A Turkish father and his 7-year-old son complete a 7,000-kilometer (4,350-mile) motorcycle journey from Izmir, western Türkiye, to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah, crossing Syria and Jordan and visiting historical and religious sites along the way.
Onur Şafak Çelik, 38, and his son, Özgür Ulaş, set off from the Kemalpaşa district of Izmir on Oct. 3 and completed their journey on Oct. 18, turning their pilgrimage into an unforgettable adventure.
The father and son visited the Umayyad Mosque and the tomb of Saladin in Syria, as well as the ancient city of Petra in Jordan, before reaching Saudi Arabia.
Çelik said he wanted to create lasting memories with his son while helping him experience different cultures and learn about patience, trust and solidarity.
"The fact that our destination was sacred, along with the beautiful things we encountered along the way, made our journey much more meaningful,” he said.
Çelik said the round trip required considerable responsibility, particularly because he was traveling with a young child. The pair had previously taken long-distance motorcycle trips together, he added.
He said his son's safety remained his priority throughout the journey, and they took additional breaks whenever the boy felt sleepy. They did not encounter any security problems along their route, he added.
"I also wanted to show my son the brotherhood that exists across different countries, the importance of patience and how to trust people,” Çelik said.
Visiting historical and religious sites together strengthened their bond, he added, noting that seeing places they had previously read about in books gave them a different perspective.
Çelik said he especially wanted his son to develop a lasting affection for Islam’s holy sites, particularly the Kaaba in Mecca and the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina.
"Our aim was to turn our Umrah journey into an unforgettable memory,” he said.
Özgür Ulaş said he had wanted to visit the holy lands with his father and described their motorcycle journey as full of adventure.
Özgür Ulaş added that his friends welcomed him joyfully when he returned to Izmir after the pilgrimage, saying they had missed him and were happy to see him back.