What risks did Sir Richard Burton face while traveling to Mecca?

Sir Richard Burton faced significant risks while traveling to Mecca in 1853 because he was a non-Muslim attempting to enter a city forbidden to those outside the faith. To mitigate the danger of being discovered, he disguised himself as a Pathan, an Afghanistani Muslim.1

The journey itself was perilous, as he had to traverse a bandit-ridden route to reach the sacred city. Once in Mecca, he operated under the constant threat of exposure while he measured and sketched the mosque and the Kaʿbah, the holiest shrine in Islam. His ability to successfully navigate these dangers and document his experiences provided a sophisticated and accurate account of the annual pilgrimage, which he later published in his work, Pilgrimage to El-Medinah and Mecca.1