Middle East

Modern Mesopotamia

Photo credit: Explore Mesopotamia

Duration

13 Days

Price

From $8,895

Trip Type

Small Group

Group Size

Activity Level

1 2 3 4 5

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Updated itinerary for 2025!

Baghdad, Babylon, Mosul, Erbil

Overview

Start in the Persian Gulf port city of Basra and wend your way through Iraq from south to north, taking in ancient Mesopotamian archaeological sites and exploring modern Mesopotamian culture as you go. Visit the ruins of some of the planet’s most ancient civilizations: Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, and beyond. Spot kingfishers and other wetland birds as you cruise through the homeland of the Marsh Arabs. Explore the fantastically ornate shrines of Karbala, an important pilgrimage site for Shias worldwide. Get a feel for modern Iraqi life as you explore the bazaars of Baghdad and meet with local students. Head to Mosul to visit the UNESCO-listed ruins at Hatra, Ashur, Nimrud, and Nineveh. End in semiautonomous Kurdistan in the far north of Mesopotamia, homeland to the Kurds, the Yazidis, Assyrian Christians, and many others.

Map

Itinerary

Days 1-4: Basra (Iraq), Nasiriyah, Ur, and Uruk
Begin the journey in Basra, a purported site of the Biblical Garden of Eden near the Persian Gulf. Explore some of the Mesopotamian Marshes from a small boat, and later see where the Euphrates and Tigris meet to form the Shatt al Arab. Stop in Nasiriyah to view its bustling markets, and make a day trip to visit the UNESCO-listed ruins of ancient Sumerian city-states of Uruk and Ur.

HIGHLIGHTS
- View Ottoman-era Shanasheel houses along the canals of Basra, largely in disrepair now but still evocative of a bygone era, and the subject of UNESCO-supported efforts to revive the traditional carpentry techniques used to build them
- See where the Euphrates and Tigris meet to form the Shatt al Arab, a purported site of the Biblical Garden of Eden, and then later head out on the Shatt al Arab to see Basra from a new perspective
- Glide through the waterways of the Marsh Arabs’ reed-thatched domains on a traditional boat. Learn about their culture and recent history as you explore the waterways
- Step back in time exploring the millennia-old Sumerian city-states of Ur and Uruk, both included on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, walking where the earliest cities sprang to life
Days 5-6: Babylon, Karbala
Cross through the ancient heartland of Mesopotamia to view Babylon, both the ancient ruins and one of Saddam Hussein’s palaces. Babylon was for millennia an important city in southern Mesopotamia, and modern Babylon is a UNESCO World Heritage-listed archaeological site. Then continue to Karbala, an important pilgrimage site for Shia Muslims and the location of the historically important Battle of Karbala.

HIGHLIGHTS
- Contemplate the history of Shia Islam at the spectacular pilgrimage sites of southern Iraq, especially the Imam Husayn Mosque in Karbala
- Wander the ruins at Babylon, one of the most famous of Iraq’s many ancient cities.
- Explore the fortress at Ukhaidir, described by Gertrude Bell in the early 1900s.
Days 7-10: Baghdad, Samarra, Mosul
Continue through Mesopotamia towards Baghdad, Iraq’s capital and largest city. Explore the local culture in the souqs and streets and get acquainted with the country’s ancient history while browsing the exhibits at the national museum. Head out of town on a day trip to view the Great Mosque of Samarra and its impressive Malwiya Minaret. Then head to Mosul, a good base for day trips to the UNESCO-listed ancient sites of Nineveh, Ashur, Nimrud, and Hatra.

HIGHLIGHTS
- Acquaint yourself with the daily life and everyday people in contemporary Baghdad as you browse the booksellers and markets on Mutanabbi Street
- Explore the many galleries and hundreds of thousands of artifacts housed at the Museum of Iraq, one of the world’s best museums, especially for ancient Mesopotamian civilizations and Islamic history
- Take in the 9th-century Malwiya Tower in Samarra, one of the world’s oldest and largest minarets, rising like a beached seashell above its surroundings
- Take day trips to the UNESCO-listed ancient sites of Nineveh, Ashur, Nimrud, and Hatra
Day 11-13: Lalish (Kurdistan), Erbil
Crossing into Kurdistan, discover the spiritual Mar Mattai Monastery and meet with a Syriac Orthodox monk here. Visit the sacred Yazidi temple at Lalish before ending in Erbil, Kurdistan’s largest and best connected city. Visit the city’s UNESCO-listed citadel and the Qaysari Bazaar below, along with other important sights like the 12th-century Choli Minaret.

HIGHLIGHTS
- Meet with a Syriac Orthodox monk at the ancient Monastery of St. Matthew, learning more about this little understood sect of Christianity and taking in sweeping views of northern Mesopotamia from the scenically perched compound
- Explore Lalish, the religious and cultural focal point for the Yazidi people, who were brutally persecuted by the Islamic State during their occupation of nearby areas
- Gaze out across the ancient city of Erbil from atop its UNESCO World Heritage-listed citadel, now preserved and home to a textiles museum
- Enjoy a meal of traditional, home-cooked cuisine at the home of a local family in Erbil, chatting with them to learn about their lives and place in modern Kurdistan, accompanied by a performance of Kurdish folk music

Detailed Itinerary

Dates & Prices

Small group tour – max 16 travelers

Land tour price, per person. Based on double occupancy and minimum group size of 6 travelers.

What's Included

Activity Level

Level 3: Medium

Gallery

1/20 Bustling Mutannabi Street in Baghdad. Photo credit: Jake Smith
2/20 The UNESCO-listed citadel at Ur. Explore Mesopotamia
3/20 A friendly baker in Baghdad. Jake Smith
4/20 A mural within Saddam's Palace at the site of Ancient Babylon. Jake Smith
5/20 A typical street scene in Baghdad. Jake Smith
6/20 A model of the Ishtar Gate at the entrance to ancient Babylon. Photo credit: Jake Smith
7/20 Serving tea in a traditional cafe on Baghdad's Mutannabi Street. Photo credit: Jake Smith Jake Smith
8/20 The Imam Ali Shrine in Najaf. Explore Mesopotamia
9/20 Iraqi baklava, a delicious (and perspective changing) treat. Photo credit: Jake Smith
10/20 Riding through the reedy marshes of southern Iraq. Explore Mesopotamia
11/20 A cuneiform tablet on display at the Iraq Museum in Baghdad. Jake Smith
12/20 The Imam Husayn Shrine in Karbala. Explore Mesopotamia
13/20 Mustansiriyah Madrassah in Baghdad. Explore Mesopotamia
14/20 An Assyrian statue from the 9th century BCE on display in the Iraq Museum. Jake Smith
15/20 Dates on Inner Karada Street in Baghdad. Jake Smith
16/20 A modern street secene in Karbala. Explore Mesopotamia
17/20 The Sumerian ruins of Uruk, once ruled by Gilgamesh. Explore Mesopotamia
18/20 Old town Basra and a canal. Explore Mesopotamia
19/20 The ruins of ancient Babylon. Explore Mesopotamia
20/20 The Ottoman-era Haydar Khana Mosque in Baghdad. Photo credit: Jake Smith