🇮🇶 Iraq: An Unexpectedly Welcoming Travel Experience

In this episode of You Be Trippin’, comedian and travel filmmaker Julio Galerati recounts a seven-night trip to Iraq in November 2021. Despite warnings from people who had never visited, he describes it as one of the best trips of his life—and says the country was far more welcoming and varied than he expected.

The Route and Highlights

Traveling with a cameraman and local guides, Julio went from Basra in southern Iraq north through Nasiriyah, Karbala, Baghdad, and Samarra.

• Basra: A hot, flat, oil-producing city that matched some of Julio’s expectations of Iraq.
• Mesopotamian Marshes: The group traveled by boat to a small island and camped overnight. Local hosts cooked for them; the experience was memorable, if uncomfortable for someone who dislikes camping.
• Ancient sites and museums: Iraq is home to extraordinary archaeological remains, including sites associated with the earliest civilizations and the development of written language.
• Babylon: Julio visited the ruins and structures rebuilt under Saddam Hussein, including Saddam’s enormous summer palace.
• Karbala: A major Shia Muslim pilgrimage site, with an ornate shrine that was crowded with worshippers. Julio found the scale and devotion striking.
• Baghdad: The city had busy markets, restaurants, coffee shops, and monuments—more modern and varied than he had imagined.

What Surprised Him

• Hospitality: People were excited to meet visitors, often asking to appear on camera or offering gifts. Julio said people repeatedly refused payment, even for rides and souvenirs.
• Friendly interactions: He described locals, guides, and soldiers as warm and playful. Some soldiers even teased him at checkpoints before welcoming him.
• Everyday life: Outside religious sites, he saw people dressed in a range of styles. In holy places, visitors were expected to dress more modestly.
• Food: He especially enjoyed the abundant rice, meats, and Middle Eastern dishes.
• History and religion: Ancient sites and pilgrimage traditions gave the trip a depth he had not anticipated.

Practical Travel Takeaways

• Use local guides for travel between cities. Julio said a guide helped manage checkpoints, explain local customs, arrange transport, and make the trip much easier. Traveling independently between cities could lead to lengthy questioning and delays.
• Check current entry rules before booking. Julio entered with a visa on arrival in 2021, but visa policies and local conditions can change.
• Plan transport and connectivity. He traveled with a driver and local guides. His phone service worked much of the time, but was not reliable immediately upon arrival.
• Use translation tools. Google Translate’s camera feature helped the group understand menus that were not in English.
• Be cautious with water. Julio avoided drinking tap water and recommended caution when traveling.
• Expect modesty rules at religious sites. Dress requirements may differ from those in other parts of the country.
• Do not assume one region represents the whole country. Iraq’s regions—and the autonomous Kurdistan Region in the north—have distinct identities and arrangements. The episode notes that Kurdistan may require separate entry permission; check the latest requirements.
• Consider a guided package. Julio estimated his arrangement at roughly $200 per person per day, with meals and accommodation included, though costs will vary.

Safety note: This is Julio’s account of a trip in 2021, not a current safety assessment. Conditions, entry requirements, and travel advisories can change; check official guidance and local conditions before planning a visit.

Julio’s Main Travel Advice

• If there is a trip you genuinely want to take, don’t let every imagined obstacle stop you.
• Booking a flight can make the idea real; you can work out the details afterward.
• Some discomfort is part of travel, and challenging journeys can still be worthwhile.
• Prepare enough to travel responsibly, but leave room for discovery.

Julio also recommends his travel videos on Not Julio’s YouTube channel, including his Iraq and Afghanistan episodes. He mentions upcoming projects in Tanzania, the Comoros, and Rwanda, as well as footage from Nepal, Bhutan, and Qatar.