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Voykit pocket guide · Iraq
Hit
هيت
Half a day to see the citadel and waterwheels, then move on. Not a base: one night if you need to break the drive between Baghdad and the Syrian border.
Hit is a small Euphrates town with a citadel dating to Sumerian times and peculiar waterwheels on the river. The main draw is the bitumen wells and hot springs that have been used since 2900 BC. Most travellers pass through on Highway 12 between Ramadi and the Syrian border; the town itself takes 3–4 hours to see.
- Country
- Iraq
- Local name
- هيت
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (extreme heat), Dec–Feb (cold nights)
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- IQD
- Money
- Cash in dinars and US dollars covers almost everything: see Insurance & payments above.
- Daily spend
- Budget IQD 25,000–40,000 excl. bed · Mid IQD 40,000–70,000 excl. bed · High IQD 70,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- Emergency
- Police 104 · Fire 115 · Ambulance 122
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Kebab meal at Lutfi Restaurant | IQD 5,000–8,000 |
| Bottled water (1.5 L) | IQD 500–1,000 |
| Private taxi Hit → Ramadi | IQD 25,000–40,000 |
| Private taxi Hit → Baghdad | IQD 70,000–100,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- BGW · Baghdad International Airport
- About 2.5 h east by road; check security conditions before travelling.
Typical fares
- Private driver Baghdad → Hit
- about IQD 70,000–100,000, about 2.5 h (check)
- Private driver Hit → Ramadi
- about IQD 25,000–40,000, about 40 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The town is walkable. Highway 12 is the main road; a private driver or taxi is the only practical option for getting in and out.
See and do
Known for
- Hit Citadel (Sumerian origins)
- Al-Farooq Mosque (639 AD)
- Norias Park waterwheels
- Bitumen wells and hot springs
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Ramadi | Highway 12 east, about 40 min by car | About 45 min |
| Ar Rutba | Highway 12 west, about 1 h 30 min by car | About 1 h 45 min |
| Baghdad | Highway 12 east, about 2.5 h by car | About 3 h |
Sleep
- Hit town centre
- Limited options; most visitors continue to Ramadi or Baghdad for accommodation.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | السلام عليكمas-salamu alaykum |
| Thank you | شكراًshukran |
| How much? | بكم؟bikam? |
| To the citadel, please | إلى القلعة، من فضلكila al-qala'a, min fadlik |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Scams and watch-outs
- Security situation is volatile: read your government travel advice before planning any trip.
- The citadel is mostly in ruins; no restoration work confirmed.
- Hot springs are undeveloped — no facilities or changing areas.
- No passenger trains run as of 2026; the railway rehabilitation is ongoing (check).
Hit is in a region with active security risks. Check your government travel advisory daily. The town itself is quiet, but the surrounding desert has military checkpoints and unexploded ordnance. Do not travel after dark.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Hit yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Hit Citadel (Sumerian origins)
- Al-Farooq Mosque (639 AD)
- Norias Park waterwheels
- Bitumen wells and hot springs
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Hit, revision 4954453 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4954453
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/hit). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.