Itinerary

1. Day 1: Arrival in Basra (IRAQ)

   • Arrive in Basra, where you will be greeted by the local team.

   • Transfer to Ward Hotel for check-in and overnight stay.

   Note: Standard check-in time is at 3:00 PM. If you arrive early, an extra night may be required.

2. Day 2: Basra City Tour

   • After breakfast, visit the new Basrah Museum, once one of Saddam’s opulent palaces.

   • Enjoy sightseeing in the old city along the canal, lined with Ottoman Shanasheel Houses, many of which have been recently restored under a UNESCO initiative.

   • After lunch, visit Ali’s Steps, a mosque with an original minaret dating to 635.

   • Female visitors will wear the abaya or chador provided by the local company for Islamic sites.

   • In the late afternoon, enjoy a boat ride on the Shatt Al-Arab, where the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers merge.

   • Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

3. Day 3: Basra – Nasiriyah

   • In the morning, visit Al-Qurnah, the ancient Mesopotamian town claimed to be the site of the Garden of Eden and Adam’s Tree.

   • This is also where the Tigris and Euphrates meet.

   • Continue to the Marshes for a canoe ride across this vast ecosystem and visit a Marsh Arab village.

   • Travel to Nasiriyah, the capital of Dhi-Qar province and gateway to the ancient city of Ur.

   • In the afternoon, explore Nasiriyah Souk and check in at Sumerion Hotel or similar.

4. Day 4: Nasiriyah (Ur & Tello)

   • Depart early for a visit to the ancient Sumerian sites, starting with Ur, including the Ziggurat of Ur, believed to be the birthplace of Prophet Abraham.

   • Continue to Girsu (Tell Tello) and potentially the excavations at Al Hiba (Lagash), two of the most important cities of the Early Dynastic period.

   • Return to the hotel in Nasiriyah.

5. Day 5: Nasiriyah – Uruk – Najaf

   • Depart by road to Uruk, the site of the first written script dating back to 4000 BC.

   • Continue to Najaf, one of Iraq’s holiest cities, and home to the shrine of Imam Ali, cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad.

   • Visit the shrine and the historic bazaar.

   Overnight stay in Granada Hotel, Najaf.

6. Day 6: Najaf (Kifl & Kufa)

   • Begin with a visit to Kufa, home to one of the world’s oldest surviving mosques, The Great Mosque of Kufa, dating back to 670 AD.

   • Visit the tombs of several significant Islamic figures, including Imam Ali, Muslim ibn ‘Aqil, Hani ibn ‘Urwa, and al-Mukhtar al-Thaqafi.

   • Explore Imara Fort and Palace, and Imam Ali’s House.

   • Continue to Kifl to see the ancient shrine of the prophet Ezekiel, once a Jewish pilgrimage site.

   • Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

7. Day 7: Najaf – Ukhaider – Karbala

   • Visit Ukhaider Palace, an Abbasid desert fortress built in 775 by Isa ibn Musa.

   • Explore its courtyards, mosque, and architectural innovations.

   • After lunch, travel to Karbala, one of the holiest sites in Shia Islam, to visit the shrine of Imam Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad.

   • Check in at the hotel for dinner and overnight.

8. Day 8: Karbala – Babylon – Baghdad

   • After breakfast, drive to the ancient city of Babylon, a major Mesopotamian capital.

   • Visit reconstructed ruins, including the Ishtar Gate and the Palace of Saddam, and explore the site of Alexander the Great’s death.

   • In the afternoon, drive to Baghdad and check in at Noorland Hotel or similar.

   Dinner and overnight stay.

9. Day 9: Baghdad (Ctesiphon)

   • In the morning, visit the Iraqi Museum to view a rich collection of Mesopotamian antiquities.

   • Visit Ctesiphon, the former Parthian and Sasanian capital, to see the grand Taq Kasra arch, one of the world’s largest single-span brick vaults.

   • Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

10. Day 10: Baghdad

    • Begin the day with a visit to Dur Kurigalzu, a Kassite city dating to the 15th century BC.

    • Return to Baghdad to visit the Grave of Gertrude Bell, then visit the Martyr’s Monument, a symbolic landmark of modern Iraq.

    • Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

11. Day 11: Baghdad

    • Visit Al-Mustansariyya School, one of the oldest universities in the world, founded in 1227 AD.

    • Continue to Al-Mutanabi Street, famous for its book market, and explore the nearby Souk al-Safareen, the traditional coppersmiths’ market.

    • Visit the Ethnographic Museum and the Shrine of Abdel Kader Al-Gilani, an important religious and historic site in Baghdad.

    • Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

12. Day 12: Baghdad – Samarra – Hatra – Mosul

    • Depart very early for a full-day journey.

    • First stop in Samarra, a former Abbasid capital, to see the remains of the Great Mosque and its spiral Malwiya Minaret.

    • Continue to the magnificent UNESCO World Heritage site of Hatra, a well-preserved Parthian city with massive walls and temples blending Hellenistic and Eastern architectural styles.

    • Arrive in Mosul, transfer to Legend Hotel or similar for dinner and overnight.

13. Day 13: Mosul

    • Explore the historic city of Mosul.

    • Visit the reconstructed Al-Nouri Mosque, known for its leaning minaret, and explore areas affected by recent conflicts and under restoration.

    • If permission is granted, visit the remains of Ancient Nineveh, one of the great capitals of the Assyrian Empire.

    • Also visit Mosul Museum, which houses important archaeological artifacts.

    • Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

14. Day 14: Mosul – Nimrud – Mar Behnam – Erbil

    • In the morning, visit the archaeological site of Nimrud, a major Assyrian city that once featured colossal statues and detailed reliefs.

    • Then visit the Monastery of Mar Behnam and Mart Sarah, an important Christian site dating back to the 4th century, recently restored after being damaged by ISIS.

    • Continue to Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, for dinner and overnight.

15. Day 15: Departure

    • Enjoy breakfast and transfer to the airport for your flight back.