• Overall

  Travel Iraq and through ancient Mesopotamia.  Over one week, you’ll visit all the highlights you can in this short time to make the most of your travel to Iraq. 

  Experience the spirit of Mesopotamia first-hand! 
  Its living history. Its culture of hospitality. Its resilience.
  All guided by experts who bring both context and connection to every site you visit, and prioritise safety.

  Starting and finishing in the capital, Baghdad, you will trace the heart of Iraq throughout this journey. In Baghdad, we explore both old and new with its book markets, riverside cafés, National Museum, and Mesopotamian treasures. 

  You will drive out to the holy cities of Karbala and Najaf, visited by millions of pilgrims every year.
  We stand among the ruins of Babylon, birthplace of legends, and walk through Ur and Uruk, where writing itself was born. 

  In the south, we’ll glide through the marshes of Mesopotamia, meeting families who still live in reed houses on the water. And finally, we experience Basra, Iraq’s bustling gateway to the Gulf, before returning to Baghdad.

  Looking for Christmas plans?
  Combine this trip with our Syria tour and spend Christmas in Damascus!
  
  (Includes a free night in Beirut, our Christmas gift to you!)

  Highlights

  • Holy Cities of Karbala & Najaf | Visit the Imam Hussein and Imam Ali Shrines, two of the holiest sites in Shia Islam, and the vast Wadi al-Salam cemetery.
     
  • Baghdad Old & New | Wander Al-Mutanabbi Street and Rasheed Street, sip tea in old cafés, visit the Iraqi Museum, and stroll Abu Nawas Street by the Tigris.
     
  • The Cradle of Writing | Step into Uruk and Ur, two of the most important Sumerian cities, where the first words were written and ancient temples still stand.

  click image to expand

• Itinerary

  Day 1 of 8

  1. December 14 | Saturday

     Arrival Day in Baghdad

     Arrival & airport pick-up

     • Arrive at Baghdad International Airport (BGW).

     • Meet your driver and guide and transfer to the hotel (VIP airport pick-up).

     • Rest and meet the group for a welcome dinner in the evening.

     Welcome Dinner

     • We will gather for a welcome dinner.

     Accommodation | Hotel in Baghdad

     Included Meals | Dinner

  2. December 15 | Sunday

     Baghdad City Tour

      

     • Mutanabi Street | Explore the old part of Baghdad. We will go to Mutanabi Street, known as the Book Street, the antique market, and the old copper market. It is named after the 10th-century poet Al-Mutanabi.
        
     • Rasheed Street | Once Baghdad’s most prestigious avenue, lined with early 20th-century architecture, shops, and cafés.
        
     • Iraqi National Museum | Visit the Iraqi National Museum to get introduced to Iraqi culture and history throughout the years. The Iraqi National Museum houses a vast collection of artefacts from Mesopotamian civilisations, including Sumerian, Akkadian, Babylonian, and Assyrian relics. It is considered one of the most important museums in the Middle East.
        
     • Abbasid Palace & Mustansiriya Madrasah | Two fine examples of Abbasid-era architecture. We will also visit Mustansiriya School, one of the oldest remaining schools in the world. The Mustansiriya Madrasa was established in the 13th century. It served as an important educational institution during the Abbasid era.
        
     • Tahrir Square & Firdus Square | See the sites associated with Iraq’s modern political history.
        
     • Abu Nawas Street | Evening stroll along the Tigris, with statues and gardens inspired by the tales of 1001 Nights.
        
     • Dinner on the Tigris River, trying Iraq’s famous dish, masgouf.
        

      

     Accommodation | Hotel in Baghdad.

     Included Meals | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  3. December 16 | Monday

     Baghdad → Babylon → Karbala

     Babylon

     • Drive south to Babylon.

     • Ancient City of Babylon | Babylon was one of the most important cities of ancient Mesopotamia, known for its role as the capital of Hammurabi and Nebuchadnezzar II. It is associated with significant cultural achievements, including the Code of Hammurabi and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

     • Saddam’s Palace | Pay a visit to Saddam’s Palace and see the last remnant from his regime.  From here, enjoy a great view of the ancient city.

     Karbala

     • Continue to Karbala.
        
     • Karbala is a holy city for Shia Muslims and the site of the shrine of Imam Hussein. It is the focal point of the Arbaeen pilgrimage, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world.
        

     Accommodation | Hotel in Karbala

     Included Meals | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  4. December 17 | Tuesday

     Najaf 

     Najaf City Tour

     • Old City | Explore Najaf and Najaf’s Old City, one of the most important cities in the Shia Muslim world.
        
     • Wadi al Salam | We pay a visit to the largest cemetery in the world - Wadi al Salam. Meaning "Valley of Peace," it is located in Najaf and is the largest cemetery in the world. It has been a burial site for over 1,400 years.
        
     • We then take a trip to the market where we can buy local clothes and Abayas, as well as lots of other souvenirs. You'll need this local attire to enter the shrine. 
        
     • Imam Ali Shrine | The Imam Ali Shrine in Najaf is the burial site of Imam Ali, the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad and the first Imam in Shia Islam. The shrine is one of the most important pilgrimage sites for Shia Muslims. The golden dome of the Imam Ali Shrine draws pilgrims from across the globe. We will take a look inside the separated female/male sections, and you'll truly be astounded by the colours, lights, and decorations from this fantastic piece of architecture. 

     Accommodation | Hotel in Najaf

     Included Meals | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  5. December 18 | Wednesday

     Najaf → Uruk → Ur (Nasiriyah)

     Uruk

     • Drive south to Uruk, the world’s first great city, associated with the invention of writing and the Epic of Gilgamesh.

     Ur

     • Continue to Ur to see the Ziggurat of Ur, a 4,000-year-old stepped temple.

     Nasiriyah

     • Visit Nasiriyah city in the evening.

     Accommodation | Hotel in Nasiriyah

     Included Meals | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  6. December 19 | Thursday

     Marshes of Southern Iraq → Basra

     Mesopotamia Marshes

     • Travel to the Marshes, where we will have a late lunch of Masquf, the Sumerian local fish (vegetarian option available).

     • Marshes | A UNESCO-listed wetland where life has changed little over millennia. The Marsh Arabs still live in traditional reed houses and travel by narrow boats along the waterways.

     • Boat Trip in the Marshes | We take a boat trip to take a tour of the marshes and see what wildlife we can spot! 

     Basra

     • Basra | This is the main southern city and its largest port. It has long been a gateway for trade, culture, and ideas. Basra is also known for its canals lined with date palms!

     Accommodation | Hotel in Basra

     Included Meals | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  7. December 20 | Friday

     Basra → Baghdad

     Basra City Tour

     • Basra Museum | A look into the history of Basra and the surrounding areas. It used to be Saddam’s Palace.
        
     • Stroll through the old city and antique museum.

     Baghdad

     • Martyrs Monument | Go for sunset to the Martyrs Monument. The Martyrs Monument in Baghdad is a large blue-domed structure built in the 1980s to commemorate Iraqis who died in past wars. It is a symbol of national remembrance.

     Accommodation | Hotel in Baghdad

     Included Meals | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  8. December 21 | Saturday

     Departure from Iraq

     Flight Departures from Baghdad Airport / Continue to Lebanon for our Iraq-Syria Christmas Combo tour. 

     • You will be transferred to Baghdad International Airport.
        
     • Departure from Baghdad International Airport (BGW) throughout the day. Baghdad is well-connected to major Middle Eastern hubs, Istanbul, and select European cities.

     Accommodation | N/A

     Included Meals | Breakfast

• Extras

  • Upgrade to your own room in Iraq

• What is / is not included?

  INCLUDED

  • All accommodation in Iraq.
  • Iraq visa support.
  • Local Iraqi tour guide.
  • Expert Koryo Tours tour leader. 
  • All transportation within Iraq.
  • Airport pick up & drop off
  • All entrance tickets and activities listed.
  • All meals.
  • Water throughout the day. 

  NOT INCLUDED

  • Travel to Iraq.
  • Iraq visa.
  • Travel insurance (mandatory).
  • Tips for local guides. 
  • Souvenirs.
  • Extra drinks/snacks. 
  • Single supplement rooming (50 USD per night)

• Notes

  The visa is an e-visa application. We will provide supporting documents and help you make the visa application. The visa (including for VOA) ranges from $160-190 USD. 

  On this trip, we aim to see as much as possible in a very short amount of time. Iraq has a lot of history on offer, so of course we want to make the most out of this trip. Because of that, the days may be long and it involves a lot of driving as we make our way from south to north. 

  Note: If you’d like to organise a trip to Iraqi Kurdistan, let us know. We can assist in creating an Iraqi Kurdistan add-on private tour.

Please apply by 30th November, 2026.