The Hajj’s massive scale, seen from the air

The Hajj, the yearly pilgrimage of observant Muslims to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia that began yesterday (Aug. 19), will continue through Aug. 24. One of the largest migration events in the world—more than 2 million are expected to make the journey—its sheer size is appreciated best from above.

Aerial photos show the seemingly unending parade of pilgrims and the infrastructure necessary to accommodate them, from seas of tents and buses to the massive Grand Mosque itself.