1. The Team Agha Wahedi Nazma Abbas Maryam

2. Alims & Recitors Sheikh Bahmanpour Sheikh Usama al-Attar Sister Amina Inloes Brother Hussein Virji

3. Pre departure Today, you will be given: Books Travel Documents Passports (for most) Luggage tags ID Tags

4. Pre departure If you need to ask any questions prior to departure you can call or email any one of the organisers until Thursday Any passports not ready today will be sent to you

5. ITEMS TO TAKE Winter Clothes Dress in layers as in the day time the sun can make it feel warm Ziyarat Books- Electronic Items not allowed in Haram

6. ITEMS TO TAKE Pen and notebook to write notes and thoughts Plug converter String bag for haram (Provided by us) Flash light for those walking

7. ITEMS TO TAKE Alarm clock or digital watch Quran with English Translation Dua books (including Sahifa Sajjadiyah) MP3 player / ipod to listen to duas/lectures on journeys around Iraq

8. ITEMS TO TAKE Personal toiletries – basic shampoos and soaps produced locally will be provided by hotel Multivitamins Paracetamol Glucose tablets

9. ITEMS TO TAKE Personal medication Money- CASH not Traveller Cheques or credit cards

10. On the day of Departure The majority of departures are from Heathrow Ensure you arrive at airport 3 hours before departure No documents will be given at airport MAKE SURE YOUR BAG IS TAGGED – Haj Tours Tag

11. On the day of Departure Take a light suitcase You must only take 1 suitcase/checked in luggage Maximum weight 20kg regardless of airline rules Online check in

12. Individual Check in Everyone will be checking in individually

13. Royal Jordanian Depart London Heathrow on RJ0112 at 16:05 Arrive Amman 00:05 Overnight stay at Amman Airport Hotel Depart for Baghdad at 11:30 on RJ810 arriving Baghdad 13:00

14. Amman- Royal Jordanian On arrival in Amman- go to the transit desk You will be given a transit visa and, the airline will give you vouchers for your hotel and meals. The airline will take you to the hotel and bring you back to the airport

15. Royal Jordanian Airport procedures can take 2-3 hours Leave airport in small vehicles to the Airport Transportation zone Depart for Najaf at approximately 18:00

16. Royal Jordanian Journey time to Najaf will be approximately 4-5 hours because of traffic Arrive Najaf at approximately 11pm on 24 th December 2012

17. Turkish Airlines Depart London on 21 st December 2012- TK1984 Departing 22:30 and arriving into Istanbul 04:20 on 22 nd December Overnight at Istanbul Hotel

18. Turkish Airlines Depart for Baghdad on 23 rd December 2012 at 10:15 Arrive Baghdad at 15:50 Stay overnight at Qasr al Kadhimiya in Kadhmain

19. Turkish Airlines Depart Kadhmain on 24 th December at 14:00 for Najaf Arrive Najaf at approximately 19:00

20. Flight delays Expect flight delays, as Iraq air traffic control observes greater caution than other countries Baghdad Airport is not very organised and so expect delays on arrival

21. Christmas Day We only effectively have 1 day in Najaf, so please make the most of the nights in the Haram of Imam Ali Unfortunately we have made no arrangements for Roast Turkey

22. Christmas Day After breakfast we will leave for Masjid Kufa and Wadi Salam on the way back. We will aim to leave no later than 8.30am Return to Hotel for lunch and shorth rest

23. Christmas Day Depart for Masjid Sahla makhsoos ziyarat at 14:00 Stay in Masjid Sahla until about 20:00 Return to hotel by 21:00

24. Boxing Day We will try an secure a meeting with Agha Sistani at 9am. All groups will depart for Kerbela at 14:00 on 26 th December 2012

25. The Full Walk This is a long journey, and you must be sure that you are physically able to undertake it The walk is about 80km

26. The Full Walk Easy paced walk- 4 km/hour Normal pace- 5.5 km/hour We will start walking at 14:00 and will walk for about 2 hours and 30 minutes without a break

27. The Full Walk We will stop at 16:45 for Maghrib and then continue to walk at 17:30 We will walk until 20:30 and then stop for dinner and overnight rest Distance travelled: 22km

28. The Full Walk On 27 th December we will resume the walk at 07:00 We will walk until 9am and then take a 30 minute rest (8km) We will continue walking until dhuhr- 11:30 and stop for namaz, lunch and some rest. (8km)

29. The Full Walk We will resume walking at 13:30 and walk until 16:30 (12km) We will stop for Namaz and rest until 18:00 Continue walking from 18:00 - 21:00 and then stop for dinner and overnight rest (12km)

30. The Full Walk On 28 th December will resume our walk at 07:00 and walk until 9 am (8km) After some rest we will resume at 09:30 and walk until 11:30 when we will stop for Namaz. (8km)

31. The Full Walk We will resume our walk immediately after Namaz (12:15) and aim to arrive in Kerbela by 14:00

32. What to take for the walk IPOD / MP3 Player Mobile with local SIM String bag with light essentials only There is plenty of food and drink along the way Warm clothes that are not to heavy A sleeping bag with strings (precaution)

33. Being prepared for the walk We may have to sleep rough if there are no tents Toilet facilities will be basic Do not underestimate the physical intensity of the walk Carry Imodium Be prepared for intensive walking and limited rest stops

34. Last 10 km walk The bus journey to the last 10km will take between 3-10 hours At about 6pm you will start walking The night will be cold, so be prepared The journey will take between 3- 5 hours (dependent on check points)

35. Arrival in Kerbela Jarash hotel in Kerbela is not an international standard 5* Rooming lists will be prepared from the UK and will not be changed in Iraq If you have any room mate preference- you must let us know today

36. Arrival in Kerbela Whilst there will be some double and triple rooms, the vast majority of people will be in quad rooms We will do our best to accommodate families together

37. Day trip to Kadhmain and Samarrah We will make a day trip to Kadhmain and Samara Provisional dates for this will be provided within the next few days but are subject to change

38. First Ziyarat in Kerbela We will endeavour to take the whole group to the haram together on the first day where Haji Usama will recite the ziyarat and museeba.

39. Daily Lecture Programme Sister Amina Inloes will give daily lectures from 29 th December 2012. Amina Inloes will accompany thefull walk group Sheikh Bahmanpour will give daily lectures in the hotel.

40. Kerbela- Daily Programme Haji Usama will recite the museeba daily after Shaikh Bahmanpours lecture and Matam and Marsiya will be recited by Hussein Virji Haji Usama will recite ziyarat, and give a short lecture and Museeba in the haram every night

41. Crowds Arbaeen is the busiest ziyarat in Kerbela There are over 15 million people expected over the ten day period It can take a long time to walk to the haram in the crowds

42. The Haram Phones and electronic items are prohibited in the Haram. If you take these items, you will have to store them withamaanaat which generally has very long queues

43. The Haram Women are expected to where the Iranian style chador or Iraqi style Abaya Khoja style chaaders are not accepted at the haram check point

44. The Haram All zuwaar will have to go through multiple security check points before getting to the haram Be prepared for long queues

45. Ziyarat Around Kerbela We will visit sites outside Kerbela such as Hur and Aun by bus We will visit sites in Kerbela such as the places of martyrdom, tents, alqama on foot

46. Meals We will have three meals a day in Iraq The meals will be Iraqi food There is not the variety of food you might be used to in places like Shaam and Saudi Arabia If you need your comfort foods, you should take them from the UK

47. Arabeen Day We will have Ziyarat Arbaeen and the museeba of Arbaeen recited in the hotel in the morning Zuwwar will have the opportunity to go to the haram both before and after the programme in the hotel

48. SUBJECT TO CHANGE All itineraries in Iraq are subject to change Please be flexible and patient, as during Arbaeen, everything will not be in our control