Only 10,000 were allowed in 2020, at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, rising to nearly 59,000 a year later.
Many Muslims prefer to embark on the pilgrimage at a younger age, knowing the physical challenges.
But modest finances force others to wait until they can afford it -- a process that could last well after retirement.
Sitting under a green umbrella, Fadia Abdullah said she felt "the joy of the whole world" after finally making it to hajj.
"I am living a moment that I have waited a lifetime for," the 67-year-old Egyptian woman said.
Rahim, an Indonesian pilgrim who only goes by his first name, complained of "extreme crowding".
But he said he was still grateful for the chance to embark on hajj for his fifth and probably final time.
"My dream of hajj has come true again before I die," said the 76-year-old.
