Southern Iraq

Mesopotamian Marshes

Expedition

The Garden of Eden - Canoeing & Camping

Overview

Five days in the Garden of Eden. The Ziggurat of Ur, the oldest arch in history and the royal cemetery of the Sumerian kings; then the marshes themselves, poled through channels where the reeds rise above a man on horseback. You cook dinner with a Ma'dan family, wake for breakfast on the water before sunrise, and sleep one night under the stars. At Qurna, the Tigris and the Euphrates finally meet.

Itinerary

Ur & Nasiriyah

Meet at Basra International Airport (Nasiriyah possible on request), then Ur: the great ziggurat, the Dublal-makh temple, the oldest courthouse and the oldest arch of its kind in the world, the royal palace and the royal cemetery. Local lunch and the Nasiriyah museum on the way back.

Marshes Exploration

A special day in the marsh channels: watch the sunset from the water, then prepare dinner with a local Ma'dan family. Between the two, a traditional boat through the reeds, a visit to a reed house, and the water buffalo that the whole life of the marshes turns on.

Deep Marshes Camping

Before sunrise, breakfast cooked by the marsh dwellers, then deeper into the channels. Campfire dinner under the stars.

Qurna & Basra

Qurna, where the Tigris and Euphrates meet to form the Shatt al-Arab, and Adam's Tree, where tradition says the prophet Ibrahim prayed. Basra: the Shanasheel balconies of the old town, the date palm orchards, and a boat ride on the Shatt al-Arab.