AL-RAFIDAIN

12 Days – Basra to Erbil

12 Days – Basra to Erbil

12 Days
Day 01 :
Basra

Arrive early in Basra, after visa procedures, head to the hotel, rest, visit Basra museum, then head to the old houses that were built during the Ottoman period (AL-SHANASHEEL), and enter the Hasson Museum in the same street, the Church of the Syriac Catholics, the old markets, Kuwait Street, lunch, then a boat trip in Shatt al-Arab to see Saddam Hussein's palaces from the outside, then take a free tour in Al-Jazaer street, dinner, and overnight in Basra.

Day 02 :
Nasriyiah

After breakfast, proceed to Qurna, the place where the two rivers of Mesopotamia meet and form the Shatt al-Arab (the rivers of Mesopotamia are an important historical symbol in Iraq and also of economic importance), and to see Adam’s tree, then go to Al-Chibayish Marshes to live the atmosphere of the SOMARINES lifestyle (the mudhif house, have a lunch inside the mudhif, which will be Maskuf fish, have a sit with the original families that lived there and prospered and thrived there for centuries, and inherit the lifestyle of the SOMARIONS, marshes boat ride, Martyr Monument), next to AL-Nasiriyah hotel, rest, then have dinner, and take a quick tour in Nasiriyah street to see Abu Tahseen statue (a famous Iraqi sniper who killed 350 from ISIS), and overnight in Nasiriyah.

Day 03 :
Najaf

At 8:00 am, proceed to the Ziggurats of Ur (the first type of temple that was built to worship the gods and the goddess of Mesopotamia, Ishtar, Marduk, where the first inventions came out to the world). Proceed to Uruk in Al-Samawah, where the first written words came out in history. Finish, then drive to Najaf, which is one of the holy cities in Iraq that contains the holy shrines of Muslims in general, visit Imam Ali holy shrine and the bazar next to it, have dinner in the hotel, and overnight.

Day 04 :
Karbalaa

After breakfast, go to the highest point in Al-Najaf to see Najaf Sea and the largest cemetery in the world, which contains 8 million graves and is still increasing (WADI AL-SALAM), visit Kufa mosque, (the central of Muslims KHELAPHA during the 7th and the 8th century), proceed to Karbala, on the way, visit prophet Ezekiel shrine and the old bazar next to it. Have lunch at arrival, then go to the hotel to rest, visit the Shrine of Imam Hussein and his brother Al-Abbas at night, dinner and overnight.

Day 05 :
Baghdad

After breakfast, head to Babylon the legendary city to see the archaeological sites of ancient Babylon and Saddam’s Palace (from outside), then head to the Ziggurats of  Kish, the Ziggurats of Borsippa and the birth place of prophet Ibrahim, lunch, then leave to Baghdad, after arrival, go to the hotel, dinner, and overnight.

Day 06 :
Baghdad

Start the day by visiting the National Museum, then proceed to the most cultural street in Baghdad (AL-Mutanabi Street), full of the Baghdadi atmosphere and bookshops, and enter Haaraier Al-Mutanabbi without forgetting the 1904 cultural coffee shop (AL-SHABANDER), then go to the Abbasid Palace and Al-Mustansiriyah School, the first school in the Islamic era that spread the knowledge across the world back in the 12th century, then visit AL Shaheed Monument, Saving Iraqi Culture Monument. After lunch, head to Ctesiphon to visit Khasra Arch, and then head back to Baghdad, at night, visit Al-Kadhimiya shrines, and then go to the hotel, dinner, and overnight.

Day 07 :
Mosul

Head to Samara to visit Al-Malwiya, the spiral minaret (without going up), with the Great Mosque next to it, and then visit Abu Dalaph minaret, the two amazing minarets that were built in the Abbasid period and have a great effect on the Islamic stories. Then visit the Abbasid Pool Palace. Proceed to the archaeological site of Hatra and stay for two hours. Depart to Mosul. Dinner and overnight in Mosul.

Day 08 :
Mosul

After breakfast, visit the old city of Mosul, the remains of (Al-Noori Mosque and Mosque of Prophet Yonus, the wall of Nineveh, Nirkal gate, and Bashtabya Castle), then to the old houses and remains that had been destroyed by ISIS, Baitona cultural meeting house, after lunch, head to visit Der Mar Matti, dinner, and overnight.

Day 09 :
Sulaimaniyah

After Breakfast, transfer near Al- Sulaymaniyah city to visit Koysinjaq where Chaldean Catholic church of Mar Yousif constructed in 1923, koya Castle, and next lunch in Dukan Lake, proceed to Sulaymaniyah, check-in and rest in the hotel, free time in Salem streets and markets, dinner in local restaurant, return to the hotel and overnight in Sulaymaniyah.

Day 10 :
Sulaimaniyah

After breakfast, Sulaymaniyah Museum, red Museum, visit Halabja to see Shahidan graveyard, Azmar Mountain, Roman Amphitheater in one of the Parks, overnight in hotel in Sulaymaniyah.

Day 11 :
Erbil

After breakfast, leave to Beckal Waterfalls, then to Shaqlawa, lunch, Shaqlawa Markets, Visit Khanzad Castle, proceed to Erbil and overnight.

Day 12 :
Erbil and Flight

After breakfast, visit Erbil Citadel, Erbil Markets, Jolly Minaret, Abdulrahman Park, and have free time in Erbil until evening. End of the tour, departure from Erbil International Airport.

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12 Days – Basra to Erbil