Get In Touch
Request more info or book a tour.
Fill in the form and we'll get back to you in no time!
Iraq 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.
From southern Iraq to the northern Kurdish lands in 8 days, visiting highlights like the Mesopotamian Marshes, Karbala, Samarra, Baghdad, Mosul, Erbil and more.
February 7th to 14th, 2026
$2350 US dollars (or equivalent in Euros)
8 days
Tour leader to be confirmed
For security reasons, the order of the itinerary will differ, and the actual itinerary will be shared a few days before the beginning of the trip.
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 – Nineveh plains and Erbil
The Iraq expedition will start with picking you up from the airport, followed by checking in the hotel.
In the afternoon, we always tend to organize an activity, depending on people’s arrival and day of the week.
Overnight in Baghdad.
The proper Baghdad city tours will start on day 2.
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 but we can’t guarantee that.
Only if it’s open, we will also visit the National Museum of Iraq.
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 try to visit the former Sadam Hussein Palace, today overlooking the ancient city of Babylon, but that’s not guaranteed, since they don’t always give permission to get inside.
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 one of our most favorite cities in the Middle East.
It’s also 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 offer a very unique experience, which is having breakfast with a local Christian family from a tiny village north of Mosul, in the Nineveh plains.
This is a very unique experience only offered by Against the Compass, so that’s why we don’t want to mention the name of the village 😉
We will also explore the area and after lunch, we will drive to Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan.
The tour finishes upon arrival in Erbil.
7 nights of accommodation (twin shared)
Private transportation and driver around Iraq
Lunch (not on day 1)
Clearance for all checkpoints
English-speaking knowledgeable local guide
International tour leader
Entrance fees to all sites listed in the itinerary
Airport transfer in Baghdad and Erbil
Fast-track visa service upon arrival in Baghdad
International flights
Visa fees (80USD)
Dinner
Single supplement. Having your own private room 350USD.
Travel insurance (from €49)
February 7th to 14th, 2026
$2350 US dollars (or equivalent in Euros)
8 days
Tour leader to be confirmed
For security reasons, the name of the hotels we stay will only be shared upon booking your spot.
The price of the tour includes accommodation in a twin room.
If you are a solo traveler, you will share the room with another like-minded traveler from the group. Please note: we always try to group people of same gender and age but this can’t be always the case.
If you want a single room, you will have to pay an additional 350 USD.
There is a visa on arrival available at Baghdad International Airport. It costs $80.
This visa will be valid for both Federal Iraq and Kurdistan.
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 actually get your visa issued from Baghdad for an additional fee. More details will be shared upon booking your spot.
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.
Starting point: Baghdad
Ending point: 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.
We will be a group of maximum 12-13 people.
To secure your spot on the tour, we require a deposit.
We accept payments in both Euros and US dollars. All details will be shared upon booking your spot.
Information about the risks and dangers of the trip:
The traveler is expressly informed that the activities included in the travel itinerary are adventurous and/or take place in conflict zones, which entail dangers and imply the risk of physical, and psychological injuries, and/or death for the traveler.
Due to the characteristics of the destination and/or activities, the specific risks and dangers of the trip are, by way of example but not limited to, those listed below:
War; terrorism; political instability; arbitrary detentions, gunfire in the activity area; and/or violent crime.
Regarding the potential dangers of the destination, travelers are advised to consult the travel recommendations for the destination country provided by their country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For example, in the case of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), these recommendations can be accessed on the following link: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/iraq
FCDO advises against all travel to Iraq except to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), where they advise against all but essential travel to KRI.
Yes, if you want to join any of our expeditions, you must purchase travel insurance, this is non-negotiable, and it must be with IATI.
Why do we have to book it with IATI?
Against the Compass has been a partner with IATI for a very long time. We know their CEO, the marketing team and we do a lot of collaborations together so in the unlikely case something happened, we’d know what to do.
Moreover, IATI Insurance covers all the countries where the FCDO advises against all travel.
You may also benefit from a 5% discount if purchasing it from the below link.
Get a quote here to claim your discount
Please check our General Conditions.
However, specific conditions might apply depending on the destination. Example: when the trip includes airfare.
Full details will be shared upon booking your spot.