Day trips

The 15 Best Day Trips from Baghdad

Drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan for every place worth the trip.

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There are 15 good day trips from Baghdad, Iraq, led by Karbala, Abū Ghurayb, Najaf. The closest is Abū Ghurayb, about 30 min by car, and 3 of them fit into half a day. Below: drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan.

Day trips from Baghdad at a glance

DestinationDistanceDrive timeBest as
Karbala88 km SW1 hr 25 minFull-day trip
Abū Ghurayb20 km W30 minHalf-day trip
Najaf146 km S2 hr 15 minLong day or overnight
Al Hillah98 km S1 hr 30 minFull-day trip
Al Maḩmūdīyah31 km S35 minHalf-day trip
Ramadi102 km W1 hr 35 minFull-day trip
Al Fallūjah57 km W1 hr 5 minFull-day trip
Khānaqīn145 km NE2 hr 15 minLong day or overnight
Sāmarrā’106 km NW1 hr 40 minFull-day trip
Al Miqdādīyah87 km NE1 hr 20 minFull-day trip
Baqubah50 km N1 hrHalf-day trip
Al Hindīyah90 km S1 hr 25 minFull-day trip
An Nu‘mānīyah129 km SE2 hrFull-day trip
Kufa143 km S2 hr 15 minLong day or overnight
Al-Musayab63 km S1 hr 15 minFull-day trip

Drive times are estimates from the distance. Check live traffic before you leave.

The best day trips from Baghdad

  1. 1

    Karbala, Iraq

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 25 min by car88 km south-west of Baghdad2 hr 50 min round trip

    Known for الدامرچي مــول.

  2. 2

    Abū Ghurayb, Iraq

    Half-day trip
    About 30 min by car20 km west of Baghdad1 hr round trip
  3. 3

    Najaf, Iraq

    Long day or overnight
    About 2 hr 15 min by car146 km south of Baghdad4 hr 30 min round trip
  4. 4

    Al Hillah, Iraq

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 30 min by car98 km south of Baghdad3 hr round trip
  5. 5

    Al Maḩmūdīyah, Iraq

    Half-day trip
    About 35 min by car31 km south of Baghdad1 hr 10 min round trip
  6. 6

    Ramadi, Iraq

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 35 min by car102 km west of Baghdad3 hr 10 min round trip
  7. 7

    Al Fallūjah, Iraq

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 5 min by car57 km west of Baghdad2 hr 10 min round trip
  8. 8

    Khānaqīn, Iraq

    Long day or overnight
    About 2 hr 15 min by car145 km north-east of Baghdad4 hr 30 min round trip
  9. 9

    Sāmarrā’, Iraq

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 40 min by car106 km north-west of Baghdad3 hr 20 min round trip
  10. 10

    Al Miqdādīyah, Iraq

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 20 min by car87 km north-east of Baghdad2 hr 40 min round trip
  11. 11

    Baqubah, Iraq

    Half-day trip
    About 1 hr by car50 km north of Baghdad2 hr round trip
  12. 12

    Al Hindīyah, Iraq

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 25 min by car90 km south of Baghdad2 hr 50 min round trip
  13. 13

    An Nu‘mānīyah, Iraq

    Full-day trip
    About 2 hr by car129 km south-east of Baghdad4 hr round trip
  14. 14

    Kufa, Iraq

    Long day or overnight
    About 2 hr 15 min by car143 km south of Baghdad4 hr 30 min round trip
  15. 15

    Al-Musayab, Iraq

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 15 min by car63 km south of Baghdad2 hr 30 min round trip

A sample day trip: Baghdad to Karbala

A realistic pace for Karbala, 88 km from Baghdad. Packy AI builds this for any place on the list, with a route, opening hours and timings you can edit.

  1. 08:30Leave Baghdad
  2. 09:55Arrive in Karbala (1 hr 25 min drive)
  3. 10:10الدامرچي مــول
  4. 12:10Lunch
  5. 13:25Explore the old town, markets and cafes of Karbala
  6. 15:55Head back to Baghdad
  7. 17:20Home in Baghdad

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

What are the best day trips from Baghdad?
The best day trips from Baghdad are Karbala, Abū Ghurayb, Najaf, Al Hillah, Al Maḩmūdīyah. The closest is Abū Ghurayb, about 30 min away by car.
What is the closest day trip from Baghdad?
Abū Ghurayb is the closest, 20 km west of Baghdad, roughly 30 min by car. Best as a half-day trip.
Where can I go within an hour of Baghdad?
3 places are within about an hour's drive of Baghdad: Abū Ghurayb (30 min), Al Maḩmūdīyah (35 min), Baqubah (1 hr).
What is the biggest city near Baghdad for a day out?
Karbala is the largest city in day-trip range, 88 km south-west of Baghdad and about 1 hr 25 min by car. With that much to see, start early or stay the night.
How far is too far for a day trip from Baghdad?
Up to about two hours each way keeps the day relaxed. The farthest place on this list is Najaf at 146 km, around 2 hr 15 min by car, which is better as a long day or an overnight stay.

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