11-day, 9-night New Year tour of Iraq, from Ur, Uruk and Babylon to Baghdad, Mosul and Kurdistan, led by Pub Phongsorn Phumiwat.
Trip highlights
- Iraq tour "The First of Us": tracing the roots of us all
- See Uruk, the world's first great city and the origin of so many things
- Visit Babylon and the remains of the hanging gardens' city
- Soak up the atmosphere of the Arabian Nights in Baghdad
- See Saddam's ruined palace and sites destroyed by ISIS, and learn about the pain of war
- See Amedi, the "city in the sky", and hear the story of the Kurds in a "country that does not exist"
- Departs 26 Dec 2025 – 5 Jan 2026, led by "Pub", an adventurer-lecturer who has written a book on the country
Highlight places
Led by historiansEvery trip travels with an expert history lecturer who brings each site to life in plain language.
Off the beaten pathCentral Asia, the Middle East, the Himalayas — places most tour companies never go.
Private groups, no rushingRight-sized groups and unhurried time at the places that matter most.
Beyond ordinary travelEvery tour is designed by writers and professional travellers to create experiences that reflect who you are — for travellers who want more than an ordinary holiday.
About this tour
"Iraq: The First of Us" is an 11-day, 9-night tour from 26 December 2025 to 5 January 2026 that follows the Mesopotamian civilisation, the starting point of writing, cities and many other things. It is led by Pub Phongsorn Phumiwat, owner of The Wild Chronicles page, who has written a book about the country.
The route runs from Basra and the Mesopotamian Marshes through Ur, Nasiriyah, Uruk, Najaf, Karbala, Babylon and Ctesiphon to Baghdad, then north to Samarra, Hatra, Mosul and the Kurdistan Region (Duhok, Amedi, Erbil and Sulaymaniyah). It also covers sites damaged by ISIS and by the wars under Saddam Hussein.
Flights are on Air Arabia via Sharjah, the visa is arranged by the company, and hotels are 4–5 star or similar.
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1Bangkok – Sharjah – Basra
Meet at 05:00 at Suvarnabhumi (BKK), 4th floor, Air Arabia counters.
- 07:55 fly G9822 to Sharjah (SHJ), arriving 11:55, with a 4 hour 5 minute layover.
- 16:00 fly G9833 to Basra (BSR), arriving 17:00.
- Arrive in Basra, an old port on the Shatt al-Arab founded in 636 and linked to the tale of Sinbad the Sailor.
Day 2Basra – Mesopotamian Marshes – Ur – Nasiriyah
- Drive along the Shatt al-Arab, past Saddam Hussein's wrecked yacht in the river, and through Old Basra.
- Boat trip in the Mesopotamian Marshes (World Heritage since 2016) to see the reed houses of the marsh people.
- Ur, the Sumerian city: the Great Ziggurat built about 4,100 years ago for the moon god Nanna, the Royal Cemetery, and the house traditionally linked to the Prophet Abraham.
- Continue to Nasiriyah, gateway to the marshes and the Marsh Arabs.
Day 3Uruk – Najaf – Karbala
- Uruk, a World Heritage Site and around 3200 BC the largest city in the world, the birthplace of writing, seals and mass-produced brick, linked to the Epic of Gilgamesh.
- Najaf: the Imam Ali Shrine with its golden dome, the third holiest site for Shia Muslims.
- Wadi-us-Salaam, the largest cemetery in the world, with more than 6 million graves.
- Continue 1 hour 30 minutes to Karbala, site of the Battle of Karbala in 680.
Day 4Karbala – Babylon – Ctesiphon – Baghdad
- The Holy Shrine of Imam Hossain and the Shrine of Abu Fadhl al-Abbas.
- Babylon, a World Heritage Site: the Ishtar Gate, the Lion of Babylon and Saddam Hussein's palace on a hill above the ruins.
- Ctesiphon, capital of the Parthian and Sasanian empires, with Taq Kasra, the largest brick arch of the ancient world.
- Arrive in Baghdad, founded in 762 and the centre of Islamic Golden Age learning and the House of Wisdom.
Day 5Baghdad: National Museum – Mutanabbi Street – Monuments
- Iraqi National Museum, founded in 1926, with Sumerian, Akkadian, Assyrian, Babylonian and Islamic collections and the 5,000-year-old Mask of Warka.
- Qishla Quarter, the old market and Mutanabbi Street, the street of booksellers.
- Iraqi Martyr Monument and the Saving Iraqi Culture Monument.
- Drive past Abu Nuwas Street, Liberation Square, Firdos Square, the Scheherazade statue, the University of Baghdad and the Zaha Hadid-designed Central Bank tower.
Day 6Samarra – Hatra – Mosul
- Samarra, a World Heritage Site and Abbasid capital founded in 836: the Shrine of Imam Ali al-Hadi, the Great Mosque of Samarra and the Al-Malwiya Tower (about 52 m).
- Hatra, a World Heritage Site since 1985, an ancient city that withstood Roman sieges and blended Hellenistic and Eastern architecture.
- Drive about 2 more hours to Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city, now rebuilding after ISIS rule from 2014 to 2017.
Day 7Nineveh – ISIS-damaged sites – Kurdistan – Lalish – Duhok
- Nineveh, capital of the Assyrian Empire and the largest city in the world in the 7th century BC.
- Sites destroyed by ISIS: Al-Nabi Yunus Mosque, the Great Mosque of al-Nuri (being rebuilt under UNESCO) and Al Musfi Mosque (seen from outside if under construction).
- Enter Kurdistan and visit Mor Mattai Monastery (founded 363) and the battlefield of Gaugamela (331 BC).
- Lalish, the religious centre of the Yazidis, then overnight in Duhok.
Day 8Amedi – Barzan – Erbil
- Amedi, the "city in the sky" on a plateau about 1,200 m high, and the 13th-century Mosul Gate.
- Barzan: the Barzan Cemetery and Nameless Graves, remembering some 8,000 Barzani men abducted in 1983.
- Drive about 3 hours to Erbil, capital of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
- Erbil Citadel, a World Heritage Site since 2014 and over 6,000 years old (seen from outside if under construction).
Day 9Sulaymaniyah – Amna Suraka – Halabja
- Drive about 4 hours to Sulaymaniyah.
- Amna Suraka, the former detention and torture centre used against Kurds under Saddam Hussein, now a memory museum.
- Continue about 3 hours to the Halabja Monument, commemorating the chemical attack that killed more than 5,000 Kurds.
Day 10Sulaymaniyah – Erbil – Sharjah
Drive about 3 hours 30 minutes to Erbil International Airport (EBL).
- 14:20 fly G9358 to Sharjah, arriving 17:50, with a 4 hour 15 minute layover (no dinner provided).
- 22:05 fly G9821 to Bangkok.
Day 11Arrive in Bangkok
Arrive at Suvarnabhumi (BKK) at 07:05.
Included
- Round-trip international economy flights with baggage allowance per airline standard (checked and carry-on)
- Transport and sightseeing with an experienced driver
- Accommodation as listed, twin-share (tell us in advance if you need a triple; some hotels have no 3-bed rooms)
- Entrance fees and meals as stated in the program
- Experienced local guide, plus a Thai lecturer and tour leader
- Entry visa (arranged by the company)
- Travel accident insurance of 1,000,000 baht per person (subject to the policy terms)
Not included
- Single-room supplement (if staying alone)
- Personal expenses such as passport fees, phone, internet, laundry, minibar, food and drinks outside the program, excess baggage, seat reservations, medical costs for pre-existing conditions, portable oxygen cans
- Tips for the tour leader, local guide and driver (recommended 90 USD per person)
- 7% VAT, 3% withholding tax and other taxes required by law
- Fuel surcharges and airport taxes if the airline raises them
About this tour
How many days is this Iraq tour and where does it go?
"Iraq: The First of Us" runs 11 days, 9 nights (26 Dec 2025 – 5 Jan 2026) through Basra, Ur, Uruk, Najaf, Karbala, Babylon, Baghdad, Samarra, Hatra, Mosul and the Kurdistan Region (Duhok, Erbil, Sulaymaniyah).
Does the tour price include flights?
Yes. It includes round-trip economy flights on Air Arabia (Bangkok – Baghdad/Erbil – Bangkok). The price is 144,900 baht per person for groups of 10 or more. Without the flights, the price is reduced by 25,000 baht.
Do I need a visa for Iraq, and who arranges it?
The entry visa fee is included in the tour price and the company arranges the visa.
What deposit is required and when is the balance due?
The first instalment is 70,000 baht per person to book, with a passport copy, within 7 days of deciding to book. The balance is due 60 days before departure.
What is the minimum group size?
The tour departs once 10 travellers have booked.
How much is the single supplement, and what hotels are used?
The single-room supplement is 13,000 baht per person. Hotels are 4–5 star or similar. Air Arabia has no Business Class; for Business Class, Emirates flights at similar times are available, so please ask our staff.
Who leads the tour, and how much are tips?
The tour is led by Pub Phongsorn Phumiwat, owner of The Wild Chronicles page, who has written a book on Iraq. Tips for the tour leader, local guide and driver are not included; the recommended amount is 90 USD per person.
Can I cancel the tour?
If you cancel more than 60 days before departure, or after the flight tickets are issued, the company may keep all or part of the deposit. Cancellations within 30 days of departure are charged the full tour price.
Iraq: The First of Us, Following Mesopotamia
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