By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Spanish Muslims retrace ancient Hajj travel route on horseback from Andalusia to Saudi Arabia
preview.jpg
Pilgrims, including three from Spain, pose with their horses outside the Souq al-Hamidiyah market during their months-long horseback journey from Spain to Saudi Arabia to perform the Hajj, in Damascus, Syria, April 21, 2025. - photo by AP Photo/Omar Albam
CAIRO (AP) — Three Spanish pilgrims performing the Hajj in Saudi Arabia rode on horseback to Mecca, traveling thousands of kilometers in snow and rain and along a path they said had not been trekked for more than 500 years. Abdelkader Harkassi Aidi, Tarek Rodriguez and Abdallah Rafael Hernandez Mancha set out from southern Spain in October, riding through France, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Syria and Jordan to arrive in Saudi Arabia in May. It was an emotional moment for the trio when they reached Mecca.