Baghdad / Arrival Day

Upon arrival at Baghdad’s airport, you will be met by our VIP representative as you walk off the plane. They will escort you through the visa and immigration procedures, help claim your luggage and take you to our hotel in a private car. Later in the evening, we’ll all gather for an orientation meeting and a welcome dinner at one of the city’s best rooftop restaurants!

Included meals: Dinner

Baghdad

Our first full day will begin with a tour of Old Baghdad, led by our knowledgeable, local female guide. We’ll wander through historic streets, meet local craftspeople, enjoy the energetic markets, try the famous local cuisine and visit some of the most important landmarks in the city. This day will involve endless interactions with the friendly Iraqis we come across as we begin to gain a deeper understanding of life in Iraq. After lunch, we’ll take a boat ride along the Tigris River, visit the Baghdad cultural center and spend time at the impressive Martyr’s Monument. For dinner, we’ll go out for one of the city’s best local delicacies at a restaurant that is well-known for this special dish.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Baghdad

In the morning, we’ll visit a wonderful local organization that aims to revive many of Iraq’s crafts that have been lost over time. The woman heading this organization is working hard to create a space where local Iraqi women can practice and teach skills they’ve learned in weaving, calligraphy, ceramics and more. We’ll spend a full day at this welcoming space, interacting with a variety of local women, learning and exchanging skills and diving deep into the culture and traditions of the birthplace of civilization. Our visit will include a delicious home- cooked lunch, with dishes that are typically only served to family. Once your visit here is complete, we’ll return to the hotel via the Green Zone where we’ll have a glimpse of this famous, secure area of the city that houses embassies, government offices, parks, palaces and more.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Babylon / Najaf

Leaving early in the morning, we’ll drive south. Our first stop will be ancient Babylon, where we’ll have a full tour of the site including the ruins, original gates, palaces, procession lanes and more. This experience transports us straight back to the Babylonian period and will certainly be an experience to remember!

We’ll visit Saddam Hussein’s abandoned palace nearby. With special access to the upper floors of the palace, we’ll have a unique opportunity to spend time in a place that visitors are rarely allowed. After the palace, we’ll have lunch in the nearby town of Hillah before continuing the drive to the city of Najaf.

We’ll check into our hotel and rest before visiting the undeniably spectacular Imam Ali Shrine after sunset. This shrine is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Islam and is also one of the most ornate structures you will ever see. We will be joined by our local friend who will escort us into the women’s section of this amazing shrine, providing you with the history and a description of everything taking place around you. As you sit in the surreal halls, you’ll have a chance to ask your guide any questions that come to mind. She’ll be there to provide her perspective on the shrine and Iraq itself.

After our tour, we’ll head to the vibrant Najaf Bazaar, a market that really comes alive in the evening, as pilgrims from countries all over the world shop for various local goods.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Najaf / Ur / Nasiriyah

After breakfast, we’ll make a stop at the Valley of Peace, the largest cemetery in the world. From our observation area, you’ll take in the view of this holy site that stretches as far as the eyes can see in all directions. We’ll then embark on a 3-hour drive to the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriyah. Upon arrival, we’ll eat lunch, check in to our hotel and head out to visit the ancient Sumerian city of Ur. Once here, we’ll be led by Iraq’s biggest expert on this ancient site who lives in the village at the base of these incredible ruins. We’ll then return to Nasiriyah for the night.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Nasiriyah / Baghdad

This morning we’ll head to a region near the ancient site of Uruk, about 1 hour away. Our specific destination will be a village where the women still practice the craft of carpet-making. There are few women left practicing this difficult craft and we’ll have a chance to meet a some of them and witness their work. We’ll interact with the women, learn about the Iraqi carpet-making process and have a chance to exchange cultures in a place that almost never receives outside visitors. Our eye-opening visit will also include lunch in the village, alongside the women. In the afternoon, we’ll make the 4 hour drive back to Baghdad. Upon arrival, we’ll check into our hotel and settle in for a restful night.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Baghdad

Leaving the hotel mid-morning, we’ll head over to the Iraqi Museum, where impressive artifacts from 45,000 years of civilization are on display. We’ll take a relaxed 2-hour tour through the museum, visiting the areas that focus on the Akkadian, Sumerian, Babylonian and Assyrian periods. After the museum, for those who wish, we’ll make the 1 hour drive to the city of Fallujah in order to try out some of their famous cuisine for lunch. Once known as the site of intense battles, Fallujah is now an extremely welcoming city known for their food, and ice cream! And of course, we’ll try it all, while also taking a stroll through the local markets and along the Euphrates River. In the afternoon, we’ll return to Baghdad.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Samarra / Hatra / Mosul

Early in the morning, we’ll begin the drive to the north, with several important historic stops to make along the way. Our first stop is in the ancient city of Samarra where we’ll visit its unique spiral minaret and mosque and the Palace of the Caliph, considered to be the largest palace complex in the world. After lunch in the nearby town of Baaja, we’ll continue to the remote village of Hatra, known for its magnificent fortified city dating back to the 2nd century BC, which was the capital of the first Arab Kingdom. We’ll have sufficient time to tour this mind-blowing site, still in excellent condition, with a variety of temples, gates and palaces to explore. From here, we’ll have a 2-hour drive until we reach the city of Mosul, where we’ll check into our hotel and begin another chapter in our remarkable adventure!

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Mosul

We’ll begin this day with our full walking tour of Old Mosul. During this eye-opening excursion, we’ll visit historic mosques and churches that were destroyed by ISIS and are now being restored by UNESCO. We’ll wander through neighborhoods, interacting with many friendly people along the way who will be thrilled that foreign visitors are finally returning to their city. We’ll stroll through colorful local markets, taste local snacks and try some northern Iraqi dishes for lunch.

As we tour this city, you’ll soon discover that, despite being hard hit by ISIS, the resilience of the people is inspiring and the genuine desire to build a positive future is palpable.

After an afternoon rest, we’ll spend the evening at a local cafe/museum/cultural center created by young Iraqis as a place for locals to gather, share their culture, celebrate events and focus on the future together. While here, we’ll meet with local Iraqi women who will share their powerful stories of life during ISIS times and also, their visions for their city and country.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Mosul / Nineveh Plains

A short 45-minute drive will take us out of the city and into the nearby Nineveh Plains. This area is home to many villages, often inhabited by Christian and Yazidi populations. We’ll visit one of these welcoming villages and spend time at the home of our local friends, a Christian family with a surprising history. Two women from the family, Miriam and Sara, will join us over breakfast as we discuss what life is like as a Christian family in Iraq, including in the past, during ISIS occupation and today. After our time at their home, we’ll stay in the area and visit a Yazidi temple and a local tahini factory owned by a Yazidi family. This will give us a chance to learn about life as a Yazidi in Iraq as well. Later in the afternoon we’ll return to Mosul for some free time and an optional evening out in town.

Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Erbil

After breakfast, we’ll make the drive from Federal Iraq to Iraqi Kurdistan, a semi-autonomous region of the country that is home to the Kurdish population. This drive will only take 2 hours and we’ll end up in the surprisingly modern and vibrant capital of Kurdistan, known as Erbil. After checking into our hotel, we’ll head out into the Old Town to visit the ancient citadel (one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, dating back 6000 years) and the Erbil bazaars, with our local woman guide leading the way. In the evening, we’ll enjoy a dinner in the hip Ankawa neighborhood, full of great energy and activity at all hours of the day and night.

Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Erbil

Today begins with a visit to the gorgeous Jalil Khayat mosque, the most beautiful in Kurdistan. After our tour of the mosque, we’ll hit the road for the countryside. Get ready to witness the most impressive nature in the entire country as we drive along an engineering feat known as the Hamilton Road, crossing the Zagros Mountains en route to the town of Rawanduz.

During this journey, you’ll be left in awe at the landscape of magical canyons, mountains, gorges, rivers and impossibly located villages.

After lunch, we’ll head to the quaint town of Shaqlawa, known for its delicious local sweets. We’ll visit a famous sweet shop before moving up the hill for another unique experience. Our destination is a family-run winery where we’ll enjoy a special wine-tasting and home-cooked lunch. We’ll have time to speak with our hosts and learn about life in Kurdistan directly from Saayd Yusuf and his wife Rya Sabri. Once our visit ends, we’ll make the 1 hour drive back to Erbil. After a rest, it will then be time for our farewell dinner at one of the city’s best restaurants.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Erbil (Departure day)

When it is time for this truly fascinating tour of Iraq to come to an end, You will be picked up for your private airport transfer based on the time of your departing flight.

Included meals: Breakfast