Packing for Iraq
Packing is a very personal affair but here are a few tips, based on our experiences.
The first thing we suggest is travelling light. Iraq’s roads and pavements are not best suited to wheelie suitcases and, if you’re travelling around, such luggage will likely soon become an annoyance. In our experience, opting for a 30-40-litre rucksack that can be chucked into the back of a minibus, along with a small day bag for your essentials, is preferable.
The plug sockets in Iraq are British three-pin so, unless you’re travelling from England, you’ll need to take a convertor plug. We discovered in Iraq that a European plug could be forced into a British plug socket, but this is probably not wise. Hotel rooms may have a convertor socket, as some imported supplied appliances (kettles and TVs) often have European plugs.
A head-torch is really useful - for power cuts, reading in bed or to use as a bedside light, as these are not common in budget or mid-range accommodation.
A portable power pack is a must as one tends to rely on one’s phone for navigation and communication. (Note: in 2023, Iraq banned these from departing planes - either in hold or hand luggage - so don’t take in your brand new Anker power pack unless you want to gift it to an Iraqi before departure).
Travel to Iraq is unlikely to be covered by standard travel insurance policies, as the country remains on many governments’ travel advisory “red” list, so you may need to take out a specialist policy.
Pavements and roads in Iraq are often in poor condition so, even if you’re not planning on doing much exploring, decent footwear with a good grip is strongly advised.
Modest clothing, for both women and men. For women, the more modest the better, which generally means full coverage - long-sleeved tops, full length trousers, long dresses and longer tops covering the behind if wearing tight trousers. Although it is not necessary to wear a headscarf in big cities like Baghdad and Erbil, it’s always useful to carry a scarf which can also be used as a headscarf if needed. If heading out of Baghdad, we recommend wearing a headscarf on public transport and in smaller towns and cities, out of respect for local culture and to reduce attracting attention.
Extremely modest clothing and a headscarf are essential when visiting the shrine cities of Karbala or Najaf and an abaya (full-length head-to foot outer garment, usually black) is required to enter the shrines. If you are planing to visit a few shrines, you may want to consider purchasing an abaya (there are a few different types available but we favour the traditional Iraqi one) but at smaller shrines and mosques, these can often be borrowed at the entrance.
Although cosmetics are very popular with Iraqi ladies, at Karbala and Najaf, excessive make-up is unacceptable and cleansing wipes to remove this are provided by women doing security checks at shrine entrances.
A wedding ring can be a useful accessory for ladies, to help deflect unwanted attention. Iraqis are very enthusiastic and can be extremely charming!
Modest clothing is also advisable for men, with t-shirts more suitable than vest tops and trousers preferable to shorts. If choosing shorts, those falling below the knee are preferable, as short shorts are not generally appropriate.
A hat. The Iraqi sun, even in spring and autumn, can be merciless, so a head covering is advisable.
Some warm layers. Unless you’re travelling in high summer, Iraq can be surprisingly cold in winter, and chilly at night in early spring and late autumn, so it’s worth having enough layers to keep you cosy.
Sanitary products. Tampons are not generally available in Iraq, although other sanitary products are, from pharmacies.
Medication. It’s advisable to carry any prescription medications you may need, of sufficient quantity for the duration of your stay. Iraqi pharmacies are usually well-stocked with over-the-counter medicines, including with some western brands, but you may not be able to find exactly what you’re looking for. Some products may be locally produced or from other countries with unknown quality-control.
The Iraqi sun is strong, even in winter, so sunblock can be a wise precaution, although we think covering up and staying out of the sun is a better idea. If you are visiting the marshes, don’t forget that, even if you’re wearing a hat, the sun reflects off the water.
Iraq is a cash-based society and ATMs are unreliable, especially with foreign bankcards, so take enough money (in US dollars) to fund your entire trip.
It can also be useful to carry a photocopy of your passport and ID/insurance documents, just in case these are needed/requested, or the originals lost!
If you’re planning on doing some kind of homestay or are meeting up with some Iraqi friends you have made in advance over the internet, it’s a nice idea to take a small gift (perhaps locally made sweets or a national flag on a keyring) from your home country.
Family is really important in the Middle East and Iraqis love asking questions, so having a few family photos (modest attire preferable) and pictures of several famous places in your home country on your phone can be a conversational aid.
