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After decades of being pretty isolated from the outside world, Iraq finally decided to open its borders to international travelers, making a dream for many come true.
This is the cradle of modern civilization and the heart of Ancient Mesopotamia, home to Babylon, the City of Ur, and Nineveh, once the center of the world.
The country, however, is much more than just archaeological sites and in this EXPEDITION, we will get deeply immersed into Iraq’s culture, while also learning everything about the ISIS legacy and the people’s struggle for going back to normality.
May 19th to 26th, 2024
2250€
8 days
Lead by Oriol López
Note that we always keep the itinerary flexible, and it may be subject to change, depending on the political situation.
Day 1 – Arrival
Day 2 – Baghdad full day
Day 3 – Ancient Babylon + Karbala
Day 4 – Karbala + Ziggurat of Ur + Nasiriya
Day 5 – The Mesopotamian Marshes + back to Baghdad
Day 6 – Samarra + Hatra + Mosul
Day 7 – Mosul full day
Day 8 – Bakhdida (Karakosh) and Erbil
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.
The guided tour starts on the second day, a day in 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.
Ancient Babylon 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 Sadam 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.
There’s so much going on in Karbala so, in the morning, we will take things slowly, wandering around town, checking the places which we probably missed from the night before, and then, we will head for Nasiriya, a good 4 to 5-hour drive, with checkpoints included.
Before Nasiriyah, however, we will enjoy sunset Ziggurat of Ür, one oldest cities in the world (3800BC) – even older than Babylon – and believed to be the birthplace of Abraham.
Nasiriya is the largest city in southern Iraq, a high-secured 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.
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 named 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.
After lunch, we will head back to Baghdad.
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.
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.
On the last day, we will all head to the city of Bakhdida, the largest Christian town in the Middle East, visible in the abundance of churches, liquor shops, and independent women.
We will wander around town and also visit a restored Catholic church that was burnt down by ISIS. The Pope visited it in March 2021.
Then, we will drive to Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan. The tour finishes upon arrival in Erbil.
7 nights of accommodation (twin shared) in hotels mentioned in FAQ
Private transportation and driver around Iraq
Breakfast and lunch (not on day 1)
Clearance for all checkpoints
English-speaking knowledgeable local guide
European tour leader
Entrance fees to all sites listed in the itinerary
Airport transfer in Baghdad
Fast-track visa service upon arrival in Baghdad
International flights
Visa fees (80USD)
Dinner
Single supplement. Having your own private room costs €350.
May 19th to 26th, 2024
2250€
8 days
Lead by Oriol López
These are the hotels we always stay but not that once in a while, they might be subject to availability.
Price of the tour includes accommodation in a twin room.
If you are a solo traveler, you will be sharing the room with another like-minded traveler from the group. We always try to group people of same gender and age together but note that this won’t always be the case. Moreover, in the hypothetical case there weren’t perfect pairs, one of the rooms would be a triple room.
If you wanted to have your own single room, you will have to pay an additional €350.
There is a visa on arrival available at Baghdad International Airport. It costs $80.
All European Union passport holders, and also the United States (yes, Americans can travel to Iraq), United Kingdom, Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Switzerland
If your passport is not on the lucky list, we can get you a Letter of Invitation, with which you’ll be able to apply at your nearest embassy.
We will be a group of a maximum 12-13 people.
All our Iraq expeditions have a guaranteed departure, that’s for sure.
However, in the hypothetical and unlikely case we didn’t reach a minimum number of 8 people, the Western Tour leader would not join, but you’d just be traveling with the local guide.
Another small difference is the cost of the tour (minus deposit) should be paid upon arrival in cash.
They only ask for the vaccine certificate.
We start in Baghdad and we finish in Erbil. This means that, ideally, you should fly to Baghdad and fly out from Erbil.
Both have international airports with loads of connections.
If you are coming from anywhere in Europe, the best is to come via Istanbul (either Pegasus or Turkish Airlines), and those coming from the American continent, also have the option of coming via Doha or Dubai.
The situation is getting better and better by the day, plus we will be traveling with a group of local experts who know the latest security updates. Moreover, we will always stick to the stable areas of Iraq.
For more information, check my Iraq safety guide.
In order to secure your spot on the tour, we require a deposit.
Then, the remaining amount shall be sent no later than 45 days before the departure date.
Further details, will be shared upon booking your spot.
Please refer to our Terms & Conditions.