LONDON – Eight British Muslims have set off for Saudi Arabia on their bikes hoping to arrive just in time for the annual Hajj pilgrimage, to fall this year on August.

The bikers will travel for six weeks through eight countries covering over 2,000 miles in order to raise £1m for those affected by the Syrian war, Ilmfeed reported on Friday, July 14.

Kicking off their journey from the UK, they will travel through France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy then Greece.

Ideally, they would have liked to travel to Saudi Arabia via Turkey, Syria and Jordan but due to security reasons they will take travel by ship from Greece to Egypt before travelling to Saudi Arabia.

For updates, follow the Hajj Ride Facebook page or visit their website.

Muslims from around the world pour to Makkah every year to perform hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam.

Hajj consists of several rituals, which are meant to symbolize the essential concepts of the Islamic faith, and to commemorate the trials of Prophet Abraham and his family.

Every able-bodied adult Muslim who can financially afford the trip must perform hajj at least once in a lifetime.