Iraq Tour 11 Days -10 Nights

DAY 1: Basra

Arrival in Basra

-Airport transfers to our hotel (Movenpick Zenat al Hayat Hotel or similar).

-Overnight in Basra.

Meals: Dinner

DAY 2: Basra and Dhi Qar

-Visit the Ashar and Shanashil Al Basra area to catch a glimpse of the old Basra: traditional-style merchant houses with balconies leaning over the narrow streets.

-A boat trip through the maze of marshes stopping by local villages for tea.

-Continue to visit the Ziggurat of Ur, a neo-Sumerian construction built in 2000 BC.

-Overnight in Nasiriya (hotel Alzaytun or similar)

Meals: Full-Board

DAY 3: Najaf and Karbala

-Hit the road early and drive to Najaf to visit Imam Ali's holy shrine.

-Visit the Wadi-Us-Salaam – the world’s largest graveyard.

-Continue driving to Karbala and visit Imam Hussein's Holy shrine.

-Local market tour.

-Overnight in Karbala (Baron hotel or similar)

Meals: Full-Board

DAY 4: Babylon and Baghdad

-Drive to Babylon, once the largest and most important city in the world.

-Saddam Hussain Palace.

-Visit Ziggurat of Borsippa.

-Drive an hour to Baghdad and we will stop to visit Dur-Kurigalzu then continue to Baghdad and overnight (Al Masbah Plaza hotel or similar).

Meals: Full-Board

DAY 5: Baghdad

-Visit the Liberation Square monument in Tahrir Square.

-Visit to the National Museum of Iraq.

-Visit the incredible and well-renovated Mustansariya School. This is commonly known as the oldest school in the world.

-Walk through the book market and adjoining copper market.

-The Al Shaheed Monument is the martyr’s memorial spot for people who died during the Iran-Iraq War.

-Traditional Fish Masgouf dinner.

-Overnight in Baghdad (Al Masbah Plaza hotel or similar).

Meals: Full-Board

DAY 6: Samarra and Mosul

-Hit the road early and drive north to Samara.

-Visit Abu Delef Minaret.

-After lunch drive towards Hatra, an important historical religious center with a strategic position along caravan trade routes. Hatra was one of the first Arab states to be established outside of Arabia.

-Continue driving to Mosul and overnight (Ewan Hotel or similar).

Meals: Full-Board

DAY 7: Mosul

-Discovering the reconstruction of the old city including the Al-Nuri mosque and Al Tahira church.

-See the Bash Tapia castle with its amazing views over the city and Tigris River.

-Lunchtime with the “Kubba of Mosul” the area’s most popular dish.

-Overnight.

Meals: Full-Board

DAY 8: Mosul and Duhok

-Drive to the historic Shanidar cave.

-Amadiya – the stunning mountaintop village. Walk through the quiet streets and visit the mosque and church here. See the ancient gateway to the town.

-Qubahan School – the fascinating ruins of an ancient madrassa

-Drive to Saddam Hussein’s former mountaintop palace. You’ll know instantly why he chose this site. Explore the ruins and admire the views.

-Dinner and overnight in Duhok (Parwar Hotel or similar).

Meals: Full-Board

DAY 9: Lalish and Erbil

-Depart Duhok for one of the world’s oldest monasteries – Alqosh is built into the mountains and is technically part of Mosul and Iraq “proper”.

-Visit Lalish for Autumn Assembly celebrations. This is the most sacred town for the Yazidi religion.

-Drive to Erbil – we’ll visit the citadel: the oldest continually inhabited place in the world. Take in the views over the city from the top of the Citadel.

-Overnight in Erbil (Erbil view or similar).

Meals: Full-Board

DAY 10: Erbil

End of tour, we can arrange additional accommodation or transport to the airport.

Meals: Breakfast