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Tour details

ISTANBUL - BAGHDAD – BABYLON - NAJAF

NAJAF – KUFA - KARBALA - BAGHDAD

BAGHDAD - AZAMIYYA – OLD CITY

MEDAIN – BAGHDAD - ISTANBUL

After breakfast at the hotel, we complete our check-out procedures and board our bus with our belongings. We first depart for Medain. Here, we will visit the esteemed companions Salman al-Farisi, Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman, Abdullah ibn Jabir al-Ansari, and Tahir ibn Imam Muhammad al-Baqir, respectively. Caliph Umar appointed Salman al-Farisi as the governor of Medain because of his contribution to the establishment of the city of Kufa. He continued to serve as governor until the final years of Caliph Uthman’s caliphate and is known to have died in Medain in 35 AH (656 CE). After our visits, we return to Baghdad. Before exploring the Old City, we will visit Ahmad ibn Hanbal, one of the imams of the Sunni schools of jurisprudence. After receiving information about the mausoleum complex and paying our respects, we see the cultural heritage sites in the ancient city of Baghdad and its surroundings: Al-Mutanabbi Street, Haydar Khana, Saray Bazaar, and, after shopping and a tea-and-coffee break at Shahbandar Café, we take a panoramic tour of the city’s most distinguished areas to discover Baghdad’s modern and vibrant sides. First, we see Arasat Street, known as Baghdad’s “Nişantaşı,” one of the city’s most prestigious neighborhoods with its elegant cafés, luxury boutiques, and modern atmosphere. We then pass panoramically through the Karrada district, one of Baghdad’s liveliest shopping and social centers, a vibrant area day and night with its cafés, boutiques, and shops. Afterwards, we go to the famous “Meskuf” fish restaurant for dinner, where grilled freshwater carp is served. We then depart for Baghdad Airport. After completing the ticket and passport procedures at the Turkish Airlines counter, we fly to Istanbul at 02:50 and arrive at Istanbul Airport at 06:00

What's included

Economy class airfare from Istanbul to Baghdad and Baghdad to Istanbul with Turkish Airlines
Bus and professional driver services to be used throughout the tour
Accommodation for 3 nights in 5* standard hotels
3 open-buffet breakfasts at the hotels
4 dinners (3 dinners at a restaurant, 1 dinner at the Najaf hotel)
Lunch on the first day
Professional Turkish-speaking guide service
Local guide service
Ancient city of Babylon ($20)
Mandatory travel insurance

Not included

International departure fee
Hotel extras and personal expenses
Tours and transfers not specified in the program
Lunches
Health Travel Insurance
Visa Fee 160 $ ( Burgundy passport holders between the ages of 15-50 )

Note: Those over 50, under 15, and green passport holders are exempt from the visa.

Tour Program

Istanbul – Baghdad – Babylon – Najaf

Meeting point: In front of the Turkish Airlines counter at Istanbul Airport's International Terminal. After completing ticket and passport procedures, we will board our flight at 02:05 and arrive at Baghdad Airport at 05:05. Following passport control and baggage collection, we will board the bus waiting for us in the arrivals area and depart for Najaf. On our route, we will visit Babylon, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Known as the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, this multi-tiered garden was built by King Nebuchadnezzar in the 7th century BC in the heart of the Mesopotamian desert, featuring lush trees, flowing water, and diverse plant life. After viewing the Ishtar Gate, we will proceed to Najaf. We will then transfer to our hotel for some rest. At the announced time, we will gather in the hotel lobby to first visit the shrine of Hazrat Ali (ra). Next, we will see Wadi al-Salam (Valley of Peace), a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the largest cemetery in the world. Spanning 917 hectares with dimensions of 25 km in length and 6 km in width, it houses approximately six million graves and has been used for burials continuously for over 1,400 years. This sacred place is the final resting ground for prophets such as Hazrat Hud (as) and Hazrat Salih (as), their children, righteous individuals, religious scholars, and state leaders who wished to be near Hazrat Ali (ra). The graves are adorned with Quranic calligraphy and often include photographs of the deceased, taking various forms such as simple houses, domed structures, or miniature mosques. Dinner and overnight stay will be at our hotel in Najaf.

Najaf – Kufa – Karbala – Baghdad

After breakfast at our hotel, we board the bus with our luggage and depart for Kufa. Following a visit to the Mosque of Hannaneh, we tour Kufa, visiting the house of Hazrat Ali (AS), the mihrab where he was martyred, the Great Mosque of Kufa, the shrine of Hani ibn Urwa—a companion of Hazrat Hussein who fought in the Battles of Jamal and Siffin—and the tomb of Muslim ibn Aqil. We then proceed to Karbala, where we visit Hazrat Hussein (AS) and the 72 martyrs buried within his shrine. Afterward, we return to Baghdad, have dinner at a local restaurant, and spend the night at our hotel in Baghdad.

BAGHDAD - AZAMIYYA – OLD CITY

After breakfast at the hotel, we begin our visit to the spiritual sultans of Baghdad. We will tour the shrines of the Qadiri silsila's blessed nights, including Hazrat Junayd al-Baghdadi, Sayyid as-Saqati, the site of Prophet Yusha (Joshua), and the tomb of Behlul Dana. On the western bank of the Tigris River, which flows through the heart of Baghdad, we will visit Hazrat Maruf al-Karkhi before proceeding to the Imam Abu Hanifa Complex. There, we will pay homage to the magnificent mosque and mausoleum of Imam al-A'zam, located in the Azamiya district on the eastern side of the Tigris, named after him. This revered figure is the jewel of Ahl al-Sunnah, the leader of all mujtahids, the source of usul sciences, and a wellspring of wisdom and asceticism. Following visits to the nearby shrines of Bišr al-Hafi and Abu Bakr al-Shibli, we will proceed to the complex of Gaws al-A'zam, Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani. After free time here, we will transfer to a local restaurant for dinner, followed by an overnight stay at our hotel in Baghdad.

Mada'in – Baghdad - Istanbul

After breakfast at the hotel, we complete our check-out procedures and board our bus with our belongings. We first depart for Mada'in. Here, we will visit, respectively, Salman al-Farisi, Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman, Abdullah ibn Jabir al-Ansari, and Tahir ibn Imam Muhammad al-Baqir, among our esteemed Companions. Caliph Umar appointed Salman al-Farisi as the governor of Mada'in because he contributed to the establishment of the city of Kufa. He continued to serve as governor until the final years of Caliph Uthman's caliphate and is known to have passed away in Mada'in in 35 AH (656). After our visits, we return to Baghdad. Before our tour of the old city, we will visit Ahmad ibn Hanbal, one of the imams of the Sunni schools of jurisprudence. Following the information provided about the mausoleum complex and our visit, we will see the cultural heritage sites in the Ancient City of Baghdad and its surroundings: Al-Mutanabbi Street, Haydar-Khana, Saray Bazaar, and, after shopping and a tea-and-coffee break at Shahbandar Café, we will take a panoramic tour through the city's most distinguished areas to discover Baghdad's modern and vibrant side. First, we will see Arasat Street, known as Baghdad's “Nişantaşı,” one of the city's most prestigious districts with its stylish cafés, luxury boutiques, and modern atmosphere. Then, we will pass panoramically through the Karrada district, one of Baghdad's liveliest shopping and social centers, a vibrant area day and night with its cafés, boutiques, and shops. Afterwards, we will go to a famous restaurant for dinner to enjoy “Masgouf” fish (a freshwater carp grilled over an open fire). Then, we will depart for Baghdad Airport. After completing the ticket and passport procedures at the Turkish Airlines counter, we will fly to Istanbul at 02:50 a.m. and arrive at Istanbul Airport at 06:00.

Ahmet Gülmez With Iraq Tour-December 2026