Full Iraq: from Basra to Erbil

Day 2 – Mesopotamian Marshes

In the morning, 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 named the Marsh Arabs.

On the way, we’ll also stop at the meeting point between Tigris & Euphrates, as well as where is believed to be the actual place of Adam’s Tree from the Bible.

Arrival at the Marshes around lunchtime, followed by a tour around the Marshes.

Overnight in Nasiriyah.

Day 3 – Ziggurat of Ur & Karbala

We will first head to Ziggurant of Ür, one of oldest cities in the world (3800BC) – even older than Babylon – and believed to be the birthplace of Abraham.

Then, head for Karbala, the holiest city in the world for Shia Muslims, a surprisingly touristic city visited every year by, literally, millions and millions of pilgrims.

The best time to visit Karbala is after sunset, which will do while checking out the two jaw-dropping shrines.

Overnight in Karbala.

Day 4 – Al-Ukhaidir, Babylon, Saddam Hussein Palace

We’ll start the day by visiting Al-Ukhaidir, a massive fortress from the 8th century built in the middle of the desert by the Abbasid caliph.

Then, we’ll go to Ancient Babylon, which used to be 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.

Overnight in Baghdad.

Day 5 – Full day in Baghdad

The capital of Iraq is a chaotic, yet a lively and fascinating city in the Middle East, packed with historical and cultural sites.

We will start our tour with a traditional breakfast only found in Baghdad and then, we’ll visit the National Museum of Iraq, containing some of the oldest artefacts in the world.

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.

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 6 – Samarra, Hatra & 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 be running into any issues.

The city is famous for holding 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 7 – Full day in Mosul

Mosul is Joan Torres’ favorite city in Iraq.

Mosul is the second most important city in Iraq and one of the oldest cities in the world, the place where ancient Niniveh was found.

In 2017, the city was liberated from ISIS, and people 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 all the reconstruction, getting to know kind-hearted locals, and also checking out all the lively bazaars.

Overnight in Mosul.

Day 8 – Mar Mattai, Lalish and Duhok

Early morning, we’ll head for the region of Kurdistan.

Upon arrival at the border/checkpoint, we will say goodbye to our friends from Baghdad, and we’ll be welcomed by our brand-new Kurdish team, who will take care of us while we are in the region of Kurdistan.

We will first go to the historical Christian monastery of Mar Mattai, located only 20km from Mosul, and very close to the former front line against ISIS.

Then, we will go to Lalish, the holiest place for Yazidis, a religious group who mainly live across the Middle East, the Caucasus, Turkey, and Russia but Iraq has the largest population.

We will visit their temple and meet the Yazidi community.

Dinner and overnight in Dohuk.

Day 9 – Saddam Hussein Palace, Amedi and Barzan

In the morning, we will drive to Amedi, my favorite town in Iraqi Kurdistan, built on the top of a flat mountain, with incredible views of the valley.

It’s a 5,000-old historical village and believed to be the home of the Three Wise Man, who made a pilgrimage to Bethlehem to see Jesus Christ after his birth.

On the way, we will stop at one of the several abandoned palaces that Saddam Hussein had across Iraq.

After lunch, we drive towards Erbil through the most scenic road in all Iraq, stopping on the way in Barzan, a village epicentre of Kurdish nationalism.

Dinner and overnight in Erbil.

Day 10 – Full day in Erbil

Erbil is a 7,000-year-old city, one of the oldest in the world, filled with historical sites and inhabited by some of the most hospitable people in the Middle East, the Kurds.

For sightseeing, this is my favorite capital in the Middle East.

During our visit, we will visit the Old Citadel, the bazaar, Jalil Khayat mosque and, in the evening, we can all go for drinks to the Christian district of Ankawa.

Lunch, dinner and overnight in Erbil.

Day 11 – Erbil & departure

After enjoying breakfast altogether, we will take care of your transfer to Erbil International Airport.

If your flight is later in the afternoon or evening, we’ll also take care of your transfer, no problem.