Hajj, the annual Muslim pilgrimage, has begun in Makkah (Mecca), with an expected more than two million pilgrims on the road to nearby Mina.

Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry announced 1.6 million pilgrims had arrived from around the world, with another half million expected to participate from within the kingdom.

Scouring international news organisations for in-depth content proved disappointing on the first day of the pilgrimage, though mainstream news sites – partially driven by AP, AFP and Reuters wires – did mark the event.

The Los Angeles Times was most notable for building an interactive report comprised of a map, videos, photos, local stories and in-the-field blog entries.

The UK’s Guardian Unlimited wins runner-up for a flash package explaining Hajj, but dated 2003.

NYTimes, Washington Post, BBC News, and perhaps most glaringly Al Jazeera’s websites were devoid of any comprehensive coverage.