UNESCO Heritage
Samarra, Hatra, Mosul & Erbil - The World Heritage Road of the North
A short, gentle route through the north's World Heritage sites: the Abbasid capital of Samarra, the sun temple city of Hatra, the reconstruction of Mosul's old city under the UNESCO Revive the Spirit of Mosul initiative, and the Erbil Citadel, inhabited for more than 6,000 years. All nights in hotels, walking at your own pace. Built for travelers who want the World Heritage experience without the long routes.
Baghdad: Arrival & First Impressions
Meet & assist at Baghdad International Airport, transfer to the hotel, rest. Evening: Al-Mutanabbi and Al-Rasheed streets, the heritage heart of the capital, with local food. Overnight: Baghdad.
Samarra
The Abbasid capital: the Malwiya spiral minaret and the great mosque of Samarra, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2007. The Abu Dulaf Minaret. The Pool (Al-Baraka) Palace with its great water basin. The historic prison of Imam Ali al-Hadi. Lunch at Tikrit, then continue to Mosul. Overnight: Mosul.
Hatra
The City of the Sun: Hatra, the first Iraqi site on the World Heritage List (1985) - the circular double walls, the great iwans standing to full height, the Temple of the Sun and the shrines of its many gods, and the story of the goddess Shahiro. The stones still carry the bullet marks of 2015; the walls are rising again. Return via the sulfur springs of Hammam Al-Alil. Overnight: Mosul, with an evening heritage dinner at the Baytna Foundation's Antica cafe.
Mosul, Qaraqosh & Mar Mattai
Sunrise at Bashtabia castle over the Tigris, with lah'am b'ajeen. The reconstruction of the Al-Nuri Mosque and the Hadba Minaret, Al-Tahira Church and Hosh al-Bayaa - the sites of the UNESCO Revive the Spirit of Mosul initiative. Then Qaraqosh: the Grand Al-Tahira Church, the largest in Iraq, where Pope Francis prayed in 2021. Mar Mattai, the ancient monastery on its mountainside, is last; a night there is possible on request. Overnight: Mosul.
Erbil & Departure
The Erbil Citadel - UNESCO World Heritage since 2014 and one of the oldest continuously inhabited places on earth - and the Qaysari Bazaar below it, the Mudhafaria Minaret. Transfer to Erbil International Airport for departure. End of program.
- 5-day guided program from Baghdad Airport pickup to Erbil Airport drop-off
- English-speaking guide throughout
- Private air-conditioned transportation
- 4-star hotels (or best available equivalent)
- Breakfast and dinner daily
- All entrance fees - Samarra, Hatra, Erbil Citadel, Mar Mattai and the Mosul heritage sites
- The Hammam Al-Alil hot springs
- Airport transfers
- 24/7 support during the trip
- International flights
- Iraqi visa fees
- Travel insurance
- Lunches and beverages
- Personal expenses
- Tips for guide and driver (optional)