Babylon day trip from Baghdad

A full day through Baghdad's great shrines, the places that have drawn visitors from across the Islamic world to the city for more than a thousand years. The trip links both banks of the Tigris, from Kadhimiya in the west to Adhamiya and Bab al-Sheikh in the east, and ends among the quiet tombs of Baghdad's early Sufi masters in Karkh.

We begin at the Al-Kadhimiya Shrine, resting place of Imam Musa al-Kadhim and his grandson Imam Muhammad al-Jawad (peace be upon them). Its twin golden domes, four golden minarets and courtyards of blue tilework and mirror work make it one of the most beautiful sights in Iraq. Across the river in Adhamiya we visit the Mosque of Imam Abu Hanifa al-Nu'man, the great 8th-century jurist whose school of law is followed by millions of Muslims, with its well-known clock tower.

In the Bab al-Sheikh quarter we reach the mosque and shrine of Sheikh Abdul Qadir al-Gilani, the 12th-century scholar and founder of the Qadiriyya Sufi order, which welcomes visitors from all over the world. We end in Karkh at the shrine of al-Junayd al-Baghdadi, one of the most influential early Sufi masters, who rests beside his uncle and teacher Sari al-Saqati, and at the blue-domed shrine of Bahlul, the wise man remembered for his witty lessons to the caliph Harun al-Rashid.

We pick you up by private car from your accommodation in Baghdad and bring you back, for one price for your whole group. Modest dress is required; women wear an abaya to enter the Kadhimiya shrine, and we can help with this. Your guide speaks Arabic, English and Russian.

About thirty kilometres west of Baghdad stands the ziggurat of Aqar Quf, one of the best-preserved ziggurats in Iraq and the closest to the capital. This was the city of Dur-Kurigalzu, founded by the Kassite king Kurigalzu I in the 14th century BC as a royal seat and a great temple to the god Enlil.

The first thing that strikes visitors is how it was built. The ziggurat is made of sun-dried mud brick, and every few courses there is a layer of reed mats soaked in bitumen, with thick reed ropes binding the whole mass together. This technique, still clearly visible in its walls, is the secret of how it has stood for more than three thousand years against wind and rain. What remains today rises about fifty metres above the flat plain, so you see it long before you arrive.

We walk around the base of the ziggurat and climb the rebuilt staircase on its front. Your guide explains how ziggurats were built, why they rose in stepped stages, and the role they played in the life of Mesopotamian cities, as a link between heaven and earth. We also pass the remains of palaces and temples uncovered by excavations in the ancient city.

This is a short, relaxed trip, perfect if your time in Baghdad is limited, or if you want to begin your journey in Iraq with a quick introduction to Mesopotamian civilisation before visiting Babylon or Ur. It takes about half a day, and we can go in the early morning or before sunset, when the bricks glow a warm gold and the light is at its best for photography.

We pick you up by private car from your accommodation in Baghdad and bring you back. Entrance tickets are included, and the price is one total for your whole group. Your guide speaks Arabic, English and Russian and is happy to answer questions all the way.

About thirty-five kilometres south-east of Baghdad, on the banks of the Tigris, lies Al-Mada'in, the city the ancient world knew as Ctesiphon: capital of the Sasanian Empire for centuries and one of the largest cities on earth in its day.

Its great survivor is Taq Kasra, the royal hall attributed to King Khosrow I (Anushirvan) in the 6th century AD. Its colossal brick arch rises about thirty-seven metres and is considered one of the largest single-span brick vaults ever built. Beneath this arch the Sasanian kings received ambassadors and delegations, and old chronicles tell of a carpet woven with gold and jewels that once covered the floor of the hall. We stand with you before the long façade, with its blind arcades and decorative columns, and picture how it looked at its height.

In the 7th century AD Al-Mada'in entered a new chapter when the Muslims arrived, and the revered Companion of the Prophet, Salman al-Farsi, became its governor. He died and was buried here. We visit his shrine, known as Salman Pak, a peaceful place visited by pilgrims from Iraq and abroad, which also holds the tomb of the Companion Hudhayfa ibn al-Yaman. Your guide tells the story of Salman, the man who travelled from Persia in search of truth until he reached Medina.

This trip brings together the grandeur of ancient Persian architecture and the spirit of early Islamic history in one place. It is close to Baghdad and needs only a few hours, so it suits anyone looking for a short morning or afternoon outing.

We pick you up by private car from your accommodation in Baghdad and bring you back, for one price for your whole group, with a guide who explains the history of the site in Arabic, English or Russian.

On the eastern bank of the Tigris lies the heart of old Baghdad, the city founded by the Abbasid caliphs in 762 AD that within a generation became the largest and most learned city on Earth, home of the House of Wisdom. On this private walking tour of four to five hours, we read twelve centuries of its story in a single morning.

We begin at the Mustansiriyah Madrasah, completed in 1234 and one of the oldest universities in the world, with its vast courtyard, arcades and intricate Abbasid brickwork. Then we step into Souq al-Safafeer, where the rhythm of the coppersmiths' hammers still fills the covered lane and trays and coffee pots are shaped and engraved by hand. Next comes the Baghdadi Museum on the Tigris, whose life-size scenes bring old Baghdad back to life: weddings, the Quran school, the coffeehouse and forgotten trades.

We walk beneath the colonnades of Al-Rasheed Street, the grand boulevard of twentieth-century Baghdad, then turn into Mutanabbi Street, the most famous book market in the Arab world. We stop for tea at the Shabandar Café, open since 1917, and stand by the statue of the poet al-Mutanabbi above the river. We finish in the Qishla gardens beneath the Ottoman clock tower, where Faisal I was proclaimed king of Iraq in 1921. On Fridays the whole quarter comes alive with poetry, books and music.

We pick you up from where you are staying in Baghdad and bring you back. The price includes all entrance tickets and is one price for your whole group. Your guide speaks Arabic, English and Russian and walks with you the entire way, telling the stories, introducing you to the craftsmen and finding the best photo spots.

About 125 kilometres north of Baghdad, on the east bank of the Tigris, lies Samarra, the city founded by the Abbasid caliph al-Mu'tasim in 836 AD. He named it Surra Man Ra'a, "a joy for whoever sees it", and it served as the capital of the Abbasid caliphate for more than half a century. Today its archaeological city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as one of the best-preserved capitals of early Islamic civilisation.

We begin at the Al-Askari Shrine, resting place of Imam Ali al-Hadi and Imam Hasan al-Askari, with its vast golden dome, soaring minarets and gates covered in blue tilework. It is one of the most important shrines in Iraq and draws visitors from all over the world.

Then we reach the symbol of the city: the Malwiya, the spiral minaret of the Great Mosque built by Caliph al-Mutawakkil in the mid-9th century, once the largest mosque in the world. The Malwiya rises about fifty-two metres, wrapped by a ramp you can walk all the way to the top. From there the mosque's enormous arched walls, the ancient city and the plains stretch out below you. Climbing the Malwiya is unforgettable, so take your time and photograph it from every side.

Next we visit the site known as the prison of Imam Ali al-Hadi, with the neighbouring Qasr al-Birka palace, and tell you the story of the Imam's years in Samarra. We end the day north of the city at the Abu Dulaf Mosque and its smaller spiral minaret, built in the style of the Malwiya, in a quiet spot away from the crowds and beautiful for photographs.

The Samarra trip is a full day, so we set off in the morning by private car from your accommodation in Baghdad and bring you back in the evening. Entrance tickets are included, the price is one total for your whole group, and your guide speaks Arabic, English and Russian.

About eighty-five kilometres south of Baghdad, near the city of Hilla, lies Babylon, the most famous city of the ancient world, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2019. Here Hammurabi ruled and wrote his celebrated code of laws, here Nebuchadnezzar II built his magnificent city in the 6th century BC, and here Alexander the Great died.

We enter through the replica of the blue Ishtar Gate, decorated with bulls and dragons, and walk the Processional Way along which the great New Year festivals once passed. You will see original brick walls still stamped with Nebuchadnezzar's name in cuneiform, and hear the story of the original gate, now displayed in a museum in Berlin.

Then we explore the Southern Palace with its vast halls and courtyards, and stop at the Lion of Babylon, the huge basalt statue that has become the city's emblem. Your guide tells you about the Hanging Gardens, one of the Seven Wonders of the World; about the ziggurat of Etemenanki, which many scholars link to the story of the Tower of Babel; and about the Greek theatre built after Alexander's arrival.

Your guide turns the stones into stories: what life was like in the largest city on earth some 2,600 years ago, how astronomy, mathematics and law flourished here, and why the name of Babylon still lives in human memory today.

The trip suits everyone, from history lovers to families, and needs no great physical effort. We set off in the morning by private car from your accommodation in Baghdad and bring you back in the afternoon. Entrance tickets are included, the price is one total for your whole group, and your guide speaks Arabic, English and Russian.

This is the fullest way to explore the Babylon region, combining in a single day the greatest monuments of ancient Mesopotamia with two of Iraq's oldest shrines, all along one road south of Baghdad between Hilla and Al-Kifl.

We start with the ancient city of Babylon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site: the blue Ishtar Gate, the Processional Way, Nebuchadnezzar's Southern Palace and the famous Lion of Babylon. You will hear about Hammurabi and his laws, the legend of the Hanging Gardens, and see original bricks still stamped with the king's name in cuneiform.

Next we head to Borsippa, known today as Birs Nimrud, where the remains of the ziggurat of the temple of Nabu, god of wisdom and writing, rise from the flat land. At its summit lie huge blocks of brick that were melted and turned glassy by intense heat in ancient times, a strange sight that fascinates everyone who sees it. Many people link this site with the story of the Tower of Babel.

Then we visit the shrine of the Prophet Job (Ayyub), a symbol of patience in religious tradition. It is a peaceful place surrounded by orchards, with a well that visitors come to for blessing. We finish at the shrine of the Prophet Dhul-Kifl in the town of Al-Kifl on the Euphrates, a venerable historic shrine known for its old minaret and decoration, which carries layers of history from followers of different faiths who lived in this land and honoured the place.

It is a rich and varied full-day trip that gives you a wide view of the region's ancient and religious history together. We set off in the morning by private car from your accommodation in Baghdad and bring you back in the evening. Entrance tickets are included, the price is one total for your whole group, and your guide speaks Arabic, English and Russian.

A spiritual journey in one day to three of the most important cities in Iraq's Islamic history: Kufa, Najaf and Karbala, following the life of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib and his sons in the places that witnessed it.

We begin at the Great Mosque of Kufa, one of the oldest mosques in the Islamic world, which Imam Ali made the seat of his caliphate when he chose Kufa as his capital. In this mosque he prayed, preached and judged between people, and here is the prayer niche where he was struck during the month of Ramadan. Inside the mosque we visit several shrines, including that of Muslim ibn Aqil, the envoy of Imam Hussein to Kufa, and your guide tells you about the life of the Imam and the companions who lived with him in this city.

Then we reach Najaf, to the shrine of Imam Ali with its golden dome and wide courtyard adorned with tiles and mirror work. It is one of the holiest places in Iraq, surrounded by the old city with its markets and historic religious schools. We also pass by Wadi al-Salam, one of the largest and oldest cemeteries in the world.

We end in Karbala, visiting the shrine of Imam Hussein and the shrine of his brother Abu al-Fadl al-Abbas, walking through Bayn al-Haramayn, the open space that links them, while your guide shares the story of Karbala and what it means to the millions of visitors who come every year.

The trip takes a full day: we leave in the morning by private car from your accommodation in Baghdad and bring you back in the evening. The price is the same for one to three people. Modest dress is recommended, and women wear an abaya to enter the shrines; we can help you with this. Your guide speaks Arabic, English and Russian.

A journey to southern Iraq, to the place where civilisation began: the great Ziggurat of Ur, followed by the Marshes, a water paradise whose people live much as they have for thousands of years.

We start at the Sumerian city of Ur near Nasiriyah, where the ziggurat built by King Ur-Nammu more than four thousand years ago for Nanna, the moon god, still stands. With its massive façade and broad rising stairway, it is one of the most complete ziggurats in the world. We climb the stairs to look out over the ruins of the ancient city, then visit the Royal Cemetery, where excavations in the 1920s uncovered dazzling treasures of gold, lyres and jewellery, and the house known as the House of Abraham, as tradition holds that Ur was the Prophet Abraham's birthplace.

Then we move on to the Marshes, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2016. We board a mashoof, the long traditional wooden boat, and glide through channels of tall reeds and still water, past swimming water buffalo, migrating birds and reed houses built on small islands. We visit a mudhif, the great reed guest house with its remarkable arches, and learn about the life and generous hospitality of the Marsh people.

Lunch is masgouf, Iraq's most famous dish: fish grilled the traditional way beside an open fire. Lunch, the mashoof boat ride and the entrance tickets to the Ziggurat of Ur are all included in the price.

The south is a long way from Baghdad, so we leave very early in the morning and return at night: a long day, but worth every minute. Travel is by private car from and to your accommodation in Baghdad, for one price for your whole group, with a guide who speaks Arabic, English and Russian.