Maktab A, B & C: What the Difference Really Means for Your Hajj

When you compare Hajj packages, one detail decides more about your comfort than almost anything else — your Maktab category. The Maktab determines where you stay and how you live during the days at Mina and Arafat, the most physically demanding part of the entire pilgrimage. Two packages can look similar on paper, but a difference of one Maktab letter can mean the difference between rest and exhaustion on the Day of Arafah. Here's exactly what separates Maktab A, B and C — in real detail.

What is a "Maktab"?

A Maktab is the camp accommodation and service category assigned to pilgrims at Mina during Hajj. The Saudi authorities organise the Mina tent city into service tiers — A, B and C — that differ in camp comfort, cooling, washroom access, meals and transport. Every pilgrim is allocated to one of these tiers, and it directly shapes your experience during the days of Hajj itself.

Maktab A — the premium tier (KTN standard)

• More washrooms than Maktab B and C — shorter waits during the busiest hours.
• Gypsum board walls for the Mina camps — sturdier, more private, better insulated.
• 16 people per camp (camp size 16 square metres, 4m × 4m) — the least crowded of the three tiers.
• One split AC unit per camp — dedicated cooling for your camp alone.
• Three buffet meals a day (6–7 items) with 24/7 snacks and beverages.
• Private, seat-by-seat luxury latest-model transport buses.

Maktab B — the middle tier

• Fewer washrooms than Maktab A (the same number as Maktab C).
• Gypsum board walls for the Mina camps.
• 16–17 people per camp (camp size 16 square metres, 4m × 4m).
• One split AC shared between two camps (two 4m × 4m camps share a single unit).
• Three buffet meals a day (3–4 items) with 24/7 snacks and beverages.
• Private, seat-by-seat luxury latest-model transport buses.

Maktab C — the basic tier

• Fewer washrooms than Maktab A (the same number as Maktab B).
• No gypsum board walls for the Mina camps.
• 17–18 people per camp (camp size 16 square metres, 4m × 4m) — the most crowded of the three.
• One split AC shared between two to three camps.
• Three meals a day provided in lunch boxes (not buffet).
• Private, seat-by-seat transport.

Side by side: the key differences

1. 1Camp crowdingMaktab A has 16 per camp; B has 16–17; C has 17–18. Fewer people means more space to rest and move.
2. 2Air conditioning A gives each camp its own AC; B shares one AC between two camps; C shares one between two to three camps.
3. 3WashroomsA has the most; B and C have fewer (equal to each other). This matters most during peak morning and evening hours.
4. 4Camp buildA and B have gypsum board walls (sturdier and more private); C does not.
5. 5MealsA offers a 6–7 item buffet; B offers a 3–4 item buffet; C provides meals in lunch boxes. A and B include 24/7 snacks and beverages.
6. 6Transport A and B use luxury latest-model buses; C uses standard seat-by-seat transport. All three are private and seat-by-seat.

Which Maktab does KTN provide?

KTN Hajj Group provides Maktab A on every package, as standard. We believe the days at Mina and Arafat are when comfort matters most — when you should be focused entirely on your Ibadah, not on heat, crowding or queues. That's why we don't treat the top tier as an optional extra. It's simply how we serve every KTN pilgrim, and has been part of our promise since 1988.