Iraq Photography Tour Final Details

 

Iraq
The Cradle of Modern Civilization

October 2nd – 13th, 2024

Important Details

Tourist Visas

IMPORTANTAirport Arrival & Pickup

Please follow the below instructions upon arrival at Baghdad’s International Airport:

  • Upon disembarking the airplane, please follow the hallway towards immigration. This will take you to a staircase that leads downstairs.
  • At the bottom of the stairs you will find our designated representative who will be waiting for you with a sign displaying your name. If they don’t have a sign, they will have a copy of your passport on their phone and they will be looking for you.
  • Our VIP representative will guide you through the necessary procedures for obtaining your visa on arrival, take you through immigration and customs and escort you to your private vehicle which will transfer you directly to the hotel.

In case you cannot find our representative upon arrival, please call or send a WhatsApp message to your tour leader Derek at +1 (912) 289-5602, or to our local contact Ali at +964 780-495-5885

WhatsApp Group

We will set up a WhatsApp chat 2 weeks prior to the start of the tour that will include all of the participants, as well as your tour leader, Derek. This will allow everyone to get to know each other in advance, ask questions and communicate with your tour leader both before and during the tour. It will be very useful for you to have WhatsApp available to you during the tour as this will be the main method of communication.

Tour Leader

Local currency

The local currency in Iraq is the Iraqi Dinar (IQD). The current exchange rate is $1 USD = 1,309 IQD.

In terms of spending money, you should estimate an average of $25 USD per day for all of your needs. This would be for meals that are not included in the tour, basic purchases (laundry service, snacks, etc) as well as any activities you choose to do on your own.

As for exchanging money, the best method is to take out local currency via ATM machines which can be found in all cities and larger towns. Iraq no longer allows the use of USD for any transactions in the country. However, you can also bring USD or EUROS that can be exchanged at currency exchange offices in Baghdad. Please make sure any USD or EUROS are crisp, clean and in denominations of $50 or $100 bills. Also, all bills must have been printed in 2013 or later.

Tipping

Tipping in Iraq is not as common as in the West but in some cases it is expected. Here’s a general guideline:

  • Restaurants 5% – 10% if a service charge is not already added to the bill.
  • Hotel staff $1 – $2 USD (1300 – 2600 IQD) if someone helps you with luggage or anything else.
  • Our driver and local guide – At the end of the trip, we recommend that everyone gives $100 USD that will be split among our driver and local guide. We will collect this on the last day in Federal Iraq (before we leave Mosul) and give it to them before we say goodbye.
  • Tour leader – If you wish to tip your tour leader, they will always be greatly appreciative.

*Tips for waitstaff at included meals will be handled by your tour leader.

Staying Connected

Wi-Fi will be available at most accommodations and in general, it will be okay, although most likely slower than what you’re used to. If you want a stronger connection throughout the trip, we recommend that you either activate the international phone plan from your network at home or buy an online E-Sim for Iraq (an excellent option these days). These two options will ensure you have a good 4G connection throughout the tour.

Clothing / Abaya in Najaf

Please note that while in the holy city of Najaf, women are required to wear an abaya, a black robe that covers both your clothes and hair. The abaya needs to be worn in all public places within this holy city during our stay. We will provide these abayas for you.

No such dress code applies at any of the other destinations in the country. Also, apart from our visit to Najaf, women do not need to cover their hair during this trip, unless we visit a mosque. As for clothes, regular Western clothes can be worn, however, for both men and women, it is best to wear pants (or long skirts) and looser shirts that at least cover your shoulders. It’s very rare to find men or women wearing shorts in Iraq.

Itinerary

October 2nd: Baghdad / Arrival day

  • Meet our representative upon arrival at the airport for VIP immigration service
  • Private transfer to the hotel where you’ll meet your tour leader
  • Group orientation at 5:30pm in the hotel lobby
  • Welcome dinner at a rooftop restaurant overlooking Baghdad

➜ Accommodation: Noorland Hotel – Arasat Street, Al Risafa, Baghdad / +964 773 252 5777
➜ Included meals: Breakfast (for those with pre-trip accommodation)
, Dinner

October 3rd: Baghdad

  • Full walking tour of Old Baghdad, visiting various local markets and heritage sites
  • Boat trip on the Tigris River, historically known as the boundary of the cradle of civilization
  • Visit to the famous Green Zone, an area known for its high security and the location of key government buildings, embassies, and international offices
  • Group dinner

➜ Accommodation: Noorland Hotel
➜ Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

October 4th: Baghdad

  • Traditional Iraqi breakfast
  • Visit to the impressive Iraqi Museum in the morning, where you’ll explore thousands of years of Mesopotamian history through its extensive collection of artifacts
  • Continue to the Abbasid Palace, a place known for its intricate Islamic architecture and lush gardens, and learn about its role as a political center during the Abbasid dynasty
  • Tour of modern Baghdad, witnessing the blend of contemporary architecture and bustling city life that defines the capital today
  • Dinner at a local restaurant followed by a visit to a shisha cafe, where you can relax and experience the social heart of Iraqi culture

➜ Accommodation: Noorland Hotel
➜ Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

October 5th: Baghdad ➜ Babylon ➜ Najaf

  • Morning departure from Baghdad
  • Full walking tour of Babylon, an ancient city that was once a center of Mesopotamian civilization
  • Special access to one of Saddam Hussein’s abandoned palaces
  • Drive to Najaf and check into our hotel
  • View of “The Valley of Peace”, recognized as the largest cemetery in the world
  • Imam Ali Shrine experience in the evening, one of the holiest sites in Shia Islam, known for its stunning architecture and spiritual atmosphere
  • Spend time in the Najaf Bazaar, a market that comes alive in the evening as pilgrims from countries all over the world shop for various local goods

➜ Accommodation: Zamzam Hotel – Thawrat 20, Najaf / +964 780 122 8828
➜ Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

October 6th: Najaf Nasiriyah and Marshes

  • Morning drive to Nasiriyah, a city in southern Iraq known for its proximity to many ancient archaeological sites
  • Visit to the historical city of Ur, a UNESCO heritage site where you’ll walk through the ruins of one of the earliest known civilizations, famed for its ziggurat and as the birthplace of Abraham
  • Group dinner

➜ Accommodation: Somerion Hotel – Dhi Qar, Nasiriyah / +964 781 066 6432
➜ Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch
, Dinner

October 7th: Nasiriyah and Marshes  Baghdad

  • Morning sunrise photoshoot over the marshes
  • Traditional regional breakfast with a local family, offering an intimate glimpse into the daily life
  • Boat ride through the marshes, one of the largest ecosystems in the world
  • Local fish lunch in a reed house, a traditional structure made from reeds that grow abundantly in the marshes
  • Meet marshland locals to learn about their culture and way of life
  • Drive back to Baghdad

➜ Accommodation: Noorland Hotel
➜ Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

October 8th: Baghdad ➜ Fallujah  Baghdad

  • Drive to nearby Fallujah, a city with a complex history and a path towards recovery and peace
  • Walking tour along the Euphrates River and through the main Fallujah market in the heart of the historical district
  • Traditional kebab lunch in the town of Fallujah
  • Free evening back in Baghdad with optional activities

➜ Accommodation: Noorland Hotel
➜ Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

October 9th: Baghdad ➜ Samarra ➜ Hatra Mosul

  • Morning drive up to the north, with several important stops to make along the way
  • Stop in Samarra, where you’ll visit the ancient spiral minaret, part of the Great Mosque of Samarra
  • Group lunch
  • Continue to the fortified caravan city of Hatra, an important historic religious center
  • 2-hour drive towards the city of Mosul, where we’ll check into our hotel and enjoy another regional group dinner

➜ Accommodation: Bashtabya Hotel – Imam Azam College Rd, Nineveh, Mosul / +964 770 999 4004
➜ Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

October 10th: Mosul

  • Full walking tour of Old Mosul, exploring the narrow streets and historic buildings
  • Visit the Al-Nouri Mosque, famous for its leaning minaret, and the Tahira Church, showcasing Mosul’s rich religious diversity and heritage
  • Wander through the colorful Old Bazaar and spice market, where the scents and colors vividly illustrate the city’s vibrant trade history
  • Ancient Assyrian gates visit
  • Evening at a local cafe/museum/cultural center created by young Iraqis as a place for locals to gather, share their culture, celebrate events and focus on the future together
  • Interaction with locals to hear their stories from ISIS times

➜ Accommodation: Bashtabiya Hotel
➜ Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

October 11th: Mosul Nineveh Plains Mosul

  • Visit to a Christian-Yazidi village in the Nineveh Plains, a region known for its diverse communities
  • Local breakfast hosted by a traditional family
  • Spend time learning about Yazidi culture, gaining insights into their religious practices, traditions, and the community’s significance in the region
  • Free evening in Mosul and an optional evening out in town

➜ Accommodation: Bashtabiya Hotel
➜ Included meals: Breakfast

October 12th: Mosul ➜ Erbil

  • Morning 2-hour drive towards Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region
  • Visit the ancient citadel (one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, dating back 6000 years) and the Erbil market
  • Afternoon tour of the historic center
  • Dinner in the hip Ankawa neighborhood, full of great energy and activity at all hours of the day and night

➜ Accommodation: Erbil Quartz Hotel – Sharawani Street, Erbil / +964 750 397 7373 
➜ Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

October 13th: Erbil Shaqlawa Rwanduz River Erbil / Departure Day

  • Visit to the gorgeous Jalil Khayat mosque before hitting the road for a trip into the countryside of Kurdistan
  • Drive along an engineering feat known as the Hamilton Road, crossing the Zagros Mountains en route to the town of Rawanduz
  • Stop at Shaqlawa, a place famous for its delicious sweets, where we’ll visit a local winery
  • Continue to several communities, enjoy a picnic lunch next to the Rawanduz River, and enjoy the beautiful canyons, mountains, waterfalls gorges, and rivers
  • Return to Erbil in the evening followed by our farewell dinner
  • Transfer to the airport for your departing flight or overnight at the hotel for those flying out the following day

➜ Accommodation: Erbil Quartz Hotel
➜ Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch
, Dinner

 

What’s Included?

  • Wandering Earl Tours group leader
  • Small group (maximum 12 participants)
  • Accommodation (10 nights – 3*/4* hotels)
  • Transportation within Iraq (private bus and minibus)
  • Local English-speaking guides in each destination
  • All included activities and entrance fees
  • Breakfast every day, 7 lunches and 8 dinners
  • Bottled water throughout the trip
  • Gratuities at hotels/included meals
  • All airport transfers
  • Visa assistance at the airport

What’s Not Included?

  • Flights to/from Iraq (Baghdad/Erbil)
  • Passport/visa fees (visa on arrival for most nationalities is $80 USD)
  • Meals and activities not mentioned
  • Travel insurance (mandatory)
  • Other gratuities

That’s all for now! If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to send us an email at team@wanderingearl.com.

 

 

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