Iraq - A Journey to the Cradle of Civilization

After arrival at the hotel ans short break, we will start our tour around Baghdad. We will visit the Archaeological Museum of Iraq which preserves important objects representing the last 7000 years of the region's history. We will then have a walk along the famous Al-Mutanabi Street - the site of the first book traders' market in the metropolis that was once Baghdad and the copper market Souk al-Safareen. We will pass by Mustansiriya Madrasah (school) - in the 13th century it was the most prominent center for Islamic studies in the region and has since become the most iconic architectural masterpiece of Baghdad. -/-/-

Today we will visit Samarra Archeological City, which used to be the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate during Medieval times. The Great Mosque of Samarra, which dates back to the 9th century, was once the biggest ones in the world. Famous for its unique spiraling minaret, the mosque is now one of the symbols of Iraq. Although it's quite close to Baghdad, there are a few checkpoints along the way so it might take us up to 2-3 hours to get there. Upon arrival back in Baghdad, we will have some free time in the city. B/-/-

Today we will visit the legendary city of Babylon. Although very little is left of its actual ruins, it is still impresive to walk the same streets that the rulers of one of the most prominent ancient empires once did and where Alexander the Great died. The city prospered under the reign of Nebuchadrezzar II - one of the most powerful monarchs of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. In the 20th century, Saddam Hussein, who saw himself as a modern reincarnation of Nebuchadnezzar, sponsored a reconstruction of the city. The construction was rather modern and didn't take into consideration the actual ruins and was thus derided by the archelogical world. We will get the chance to walk through a reconstruction of the glorious Ishtar Gate - constructed of vibrant blue tiles and adorned with depictions of fantastic animals. We will then proceed to the Karbala - a holy city for the Shia Muslims. It's the place of one of the largest religious gatherings in the world. Every year hundreds of thousand of Shia Muslims come here to mark the holy day of Ashura and commemorate the martyrdom in battle of the Imam Hussein, a grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, in 680AD. Overnight in a hotel in Karbala. B/-/-

Today we continue our tour with a visit to another holy Islamic city - Najaf. Here we will visit the Holy Shrine of Imam Ali - prophet Mohammad’s cousin and son-in-law and the fourth caliph (656-661). Some Shia Muslims believe that here, next to the tomb of Imam Ali are burried the remains of Adam and Noah. Thousands of pilgrims come here every year to pray by the gold-doomed shrine and spend time with their families. On the way there we will stop for a visit to another important pilgrimage site - the tomb of the old testament prophet Ezekiel in the city of Al Kilf. What makes this place special is its shared history and importance for both Muslim and Jewish devotees. The site is essentially an ancient Jewish shrine enclosed in an Islamic mosque. Both Hebrew and Arabic inscriptions are visible on the walls of the tomb and serve as a reminder of Jewish, Christian and Muslim's shared Abrahamic roots. In the evening we will get back to our hotel in Kerbala for overnight. B/-/-

We will are heading to Uruk - the site of one of the largest settlements in Mesopotamia existing in around 3200 BC. It was around that time that the cuneiform writing was developed. It is logo-syllabic script inscribed in clay tablets and is considered one of the first forms of writing in the world and the most significant cultural contributions of the Sumerians. We will then proceed to Nasiriya where we will stroll around the bustling markets before settling in our hotel for overnight. B/-/

Today we will visit the ancient city of Ur - a Sumerian city-state built in 3800 B.C. It is also believed to be the biblical "Ur of the Chaldees" - the birthplace of Abraham. We will tour the famous Ziggurat of Ur - a stone temple complex built in honor of the moon God Nanna, the patron deity of the city. In the afternoon we will go back to Nasiriya and explore its busy markets. Overnight in the hotel. B/-/-

Today we will spend our day canoeing along the Marshes - one of the largest wetland ecosystems in the Middle East and explore their incredible wildlife. We will get to learn more about the Ma'dan people, also known as Marsh Arabs - who have lived on those wetlands for thousands of years and have managed to sustain their traditional lifestyle to present days. Their lifestyle and culture was centered on their natural surrounding: a great example of that are the traditional reed houses, built from the reed growing in the wetlands. Here we will discover yet another biblical reference -as many people believe that the Marshes were the inspiration for the Bible's Garden of Eden. In the evening we continue to Basra where we will spend the night in a hotel. B/-/

Today we will explore Basra - the second largest city in Iraq. We will walk around the old town and get to see the beautiful old houses built in the 16th and the17th century. Although most of them are unfortunately uninhabited now and slowly crumbling away, they are still telling the story of the town's glorious past. We will then finish our tour properly with a sunset boat ride down the magnificent Shatt al-Arab river. Overnight in Basra. B/-/-

Breakfast at the hotel and group transfer to the airport for departure. B/-/-