10-Day Across Regions Iraq Tour

Itinerary

Day 1 | Arrival in Baghdad

Your Iraq journey begins in Baghdad. Upon landing at Baghdad International Airport, our team will meet you and arrange your transfer to the hotel.

The remainder of the day is free to settle in and get ready for the days ahead.

Overnight in Baghdad

Day 2 | Baghdad

Today is dedicated to getting to know Baghdad through its streets, riverfront, historic quarters, and everyday life.

Start at Liberation Square, an important landmark in the modern history of the capital. From there, take a short boat ride on the Tigris River, crossing toward the historic center and Al-Mutanabbi Street. Bookshops, cafés, and old buildings give this famous street its distinctive character and have made it one of Baghdad’s best-known cultural spaces.

The route leads into the older part of the city, where the Abbasid Palace provides a glimpse into Baghdad’s medieval past. Nearby, the traditional bazaar and copper market offer a more contemporary connection to the city’s long trading tradition, with artisans and merchants continuing practices passed down through generations.

There is time to pause at Al-Shabandar Café, a classic Baghdad gathering place, for Iraqi tea or dried lime tea before the afternoon’s historical visit.

Later, leave the city center for Ctesiphon, once a major imperial capital of the Parthian and Sasanian worlds. The enormous Taq Kasra remains its defining monument, with its vast brick arch standing as one of the most impressive surviving structures from the region’s pre-Islamic era.

then do an evening visit to the Al-Kadhimiya Holy Shrine, one of the city’s most important religious landmarks. The shrine’s ornate architecture and spiritual significance make it a meaningful place to experience Baghdad’s religious heritage.

Overnight in Baghdad

Day 3 | Baghdad – Samarra – Mosul

An early start takes you north from Baghdad toward Samarra, where the remains of the Abbasid period form the first major stop of the day.

The highlight is the Great Mosque of Samarra and its extraordinary Malwiya Minaret, whose distinctive spiral form has become one of Iraq’s most recognizable architectural landmarks. The surrounding remains illustrate the scale and ambition of Samarra during the Abbasid era.

The Abu Dalaf Mosque follows, adding another perspective on the architectural traditions that developed in Samarra.

The journey north then reaches Assur (Qal’at Sherqat). Positioned beside the Tigris, this was the principal city and religious center of the Assyrian Empire for centuries. Its surviving walls, temples, and ziggurat mark the remains of a city that once stood at the center of Assyrian political and religious life.

Before reaching Mosul, there is another major archaeological stop at Hatra. The fortified city developed into an important center between the Roman and Parthian spheres and is particularly notable for its monumental temples and distinctive mixture of architectural influences.

Continue onward to Mosul.

Overnight in Mosul

Day 4 | Mosul – Duhok

The morning is spent in Mosul, beginning with the remains of the Assyrian Wall, connecting the modern city with the much older settlements that preceded it.

Continue into the Old City of Mosul, an area defined by historic homes, narrow streets, religious buildings, and traditional urban architecture. Much of the district was severely damaged during the conflict with ISIS, but restoration and reconstruction have been underway to recover important parts of its architectural and cultural heritage.

Later in the day, leave Mosul behind and head toward Duhok. The road enters the mountains of Kurdistan, with increasingly rugged scenery replacing the plains around Mosul.

Overnight in Duhok

Day 5 | Duhok – Erbil

The day begins at Lalish, a secluded mountain valley regarded as the holiest site of the Yazidi faith. Its temples, shrines, and surrounding landscape make it one of the most distinctive cultural sites in northern Iraq.

From Lalish, travel to the Khinis Reliefs, where monumental Assyrian carvings were cut into the rock face during the reign of Assyrian kings.

The route continues to Mar Mattai Monastery, one of Iraq’s historic Christian monasteries. Built in the 4th century and set high on the mountainside, the monastery combines a remarkable setting with centuries of religious history.

A stop in Akre provides a chance to see one of Kurdistan’s characteristic mountain towns before completing the journey to Erbil.

Overnight in Erbil

Day 6 | Erbil – Baghdad

Spend the morning exploring Erbil, beginning at the Erbil Citadel. The citadel is currently closed, so the visit will be from outside, allowing you to appreciate its elevated position above the city and its long history of continuous settlement.

Around its base lies the traditional bazaar, where shops selling spices, textiles, crafts, and everyday goods occupy the historic center. It is an ideal place to see Erbil’s older commercial life alongside the modern city.

The final stop is the Choli Minaret, a surviving monument from Erbil’s medieval Seljuk period and an important example of the city’s Islamic architectural heritage.

After the Erbil visits, begin the drive back to Baghdad.

Overnight in Baghdad

Day 7 | Baghdad – Babylon – Karbala

Leave Baghdad after breakfast and head south to Babylon, one of the defining archaeological sites of Mesopotamia.

The remains spread across the site reflect Babylon’s importance as the capital of the Babylonian Empire. Among its most famous associations are King Nebuchadnezzar II and the Hanging Gardens, traditionally counted among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

A striking contrast to the archaeological remains is Saddam Palace, positioned above Babylon. The building draws inspiration from Babylonian royal architecture and offers broad views across the surrounding archaeological landscape.

Continue to Karbala for the evening. Here, visits focus on the Shrine of Imam Abbas and the Shrine of Imam Hussein, two of the city’s most significant religious landmarks and places of major importance in Islamic history.

Overnight in Karbala

Day 8 | Najaf – Uruk – Ur – Nasiriyah

The next stage of the journey moves toward southern Iraq, beginning with Najaf.

At sunset, visit a viewpoint overlooking Wadi Al-Salam Cemetery. Extending across a vast area of Najaf, the cemetery is deeply connected with the city’s religious heritage and has been an important burial ground for centuries.

The road then leads to Uruk, a settlement that played an exceptional role in the formation of urban civilization in Mesopotamia. Its remains date back to the 4th millennium BCE, while its name is closely associated with King Gilgamesh and the Epic of Gilgamesh.

Continue toward Ur, where the Ziggurat of Ur rises above the surrounding plain. Constructed as part of a major religious complex dedicated to the moon god Nanna, the monument is one of the most recognizable surviving structures of Sumerian Mesopotamia.

Finish the day in Nasiriyah.

Overnight in Nasiriyah

Day 9 | Mesopotamian Marshes – Basra

Today the landscape changes dramatically as the journey enters the Mesopotamian Marshes.

Meet members of the local communities and spend time learning about life in the wetlands. A ride aboard a traditional shakhtura takes you through the waterways, passing reed beds and water buffalo while revealing a side of southern Iraq that cannot be experienced from the road.

Inside a traditional reed-built mudhif, stop for lunch and sample Masgouf, one of Iraq’s best-known dishes, prepared over an open fire using the traditional method.

The afternoon brings you to Al-Qurnah and the Tree of Adam, a site surrounded by longstanding local traditions. Nearby, Al-Multaqa marks the meeting of the Tigris and Euphrates, where their waters merge to create the Shatt al-Arab.

From here, continue onward to Basra.

Overnight in Basra

Day 10 | Basra

The final full day is devoted to Basra and its riverside heritage.

A boat trip along the Shatt al-Arab offers a relaxed introduction to the city and views toward the riverside Saddam Palace.

Continue into the historic Shanasheel district, known for its distinctive wooden balconies, traditional merchant houses, stained-glass details, and narrow streets. These buildings reflect the wealth and commercial connections Basra developed through its long history as a trading center.

Take time to walk through the neighborhood and appreciate its architecture and atmosphere before returning to the hotel.

Overnight in Basra

Departure

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your departure flight, marking the end of your journey through Iraq.