Middle East

Below are just a few examples of the signature experiences that MIR can arrange for you in Iraq. Let them be a source of inspiration, then get in touch with one of our Private Tour Designers to craft an itinerary that’s uniquely suited to your travel goals, budget, and style.

• 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
• Walk across what may have been the site of the Battle of Gaugamela, fought and won by Alexander the Great in his conquest of Achaemenid lands over 2,000 years ago
• 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
• Marvel at the strikingly beautiful scenery of Rawanduz Gorge as you drive and walk along Hamilton Road, which was carved out of the rock walls here in the early 20th century
• Interact with picnicking locals and enjoy the lush greenery at the beautiful Ahmed Awa Waterfall in the Zagros Mountains near Sulaymaniyah
• Enjoy a meal of traditional, home-cooked cuisine at the house 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
• Acquaint yourself with life in contemporary Baghdad as you browse the booksellers and markets on Mutanabbi Street and in the Souq al Safafeer
• Contemplate the history of Shia Islam at the spectacular pilgrimage sites of southern Iraq, especially the Imam Husayn Mosque in Karbala, the Great Mosque of Kufa, and the Imam Ali Shrine in Najaf
• Step back into time as you explore the millennia-old Sumerian city-states of Ur and Uruk, both included on UNESCO’s World Heritage List
• Learn about the culture and tumultuous recent history of the Marsh Arabs as you explore the waterways of their reed-filled homeland aboard a boat. View Ottoman-era Shanasheel houses along the canals of Basra, largely dilapidated now but still evocative of a bygone era, and the subject of UNESCO-supported efforts to revive the traditional carpentry technique

And if you don’t feel that a fully-customized trip is what you seek, we’ve got the perfect solution. Whether you’re looking for a compact trip that hits the highlights or something more in depth, MIR offers suggested private tours that can be adapted to your choice of dates. Our itinerary, your dates – it’s a great option whether you’re traveling solo, as a couple, or in a small group.

Need a bit more encouragement? Or want a better lay of the land? Read more about how to design your own trip.

Also keep in mind that you can customize and tweak any of our small group tours to match your preferred dates of travel. Get in touch, we’re here to help.