Basra, Iraq: What to pack, what to wear, and when to go [2022]
Traveling to Basra, Iraq? If you're planning to go to Basra, the following is some important information about when to go, what to wear, and what to pack.
Contents
- When to go to Basra
- Important essentials for Basra
- Activities for Basra
- Basra in January: weather and what to pack
- Basra in February: weather and what to pack
- Basra in March: weather and what to pack
- Basra in April: weather and what to pack
- Basra in May: weather and what to pack
- Basra in June: weather and what to pack
- Basra in July: weather and what to pack
- Basra in August: weather and what to pack
- Basra in September: weather and what to pack
- Basra in October: weather and what to pack
- Basra in November: weather and what to pack
- Basra in December: weather and what to pack

About your travel guide
Hi! I'm Dev. I've traveled all over the world and in my travels, I have made many packing lists. In this series, my team and I have compiled the most useful information, as well as things we couldn't live without, to help you plan your trip.
When to go to Basra, Iraq
Based on the climate and weather in Basra, the best time to go is November. See below for details.
Important essentials for Basra, Iraq
Here are some general tips on what to wear in Basra, as well as several items to remember to pack when traveling there.
COVID-19 ESSENTIALS FOR 2022
-
A vaccine card protector
Vaccine cards frequently wear out. An unreadable vaccine card may result in severe consequences. This vaccine card protector helps avoid that.
Travel insurance
If you or a companion get COVID-19, your amazing trip can be ruined. Good travel insurance can help. See plans
-
Travel disinfecting wipes
Use these to sanitize plane and hotel surfaces.
-
Kids' KN95 masks
N95 masks don't exist for kids. These are a good alternative (and can also be used by adults if N95 masks are not available).
-
Hand sanitizer
This hand sanitizer is an excellent plane-friendly choice.
-
N95 masks to use in crowded airports
These N95 masks provide the best level of COVID-19 protection you can have.
General health necessities
Virus/bacteria filtering water bottle
Some areas of this country may have unreliable tap water, so it's important to have a contaminant filtering water bottle.
-
Travel first aid kit
This one is a excellent value.
-
Emergency motion sickness relief
Don't forget these
-
Voice and data SIM card
A SIM card that works in Basra. A good global SIM card works in most countries, but check the country list before buying. In some more rural areas you may need a satellite phone. We recommend this satellite phone.
-
Plug adapter
A plug adapter that supports outlet types C, D and G. This one should be appropriate for most countries, but check with your hotel.
-
Power bank for devices
A portable power bank, like this one
-
Airplane or car necessities
-
For families with young children
-
Money/passport pouch
A money pouch is vital for protecting your passport and credit cards.
What to wear/what to pack for Basra, Iraq by month
Already know when you're traveling?
January
January in Basra is crisp. Temperatures average in the high 50s F (mid 10s C) during the day. It rains regularly.
What to wear/what to pack:
-
Light jacket or fleece
-
Light and heavy skirts
-
Extra socks
-
Standard footwear
-
Pants or jeans
-
Dresses
-
Long sleeve shirts or blouses
-
A rain coat to layer with a jacket
-
100% waterproof footwear
We use rain boots:
-
Rain pants
These will be a lifesaver in heavy rain.
-
Waterproof phone bag
-
Windproof umbrella
This one is an excellent option.
-
Waterproof bag/luggage cover
So your belongings stay dry. We suggest:
Mosques often require certain dress, so if you plan to visit the stunning Old mosque of Basra, take the following:
Note that there may be restrictions on who can enter this mosque; you should check with the Basra tourism authority.
-
Long sleeve shirts/blouses
-
Socks
You will need to take your shoes off.
-
Dressy pants/trousers
Your pants should cover your knees:
-
Scarf for women
You may need to wear something to cover your head. This is a good option.
If you go to the Basra Museum, wear museum-appropriate clothing and take:
-
Ultralight day pack
Like this, so you don't have to lug around a heavy suitcase.
-
Comfy walking shoes
-
Small portable cooler
Save money on drinks with this portable cooler.
February
If you visit Basra during February, you are likely to notice that it is cool and dry with little rain. Temperatures tend to hover around the 60s F (high 10s C) during the day, while at night they can dip into the low 50s F (single digits C). Humidity is generally between 40 and 50% during the day. In terms of precipitation, you can expect it to rain once in a while.
What to wear/what to pack:
-
Pants or jeans
-
Dresses
-
Extra socks
-
Light jacket or fleece
-
Standard footwear
-
Long sleeve shirts or blouses
-
Light and heavy skirts
-
A rain poncho to layer with a jacket
-
100% waterproof footwear
We suggest these rain boots:
-
Rain pants
Rain pants can be essential in a rainstorm.
-
Waterproof phone bag
-
Windproof umbrella
This one is a perfect choice.
-
Waterproof bag/luggage cover
So your belongings don't get wet. We like:
Mosques often require certain dress, so if you plan to visit the stunning Old mosque of Basra, take the following:
Note that there may be restrictions on who can enter this mosque; you should check with the Basra tourism authority.
-
Long sleeve shirts/blouses
-
Socks
You will need to take your shoes off.
-
Dressy pants/trousers
Your pants should cover your knees:
-
Scarf for women
You may need to wear something to cover your head. This is a good option.
If you go to the Basra Museum, wear museum-appropriate clothing and take:
-
Ultralight day pack
Like this, so you don't have to lug around a heavy suitcase.
-
Comfy walking shoes
-
Small portable cooler
Save money on drinks with this portable cooler.
March
March is warm and very dry. Temperatures average in the low 70s F (low 20s C) during the day. It rains once in a while.
What to wear/what to pack:
-
Extra socks
-
Sandals
-
Sunscreen lotion
-
Long and short sleeve shirts
-
Bug repellent
-
Breathable footwear or sandals
-
Short pants or heavy shorts
-
Light skirts
-
Light dresses
You can find some great options here
-
A rain poncho to layer with a jacket
-
100% waterproof footwear
We like rain boots:
-
Rain pants
Rain pants will be vital in heavy rain.
-
Waterproof phone bag
-
Wind resistant umbrella
This one is a perfect one to buy.
-
Waterproof bag/luggage cover
So your bags remain dry. We like:
Mosques often require certain dress, so if you plan to visit the stunning Old mosque of Basra, take the following:
Note that there may be restrictions on who can enter this mosque; you should check with the Basra tourism authority.
-
Long sleeve shirts/blouses
-
Socks
You will need to take your shoes off.
-
Dressy pants/trousers
Your pants should cover your knees:
-
Scarf for women
You may need to wear something to cover your head. This is a good option.
If you go to the Basra Museum, wear museum-appropriate clothing and take:
-
Ultralight day pack
Like this, so you don't have to lug around a heavy suitcase.
-
Comfy walking shoes
-
Small portable cooler
Save money on drinks with this portable cooler.
April
If you visit Basra during April, you are likely to find that it is constantly hot and very dry. Temperatures tend to hover around the 80s F (low 30s C) during the day, while at night they can dip into the high 60s F (low 20s C). Humidity is generally between 20 and 30% during the day. In terms of precipitation, you can expect it to rain sometimes.
What to wear/what to pack:
-
Breatheable shirts
A breathing shirt can make you comfortable and guard against UV rays:
-
Sunscreen lotion, moderate SPF
-
Sunglasses
-
Bug repellent
-
Cool and dry dresses
These dresses include UV protection and keep you cool.
-
Skirts
-
Waterproof sandals
-
Loose-fit shorts
-
Insulated water bottle
Our pick also removes dangerous contaminants:
-
A rain jacket to layer with a jacket
-
100% waterproof footwear
We suggest these rain boots:
-
Rain pants
Rain pants will be essential in heavy rain.
-
Waterproof phone bag
-
Wind resistant umbrella
This one is a perfect one to buy.
-
Waterproof bag/luggage cover
So your belongings stay dry. We like:
Mosques often require certain dress, so if you plan to visit the stunning Old mosque of Basra, take the following:
Note that there may be restrictions on who can enter this mosque; you should check with the Basra tourism authority.
-
Long sleeve shirts/blouses
-
Socks
You will need to take your shoes off.
-
Dressy pants/trousers
Your pants should cover your knees:
-
Scarf for women
You may need to wear something to cover your head. This is a good option.
If you go to the Basra Museum, wear museum-appropriate clothing and take:
-
Ultralight day pack
Like this, so you don't have to lug around a heavy suitcase.
-
Comfy walking shoes
-
Small portable cooler
Save money on drinks with this portable cooler.
May
May here can be excruciatingly hot and very dry with almost no rain. Temperatures average in the high 90s F (high 30s C) during the day.
What to wear/what to pack:
-
Light linen shorts
-
Sunglasses
-
Insulated water bottle
-
Lightweight 'harem' pants
-
Protecting legwear
These will keep your legs protected from UV rays while also cool. Our favorites:
-
Skirts
-
Cooling tank or crop tops
These are created for cooling:
-
Personal cooling fan
-
High-SPF sunscreen lotion
-
Bug repellent
-
Light dresses
These Columbia dresses are engineered to cool you and can provide UV protection.
-
Waterproof sandals
-
Thin short sleeve shirts
You should pack additional, since these easily get wet or dirty.
Bug bite relief
Mosques often require certain dress, so if you plan to visit the stunning Old mosque of Basra, take the following:
Note that there may be restrictions on who can enter this mosque; you should check with the Basra tourism authority.
-
Long sleeve shirts/blouses
-
Socks
You will need to take your shoes off.
-
Dressy pants/trousers
Your pants should cover your knees:
-
Scarf for women
You may need to wear something to cover your head. This is a good option.
If you go to the Basra Museum, wear museum-appropriate clothing and take:
-
Ultralight day pack
Like this, so you don't have to lug around a heavy suitcase.
-
Comfy walking shoes
-
Small portable cooler
Save money on drinks with this portable cooler.
June
If you are traveling to Basra in June, you will notice that it can be blisteringly hot and very dry with almost no rain. Daytime temperatures are in the high 100s F (low 40s C).
What to wear/what to pack:
-
Insulated water bottle
- https://amzn.to/31Mz9kT
Bug bite relief
-
Breatheable shirts
A good breatheable shirt can make you comfortable and guard against UV rays:
-
UV protecting legwear
These will keep your legs safe from UV rays while also cool. Our favorites:
-
Insects can be a problem here.
We recommend these bug repellents:
-
Lightweight 'harem' pants
-
100% UV protection sunglasses
We suggest:
-
Personal cooling fan
-
Sarong
-
Thin tank or crop tops
-
Waterproof sandals
-
Light skirts
-
High-SPF sunscreen lotion
One of these:
Mosques often require certain dress, so if you plan to visit the stunning Old mosque of Basra, take the following:
Note that there may be restrictions on who can enter this mosque; you should check with the Basra tourism authority.
-
Long sleeve shirts/blouses
-
Socks
You will need to take your shoes off.
-
Dressy pants/trousers
Your pants should cover your knees:
-
Scarf for women
You may need to wear something to cover your head. This is a good option.
If you go to the Basra Museum, wear museum-appropriate clothing and take:
-
Ultralight day pack
Like this, so you don't have to lug around a heavy suitcase.
-
Comfy walking shoes
-
Small portable cooler
Save money on drinks with this portable cooler.
July
If you visit Basra during July, you will probably find that it can be excruciatingly hot and very dry with almost no rain. Temperatures tend to hover around the high 100s F (low 40s C) during the day, while at night they can dip into the 80s F (low 30s C). Humidity is generally between 10 and 20% during the day.
What to wear/what to pack:
-
Thin tank or crop tops
-
Lightweight 'harem' pants
- https://amzn.to/31Mz9kT
Bug bite relief
-
Personal cooling fan
-
Waterproof sandals
-
Insulated water bottle
-
Sarong
-
Bugs are an issue here.
We recommend these bug repellents:
-
Light skirts
-
100% UV protection sunglasses
We suggest:
-
High-SPF sunscreen lotion
One of these:
-
Breatheable shirts
A cooling shirt can keep you cool and guard against the sun:
-
Protecting pants/skirts
These will keep your legs safe from UV rays while also cool. Our favorites:
Mosques often require certain dress, so if you plan to visit the stunning Old mosque of Basra, take the following:
Note that there may be restrictions on who can enter this mosque; you should check with the Basra tourism authority.
-
Long sleeve shirts/blouses
-
Socks
You will need to take your shoes off.
-
Dressy pants/trousers
Your pants should cover your knees:
-
Scarf for women
You may need to wear something to cover your head. This is a good option.
If you go to the Basra Museum, wear museum-appropriate clothing and take:
-
Ultralight day pack
Like this, so you don't have to lug around a heavy suitcase.
-
Comfy walking shoes
-
Small portable cooler
Save money on drinks with this portable cooler.
August
If you vacation in Basra during August, you are likely to see that it is sizzling and very dry with almost no rain. Temperatures tend to hover around the high 100s F (low 40s C) during the day, while at night they can dip into the low 80s F (high 20s C). Humidity is generally between 10 and 20% during the day.
What to wear/what to pack:
-
Lightweight 'harem' pants
- https://amzn.to/31Mz9kT
Bug bite relief
-
Personal cooling fan
-
Light skirts
-
High-SPF sunscreen lotion
One of these:
-
Thin tank or crop tops
-
Sun protecting pants/skirts
These will keep your legs safe from UV rays while also cool. Our favorites:
-
Waterproof sandals
-
Sarong
-
Insects are a problem here.
We recommend these bug repellents:
-
100% UV protection sunglasses
We suggest:
-
Breatheable shirts
A cooling shirt can cool you down quickly and protect you from UV rays:
-
Insulated water bottle
Mosques often require certain dress, so if you plan to visit the stunning Old mosque of Basra, take the following:
Note that there may be restrictions on who can enter this mosque; you should check with the Basra tourism authority.
-
Long sleeve shirts/blouses
-
Socks
You will need to take your shoes off.
-
Dressy pants/trousers
Your pants should cover your knees:
-
Scarf for women
You may need to wear something to cover your head. This is a good option.
If you go to the Basra Museum, wear museum-appropriate clothing and take:
-
Ultralight day pack
Like this, so you don't have to lug around a heavy suitcase.
-
Comfy walking shoes
-
Small portable cooler
Save money on drinks with this portable cooler.
September
September is sweltering and very dry with almost no rain. Temperatures average in the 100s F (low 40s C) during the day.
What to wear/what to pack:
- https://amzn.to/31Mz9kT
Bug bite relief
-
Breatheable shirts
A breathing shirt can keep you comfortable and guard against UV rays:
-
Insulated water bottle
-
Personal cooling fan
-
High-SPF sunscreen lotion
One of these:
-
100% UV protection sunglasses
We suggest:
-
Thin tank or crop tops
-
Lightweight 'harem' pants
-
Waterproof sandals
-
Bugs are a problem here.
We recommend these bug repellents:
-
Light skirts
-
Sarong
-
Sun protecting legwear
These will keep your legs safe from UV rays while also cool. Our favorites:
Mosques often require certain dress, so if you plan to visit the stunning Old mosque of Basra, take the following:
Note that there may be restrictions on who can enter this mosque; you should check with the Basra tourism authority.
-
Long sleeve shirts/blouses
-
Socks
You will need to take your shoes off.
-
Dressy pants/trousers
Your pants should cover your knees:
-
Scarf for women
You may need to wear something to cover your head. This is a good option.
If you go to the Basra Museum, wear museum-appropriate clothing and take:
-
Ultralight day pack
Like this, so you don't have to lug around a heavy suitcase.
-
Comfy walking shoes
-
Small portable cooler
Save money on drinks with this portable cooler.
October
October in Basra is extremely hot and very dry with almost no rain. Temperatures average in the low 90s F (low 30s C) during the day.
What to wear/what to pack:
-
Cool and dry dresses
These dresses include UV protection and help you stay cool.
-
Sunscreen lotion, moderate SPF
-
Bug repellent
-
Sunglasses
-
Skirts
-
Breatheable shirts
A good breatheable shirt can cool you down quickly and guard against UV rays:
-
Loose-fit shorts
-
Insulated water bottle
Our first choice also cleans harmful contaminants:
-
Waterproof sandals
Mosques often require certain dress, so if you plan to visit the stunning Old mosque of Basra, take the following:
Note that there may be restrictions on who can enter this mosque; you should check with the Basra tourism authority.
-
Long sleeve shirts/blouses
-
Socks
You will need to take your shoes off.
-
Dressy pants/trousers
Your pants should cover your knees:
-
Scarf for women
You may need to wear something to cover your head. This is a good option.
If you go to the Basra Museum, wear museum-appropriate clothing and take:
-
Ultralight day pack
Like this, so you don't have to lug around a heavy suitcase.
-
Comfy walking shoes
-
Small portable cooler
Save money on drinks with this portable cooler.
November
November for Basra is warm and very dry. Temperatures average in the high 70s F (mid 20s C) during the day. It rains sometimes.
What to wear/what to pack:
-
Long and short sleeve shirts
-
Sandals
-
Light dresses
You can find some great options here
-
Light skirts
-
Bug repellent
-
Breathable footwear or sandals
-
Sunscreen lotion
-
Extra socks
-
Short pants or heavy shorts
-
A rain poncho to layer with a jacket
-
100% waterproof footwear
We use rain boots:
-
Rain pants
These pants can be vital in heavy rain.
-
Waterproof phone bag
-
Wind resistant umbrella
This one is an excellent one to buy.
-
Waterproof bag/luggage cover
So your things remain dry. We suggest:
Mosques often require certain dress, so if you plan to visit the stunning Old mosque of Basra, take the following:
Note that there may be restrictions on who can enter this mosque; you should check with the Basra tourism authority.
-
Long sleeve shirts/blouses
-
Socks
You will need to take your shoes off.
-
Dressy pants/trousers
Your pants should cover your knees:
-
Scarf for women
You may need to wear something to cover your head. This is a good option.
If you go to the Basra Museum, wear museum-appropriate clothing and take:
-
Ultralight day pack
Like this, so you don't have to lug around a heavy suitcase.
-
Comfy walking shoes
-
Small portable cooler
Save money on drinks with this portable cooler.
December
If you are traveling to Basra in December, you will notice that it is cool. Expect it to rain once in a while. Daytime temperatures are in the 60s F (high 10s C).
What to wear/what to pack:
-
Standard footwear
-
Light jacket or fleece
-
Long sleeve shirts or blouses
-
Light and heavy skirts
-
Pants or jeans
-
Dresses
-
Extra socks
-
A rain coat to layer with another jacket
-
100% waterproof footwear
We recommend rain boots:
-
Rain pants
These can be a lifesaver in heavy rain.
-
Waterproof phone bag
-
Umbrella
This one is a perfect choice.
-
Waterproof bag/luggage cover
So your suitcases stay dry. We suggest:
Mosques often require certain dress, so if you plan to visit the stunning Old mosque of Basra, take the following:
Note that there may be restrictions on who can enter this mosque; you should check with the Basra tourism authority.
-
Long sleeve shirts/blouses
-
Socks
You will need to take your shoes off.
-
Dressy pants/trousers
Your pants should cover your knees:
-
Scarf for women
You may need to wear something to cover your head. This is a good option.
If you go to the Basra Museum, wear museum-appropriate clothing and take:
-
Ultralight day pack
Like this, so you don't have to lug around a heavy suitcase.
-
Comfy walking shoes
-
Small portable cooler
Save money on drinks with this portable cooler.
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