More than 2 million Muslims from around the globe on Sunday began Haj at Islam's holiest sites in Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi government, which is undergoing dramatic social and economic reforms, has mobilised vast resources for the six-day pilgrimage.
“It's the dream of every Muslim to come here to Makkah,” Frenchman Soliman Ben Mohri said.
“It's the ultimate journey. What worries me is the return to my normal life. For the moment, I am in a dream,” the 53-year old said.