Southern Iraq in one-week
AT A GLANCE
This trip provides a detailed overview of southern Iraq over the course of a week, mixing modern with ancient. It is both comprehensive as well as affordable, as it travels overland across Iraq’s newly improved and efficient highway system. You’ll waste little time and pack in a ton of places, sites, and activities.
Starting and ending in Baghdad, you travel down the Tigris and Euphrates through ancient Mesopotamia. You visit the ancient ruins of Babylon, the Shia pilgrimage sites and holy cities of Karbala and Najaf, the Great Ziggurat of Ur, and then to the Iraqi marshlands outside Basra. You’ll then drive north back to Baghdad, where you can visit the ruins of the Minaret of Samarra and explore Baghdad’s cafes, art scene, markets, and neighborhoods before departing.
This itinerary is best between October and April.
DAILY ITINERARY
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-Apply for and collect your Iraqi visa on arrival ($77 USD per person in cash, exact change is best)
-Pick up from Baghdad Airport and transfer to your hotel.
-Late afternoon walk around Baghdad and traditional masgouf dinner in Baghdad city.
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-Pick-up from your hotel after breakfast.
-Baghdad martyrs monument and museum.
-Old Baghdad tour by foot/tuk-tuk.
-Madrassa and city tour around Baghdad.
-Iraqi National Museum tour.
-Traditional dinner in Baghdad city.
-Overnight in Baghdad.
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-Pick-up from the hotel after breakfast.
-Babylon ancient site tour.
-Visit Saddam’s palace outside Hillah.
-Visit the shrines of Imam Husseyn and Abbas in Karbala, the holiest city for Shia Muslims.
-Local dinner in Karbala city.
-Night visit to the holy shrines.
-Overnight in Karbala.
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-Early pick-up from the hotel after breakfast, check out and begin the drive to Najaf.
-Tour the stunning shrine to Imam Ali, the 4th caliph and first Imam in Islam, who was killed in this city.
-Drive to Kufa, and tour the Great Mosque of Kufa as well as the surrounding souq.
-Return to Najaf in the evening to explore the grand bazaar and visit the shrine again in the evening, as it is fully lit with deep red, green, and gold colors.
-Overnight in Najaf.
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-Drive from Najaf to Ur, where you can visit the most well-maintained and impressive of the ancient Ziggurat structures— the Great Ziggurat of Ur.
-Continue a short distance away to the city of Nasiriyah on the Euphrates River, Iraq’s fourth largest city and home of the famous spice market.
-Go for a walk around the souq and do some light exploring in Nasiriyah.
-Overnight in Nasiriyah city.
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-After breakfast, drive to the town of Chibayish on the Central Marshlands of Iraq (known locally as Ma’dan). This area is home to Shia Arab farmers who live on floating structures in the marshlands.
-Start your boat tour along the Arab Marshlands.
-Observe life in this unique region on the Iraq-Iran border.
-Traditional lunch in the marshlands.
-In the late afternoon, drive back to Baghdad for the evening.
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-Depart Baghdad for the ruins of Samarra after breakfast and check-out.
-Climb the remaining twister minaret of Samarra’s ancient mosque.
-Return to Baghdad for lunch.
-Spend the afternoon exploring modern Baghdad’s art scene, coffee shops, and whatever else interests you.
-Overnight in Baghdad.
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Depart from Baghdad International Airport.
PRICING
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Standard (mid-range):
Solo traveler: $3100
2 travelers: $1850 per person
3 travelers: $1630 per person
4+ travelers: $1380 per personDeluxe (best accommodation in Iraq):
Solo traveler: $4370
2 travelers: $2490 per person
3 travelers: $2470 per person
4+ travelers: $2010 per person -
Accommodation in local hotels and guesthouses (mid-range).
Three meals daily.
Travel permit letters.
Entrance tickets for all sites on the itinerary.
Guide and private transportation throughout the trip.
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International flight tickets.
Iraqi visa (must obtain abroad or at Baghdad International Airport for certain nationalities for $77).
Personal spending.
Insurance.
Additional food and drinks.
Tips for local staff.
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Single supplement: $570 (basic) or $1850 (deluxe)
Single supplement accommodation is already included for solo travelers.
I am a tour guide born, raised, and based in Baghdad, Iraq. I graduated from the University of Baghdad’s Department of Political Science a few years ago and decided to become a guide to show my country to visitors. Over the past year, I have guided many nationalities from different countries to regions all across Iraq— from the marshlands of the south to the Kurdish region of the north. I can’t wait to show you everything my country has to offer, from our special food and desserts to our culture, architecture, history and landscapes.