Your Questions,

Iraq gets a fair hearing from travelers once they are actually here, but the question deserves an honest answer, not a slogan. Most foreign governments advise against all travel to specific parts of Iraq, and every visitor should read their own government's advice before booking. The areas we operate in - Baghdad's tourist districts, the heritage cities of the south, the marsh country, and the Kurdistan Region - are a different picture: they see steady tour traffic, and a local operator manages the things a visitor cannot manage alone. I plan every route against current security reports, travel with vetted drivers, keep in touch with local authorities through the day, and stay with my travelers from the airport gate to the departure lounge. That is the honest version of "yes, with a guide."

Many of my travelers come alone, including women traveling by themselves. You are never on your own once the trip starts - I or one of my team is with you through the day, and the hotels we use are in the parts of town where visitors stay. If you have booked as a solo traveler, tell me and I will make sure the itinerary and the hotels suit it.

There is no mandatory vaccination for most visitors, with one real exception: if you arrive from a country with yellow fever transmission, you must carry a yellow fever certificate. What is recommended, per the CDC: be up to date on routine vaccines (including MMR), and consider hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and typhoid vaccinations before the trip. Rabies is present in stray dogs - admire them from a distance. Drink bottled or treated water (we provide it throughout), and do not swim in fresh, unchlorinated water, which is how schistosomiasis is caught; our marsh trips keep everyone in the boats. Medical care is limited outside the big cities, so travel insurance with medical evacuation is the one thing I will not argue about.

Yes - everyone needs a visa, and the rules changed in 2024-2026. The old visa-on-arrival at Iraqi airports is no longer available; you must apply for a federal e-visa on the Iraqi government's portal (eservice.evisa.iq) before you fly. As of 2026 the fee is $160, the visa is valid for 60 days, and the application should be made at least 24 hours before travel - start earlier, because the portal's processing time varies. Your passport needs at least six months' validity and one blank page, and you will need a return or onward ticket; without one the airline can refuse boarding. The Kurdistan Region of Iraq runs a separate visa system - see the Kurdistan question below.

Apply online at eservice.evisa.iq (federal Iraq) or visit.gov.krd (Kurdistan Region). The application takes about twenty minutes: passport scan, photo, and payment. The federal e-visa costs $160 and is valid for 60 days. Once you book, I send a step-by-step guide for your nationality - the exact document list, photo requirements, and how long to allow - so nothing is discovered at the airport.

This is where the rules tightened. The Kurdistan Region now issues its own e-visa (via visit.gov.krd) and it covers travel in the Kurdistan Region only; the federal e-visa covers federal Iraq. If your itinerary crosses both - a common route is Baghdad and the south, then up to Erbil - we plan the visa application around your exact route and send you the instructions for both. Tell me which airports you are flying into and out of and I will confirm which visa or combination you need before you apply.

Book directly through this website - the booking form, or the expedition page for the tour you want. You can also reach me on WhatsApp. I confirm availability within 24 hours and send the itinerary and payment instructions.

A 30% deposit confirms your booking; the remaining 70% is due 30 days before the tour starts. Payments go by bank transfer, Wise, or Western Union. I do not process credit cards directly at the moment - if you need an alternative arrangement, ask and we will work something out.

Free cancellation up to 60 days before the tour, with a full refund. Between 60 and 30 days, 50% is refunded. Within 30 days there is no refund, but I will always try to move your booking to another date rather than leave you with nothing.

Every tour is private and can be reshaped around your dates, pace, and interests. Use the Design Your Trip page to describe what you want, and I will come back with an itinerary and a per-person cost estimate before you commit to anything.

Comfortable walking shoes, modest clothing for religious sites (long trousers, covered shoulders - a scarf that can do double duty as a head covering), sunscreen, insect repellent, a reusable water bottle, and a camera. I send a full packing list after booking, including what to leave at home.

Iraqi food is one of the trip's highlights. Expect masgouf (the national dish - Tigris carp, grilled over an open flame), kebabs, rice dishes, fresh bread from the tandoor, and tea that will be offered to you constantly. Vegetarian options are easy to find everywhere; tell me about any dietary needs when you book and I will carry them through the whole trip.

Arabic and Kurdish are the official languages. English is spoken at hotels and in tourist settings, and I am fluent in all three - you will not be relying on gestures.

The Iraqi dinar (IQD) is the currency. US dollars are widely accepted and often preferred for larger payments; bring crisp, recent notes, because older or damaged bills get refused. ATMs work in the big cities. One rule to know: on entry and exit you must declare cash over $10,000 (or the equivalent), and local currency over 200,000 dinars.

Yes. 4G/LTE covers all the major cities and most towns, via Zain, Asiacell, and Korek. I help you buy a local SIM on arrival - a data package runs about $10-15 for 10-20GB. Every hotel we use has WiFi. The honest gaps: the deep marshes and the mountain valleys can drop coverage entirely, and that is genuinely part of the trip.

All the hotels and lodges we book have WiFi. City hotels are fast; mountain lodges and marsh guesthouses are often on slower satellite links. Download your maps and documents before you leave the city - the backup is cheaper than the frustration.

Photography is welcome at the sites - it is half the reason people come. The rule of thumb: never photograph military personnel, checkpoints, or government buildings. I will tell you on the spot what is fine and what is not; asking a soldier before pointing a camera is always the right move.

Leave the drone at home. Flying drones in Iraq requires a permit from the Iraqi authorities, and the practical odds of getting one in time for a holiday are close to zero. If you need aerial footage for professional work, message me before booking and we can discuss whether it is feasible on your route.

Iraqi Journeys with Ali is a private tour operator founded in 2016 by Ali Jasim, a local guide born in Najaf and based in Baghdad. We lead small, private expeditions across Iraq - ancient Mesopotamia, the Marshes of Eden and Iraqi Kurdistan - with more than 70 tours and 1,500+ travelers from 20+ countries to date. Every tour is led personally by Ali and booked directly through this website.

Ali Jasim is an Iraqi guide born in Najaf and based in Baghdad, and the founder of Iraqi Journeys with Ali. He has guided travelers through Iraq since 2016, speaks English, Arabic and Kurdish, and personally leads every expedition. His full story is on the About page.

No. Iraqi Journeys with Ali is an independent company founded in 2016 by Ali Jasim and based in Baghdad. We are not affiliated with any other tour service that uses a similar name. To be sure you are booking with us, use this website only - our expeditions, departures and prices are listed on the Expeditions page.