Iraq · Archaeology

9-Day Archaeological Tour of Iraq with Babylon, Ur and Nineveh

9 Days Round trip from Baghdad Easy pace

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The journey

Trip highlights

01 Explore ancient and medieval sites in Baghdad, Babylon, Karbala, and beyond
02 Visit the legendary cities of Uruk and Ur and witness ancient Sumerian craftsmanship
03 Discover UNESCO World Heritage sites in Samarra, including the spiral Malwiya Minaret
04 Explore the ruins of Hatra, one of the first Arab kingdoms in Iraq
05 Journey through Nineveh, Khinnis, and Jerwan to see Sennacherib's inscriptions and artistry

Embark on an archaeological adventure across Iraq, tracing the remnants of Mesopotamia's ancient and medieval civilizations from Baghdad to the north and south of the country. Over 9 days, explore landmark sites including Babylon, Uruk, Ur, Samarra, Hatra, Nineveh, and more, while discovering the architecture, religions, and empires rooted in the birthplace of civilization. From Sumerian ziggurats and Assyrian reliefs to Abbasid monuments and medieval Baghdad, this journey offers a remarkable look into Iraq's layered history.

Embark on an archaeological adventure across Iraq, tracing the remnants of Mesopotamia's ancient and medieval civilizations from Baghdad to the north and south of the country.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 9 Days

Tour type Shared

Activity level Easy

Accommodation Not included

Transport Included

Wheelchair access No

Cities Baghdad, Dahuk, An Nasiriyah, Erbil, Karbala, Mosul, Samarra, Babylon

Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

Day 01

Baghdad's Ancient Treasures and Dur-Kurigalzu

Our exploration commences at the Iraqi Museum, where we immerse ourselves in ancient Mesopotamian antiquities.
Then we continue to the Abbasid Palace on the Tigris riverbank. It features beautiful ornamental designs and carvings and was built in 1181. Although known as a palace, Arab scholars believe it was actually a school.
Walk to Mustansiriyah Madrasah, one of the earliest universities in the world.
Our last site will be the Dur-Kurigalzu ziggurat, the remaining core of what was once a 60-meter-high, multi-staged temple tower built in the 14th century BC by the Kassite king Kurigalzu.

Day 02

Old Baghdad Walk and Ctesiphon's Arch

Enjoy a morning walking tour through the alleyways of the old town, exploring shanasheel houses, an Iraqi architectural design featuring a second-story wooden balcony.
Next, we will visit Baghdad's Middle Gate, known as Bab al-Wasstani, one of the four gates to the medieval city of Baghdad and the only one that survives today.
Visit the 13th-century Caliphs Mosque, originally built in 908, when its 35-meter-tall minaret was the tallest in Baghdad.
At sunset, visit Taq Kasra, also known as the Archway of Ctesiphon, considered the largest single-span vaulted arch of unreinforced brickwork in the world, dating back to the Sassanid era.

Day 03

Babylon's Ruins and Onward to Karbala

We head to Babylon, exploring the original lower part of the Ishtar Gate and the Lion of Babylon, a 2,600-year-old black basalt statue of a lion trampling a man.
Stroll through the reconstructed palace of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II and see some original ancient bricks with cuneiform inscriptions.
Following the ruins, we walk to Saddam's abandoned palace, gaining a panoramic view of the ruins from the top of the artificial hill on which the palace is built.
Walk to see the remains of the Tower of Babel, the Etemenanki Ziggurat.
Then we will drive to Borsippa, an ancient Babylonian city whose patron god was Nabu. The city's proximity to the capital, Babylon, helped it become an important religious centre. We will explore its tall ziggurat.
Our path then leads us to Karbala, where we will spend the night.

Day 04

Al-Ukhaidir, Al-Qusair Church, and Ancient Uruk

In the morning, we'll head to the Fortress of Al-Ukhaidir, a large rectangular fortress erected around the 5th century AD, of unknown origins, with a unique defensive style.
Next, visit Al-Qusair Church, one of the oldest eastern churches. Situated 65 kilometers southwest of Karbala, it was built in the 5th century and discovered in the 1970s.
Head to 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.
Overnight in Nasiriyah.

Day 05

Ur, Nippur, and Return to Baghdad

We drive to ancient Ur to marvel at the well-preserved Ziggurat of Ur, a pyramid-like stepped temple tower dating back to 2100 BC, from the time 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, discovered by Sir Leonard Woolley in the 1920s.
See the Dub-La-Mah temple, which served as the entrance to the passage leading to the ziggurat.
Enjoy special access to the house of the biblical prophet Abraham.
On the way back to Baghdad, we will visit ancient Nippur. For thousands of years, Nippur was the religious centre of Mesopotamia, where Enlil, the supreme god of the Sumerian pantheon, created mankind. We will explore its ruins and ziggurat.
Overnight in Baghdad.

Day 06

Samarra's Abbasid Heritage and Arrival in Mosul

In the morning, we set out for Mosul with a stop in Samarra to explore UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the spiral Malwiya Minaret of the Great Mosque of Samarra.
Visit the Abbasid Pond Palace, a recreational palace named after the pond at its centre.
See another spiral minaret at Abu Delaf Mosque, standing 32 meters high and built in 859 AD of baked bricks by the Abbasid caliph Al-Mutawakkil.
Walk through Qaser al-Ashiq, the Lover's Palace, situated on the western side of Samarra. It was built in the 9th century, when Samarra was the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate.
Upon reaching Mosul, our evening unfolds with a night tour at Bytna cultural center. Overnight stay in Mosul.

Day 07

Hatra, Ashur, Nimrud, and Mosul Landmarks

Morning drive to the ancient ruins of Hatra. This was one of the first Arab kingdoms in Iraq, reaching its zenith in the 2nd century AD. Here, we will explore mesmerizing temples and buildings featuring a distinctive blend of Roman-Greco and Eastern architectural elements.
Following Hatra, we head to Ashur to see the ziggurat of the chief Assyrian deity Ashur, the city gate, royal cemetery, and other remains.
Explore Calah, Nimrud, an ancient site near Ashur. Calah was a prominent Assyrian city established in the 13th century BC, and it reached its prime during the reign of King Ashurnasirpal II (883-859 BC), when it was named the capital of the Assyrian Empire.
Back in Mosul, we will visit the famed Hadba' Leaning Minaret.
Overnight stay in Mosul.

Day 08

Nineveh, Khinnis, Jerwan, and Duhok

Visit the archaeological site of Nineveh and see Adad Gate, one of the fifteen gateways of ancient Nineveh.
Explore the Khinnis canal, which dates back to the 7th century BC and was carved out of rock by the Assyrian monarch Sennacherib. We will see his ancient reliefs and inscriptions on the cliffs.
Visit Jerwan Aqueduct, considered one of the oldest aqueducts in the world. We will see prominent cuneiform inscriptions on its walls. It was built by the Assyrian monarch Sennacherib.
Drive to Duhok to see Assyrian bas-reliefs carved into cliffs near Halamata Cave.
Overnight in Duhok.

Day 09