6-day journey
Southern Iraq Cultural Journey
Holy cities, date-palm rivers and the marshes of the Ma'dan — the soul of southern Iraq.
- Duration
- 6 days
- Starts
- Najaf
- Ends
- Basra
- Best time
- November – March
- Price
- From $1,390 per person
From the shrines of Najaf and Karbala to Basra's Corniche and the reed villages of Chibayish.
Day by day
Your itinerary
- 1
Day 1 · Najaf
Arrive in Najaf
Evening visit to the Imam Ali Shrine.
- 2
Day 2 · Karbala
Kufa & Karbala
The Great Mosque of Kufa, then Bayn al-Haramayn at sunset.
- 3
Day 3 · Chibayish
To the marshes
Drive south and overnight in a marsh guesthouse.
- 4
Day 4 · Chibayish
Life on the water
Boat trip, buffalo herders and a reed-weaving visit.
- 5
Day 5 · Basra
Basra
Shanasheel houses and a Shatt al-Arab boat ride.
- 6
Day 6 · Basra
Departure
Transfer to Basra International Airport.
Destinations on this journey
Southern Iraq
Basra
The Venice of the East — a port city of canals, date palms and the Shatt al-Arab, gateway to the marshes and home of Sinbad's legend.
Southern Iraq
Najaf
A holy city of scholarship and pilgrimage, home to the golden-domed Shrine of Imam Ali and the vast Wadi al-Salam cemetery.
Southern Iraq
Karbala
The city of Imam Husayn and Abbas, whose twin shrines face each other across Bayn al-Haramayn — one of the most moving places of pilgrimage in the world.
Mesopotamian Marshes
The Mesopotamian Marshes
A UNESCO-listed world of water, reeds and water buffalo — home of the Ma'dan people and their extraordinary reed architecture.
Make this journey yours
Change the pace, add a destination or travel on your own dates — our team will tailor it for you.