5-Day Iraq Ancient Wonders Tour from Baghdad with Babylon and Najaf

• Start at Abbasid Palace at 8:30 A.M.
• Visit Mutanabi Street, Shabandar Café, and Mustansiriya School.
• Drive to Darbona Restaurant.
• Enjoy a cultural experience at Darbouna Kitchen.
• Visit the Green Zone and take photos from outside the Victory Arch and the Unknown Soldiers Monument, as both are closed.
• Visit the Martyrs' Monument and take photos from outside, as it is closed.

Return to the hotel, and have dinner later.

All sites are part of a walking tour.

• Travel from Baghdad to Babylon, about 1 hour and 20 minutes, followed by approximately a three-and-a-half-hour walking tour in Babylon.
• Explore the old city of Babylon and the Ishtar Gate.
• Visit the ancient city and Saddam Palace for a photo stop only.
• Travel to Karbala, about a 1 hour and 30 minute drive, and enjoy a meal in a traditional Yemeni restaurant with Arabic-style seating.
• Visit the Imam Hussein and Imam Abbas shrines.

Enjoy a 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minute walking tour.

Go to a restaurant for dinner, then check in to the hotel and stay overnight in Karbala.

• Travel from Karbala to Najaf.
• Depart early in the morning at 7:00 A.M.
• Visit the shrine of Dhu al-Kifl, the biblical Jewish temple. It is a 1-hour drive, and the tomb is closed, so only the mosque next to it can be visited.
• After that, visit the shrine of Imam Ali in Najaf.
• Drive for 1 hour and 20 minutes to the Imam Ali shrine.
• Have a walking tour in the shrine.
• Visit the biggest cemetery in the world.

Return to Baghdad and stay overnight in Baghdad.

• Depart from Baghdad at 8:30 A.M. for a 40-minute drive.
• Visit the Ziggurat of Dur-Kurigalzu (Ziggurat at Aqar Quf). The Ziggurat of Aqar Quf, built in the 14th century BCE, was dedicated to the god Enlil. This stepped structure, made of mud bricks, exemplifies ancient architectural skill and offers a glimpse into Mesopotamian religious practices.
• After that, continue to Samarra on a 2 hour and 30 minute drive.
• Visit the Grand Mosque of Samarra, which is closed.
• Take photos next to the Malawyia Minaret.
• Have snacks in the car instead of lunch, as there are no good restaurants in Samarra.
• Next, visit Abu Dalaf Minaret and climb it.
• The Minaret of Abu Dalaf is a spiraling structure from the 9th century and part of a once-grand mosque. Its unique helical design reflects Abbasid architectural innovation, serving both as a call to prayer and a symbol of the region's cultural heritage.
• Afterwards, go back to Baghdad.

Drive for 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Go back to the hotel and rest.

Later, go out for dinner, explore Baghdad, and try different types of food.

• Visit the Iraq Museum for an exclusive tour of the biggest museum in Iraq.
• Have lunch and go to Taq Kasra, also known as the Arch of Ctesiphon. It is a massive 3rd-century structure with the world's largest single-span brick arch. It was once part of a grand palace complex, symbolizing the power and architectural mastery of the Sasanian Empire. Despite centuries of wear, its iconic arch remains a testament to ancient engineering.

Come back to the city.

End of the tour and departure.