11-Day Cultural and Historical Iraq Tour with Babylon and Mosul

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Day 01

Baghdad's Historic Quarters and Tigris River

• Our tour commences at the Iraqi Museum, immersing ourselves in ancient Mesopotamian antiquities.
• The tour continues with a captivating walking tour through the old quarters of Baghdad, visiting Al-Mutanabbi Book Market Street, an intellectual haven.
• Visit Mustansiriyah Madrasah, one of the earliest universities in the world.
• Stop at the century-old Shabandar Cafe for a glass of lime tea, a specialty in Baghdad.
• Our path leads to the Abbasid Palace on the Tigris riverbank, with its beautiful ornamental designs and carvings.
• Stop at another century-old juice shop that serves refreshing raisin juice, once visited by Iraqi kings and presidents.
• Take a walk through Khan Al Mudallal Antique Market shops.
• A boat tour on the Tigris River follows.
• Lunch at an old Baghdadi restaurant offering kubba, a dumpling-like Iraqi dish.
• Stroll through bustling bazaars such as the Copper Market, Stationery Market, and Clothing Market.
• Walk through historical Rashid Street, the center of Baghdad in the past century, seeing several important old mosques and buildings.
• Visit Firdos Square, where Saddam's bronze statue was pulled down.
• Marvel at the Martyr Monument, a blue split dome built as a memorial for fallen Iraqi soldiers and officers.
• We end the tour at the iconic Freedom Monument.

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Day 02

Ancient Babylon and Night Walk in Karbala

• We head to Babylon, exploring the original lower part of the Ishtar Gate and the Lion of Babylon, a 2600-year-old black basalt statue of a lion trampling a man.
• Stroll through the reconstructed palace of Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II, seeing some ancient bricks stamped with cuneiform writing.
• Following the ruins, we walk to Saddam's abandoned palace, exploring its grandeur and encountering the last standing portrait statue of Saddam.
• Walk to see the remains of the Tower of Babel, the Etemenanki Ziggurat.
• Our path then leads us to Karbala, where we embark on a walking night tour, marveling at the magnificent shrines of Imam Hussein and Abbas.
• Immerse yourself in the vibrant nearby bazaar. The night concludes with a stay in Karbala.

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Day 03

Najaf's Holy Sites and the Ziggurat of Ur

• The following morning, we head to Najaf to explore the holy shrine of Imam Ali.
• Visit the immense Valley of Peace graveyard, with over 6 million graves. Gaining a panoramic view from the top of a multistory garage, we gaze at the vastness of the cemetery.
• Continuing our travels, we drive to Nasiriyah province to marvel at the well-preserved Ziggurat of Ur, a pyramid-like stepped temple tower dating back to 2100 BC, when this ancient city served as the capital of the Neo-Sumerian Empire.
• Explore the Great Pit of Ur, the royal tomb cemetery, including that of Queen Puabi, where golden jewelry was found and discovered by Sir Leonard Woolley in the 1920s.
• See Dub-La-Mah temple, which serves as the entrance to the passage that leads to the ziggurat.
• Enjoy special access to the house of the biblical prophet Abraham.
• The day concludes with an overnight stay in Nasiriyah.

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Day 04

Chibayish Marshes and Basra

• The next morning, we venture to the Chibayish Marshes, home to a community living in reed houses and embracing a way of life dating back to the ancient Sumerians. After interacting with the local Marsh Arabs, we go on an exhilarating boat tour through the marshes, witnessing tall reeds, swimming buffaloes, and various bird species.
• Following the tour, a delightful lunch of masgouf fish awaits us in a reed house, followed by a glass of hot tea.
• Continuing southward to Basra, we pause at Al-Qurna town to witness the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and take a look at the ancient Adam tree.
• When in Basra, we will visit Shat al-Arab Corniche. Our day concludes with an overnight stay in Basra.

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Day 05

Basra's Museums, Markets, and Riverfront

• During the day, our itinerary starts with visits to several places in Basra, beginning at the Basra Museum, once one of Saddam's palaces.
• Wander through the historic old town to marvel at the Shanasheel houses, former residences of affluent aristocrats.
• Our tour continues with stops at the Al-Hasoun Antique Museum and Cafe.
• Walk in Al-Ashar Market.
• Stroll around the fish market in the old town, witnessing the different varieties of fish.
• Enjoy a sunset boat tour on the Shat al-Arab River.
• See Saddam's yacht, which he did not have the chance to sail.
• Visit the 19th-century Church of St. Thomas.
• Dinner at Shatt al-Arab restaurant with a view of the Shatt al-Arab River and the Italian Bridge.
• Get to the top of a 16-story hotel for tea and hookah, and enjoy the spectacular view of the city.
• End the tour at the statue honoring the renowned Basra poet Al-Sayyab, one of the pioneers of free verse poetry in the Arab world.

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Day 06

Ancient Uruk and Baghdad by Night

• The following day, we return to Baghdad, dedicating our time to exploring the vibrant Karada District on the eastern side of the Tigris.
• On the way to Baghdad, we will make a stop at ancient Uruk to explore its ruins. Uruk is an ancient Sumerian city-state known as the birthplace of the first writing system, cuneiform, and the home of the legendary king Gilgamesh. We will explore ziggurats, temples, and clay tablets inscribed with cuneiform writing.
• In Baghdad, we will have a walking night tour along Abu Nuwas Corniche.
• Admire the statues of the Arabian Nights and pause at a church visited by Pope Francis.
• Our tour concludes with a stop at Darbuna restaurant, offering authentic Iraqi traditional cuisine.

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Day 07

Fallujah and Hit in Anbar Province

• On this day, we will explore Anbar province to the west of Baghdad. Our first destination will be Fallujah city, which witnessed intense battles between rebels and the US occupation forces following the Coalition Invasion in 2003. The city has been reconstructed nicely. Known as the City of Mosques, we will visit some of them.
• Lunch at the famed Al-Badia Restaurant.
• From Fallujah, we will drive to Hit, an ancient town that served as a source of bitumen during Mesopotamian ancient history. It has beautiful waterwheels, used in the past to irrigate the land, which are considered important relics of Iraq's heritage.
• We will drive back to Baghdad after our tour in the west.

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Day 08

Samarra's UNESCO Sites and Arrival in Mosul

• In the morning, we set out for Mosul with a stop at Samarra city to explore the UNESCO Heritage Sites, including the spiral Malwiya Minaret of the Great Mosque of Samarra.
• Visit the Abbasid Pond Palace and Abu Dalaf mini spiral minaret.
• Upon reaching Mosul, our evening unfolds with a night tour at Bytna Cultural Center. Our stay for the night will be in Mosul.

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Day 09

Hatra and Mosul's Historic Landmarks

• In the morning, we will drive to Hatra's ancient ruins. This was one of the first Arab kingdoms in Iraq, reaching its zenith in the 2nd century AD. Here, we'll explore mesmerizing temples and buildings featuring a distinctive blend of Roman-Greco and Eastern architectural elements.
• Visit Al-Nouri Mosque and its famed Leaning Minaret, Al-Hadba's Minaret.
• Visit the Nineveh archaeological site and see Adad Gate, one of the fifteen gateways of ancient Nineveh.
• See one of Mosul's old churches, Al-Tahira.
• See Al-Mosul's unfinished Grand Mosque.
• Visit Mosul Heritage Center.
• Walk into the fish market and witness the destruction on the Right Side of Mosul, which experienced intense battles. We will stay there for another night.

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Day 10

Lalish, Khinnis Canal, and Duhok

• In the morning, we will drive to Duhok and visit Lalish temple, the most sacred site for believers in Yazidism.
• Then, we will explore the Khinnis canal, which dates back to the 7th century BC and was carved out of rock by the Assyrian monarch Sennacherib, whose ancient reliefs and inscriptions we will see on the cliffs.
• In Duhok, we will rest and then drive to the top of Zawa Mountain, gazing at the view of the city while sipping a cup of coffee or tea.
• Then, we will head to Dam Lake Duhok and enjoy the picturesque view.
• Enjoy a night tour of the city's local market.
• End the tour at Akre Restaurant, which serves superb Iraqi dishes. An overnight stay in Duhok.

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Day 11

Akre's Nature and Historic Erbil

• The next day, we drive to Erbil.
• On the way to Erbil, we will make a stop and tour Akre's beautiful nature, where the Nowruz Celebration is held.
• Once in Erbil, our tour kicks off at Erbil Citadel, a World Heritage Site and one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited settlements.
• Within the Grand Bazaar surrounding the castle, we'll stroll through roofed market lanes and explore diverse shops.
• Pause for tea in a historic cafe adorned with portraits of local figures.
• Later, we'll visit the Choli Minaret and the impressive Jalil Khayat Mosque.
• During the night, we will walk on Eskan Food Street. An overnight stay in Erbil.