A journey through the heart of ancient Mesopotamia, from Basra to Babylon…
| Start date | End date | Days |
Prices from
ex. flights |
Single Supplement | Tour Expert | Group Size | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21/09/26 | 02/10/26 | 12 days | £5,495 pp | £725 | Sylvie Franquet | 15 Max | LIMITED | Reserve place |
| 19/04/27 | 30/04/27 | 12 days | £5,695 pp | £725 | Sylvie Franquet | 15 Max | AVAILABLE | Reserve place |
In the company of artist and writer Sylvie Franquet, spend 12 days travelling through the heart of ancient Mesopotamia. Cradled between the legendary Tigris and Euphrates rivers, Iraq is the cradle of civilisation — birthplace of writing, agriculture and some of the world’s earliest cities.
To many, Iraq is synonymous with unrest, yet the reality is richer, more complex and far more welcoming than headlines suggest. Travel here means standing on the soil where humanity first began to record its thoughts, where empires rose and fell, and where prophets once walked.
Beginning in Basra, trace Iraq’s great waterways north through the Mesopotamian Marshes and the legendary cities of Ur, Uruk and Babylon. Explore the sacred centres of Najaf and Karbala, and discover Baghdad’s enduring spirit, where the energy of book markets and tea houses meets the weight of history in its museums and shrines.
Across Iraq, encounter a blend of ancient wonders, Islamic landmarks and everyday life that is both humbling and unforgettable. Along the way, Sylvie will share her insight into history, art and resilience, revealing a country whose pride and heritage remain deeply entwined with modern life.
**Please note the UK FCDO advises against all travel to parts of Iraq, while to other regions of the country it advises against all but essential travel. Please look at the FCDO website for more information on travelling in Iraq. As you would expect, we have had numerous conversations with our partners on the ground about security in Iraq and will be happy to discuss this with you if you are considering joining our tour.
Sylvie Franquet studied Arabic and Islamic history at the University of Ghent in Belgium. She arrived in Egypt to continue her studies at Cairo University, fell in love with the city and stayed for many years, working as a teacher, model, guide and tour company manager.
Deeply passionate about the Middle East, Sylvie has travelled widely across the region and has led many trips over the years. Conde Nast Traveller described her as “a brilliant guide to living history.”
Explore ancient Mesopotamia and trace empire at Ukhaider Fortress, Samarra’s spiral tower and Ctesiphon’s great arch.
Track Iraq’s rivers from Basra to Baghdad and drift through the Mesopotamian Marshes, home of the Marsh Arabs for millennia.
Walk among the ruins of Ur, Uruk and Babylon, the world’s first cities, where history and myth were born.
Experience the devotion of Karbala and Najaf, centres of Shia Islam and home to some of its most sacred shrines.
Day 1
Arrive Basra (Millennium Hotel)
Day 2
Basra (Millennium Hotel)
Day 3
Basra to Nasiriyah (Sumerian Hotel)
Day 4
Nasiriyah (Sumerian Hotel)
Day 5
Nasiriyah to Najaf (Granada Hotel)
Day 6
Najaf (Granada Hotel)
Day 7
Najaf to Karbala (Baron Hotel)
Day 8
Karbala to Baghdad (Babylon Rotana Hotel)
Day 9
Baghdad (Babylon Rotana Hotel)
Day 10
Baghdad (Babylon Rotana Hotel)
Day 11
Baghdad (Babylon Rotana Hotel)
Day 12
Depart Baghdad
Day 1
Arrive Basra (Millennium Hotel)
Arrive in Basra. After passing through immigration you’ll be met and transferred to your hotel in the city. After settling in, meet your guides for a short orientation and dinner, with an introduction to Basra’s rich past as the “Venice of the East.”
Day 2
Basra (Millennium Hotel)
Begin your discovery of Old Basra, wandering past canals and elegant Ottoman-era villas. Visit a restored merchant’s house, an art gallery, and the Armenian Church. After lunch, tour the Basra Museum and end the day with a boat ride on the Shatt al-Arab River.
Day 3
Basra to Nasiriyah (Sumerian Hotel)
Travel north to Al-Qurnah, where the Tigris and Euphrates meet and local legend places the Tree of Knowledge. Continue into the Mesopotamian Marshes to explore by traditional boat and learn about the Marsh Arabs’ ancient culture. Share lunch with a local family before continuing to Nasiriyah for the night.
Day 4
Nasiriyah (Sumerian Hotel)
Visit Ur, home to the magnificent ziggurat and believed birthplace of Abraham. Continue to Girsu, once a centre of Sumerian scholarship, where archaeologists still uncover relics of Mesopotamia’s past. Return to Nasiriyah for a relaxed evening.
Day 5
Nasiriyah to Najaf (Granada Hotel)
Drive to Najaf, stopping at Uruk, the world’s first city and home of Gilgamesh. Wander among the ancient ziggurats before arriving in Najaf, one of Shi’a Islam’s holiest cities. Visit the Great Mosque of Kufa and the shrine of Imam Ali, whose legacy still shapes the Islamic world.
Day 6
Najaf (Granada Hotel)
Visit Al-Kifl, where the tomb of the prophet Ezekiel stands as a sacred site to Jews, Christians and Muslims alike. Return to Najaf to explore the vast Wadi Al-Salaam Cemetery and the magnificent shrine of Imam Ali, before browsing the local souk.
Day 7
Najaf to Karbala (Baron Hotel)
En route to Karbala, stop at the impressive Ukhaider Fortress, admired by Gertrude Bell for its intricate design. In Karbala, visit the shrines of Imam Hussein and Abbas, where devotion and faith fill the air with palpable energy.
Day 8
Karbala to Baghdad (Babylon Rotana Hotel)
Travel to Babylon, once the heart of a mighty empire. Explore the reconstructed ruins, the Ishtar Gate foundations, and Saddam Hussein’s eerie hilltop palace. Enjoy lunch overlooking the Euphrates before continuing to Baghdad for dinner and overnight.
Day 9
Baghdad (Babylon Rotana Hotel)
Visit the Iraq National Museum, a treasure house of Mesopotamian antiquities, then journey to the ancient city of Ctesiphon to see the grand Taq Kasra arch. Return to Baghdad for dinner along the Tigris and a sunset boat ride through the heart of the capital.
Day 10
Baghdad (Babylon Rotana Hotel)
Drive to Samarra to admire the spiral minaret of the Great Mosque, a masterpiece of early Islamic architecture. Back in Baghdad, visit the Antique Bazaar or unwind at the hotel before a dinner of traditional Iraqi dishes accompanied by live music.
Day 11
Baghdad (Babylon Rotana Hotel)
Explore Baghdad’s layered history at the Al-Mustansiriya madrassah and Abbasid Palace. Walk along Al-Mutanabi Street, long a hub of poets and booksellers, before visiting the striking Martyr’s Monument. This evening the group will gather for a farewell dinner at one of the city’s historic hotels.
Day 12
Depart Baghdad
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your onward flight.
Once the largest wetlands in western Eurasia, southern Iraq’s marshes lie at the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates, forming a watery landscape of reeds and islands. For millennia, the Marsh Arabs have built reed houses, herded buffalo and fished these winding waterways. In the 1990s, Saddam Hussein drained much of this ecosystem, destroying villages and displacing thousands. Since 2003, communities and conservationists have worked to restore the waterways, reviving both habitat and culture. Travelling by small motorboat, you’ll explore reed-beds alive with birdlife, visit a traditional mudhif and share tea with a Marsh Arab family.
Southern Iraq is home to the world’s earliest cities — places where writing, law and architecture first emerged. At Ur, climb the great ziggurat dedicated to the moon god Nanna and stand where the city’s royal tombs once glittered with gold and lapis lazuli. Nearby, at Uruk, the world’s first true city, walk amid the ruins of temples devoted to Inanna and Anu, where archaeologists uncovered the earliest examples of cuneiform script. Together, Ur and Uruk offer a remarkable sense of continuity, revealing the ingenuity of the Sumerians who transformed river plains into organised urban societies.
Once the seat of Hammurabi and Nebuchadnezzar II, Babylon remains one of the world’s most evocative archaeological sites. Walk the Processional Way, once lined with lions and dragons, and see the foundations of the Ishtar Gate, whose blue-glazed bricks now sit in Berlin’s Pergamon Museum. The city’s scale and symmetry still impress, from temple platforms to the outlines of its vast palace complex. Overlooking the ruins stands Saddam Hussein’s palace, built to mirror that of Nebuchadnezzar — a haunting reminder of how power repeats itself across millennia.
Moderate Activity
Travelling on your own? Our group tours are perfect for solo travellers, as travelling as part of an organised group in faraway places provides security and peace of mind. We handle all of the arrangements for you and there will be a local tour guide on hand throughout to provide advice and help if needed, as well as the expertise of a Tour expert.
To allow flexibility, our group tours do not include international flights as standard. We can arrange international flights on your behalf, please get in touch with our travel experts for a quote. All international flights from the UK are ATOL protected.
For further information about any of these tours please call 01285 880 980
| Start date | End date | Days |
Prices from
ex. flights |
Tour Expert | Group Size | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21/09/26 | 02/10/26 | 12 days | £5,495 pp | Sylvie Franquet | 15 Max | LIMITED | Reserve place |
| 19/04/27 | 30/04/27 | 12 days | £5,695 pp | Sylvie Franquet | 15 Max | AVAILABLE | Reserve place |
Our travel experts have a wealth of first-hand knowledge, so if you have any questions about this expert-led group tour, please get in touch. They would love to help. We hope you can join us on this tour.
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