Hundreds of thousands of Muslims began the Hajj pilgrimage, heading to a tent camp outside the holy city of Mecca.
Over two million Muslim pilgrims arrived this week in Mecca, where authorities have mounted a vast security operation to avert any militant attacks, deadly stampedes or political activities that could embarrass Saudi Arabia.
The pilgrims will all have arrived by tomorrow morning at Mount Arafat, about 15km east of Mecca.
The Eid al-Adha, or feast of the sacrifice, begins on Monday, when pilgrims begin three days of casting stones at walls in a symbolic renunciation of the devil.
Authorities have made renovations over the past year to ease the flow of pilgrims inside the Grand Mosque and the Jamarat Bridge.
In January 2006, 362 people were crushed to death there, the worst Hajj tragedy since 1990.
The flow of traffic was notably smoother than last year, as more pilgrims were transported on buses and authorities imposed stringent checks on entry points to the Mecca area to keep out people without Hajj permits hoping to join the rites.
The government says it will stop Saudis and residents in the country taking part without official permits, a main cause of overcrowding.
Over 1.75 million Hajj visas have been granted to Muslims abroad, and at least 500,000 locals receive permits.
