11-Day Across Iraq Tour

Itinerary

Day 1 | Welcome to Baghdad

Your Iraq journey begins with your arrival at Baghdad International Airport. Meet our team at the airport and transfer to your hotel in Baghdad. The remainder of the day is left open for you to relax and settle in after your flight.

Overnight in Baghdad  

Day 2 | The Stories and Streets of Baghdad

Begin your first full day in Iraq at Liberation Square, a prominent landmark associated with some of the most important demonstrations, revolutions, and political movements in Iraq’s modern history.

From the square, enjoy a short boat ride across the Tigris River, connecting you with another side of Baghdad before reaching Al-Mutanabi Street. For generations, this famous street has been associated with books, literature, scholarship, and intellectual life. Its bookshops and cafés continue to make it one of the capital’s most recognizable cultural spaces.

wander through the old bazaar and traditional copper market, where handmade metalwork reflects crafts that have long been part of Baghdad’s commercial life.

Later, settle down for Iraqi tea at Al-Shabander Café. This historic tea house is one of the city’s best-known meeting places, offering traditional Iraqi tea and dried lime tea in an atmosphere closely connected with Baghdad’s literary and social traditions.

The afternoon takes you outside modern Baghdad to Ctesiphon, the remains of a major ancient city on the Tigris. Once an important center of the Persian Empire, Ctesiphon is particularly renowned for its enormous surviving arch.

Return to Baghdad and spend the evening in Al-Kadhimiya. Alongside its lively night market, the district is home to the Al-Kadhimiya Shrine, where the tombs of Imam Musa al-Kadhim and Imam Muhammad al-Jawad are located.

Overnight in Baghdad

Day 3 | Babylon’s Ancient City and Karbala’s Sacred Shrines

The morning begins with a stop at Baghdad’s Martyr Monument, a major modern memorial representing Iraqi history and sacrifice.

From the capital, travel toward Babylon, where the remains of one of the ancient world’s most influential cities await. Explore the archaeological landscape connected with King Nebuchadnezzar and the stories of the Hanging Gardens, traditionally listed among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, although their archaeological existence has never been conclusively established.

Overlooking the ancient ruins is Saddam Palace, a modern structure incorporating Babylonian-inspired architectural elements and now used as a museum.

After Babylon, make your way to Karbala and check into your hotel.

Later in the day, experience the city’s most important religious landmarks. The Imam Abbas Shrine is dedicated to Abbas ibn Ali, whose history is closely connected with the Battle of Karbala and the values of loyalty and sacrifice.

The day concludes at the Imam Hussein Shrine, one of the most significant pilgrimage sites in Shia Islam and the burial place of Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad.

Overnight in Karbala

Day 4 | Najaf, Uruk & the Ziggurat of Ur

Leave Karbala behind and head to Najaf, where the immense Wadi Al-Salam Cemetery stretches across the desert landscape. Containing millions of graves, it holds profound importance in Shia Islamic tradition.

The route then moves deeper into southern Mesopotamia toward Uruk. Dating back to the 4th millennium BCE, Uruk was among humanity’s earliest major cities and played a crucial role in the emergence of Sumerian urban civilization.

Continue to Nasiriyah for a visit to Ur, another landmark of ancient Mesopotamia. The city was once an important Sumerian center and is traditionally associated with the early development of writing, organized urban life, and civilization.

The highlight of the archaeological site is the monumental Ziggurat of Ur, a huge stepped temple complex built for religious worship and one of the best-known surviving monuments of ancient Mesopotamia.

Overnight in Nasiriyah

Day 5 | Water, Reeds and Life in the Marshes

Today offers a completely different side of Iraq as you enter the Iraqi Marshes, an extraordinary wetland landscape made up of waterways, reed beds, and islands. The marshes form the largest wetland ecosystem in the Middle East and remain home to Marsh Arab communities whose traditions are closely tied to the water.

Spend time meeting local residents and sharing traditional Iraqi tea while learning about their way of life and the customs passed through generations.

A ride aboard a traditional shakhtura takes you through the narrow marsh channels. Surrounded by tall reeds and open waterways, the journey provides an opportunity to experience the environment at a slower pace.

Lunch introduces one of Iraq’s most famous dishes: Masgouf, grilled fish traditionally prepared over reeds. It is served in an al-mutheef, a traditional guesthouse constructed from reeds and an important part of marsh culture.

Later, reach Al-Qurnah to see the Tree of Adam, a site surrounded by local religious traditions.

Nearby is the meeting point of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, where the two great rivers converge and form the Shatt Al-Arab.

From here, continue to Basra, Iraq’s principal southern port city, historically shaped by river trade and its connections with the Gulf.

Overnight in Basra

Day 6 | Basra – Baghdad

Begin the morning with a boat ride along the Shatt Al-Arab River, following the waterway formed where the Tigris and Euphrates meet.

From the boat, observe everyday life along Basra’s waterfront, with fishing boats, palm groves, and waterways reflecting the city’s long relationship with the river. You will also see Saddam Palace from the water, offering a different view of this modern historical landmark.

The focus then shifts from the river to Basra’s traditional architecture. Visit the city’s distinctive Shanashel houses, recognizable for their projecting wooden balconies, carved details, lattice screens, and stained-glass windows.

These houses, often built around internal courtyards, are closely associated with Basra’s old merchant families and illustrate the wealth and cultural exchange generated by the city’s historic position on regional trade routes.

Once the Basra visit is complete, return to Baghdad for the evening.

Overnight in Baghdad

Day 7 | Abbasid Samarra and the City of Hatra

An early departure takes you north toward Samarra, crossing the central Iraqi landscape on the way to one of the country’s most important historic regions.

In Samarra, visit the Abu Dalaf Mosque, a significant monument of early Islamic architecture from the Abbasid period. Although the famous spiral minaret is currently under restoration, Abu Dalaf provides an important alternative for appreciating Samarra’s architectural legacy and its former status as a capital of the Islamic world.

The journey then continues north toward Mosul, following routes across the open plains.

Before reaching the city, stop at Hatra. Once positioned between the Roman and Parthian worlds, this ancient fortified settlement became a major religious and commercial center during the 2nd century AD. Its enormous walls and temples reveal a distinctive architectural tradition shaped by both Eastern and Western influences.

After the Hatra visit, continue onward to Mosul, arriving in the evening.

Overnight in Mosul

Day 8 | the Historic city of Mosul

Begin the day within the Old City of Mosul, an area whose historic fabric was severely affected by recent conflicts. Today, reconstruction is gradually restoring parts of the district while maintaining links with its long-established identity.

See the ruins of the Assyrian Wall, remnants of the defensive structures connected with the ancient history of the region and its Assyrian heritage.

After the Mosul visit, leave the city behind and travel north toward Duhok. The scenery changes as the route enters the mountainous landscapes of Iraqi Kurdistan.

Overnight in Duhok

Day 9 | Duhok – Alqosh – Lalish – Erbil

Travel from Duhok to Alqosh, a historic Christian town in northern Iraq. Here, visit Rabban Hormizd Monastery, built into the mountainside and associated with the long history of Chaldean Christianity in Mesopotamia. The monastery also contains ancient patriarchal tombs.

The journey then turns toward the Khinnis Reliefs, monumental Assyrian rock carvings commissioned during the reign of King Sennacherib around 690 BC. The reliefs provide a glimpse into Assyrian royal authority and the ambitious engineering works of the period.

Next comes Lalish, the spiritual center and holiest site of the Yezidi faith. Set within a quiet mountain valley, Lalish holds exceptional importance for the Yezidi community and provides an opportunity to learn about one of Iraq’s distinctive religious traditions.

After Lalish, continue to Akre, one of the historic towns of Iraqi Kurdistan. Known for its traditional character, mountain setting, and long history, Akre offers a glimpse into the cultural heritage of the region.

The final drive of the day takes you to Erbil.

Overnight in Erbil

Day 10 | Inside the Historic Heart of Erbil

Your final full day begins at the Erbil Citadel, the elevated historic settlement that has stood above the modern city for centuries. Considered one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited settlements, the citadel remains a defining feature of Erbil and continues to undergo restoration.

begin the journey back to Baghdad.

Overnight in Baghdad

Day 11 | Departure from Baghdad

After breakfast, transfer to Baghdad International Airport for your departure flight, bringing your journey through Iraq’s ancient archaeological sites, historic cities, religious landmarks, and diverse cultural landscapes to an end.