12 day - IRAQ 5*

AIRPORT TRANSFER
A presentation delivered at the airport over a flight from Istanbul to Baghdad, arrival to Baghdad, visa processing at the airport, moving to hotel

BAGHDAD
● Breakfast
● Visit to Iraq Museum which was established by well-known British orientalist Gertrude Bell, along with cultural objects from Sumerian, Babylonian and Asian eras
● Moving to Al-Shaheed Monument garden ( Martyr's Memorial ) to take a look at the amazing sculpture which is originally dedicated to the Iraqi soldiers who died in the Iran–Iraq War in the 80's of the last century ● Having lunch at a local restaurant
● An afternoon visit to the ziggurat and temple of Dur-Kurigalzu which dates back to the reign of king Kurigalzu I of Kassite dynasty in Babylonian era (1400 b.c) , which is considered as one of the most significant ziggurats in all of Mesopotamia ● Free Dinner buffet and a night at the hotel in Baghdad

BAGHDAD
● Breakfast
● A hike across the historical centre of Baghdad neighbouring the river of Tigris from the scholarly complex of Al-Mustansiriya Madrasa to The Abbasid Palace , alongside an introduction to all Abbasid era antiquities across Al-Shuhadaa Bridge and Al-Mutanabbi Street
● Lunch at a local restaurant
● A visit to the historical city of Al-Mada'in to visit Taq Kasra ( Iwan of Khosrow ) in Ctesiphon Palace, which is a Sasanian Empire architectural masterpiece dates back to the 6th century
● A visit to Baghdad University neighborhood and Liberation Square ( Al-Tahrir Square ) alongside the major monument which commemorates the independence of Iraq
● Free Dinner buffet and a night at the hotel in Baghdad

SAMARAA (distance 160km) Estimated arrival time : 3 hours
● Breakfast
● Leaving the hotel early to start n over-day visit to the archeological city of Samaraa, which was established by Abbasid caliphs back in the 9th century famous for the spiral snail shell Minaret of Al-Malwiyyah of The Great Mosque of Samarra, listed on UNESCO World Heritage Sites which is considered as one of the world's largest archeological sites, during which taking a look at The Great Mosque of Samarra, Al-Malwiyyah Minaret,
The Palace of The Caliphate, Abu Dulaf Mosque (If accessible) and Qasr al-'Ashiq ● Having lunch
● If Qasr al-'Ashiq is inaccessible - Back to Baghdad
● Free buffet Dinner and a night at the hotel in Baghdad

BABYLON (distance 120km) Estimated arrival time: 3 hours
● Breakfast
● Heading to Babylon, which is one of the most significant ancient eras cities and the capital of Mesopotamia, which dates back to King Hammurabi of the early 2nd millennium b.c until captured by Alexander The Great in the 4th century b.c., an archeologist site that features The Hanging Gardens of Babylon and Etemenanki Ziggurats, Towers Of Babel and Nebuchadnezzar II Palace. The site is listed on UNESCO World Heritage Sites and it's such a unique experience to visit and explore
● Visit to the archeological site of Borsippa to explore the remains of this Babylonian ancient city
● Heading to the Province Of Karbala to have dinner and stay the night

KARBALA (distance 130km) Estimated arrival time: 1 hour 45 min.
● Visit to the admirable historical site of Al-Ukhaidir Fortress , which dates back to the 7th century and was discovered and excavated by archeologist Gertrude Bell in the beginnings of the 20th century
● Visit ( If accessible ) to the remains of Al-Qaiser Church , which is considered as one of the oldest churches in the Middle East
● Having lunch at a local restaurant
● Heading to the city of Karbala, one of the world's most significant religious cities, where the the holy shrines of Imam Hussain and Imam Abbas, sons of Imam Ali and grandsons of Prophet Muhammad, both locate
● A night hike across the local markets
● Having dinner at a local restaurant
● Stay the night at the hotel in the city of Karbala

NAJAF (distance 100km) Estimated arrival time: 2 hours
● Heading to Najaf, which is Shia Muslims mighty pilgrimage center, and visiting the holy shrines of prophet Ezekiel on the road to the town of Al Kifl
● Arrival to Najaf, which is considered as Islam holiest place after Mecca and Al-Madinah al-Munawwarah
● Visit to The Great Mosque of Kufa and old markets of Najaf
● Having lunch at a local restaurant
● A panoramic visit to Wadi Al-Salaam Cemetery and The Holy Shrines Of Imam Ali, cousin of Prophet Muhammad and his brother-in-law
● Having dinner at a local restaurant
● Stay the night at hotel in the city of Najaf

NIPPUR AND URUK (distance 250km) Estimated arrival time: 4 hours
● The upcoming 3 days are devoted to explore the archeological sites of Ancient Sumer, which is Mesopotamia's first civilization, and was listed on UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2016, considered as a mixed heritage of mankind and a parts of archeological remains of Sumerian settlements in lower Mesopotamia , which flourished between the 4th and the 3rd millennium b.c in the delta which was formed by the river of Tigris and the river of Euphrates
● A whole day dedicated to visit Mesopotamia's archeological sites in the ancient city of Nippur which was a religious city devoted for the worship of the Sumerian
god Enlil, the "Lord Of Sky ", alongside the ancient city of Uruk, which is still keeping archeological sites of ziggurats and temples, and considered as the cradle of mankind civilization which appeared between the second half of the 4th millennium and the beginnings of the 3rd millennium b.c
● Having lunch at a roadside restaurant
● Moving to hotel in the Province of Nasiriyah , to have dinner and stay the night

UR, ERIDU AND GIRSU (distance 100km), Estimated arrival time: 3 hours
● A morning visit to the lost remains in the desert of Eridu, which is considered as the world's first city ever
● A visit to the famous Biblical city of Ur, which is Prophet Abraham's home, as mentioned in the holy Torah, as excavation in Ur started in the beginnings of the 20th century by well-known British archaeologist Leonard Woolley who
studied its amazing ziggurats and discovered the royal tombs of the third dynasty who ruled during the end of the third millennium b.c
● Having lunch
● A visit to the north part of the desert where the archeological site of Girsu locates in the historical city of Tell Telloh , which is one of the cities those from the ancient city of Lagash which was established by King Gudea in the middle of the third millennium b.c
● Heading back to Nasiriyah, the city of beautiful palm orchards on the banks of the river of Euphrates
● Panoramic visit to Nasiriyah streets
● Having dinner at a local restaurant
● Moving to the hotel to stay the night

MARSHES OF THE RIVER OF TIGRIS (distance 150km) Estimated arrival time: 3 hours
● An early morning visit to the Marshes to explore those amazing historical water sites by small wooden boats called " Mashoof ", alongside wet lands and water-submerged lands in the ancient city of Sumer where many kinds of birds
pass by during Winter.
A historical area which is listed on UNESCO World Heritage Sites, people here make very old interesting houses of reed, papyrus and palm fronds called "Saraef"
● Having Marshes people style grilled fish for lunch
● Visit to the city of Al-Qurnah to take a look at Prophet Adam's Tree at the confluence of both the river of Tigris and the river of Euphrates on road to the city of Basrah
● Having lunch at a local restaurant
● Heading to the hotel to stay the night

BASRAH
● A visit to the city of Basrah, which is considered as Iraq's second most significant provinces, including Old Basrah, Shatt al-Arab Corniche, Al-Watani Street and Basrah Museum
● Having lunch at a local restaurant
● An afternoon visit to Al-Kuwaiti Street, a boat ride at the river of Shatt al-Arab, a farewell dinner
● Heading back to the hotel in the city of Basrah

BASRAH - COUNTRY
● Heading to Basrah International Airport at the appointed time to fly back to (Country) via Istanbul