assalaamu Alaikom, some Hajj companies in the market lower their prices to look attractive to customers which can cause customers to pay more money in Saudi Arabia in result of poor service. We hope to educate our potential customers, as well as those who may ultimately decide to go with another Hajj company. Below is a short list of issues future Hajees need to be aware of when choosing a Hajj company:
- Companies that book 2-3 star hotels far away from the Haram causes Hajees suffer due to the distance required to travel to the Haram and back every day, and this hardship is compounded by the millions of Hajees visiting the Great Mosque. Riverside Haj selects 5 star hotels that are very close to the Haram in order to reduce this hardship.
- Some companies try to cut costs by not offering food during the entire trip. Most Hajees will not have the benefit of knowing which restaurant is safe and clean, not to mention that restaurants in Makkah do not adhere to the strict sanitary standards required in the United States. If you wish to eat healthy food without any hassles you most likely would want to eat at your hotel, which would cost a minimum of $70 a day (breakfast and dinner), for a total of $1400 (19-20 days of the trip). Some Hajj companies try to eliminate this cost and let their customers fend on their own. Riverside Haj will provide you with healthy food at our hotels for the duration of the trip.
- When traveling between cities (such as Makkah and Madina), most Hajj companies will try to cut costs by using bus transportation instead of flying. The time to travel to Madina from Makkah can take up to 6 hours with buses versus approximately 1 hour with air flight. Riverside Haj uses Saudi Arabian Airlines to transport you between cities.
- Many Hajj companies play on the ignorance of their customers by not explicitly stating the quality and conditions regarding accommodations in Mina. The time spent during Hajj in Mina is one of great hardship and also great importance. The Saudi Arabian government provides tents, at minimum cost (covered by Hajj visa), for Hajees to rest in and they divide each camp according to nationality. Unfortunately, the North American camp happens to be near the very end of Mina, placing it around 5 miles away from Jammarat, where Hajees gather to stone the devil. Many Hajj companies will state clearly that they provide accommodations in Mina at the American camp while charging a premium price for their Hajj package, hoping that potential customers will be ignorant of the hardship regarding its location. Riverside Haj, on the other hand, provides VIP camps next to Jammarat with breakfast, lunch and dinner, and cold and hot drinks. Also, the quality of the restroom facilities at the VIP camp is much better than government camps.
- Another issue many Hajees miss when choosing a company is bus transportation. The Saudi government provides bus transportation to all Hajees covered by the cost of the Hajj visa. However, the quality of these buses is substandard. Riverside Haj provides private air conditioned, late model buses during the entire trip to reduce hardship on our Hajees.
- Preparation for Hajj before traveling is very important and Riverside Haj is one of the few companies that eliminate the inconvenience of purchasing preparatory items by providing them at no extra cost. Items such as Ihram clothing for brothers, Hijab for sisters, complimentary luggage, Hajj books, Hajj DVDs, and more are provided for free, enabling Hajees to focus only on preparing for the spiritual journey without any hassle or inconvenience.
- Last not but least, airline transportation is an important factor in considering a Hajj company. Some companies use very cheap and unreliable airlines, which can sometimes result in Hajees never making it to Jeddah on time. Riverside Haj travels primarily with Emirates Airlines, one of the greatest in the world, which flies direct from select cities in the United States to Dubai, and which a complimentary overnight stay is provided, giving Hajees the ability to start their Hajj with ease.
