Federal Iraq Tours

Sample itinerary for our Iraq tours

Here’s the standard 8-day tour we offer on most of our expeditions.

Day 1 – Arrival in Baghdad

• The first day is a day to take things easy.
• We will be welcoming you throughout the day, picking you up at the airport, and checking in at the hotel.
• Once everybody is settled, in the evening we can all go for a drink or dinner but officially, the sightseeing tour starts on day 2.
• Overnight in Baghdad.

Day 2 – Full day in Baghdad

• The guided tour starts on the second day, a day which we will spend exploring the city of Baghdad.
• We will discover the old book market, the leather and copper bazaars, the historical Shabandar café, and all the old city highlights. We will also visit the Martyr’s Monument and, depending on the political situation, we might also try to get into the Green Zone, let’s see.
• If open, we will also visit the National Museum of Iraq.
• In the evening, we will all go to Dar Al Atraqchi Heritage Cafe, a traditional but pretty modern café and restaurant.
• Overnight in Baghdad.

Day 3 – Ancient Babylon and Karbala

• Ancient Babylon was the first great civilization in the world, believed to be the first city to ever reach a population of more than 200,000.
• World wonders such as the Hanging Gardens and the Tower of Babel used to be within these walls.
• Today, Babylon is an archaeological site, featuring a mind-blowing replica of the Ishtar Gate and an actual Lion of Babylon.
• We will also visit the former Saddam Hussein Palace, today overlooking the ancient city of Babylon.
• After lunch, we will head to Karbala, the holiest city in the world for Shia Muslims, a surprisingly touristic city visited every year by, literally, millions and millions of pilgrims.
• We will check out the two jaw-dropping shrines, and spend the night wandering around the lively streets of Karbala.
• Overnight in Karbala.

Day 4 – Karbala & Nasiriya

• There’s so much going on in Karbala that, in the morning, we will take things slowly, wandering around town, checking the places which we probably missed the night before, and then, we will head for Nasiriya, a good 4 to 5-hour drive, with checkpoints included.
• Nasiriya is the largest city in southern Iraq, a high-security city, home to the American-built Al-Hoot prison, a maximum-security prison today filled with ISIS fighters. Nasiriya is also the gateway to The Mesopotamian Marshes.
• Overnight in Nasiriya.

Day 5 – The Mesopotamian Marshes

• This is going to be one of the most exciting days of our trip, since we will head for Chibayish, home to the Arab Marshes, a wetland ecosystem in south Iraq, an aquatic landscape in the middle of the desert, home to a distinct cultural group called the Marsh Arabs.
• We will spend the entire day getting immersed into their culture by visiting their villages, islands and eating masgouf with them, an old Mesopotamian dish consisting of a giant grilled fish.
• In the evening, we will head back to Nasiriyah.

Day 6 – The Ziggurat of Ur and Back to Baghdad

• In the morning, we will visit Ur, one of the oldest cities in the world (3800BC) – even older than Babylon – and believed to be the birthplace of Abraham.
• Then, we will take the long ride to Baghdad.
• In the evening, we can all go for dinner or drinks, and discover the modern part of Baghdad.
• Overnight in Baghdad.

Day 7 – Samarra, Hatra and Mosul

• Samarra is a city controlled by a Shia Militia, a city practically impossible to visit for independent travelers but thanks to our expert local guides, hopefully, we won’t run into any issues.
• The city is famous for the spiral minaret of Malwiya, a UNESCO Heritage Site and one of the most famous landmarks in Iraq, absolutely stunning.
• Then, on our way to Mosul, we will stop in Hatra, a very well-preserved ancient Mesopotamian city, located in the middle of nowhere, and also a former ISIS training camp. We will have the chance to see actual ISIS graffiti.
• Overnight in Mosul.

Day 8 – Mosul

• Mosul is the second most important city in Iraq and one of the oldest cities in the world, the place where ancient Nineveh was found.
• In 2017, the city was liberated from ISIS, and people have already started to come back.
• Yes, we will explore the war-torn old city and all its destroyed buildings, but we will also discover Mosul’s most human side by witnessing the reconstruction, getting to know kind-hearted locals, and also checking out all the lively bazaars.
• Overnight in Mosul.