April 14th – 26th, 2024
Are you ready to explore a country where few have ventured?
We hope so, because you’re going to have the time of your life as we journey across Iraq. Before you know it, you’ll be immersed in the incredible markets, walking through the ancient city of Babylon, visiting mind-blowing shrines and exploring one of the most historic and unique cultures in the world!
You will need a passport to travel to Iraq. Your passport should be valid until at least December 2024 and it should have 2 full empty pages.
If you don’t have empty pages, please contact us and we will send you instructions for getting a new passport in time for the tour.
Citizens of the USA, EU countries, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand can easily receive a visa on arrival when entering Iraq. The cost is approximately $75 USD and must be paid in USD cash. You will not need to arrange a visa ahead of time. We will send instructions about the simple airport arrival procedures as the date gets closer but to make things even easier, one of our representatives will meet you at the airport in Baghdad and take you through the visa on arrival process. This representative will also help you get your luggage and take you to your driver for your transfer to the hotel.
Please note that the arrival airport for this tour is the Baghdad International Airport (BGW) and your departure flight from Iraq should be from the Erbil International Airport (EBL). Please make sure that you are flying into Baghdad and departing from Erbil.
Currently, Iraq does not require any immunizations to enter the country, unless you are traveling from, and have spent more than 12 hours in, a country of high risk for yellow fever. In this case, you would need a yellow fever vaccine certificate. Apart from that, as is the case when traveling to any country, it is always good to speak with a medical professional about what immunizations might be right for you and to ensure you are up-to-date with standard immunizations such as Hepatitis A, Typhoid and Tetanus.
Although Iraq gets a bad reputation, this wonderful country has completely transformed in the past decade. Through your 13 day adventure, you will visit different cities such as Baghdad, once the cultural centre of the Islamic civilization, and now, an energetic, welcoming and vibrant metropolis with a fascinating mix of old and new. You will explore some of the most important historical sites in the world, such as Babylon and the massive citadel of Erbil. You will also have a chance to interact with endless people, learn about their traditions, taste their incredible food and gain a deep understanding of a country that is full of surprises at every turn.
We understand that that you may have some safety concerns due to the region and history of the country, but we can assure you, we take safety very seriously and would not operate this trip if we believed there were potential issues. Iraq is far more safe and open than most people think and the culture is warm and kind.
This trip to Iraq will be unlike any other, so get ready for an extremely memorable adventure!
We’ll be staying at a variety of 3*/4* hotels during this trip. Due to the lack of tourism infrastructure, some of the rooms might be more basic than what you’re used to with a similar level of hotels in the West. However, all rooms will be comfortable and have a private bathroom.
Traveling around the country, we’ll use a deluxe minibus. The minibus will ensure flexibility during the trip and will provide plenty of space, a bathroom on board, charging outlets and a refrigerator.
Tap water in Iraq is not ideal for drinking and you should always drink bottled water. Brushing your teeth with tap water is okay but many travelers choose to brush with bottle water instead.
All of the food provided during the tour will be completely safe to consume. Fruits and vegetables are always washed in filtered water, so the chances of getting a stomach bug are very slim. Street food at popular markets and food stalls is also safe to eat. We would only suggest avoiding street food from vendors where the food appears to have been sitting out for a long time. Most street food is cooked fresh though, so this should rarely be an issue.
The local currency in Iraq is the Iraqi Dinar (IQD). The current exchange rate is $1 USD = 1,310 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 via ATM machines which can be found in major cities. However, check with your bank at home as many banks charge high foreign transaction fees every time you withdraw money overseas.
If using an ATM is not an option, or the fees are too high, simply bring USD or Euros to exchange at money exchange offices that are located in big cities and at some hotels.
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 (1,300 – 2,600 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 $50 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.
*Tips for local guides and waitstaff at included meals are already included.
Iraq is a lot safer than most people think. The chances of anything happening are very low as you’ll learn from our safety orientation on the first day of the tour. As for general travel safety, we recommend sticking with the old rule of using the same common sense you would use at home.
➜ Watch your stuff – Always keep an eye on your stuff and avoid putting a wallet or phone in your back pocket. Keep your purse or shoulder bag on your front hip and make sure the zippers are zipped on your backpack. Simple as that! You can also leave valuables in your room while out and about each day as the hotels we use are all very safe.
➜ Scams – Scams are rare in Iraq. As with any travel though, it’s always good to be aware and if something doesn’t seem right, politely refuse and walk away.
During this trip, we can expect relatively consistent weather. April is an ideal time to visit Iraq, with pleasant temperatures and no intense heat. Here are the average temperatures of each destination we will visit:
➜ Baghdad: 86F/30C high – 59F/15C low
➜ Najaf: 88F/31C high – 64F/18C low
➜ Nasiriyah: 90F/32C high – 66F/19C low
➜ Mosul: 79F/26C high – 54F/12C low
➜ Erbil: 77F/25C high – 54F/12C low
➜ Population: 41.18 million people
➜ Religion: The predominant religion is Islam and is the religion of 95% of the population. Approximately 60% are Shiite and 40% Sunni. Small minorities minorities of Christians, Yazidis and Atheists also exist.
➜ Languages: Arabic and Kurdish are both the official languages of Iraq, although the Mesopotamian Arabic dialect is the most widely spoken in the country. English is not widely spoken but people living in larger cities will understand the basics.
➜ History: Iraq is home to the world’s oldest civilization, Mesopotamia, where the world’s first farmers established themselves between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
➜ Politics: The government of Iraq is considered to be an Islamic, democratic, federal parliamentary republic. The current President is Abdul Latif Rashid and he was recently elected in October of 2022.
As mentioned before, Iraq is more open than most people think and you will often see Iraqis wearing Western clothes. As with most of the Middle East, wearing shorts is not common for men or women and it is more normal to wear pants/long skirts that go below the knees and shirts that have at least short sleeves. While going out for a nice dinner in the cities, Iraqis tend to get a little more dressed up as such meals are treated as big events. We will dine at a couple of nicer spots during the trip.
The only time women need to cover their hair is when we enter a mosque and during our stay in the holy city of Najaf. When outside of the hotel room in Najaf, women will need to wear a black robe that goes over their clothes and hair (we will provide one for you). For all other destinations in the country, there are no such rules.
➜ Laundry – Laundry service is sometimes available at certain hotels, however, we cannot guarantee that there will be laundry service during the trip. When available, it generally costs approximately $20 USD per load.
We recommend packing the following items:
➜ Suitcase or a backpack? Either one works. The most important thing is that you don’t overpack as moving around Iraq with your luggage can be tiresome and the less stuff you have, the more thankful you’ll be once the tour begins
If you have any questions about other items you were thinking about bringing or not bringing, just send us an email and we’ll be happy to let you know if such an item is necessary for this trip.
You may bring up to 2 camera bodies and 3 lenses into Iraq as a tourist. Please note that drones of any brand and size are illegal in Iraq and will be confiscated upon entry.
Although the most common plug in the country is the Euro plug (Type C), you will find Type C, D and G plug outlets throughout the country. It is highly recommended to purchase these adapters in advance.
As for electricity, check your chargers to see if they say 110 – 230V If they do, you will not have any problems charging your device while on the tour.
Although Iraq is starting to modernize, the infrastructure is not as you’d expect back home. 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 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.
Yes! Some days will include time together as well as free time for you to enjoy a destination at your own pace. With that said, your tour leader will always be available to offer personal recommendations and suggestions as to things you might want to do or see, places to eat and other interesting activities that you might want to check out when there is free time.
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. 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.
That’s it for now and we hope you are continuing to get more and more excited about this incredible adventure, just as we are!
If you have any questions about anything, please reach out to team@wanderingearl.com
