The actual ritual days of Haji span five to six days, taking place from the 8th through the 12th or 13th of Dzulhijjah, the final month of the Islamic lunar calendar. The timeline unfolds as follows: On the 8th of Dzulhijjah (Yawm al-Tarwiyah), jamaah haji enter the state of ihram and travel to the tent city of Mina, where they spend the day and night in shalat and preparation. On the 9th of Dzulhijjah (Yawm al-Arafah), jamaah haji travel to the plain of Arafah for the wuquf — the standing — which is the most essential pillar of Haji. After sunset, they proceed to Muzdalifah where they spend the night under the open sky, collecting pebbles for the stoning ritual.
On the 10th of Dzulhijjah (Yawm al-Nahr, which is also Eid al-Adha), jamaah haji return to Mina to stone the largest pillar (Jamrat al-Aqabah), offer their animal sacrifice, shave or trim their hair (partially exiting ihram), and then travel to Mekkah to perform Tawaf al-Ifadah and sa'i. This is the busiest and most rite-intensive day of Haji. On the 11th and 12th of Dzulhijjah (Ayyam al-Tashriq), jamaah haji remain in Mina and stone all three Jamarat each day after the sun passes its zenith. Pilgrims who wish to depart early may leave Mina on the 12th after the afternoon stoning, provided they depart before sunset. Those who remain for the 13th must stone all three Jamarat once more, which is sunnah and provides additional reward.
While the ritual days themselves are five to six, most jamaah haji spend considerably longer in Arab Saudi. A typical Haji trip lasts two to four weeks total. This includes: travel days to and from Arab Saudi (1-2 days each way); arrival in Mekkah for pre-Haji Umrah (Umrah al-Tamattu') and acclimation (3-7 days); the Haji rites themselves (5-6 days); post-Haji days in Mekkah for rest and additional worship (1-3 days); and often a visit to Madinah to pray at Nabi's Masjid (4-7 days, typically before or after the Haji rites). Many Haji packages are structured as 14-day, 21-day, or 30-day itineraries to accommodate these elements.