Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Baghdad – Welcome to Iraq

Our team will be there to greet you the moment you land at Baghdad International Airport, before transferring you comfortably to your hotel in central Baghdad. The rest of the day is yours to settle in and recover from the journey.

Overnight in Baghdad  

Day 2: Baghdad – Culture, History & Ctesiphon

Begin your Baghdad experience at Liberation Square, a powerful symbol of Iraq’s modern history and one of the city’s most iconic public landmarks, shaped by decades of revolutions, marches, and pivotal moments in Iraqi life.

Make your way to Al-Mutanabi Street, Baghdad’s legendary cultural heart a vibrant stretch of bookshops, poets, and intellectuals that has been the city’s intellectual soul for centuries.

Visit the Abbasid Palace, one of the finest surviving architectural gems from the golden age of Islamic civilization, before wandering into the Copper Market Souq al-Safafeer, where traditional coppersmiths still work their craft in the heart of the old bazaar.

Stop for tea at Al-Shabander Café, one of Baghdad’s oldest and most beloved coffeehouses, where thinkers, poets, and revolutionaries once gathered and the atmosphere hasn’t changed much since.

Continue to the Martyr Monument (Nasb al-Shahid), a stunning and deeply moving tribute to Iraq’s fallen soldiers, before heading out to

Ctesiphon (Taq Kasra) to marvel at the ancient Persian arch the largest single-span vault of unreinforced brickwork in the world.

End the day at the Imam Musa al-Kadhim Shrine in Al-Kadhimiya, one of the holiest Shia shrines in Iraq and a truly awe-inspiring place to visit as the evening light falls.

Overnight in Baghdad

Day 3: Baghdad – Babylon – Karbala

Start the morning at the National Museum of Iraq , home of the collections of ancient artifacts spanning Sumerian, Babylonian, Assyrian, and Islamic civilizations an unmissable stop for any history lover.

Head to Babylon, one of the most significant archaeological sites in the ancient world and a central city of Mesopotamian civilization dating back thousands of years. Walk through the reconstructed gates and ruins associated with King Nebuchadnezzar, and explore Saddam Hussein’s abandoned palace, dramatically built to overlook the ancient city below a strange and fascinating contrast of eras.

Continue to Karbala and check in to your hotel before heading out to visit the Imam Abbas Shrine, a sacred site of immense spiritual significance celebrated for its breathtaking architecture, and the Imam Hussein Shrine, the resting place of the grandson of Prophet Muhammad and one of the most revered sites in all of Islam.

Overnight in Karbala

Day 4: Karbala – Najaf – Nasiriyah

Depart Karbala and travel to Najaf, one of the world’s great pilgrimage cities. Here you will witness Wadi al-Salaam, the largest cemetery on earth a vast, humbling landscape stretching across the desert, holding the graves of millions of souls and carrying centuries of religious significance.

Continue toward the ancient region of Uruk (not accessible on a rainy day), one of the earliest cities in human civilization, flourishing between 4000 and 3000 BCE and widely regarded as the birthplace of writing and law.

Make your way to Nasiriyah to visit the ancient city of Ur and climb the remarkable Ziggurat of Ur, a massive 4,000-year-old stepped temple built as a place of worship for the gods of ancient Mesopotamia one of the true highlights of any journey through southern Iraq.

Arrive in Nasiriyah and take the evening to relax .

Overnight in Nasiriyah.

Day 5: The Marshes of Iraq – Back to Baghdad

Head out to the Mesopotamian Marshes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site Meet the Marsh Arabs and hear about their ancient way of life, their legendary hospitality, and the extraordinary reed architecture that has defined this landscape for thousands of years.

Climb aboard a traditional shakhtura wooden boat and glide through the narrow waterways in one of the most peaceful and memorable experiences of the entire trip. Sit down to a traditional masgouf lunch Iraq’s beloved national dish of perfectly grilled river fish, served in a reed house (al-mudheef) right on the water.

Before returning to Baghdad, stop at Bab Alagha, a charming local sweets factory affectionately known as the Iraqi Willy Wonka, where you can explore the production and taste some genuinely wonderful Iraqi confections.

Overnight in Baghdad

Day 6: Baghdad – Samarra – Mosul

Head north and visit the Spiral Minaret of Samarra, known as the Malwiya an iconic 9th-century structure and one of Iraq’s most instantly recognizable landmarks, with sweeping views from the top.

Nearby, explore Abu Dulaf Mosque, a rare surviving example of Abbasid architecture and a fascinating companion to the Great Mosque.

Continue to Hatra, a remarkably well-preserved UNESCO World Heritage Site and a stunning blend of Hellenistic and Parthian culture, with towering temples and ancient ruins that feel as though time has barely touched them.

Drive on to Mosul, one of Iraq’s most historic and resilient cities.

Overnight in Mosul

Day 7 | Mosul – Duhok

Spend the morning exploring Mosul, beginning with the Assyrian Wall, where you can glimpse the remarkable remnants of the mighty Neo-Assyrian Empire. Continue through the Old City of Mosul, walking the rebuilt streets, churches, mosques, and souks of a place that has carried centuries of rich and diverse history through extraordinary circumstances.

In the afternoon, make the scenic drive to Duhok, winding through the mountains and valleys of Kurdistan as the landscape gradually transforms around you.

Overnight in Duhok

Day 8 | Duhok – Alqosh – Lalish – Erbil

Begin the day with a visit to Lalish, the holiest site of the Yazidi faith a serene and sacred valley of ancient temples nestled in the mountains, carrying a spiritual significance that is palpable the moment you arrive.

Continue to the Khinis Reliefs, where ancient rock carvings commissioned by Assyrian kings are carved directly into the mountainside, before visiting Mar Mattai Monastery, a 4th-century Christian monastery perched dramatically on a mountain with sweeping views and centuries of living history.

Pass through Akre, a picturesque mountain town known for its warm community, unique culture, and natural beauty,

before arriving in Erbil the vibrant capital of the Kurdistan Region, full of energy, history, and great food.

End your Iraq adventure with an evening stroll around the Erbil Citadel, one of the oldest continuously inhabited sites on earth, and soak in the atmosphere as the city lights up around you.

Overnight in Erbil

Departure

Transfer to the airport for your departure.