Why Visit Southern Iraq and Trace Mesopotamia with MIR

From Babylon’s Ruins to Kurdistan’s Rise

In MIR’s nearly 40 years of designing trips, few destinations have carried the weight of history and perception quite like Iraq. Few experiences have been as rewarding as offering travelers to explore a place long regarded as out of reach. So why visit Southern Iraq and trace Mesopotamia with MIR? Because this newly routed journey moves through the landscapes where the world’s earliest cities rose and fell. From the canals of Basra to the citadel of Erbil, the itinerary follows the course of ancient and modern Mesopotamia. Begin in the south, navigating the fabled marshes, the ruins of Sumerian Ur and Uruk, and the sacred pilgrimage site of Karbala. Walk the museums and markets of Baghdad, then continue north to the archaeological sites of Babylon and the once-inaccessible city of Mosul, where history and reconstruction unfold side by side.

MIR’s carefully crafted itinerary opens a window onto some of the world’s oldest cities, newly accessible heritage sites, and conversations with Iraqis eager to share their stories.

For travelers seeking context, connection, and an unfiltered view of a nation at a turning point, this is an opportunity to experience Iraq as it is – complicated, layered, and and unmistakably important.

Travel with MIR to experience:

• Mosul – a city reborn, with easy access to the UNESCO-listed ruins at Hatra, Ashur, Nimrud, and Nineveh
• Babylon – where archaeological sites connect to familiar names from history
• Baghdad – where booksellers line Mutanabbi Street with poetry and politics
• Kurdistan – a region shaped by different languages, religions, and identities

Join a Small Group Tour this Fall on a Journey through Modern Mesopotamia

Basra, Nasiriyah, Ur, Uruk

Start your journey in Basra, a port city where trade and cultures have long intertwined. Explore Mesopotamian marshes from a small boat, see where the Euphrates and Tigris meet, and visit the UNESCO-listed ruins of ancient Sumerian city-states of Uruk and Ur.

Highlights:

• The historic waterfront and alleyways of old Basra
• The ziggurat of Ur
• Ruins of Uruk, among the first known cities
• The southern marshlands – a living cultural and ecological heritage

Babylon, Karbala

Journey through Mesopotamia’s ancient heartland. Explore Babylon, a UNESCO World Heritage site revealing millennia of history from its ancient ruins to Saddam Hussein’s palace. Next, visit Karbala, a pivotal pilgrimage site for Shia Muslims and the historic location of the Battle of Karbala.

Highlights:

• Babylon’s ancient ruins overlooked by Saddam’s grandiose palace
• One of Saddam Hussein’s palaces overlooking ancient Babylon
• The early Islamic desert fortress of Ukhaidir, described by Gertrude Bell
• Karbala’s pilgrimage shrines – centers of devotion, architecture, and ritual

Baghdad, Samarra, Mosul

Continue the expedition to Baghdad, stroll through its souqs, see the Great Mosque of Samarra and its towering Malwiya Minaret. Then, head to Mosul, to discover the UNESCO-listed sites of Nineveh, Ashur, Nimrud, and Hatra.

Highlights:

• The Iraq Museum and Baghdad’s cultural landmarks
• The Great Mosque and Malwiya Minaret of Samarra
• Mosul’s old city and reconstruction efforts

Lalish & Erbil in Kurdistan

End the journey in the autonomous Kurdistan region. Discover the spiritual Mar Mattai Monastery, and meet with a Syriac Orthodox monk. Visit the sacred Yazidi temple at Lalish before ending in Erbil, Kurdistan’s largest and best-connected city. Go beyond the city’s UNESCO-listed citadel and the Qaysari Bazaar into the daily life of the welcoming locals.

Highlights:

• Lalish, spiritual heartland of the Yazidi people
• The Citadel of Erbil, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Erbil’s bazaars, cafes, and modern cityscape

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