Karbala and Najaf: as you might imagine, visiting these Shia shrine cities is a bit of serious business. There is major pilgrim traffic in both, and a completely different atmosphere to Baghdad or Mosul. Both draw millions of visitors every year from all over the Muslim world, to pay their respects at the tombs of Ali, Hussain, and Abbas. Religious pilgrim or not, if you’re traveling in Iraq you will want to go to them both, too.

We took a daytrip from Karbala to the site of ancient Babylon. But wait, there’s more – Saddam Hussein had a palace handily located overlooking the ruins. It’s easy to get to Babylon by yourself on public transport, but getting into the palace is easier said than done. This post is about how to get to Babylon from Karbala, and explore Saddam Hussein’s palace while you’re at it (…if you’re lucky).

In recent years it’s been hard for visitors to get to Samarra. You needed special permission and a guide, or at least a local friend to help you out, but this doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. This post is about daytripping to Samarra: how we arranged to go there from Baghdad, and then carried on to Karbala afterwards.

Anyone planning a trip to Iraq will have at least a few questions surrounding visas, money, and transportation – for starters. Not to mention the big ones: is it safe? Is it possible to travel independently? Really – what’s it like to travel in Iraq? We had an amazing trip and that’s why we’re sharing our experience here – along with our 14 day itinerary for independent travel in Iraq, plus tips and advice for how to DIY in this wonderful bit of the world.