Discover Iraq in Nine Days
9 Days - 8 Nights
Baghdad International Airport
Erbil International Airport
Destinations
8 nights accommodation in 4-star hotels
Daily breakfast
All ground transport between destinations
Professional English/Arabic-speaking guide throughout
Entrance fees to all listed sites
Boat tour in the Nasiriyah Marshes
Boat tour on the Shatt al-Arab in Basra
Airport pickup and drop-off
International flights
Iraqi entry visa fees
Lunch and dinner (unless specified)
Personal expenses and shopping
Travel insurance
Optional activities
Overview
The Iraq Grand Tour is the ultimate journey for travelers who want more than a glimpse — it is a deep, immersive traverse through the very birthplace of human civilization. Over nine extraordinary days, you move from the living streets of Baghdad to the ancient highland city of Erbil, tracing the footprints of Sumerians, Babylonians, Assyrians, and Arab dynasties that shaped the course of history.
Your adventure opens in Baghdad, where the Iraqi Museum houses one of the world's most breathtaking collections of Mesopotamian artifacts. From there, you walk the book-lined lanes of Al-Mutanabbi Street and stand before Jawad Saleem's monumental Freedom Monument at Tahrir Square. On Day 2, you travel to legendary Babylon to face the lapis-blue Ishtar Gate up close, stroll the ancient Processional Way, and explore the palace of Nebuchadnezzar — one of history's most powerful rulers. Day 3 brings you to the imposing Ukhaidir Fortress, a masterpiece of early Islamic military architecture, and then to Wadi Al-Salam in Najaf, one of the largest cemeteries on earth and a profoundly moving site of Islamic heritage.
Day 4 offers a complete change of scenery as you glide through the Nasiriyah Marshes by boat — a UNESCO World Heritage landscape of reeds, water buffalo, and migratory birds where Marsh Arab communities have lived in harmony with nature for millennia. The following morning, the great Ziggurat of Ur rises from the desert plain, a towering Bronze Age temple complex dedicated to the moon god Nanna and a landmark of the Sumerian civilization that gave the world its first writing and law. You then continue to Basra, Iraq's southern jewel, for a full day exploring its famous Shanasheel district with its ornate wooden balconies and taking a boat ride on the Shatt al-Arab, the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates.
Day 7 is a scenic return to Baghdad, with time to visit the Al-Mustansiriya School or the Baghdadi Museum before a well-earned rest. On Day 8, you head north to Samarra, where the iconic spiral Malwiya Minaret has commanded the Mesopotamian skyline for over a thousand years, then continue to Hatra — the capital of the first Arab kingdom, a city that defeated the armies of Rome twice and whose stone-carved temples have endured the centuries. Your final day brings you through Mosul and up to Erbil, where the ancient citadel crowns its great mound as it has for over 6,000 continuous years of human habitation.
The package includes 8 nights in 4-star hotels, daily breakfast, all ground transport between destinations, a professional bilingual guide, entrance fees to all listed sites, and boat tours in both the Marshes and Basra. Book now and walk where civilization began.
Itinerary Details
Dive into Baghdad's rich cultural fabric with a full day at its most iconic landmarks. Begin at the Iraqi Museum with its extraordinary Mesopotamian collection, then pay tribute at the Martyrs' Monument before browsing the legendary bookstalls of Al-Mutanabbi Street. End your first day at Tahrir Square, where Jawad Saleem's Freedom Monument stands as a timeless testament to Iraq's spirit.
Travel from Baghdad to the legendary city of Babylon, where the vivid blue Ishtar Gate — once one of the Seven Wonders of the World — still stuns visitors with its intricate bas-reliefs. Walk the ancient Processional Way, explore the reconstructed Palace of Nebuchadnezzar, and let your expert local guide bring 2,500 years of history to life.
Head toward the Karbala region to explore the magnificent Ukhaidir Fortress, one of the finest surviving examples of early Islamic military architecture, its massive walls and vaulted chambers as impressive today as the day they were built. Continue to Wadi Al-Salam cemetery in Najaf — one of the largest in the world — for a contemplative encounter with centuries of Islamic burial tradition.
Experience the otherworldly beauty of the Nasiriyah Marshes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world's great wetland ecosystems. Glide through the waterways by traditional boat, spot migratory birds and water buffalo among the reeds, and visit Marsh Arab villages where a way of life unchanged for thousands of years continues to thrive.
Stand before the awe-inspiring Ziggurat of Ur, a remarkably preserved Bronze Age temple complex that once formed the religious heart of the Sumerian city of Ur. Explore the royal tombs and excavation sites that revealed some of the earliest evidence of complex civilization, then drive south to Basra to check in for a full day of city exploration ahead.
Spend a full day in Basra, Iraq's port city and cultural gem. Wander the Shanasheel district with its beautifully carved wooden balconies — a living archive of Ottoman-era craftsmanship — then take a leisurely boat ride along the Shatt al-Arab, the great confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates. Sample Basra's distinctive cuisine and explore its vibrant local markets.
Journey back from Basra to Baghdad through the varied landscapes of southern and central Iraq. Arrive in the capital with the afternoon free to revisit a favourite landmark, explore the Al-Mustansiriya School — one of the medieval world's greatest universities — or simply rest before the next day's journey north.
Head north from Baghdad to Samarra, where the iconic spiral Malwiya Minaret has dominated the Mesopotamian skyline for more than a millennium. Continue to Hatra, capital of the first Arab kingdom, whose remarkable stone temples and towering archways withstood Roman sieges and have survived to become one of Iraq's most dramatic UNESCO-listed sites.
On your final day, pass through storied Mosul before arriving in Erbil, where the ancient citadel rises from its great mound as it has for over 6,000 years of uninterrupted human settlement. Explore the citadel's winding streets and museums, take in panoramic views of the modern Kurdish capital below, and close your grand Iraqi odyssey on a high — literally and historically.