Heritage & cities
Samarra, Babylon & Baghdad
Three capitals in three days — Abbasid Samarra with its spiral minaret, Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon, and Baghdad in between. Long drives, early starts, and three of the largest ruins in the country.
3 DAYS · STEADY PACE · 6–14 TRAVELERS · FROM $720
Samarra was briefly the largest city in the world, and it is still the largest archaeological site in Iraq: nothing prepares you for the scale of the Great Mosque's outer wall, or for climbing the Malwiya's spiral ramp with the whole plain flattening out beneath you. This route puts it beside Babylon and Baghdad so you can see three imperial capitals in three days and feel how differently each one thought about size. It involves real driving — two hours north, three hours south — and two early starts. Travelers who want to sit still should take the Baghdad tour instead. Travelers who want to understand why Iraq keeps being called the place where cities were invented should take this one.
DAY BY DAY
Day
01
Baghdad, and what survived
The National Museum, the Abbasid Palace, the Mustansiriyah School, and Mutanabbi Street. An easy first day on purpose — the two that follow are long, and the museum gives you the vocabulary for everything you'll see afterwards.
Day
02
Samarra and the spiral
North to Samarra. The Malwiya's spiral ramp, the Great Mosque's outer wall running further than you expect, the Abu Dulaf minaret, and the Abbasid pool palace. Bring a hat: there is no shade anywhere on the site.
Day
03
Babylon
South past Baghdad to Babylon: the Ishtar Gate, the processional way, the stamped bricks carrying Nebuchadnezzar's name, and the basalt lion. Up to the palace above the site, then the drive back with the Euphrates on your right.
THIS ROUTE, PHOTOGRAPHED
What you will be looking at
What's included
- A guide who has led this route before, not a freelancer we found last week
- Driver and private vehicle for the whole route
- Hotels, booked for you on request
- Meals, arranged on request
- Visa support and your letter of invitation
- Entry tickets to every site in the itinerary
What's not
- International flights to and from Iraq
- Personal spending and tips
- Alcohol — it is not sold south of Baghdad, and we will tell you where it is
BEFORE YOU COME
Questions we are asked about this tour
Is Iraq safe to visit?
We have run group trips continuously since 2008, and the answer we give is practical, not promotional: the cities on our routes — Baghdad, the shrine cities, the south, Kurdistan — receive foreign travelers every week. You travel with an Iraqi guide and driver the whole time, we handle every checkpoint, and we adjust routes if conditions change. We will always tell you plainly what is and isn't sensible.
Do I need a visa?
Citizens of more than 30 countries — including the EU, UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea and China — receive a visa on arrival at Baghdad, Basra, Najaf and Erbil airports (around US$77, cash). We confirm the current rules for your passport before you commit to anything.
What should I wear? What about women visiting shrines?
Everyday dress in Iraq is modest but relaxed: shoulders and knees covered is enough almost everywhere. At shrines, women need a headscarf and an abaya — the abaya is lent free at the shrine gate, and our guides walk you through the etiquette so nothing is awkward. Many of our travelers say shrine visits ended up being their favorite moments.
Can I pay by card or withdraw cash?
Treat Iraq as a cash country. US dollars exchange easily everywhere; cards work in a growing number of Baghdad and Erbil hotels and malls but nowhere you should rely on. We tell you exactly how much cash to bring for your trip — most travelers are surprised how affordable the days are.
What are the groups actually like?
Eight to sixteen people, usually five or more nationalities, ages from late twenties to seventies. An Iraqi guide and driver stay with the group throughout; hotels are the best available in each city (solid 3–4 star). The pace is curious rather than rushed — long lunches are part of the itinerary, not a failure of it.
Can I join alone?
Most of our travelers come alone. We match roommates by request or arrange a single room for a supplement, and solo women regularly join our groups — see the questions above about dress and safety, and ask us anything else directly.
What is the food like — and can I drink the water?
You will eat well: masgouf grilled over embers by the Tigris, qeema in the shrine cities, Kurdish breakfasts of honey and clotted cream, dates from Basra groves. Stick to bottled water, which is cheap and everywhere. Vegetarians manage easily; tell us about allergies and we brief every restaurant ahead.
The gate is open.
Tell us which month suits you and we will tell you which group fits.