Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims began their slow and steady trek to the tent city of Mina on Saturday night in the first leg of their five-day journey.

They will spend a day in contemplation before moving to the Plains of Arafat on Monday in what is described as the most significant ritual of the pilgrimage.

In Makkah, hundreds of buses and smaller shuttles packed with pilgrims were headed toward Mina.

Each group of pilgrims enters the valley of Mina, it reverberates with chants of “Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik” (O God, here I am answering your call).

On Monday morning, the pilgrims will move toward Mount Arafat where the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) delivered his last sermon more than 14 centuries ago.

The pilgrims will then return to Mina after spending the night in Muzdalifah. They will throw stones at Jamrat Al-Aqaba representing the devil and sacrifice animals to mark the Eid Al-Adha, which starts Tuesday and will spend the final two days in Mina to take part in the symbolic stoning of the devil.