An Archaeological Tour in Iraq to explore the remains of Mesopotamia’s ancient and medieval civilizations
Day 1: Baghdad Ancient and Medieval Sites
• Our exploration commences at the Iraqi Museum, immersing ourselves in ancient Mesopotamian antiquities.
• Then to the Abbasid Palace on the Tigris riverbank. It has beautiful ornamental designs and carvings, built in 1181. Known as a palace, but it is actually a school according to Arab scholars.
• Walk to Mustansiriyah Madrasah, one of the earliest universities in the world.
• Our last site will be Dur-Kurigalzu ziggurat, the remaining core of what was once a 60-meter-high, multi-staged temple tower built in the 14th century BC by the Kassite king Kurigalzu.
Day 2: More in Baghdad
• A morning walking tour in the alleyways of the old town, exploring shanasheel houses, an Iraqi architectural design of a second-story wooden balcony.
• Next, we will visit Baghdad’s Middle Gate, known as Bab al-Wasstani, is one of the four gates to the medieval city of Baghdad and the sole survivor.
• Visit the 13th century Caliphs Mosque, originally built in 908, when its 35-meter-tall minaret was the tallest in Baghdad.
• Sunset at Taq Kasra, also known as the Archway of Ctesiphon, considered the largest single-span vaulted arch of unreinforced brickwork globally, dating back to the Sassanid era.
Day 3: Babylon - Karbala
• We head to Babylon, exploring the original lower part of the Ishtar Gate and the Lion of Babylon, a 2600-year-old black basalt statue of a lion trampling a man.
• Strolling through the reconstructed palace of Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II, seeing some original ancient bricks with cuneiform inscriptions.
• Following the ruins, we walk to Saddam's abandoned palace, gaining a panoramic view of the ruins from the top of the artificial hill on which the palace is built.
• Walk to see the remains of the Tower of Babel (the Etemenanki Ziggurat).
• Near Babylon, we will go to ancient Kish which was an ancient Mesopotamian city-state. According to ancient Sumerian sources it was the seat of the first postdiluvian dynasty.
• Then we will drive to Borsippa. An ancient Babylonian city whose patron god was Nabu. The city’s proximity to the capital, Babylon, helped it to become an important religious centre. We will explore its tall ziggurat.
• Our path then leads us to Karbala to spend the night in there.
Day 4: Karbala ancient remains - Uruk - Nasiriyah
• In the morning, we will head to the Fortress of Al-Ukhaidir, a large rectangular fortress erected around the 5th century AD, of unknown origins, with a unique defensive style.
• Next, Al-Qusair Church, one of the oldest eastern churches, situated 65 kilometers southwest of Karbala, was built in the 5th century and discovered in the 1970s.
• Head to ancient Uruk to explore its ruins. Uruk is an ancient Sumerian city-state known as the birthplace of the first writing system, cuneiform, and home of the legendary king, Gilgamesh.
• An overnight in Nasiriyah.
Day 5: Ur - Ancient Nippur - Baghdad
• We drive to ancient Ur to marvel at the well-preserved Ziggurat of Ur, a pyramid-like stepped temple tower dating back to 2100 BC, during the time when this ancient city served as the capital of the Neo-Sumerian Empire.
• Explore the Great Pit of Ur, the royal tombs cemetery, including that of Queen Puabi. Discovered by Sir Leonard Woolley in the 1920s.
• On the way back to Baghdad, we will visit Ancient Nippur. For thousands of years, Nippur was the religious centre of Mesopotamia, where Enlil, the supreme god of the Sumerian pantheon, created mankind. We will explore its ruins and ziggurat.
• Overnight in Baghdad.
Day 6: Samarra - Nineveh
• In the morning, we set out for Mosul with a stop at Samarra city to explore the UNESCO Heritage Sites, including the spiral Malwiya Minaret of the Great Mosque of Samarra.
• Visit the Abbasid Pond Palace, a recreational palace named after the pond at its center.
• Another spiral minaret of Abu Delaf Mosque, standing at a height of 32 meters, built in 859 AD of baked bricks by the Abbasid caliph Al-Mutawakkil.
• Walk in Qaser al-Ashiq, the Lover’s Palace, situated on the western side of Samarra. Built in the 9th century when Samarra was the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate.
• Upon reaching Mosul, our evening unfolds with a night tour at Bytna cultural center. Our stay for the night will be in Mosul.
Day 7: Hatra - Ashur - Nimrud
• In the morning, we will drive to Hatra ancient ruins. This was one of the first Arab kingdoms in Iraq, reaching its zenith in the 2nd century AD. Here, we'll explore mesmerizing temples and buildings featuring a distinctive blend of Roman-Greco and Eastern architectural elements.
• Following Hatra, we head to Ashur to see the ziggurat of the chief Assyrian deity Ashur, the city gate, royal cemetery and other remains.
• Explore Calah, Nimrud, ancient site near Ashur. Calah was a prominent Assyrian, established in the 13th century BC, its prime was during the reign of King Ashurnasirpal II (883–859 BC) when it was named the capital of the Assyrian Empire.
• Getting back to Mosul, we will visit the famed Hadba’ Leaning Minaret.
• Overnight stay in Mosul.
Day 8: Khinnis - Jerwan Aqueduct - Duhok
• Visit Nineveh archaeological site and see Adad Gate, one of the fifteen gateways of ancient Nineveh.
• Explore Khinnis canal, which dates back to the 7th century BC and was carved out of rock by the Assyrian monarch Sennacherib, whose ancient reliefs and inscriptions we will see on the cliffs.
• Visit Jerwan Aqueduct, considered one of the oldest aqueducts in the world. We will see prominent cuneiform inscriptions on its walls. Built by the Assyrian monarch Sennacherib.
• Drive to Duhok to see Assyrian bas-reliefs carved into cliffs near Halamata Cave.
• An overnight in Duhok.
Day 9: Drive to Erbil or Baghdad
We can either drive to Erbil Airport or head to Baghdad’s Airport.
The Tour includes:
Experienced tour guide with a deep interest in Iraq’s history.
Modern car and a private driver for transportation.
Entry fees and special access to all of the mentioned sites in the itinerary.
Airport Pick-up and Drop-off.
A pre-trip video call to explain the details of the trip and to learn basic Iraqi phrases and cultural practices.
It doesn’t include:
Accommodation.
Meals.