Wander Across Iraq

September 29th – October 11th, 2023

Important Details

Tourist Visas

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 $75 USD and must be paid in USD cash.

Please ensure you have $75 USD with you, in crisp, clean bills when you arrive in Baghdad as they will not provide change.

As mentioned below, our representatives will meet you at the airport in Baghdad and take you through this visa on arrival process.

*Important: As many airlines are still not familiar with travelers going to Iraq, we recommend printing out this visa on arrival webpage from the Iraqi government. This statement shows that you can obtain a visa on arrival in Baghdad and will help the airline check-in staff in case they don’t know the rules.

Airport 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.
• Our 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

Arrival / Departure Airport

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 (EIA). Please make sure that you are flying into Baghdad and departing from Erbil.

WhatsApp Group

We will set up a WhatsApp chat 3 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

Your tour leader for this trip will be none other than Derek Baron, the founder of Wandering Earl Tours. His journey in the world of travel began in 1999, and since then, he has led many successful tours across the globe, including many of our Iraq tours. His extensive knowledge and experience about the country will ensure you’re in the best hands for this adventure. He will introduce himself and share more details when we create the group WhatsApp chat.

**Our tour leader will be there to ensure the trip runs smoothly and our local guides are there to share the wonders of their country!

Local currency

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 methods are either via ATM machines or currency exchange offices. ATMs and reliable currency exchange offices are found in all major cities. If you do bring cash (USD or Euros) to exchange, please make sure the bills are crisp, clean and of denominations of $20 or higher.

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 $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 waitstaff at included meals will be handled by your tour leader.

Staying Connected

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.

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 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, 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, 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

September 29th: Baghdad / Arrival day

• Meet our representative upon arrival at the airport for VIP immigration service
• Private transfer to the hotel
• Group orientation at 5:30pm in the hotel lobby
• Welcome dinner

➜ Accommodation: Noorland Hotel
➜ Included meals: Breakfast (for the participants that booked the pre-trip accommodation with us), Dinner

September 30th: Baghdad

• Full walking tour of Old Baghdad, visiting various local markets and heritage sites
• Boat trip on the Tigris River
• Baghdad cultural center visit
• Group dinner

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

October 1st: Baghdad

• Traditional Iraqi breakfast
• Modern Baghdad tour
• Visit to the famous Green Zone
• Visit to the Al Shaheed Monument, the iconic two half domes of Baghdad
• Evening out, including dinner and a local shisha cafe visit

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

October 2nd: Baghdad ➜ Babylon ➜ Najaf

• Morning departure from Baghdad
• Full walking tour of the ancient city of Babylon
• Special access to one of Saddam Hussein’s abandoned palaces
• Drive to Najaf and check into our hotel
• Imam Ali Shrine experience in the evening
• Group dinner

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

October 3rd: Najaf ➜ Nasiriyah and Marshes

• View of “The Valley of Peace”, the largest graveyard in the world
• Morning drive to Nasiriyah
• Visit to the historical city of Ur, a UNESCO heritage site
• Beautiful sunset over the marshes

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

October 4th: Nasiriyah and Marshes ➜ Baghdad

• 1 hour drive to the marshes
• Traditional regional breakfast with a local family
• Boat ride through the marshes, one of the largest ecosystems in the world
• Local fish lunch in a reed house
• Meet marshland locals to learn about their culture and way of life
• Drive back to Baghdad

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

October 5th: Baghdad ➜ Iraqi Museum ➜ Fallujah ➜ Baghdad

• Visit to the impressive Iraqi Museum in the morning
• Drive to nearby Fallujah
• Traditional kebab lunch in the the town of Fallujah, followed by a quick tour
• Free evening back in Baghdad

➜ Accommodation: Noorland Hotel
➜ Included meals: Breakfast

October 6th: Baghdad ➜ Samarra ➜ Hatra ➜ Mosul

• Morning departure from Baghdad
• Visit to Samarra and its ancient spiral minaret
• Visit to the fortified caravan city of Hatra, an important historic religious center
• Arrival in Mosul
• Group dinner

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

October 7th: Mosul

• Full walking tour of Old Mosul
• Visit to the Al-Nouri Mosque and the Tahira Church
• Old Bazaar and spice market tour
• Ancient Assyrian gates visit
• Interaction with locals to hear their stories from ISIS times

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

October 8th: Mosul ➜ Nineveh Plains ➜ Mosul

• Visit to a Christian-Yazidi village in the Nineveh Plains
• Local breakfast with a traditional family
• Visit to a tahini factory
• Learn about the Yazidi culture
• Free evening in Mosul

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

October 9th: Mosul ➜ Erbil

• Morning departure from Mosul
• Arrival in Erbil
• Relaxed afternoon tour of the old town
• Group dinner

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

October 10th: Erbil

• Visit one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, the impressive ancient citadel
• Old Erbil market tour
• Visit to the Grand Mosque and Shar Park
• Free afternoon
• Farewell group dinner

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

October 11th: Erbil / Departure day

• Transfer to the airport depending on your flight time

➜ Included meals: Breakfast

What’s Included?

What’s Not Included?

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Covid-19 Disclaimer

Please note that in the event of any interruption to your tour experience as a result of your testing positive for Covid-19, our staff will be on hand to assist with making any arrangements that need to be made. This could include accommodation booking, transportation, scheduling additional Covid-19 tests, etc. However, it is important to understand that you would be fully responsible for all expenses incurred related to interruptions to the trip and/or medical treatment needed as a result of a positive Covid-19 test before, during or after the trip. We highly recommend having a travel/health insurance policy that covers Covid-19 related situations. By participating in the tour, you are confirming your understanding of the above

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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.