The route from Bab-e-Tousi in Najaf to Bab-e-Qibla in Karbala, marked pole by pole every 50 metres — walked on foot each year by millions on the road to Arba'een.
Preferred start: the eve of 14th Safar (28th July), around 10pm, after Ziyarat-e-Wida.
Karbala's poles are numbered 1 to 1,452 along the highway, twenty to a kilometre. Drag the marker to see what's waiting at any point on the road.
Most walkers take the direct highway route. A second, longer path runs alongside the Euphrates.
Exit Imam Ali's Haram from Bab-e-Tousi, straight on Shahra-e-Tousi past Wadi-us-Salam Cemetery, then join the highway heading left. Follow the crowd roughly 70 km to Pole #1452, at the Haram of Hazrat Abbas (A.S.).
From the Mosque of Kufa, past Masjid-e-Sehla, along a road that runs parallel to the highway beside the Euphrates — cooler on hot days. About 98.1 km, longer than Route 1, and the road villages once sheltered walkers during Saddam-era restrictions.
Open route map →Notes gathered from years of the walk — on pacing, packing, and what actually helps in 45°C heat.
Arba'een's rhythm has shifted to a night walk. Hottest hours run roughly 9am–3pm — start walking an hour or two before Maghrib, when the pace is easiest to sustain, and aim to stop around Fajr or a few hours after.
Find shelter early: air-conditioned and air-cooled camps fill quickly once the sun is up. Don't over-stretch yourself — take a 10–15 minute rest every 70–100 poles or so to regroup and let your muscles ease.
Recommended overnight stops: somewhere between Pole #200–350 on the first night, and Pole #650–900 on the second.
Keep weight to a minimum — a lightweight backpack, not a shopping bag. There's already abundant food and water along the way, so there's no need to carry your own. Do bring any regular medication you need for 3–4 days.
Pack a cream for rashes; corn flour spread generously on the affected area gives immediate relief and can even be applied in advance as prevention — safe anywhere that isn't an open wound.
Wear shoes you've already broken in, never new ones. Bring your passport, a phone charger, and if you like, a pocket Qur'an, Du'as, or Ziyarat text — or the same on your phone.
You don't have to complete the whole distance walking. If at any point you feel you can't continue, vans run the route constantly and are easy to find. An average walker above age 10 is overwhelmingly likely to complete it within 3–4 days without issue — it's worth trying regardless.
Know the name of your hotel in Karbala in both English and Arabic. Mobile connectivity has improved substantially in recent years, and some Moukkibs offer WiFi, though it isn't always reliable.
A searchable index of landmarks and Moukkibs (camps) mentioned along the Karbala pole numbering — handy for setting a re-grouping point with family or friends. Thousands more Moukkibs exist beyond this list; you're welcome to stay at any of them.
| Pole # | Landmark | Type |
|---|
The open, deserted stretch of the highway can feel hotter still. Sip water continuously through the day — don't wait until you're thirsty.
From Kamil-uz-Ziyaraat, Chapter 43 — the Ziyarat of Imam Husain (A.S.) is described as obligatory on all believers.
Order our Shia to perform the Ziyarat of Imam Husain, for it is obligatory on every believer who testifies that he is an Imam appointed by Allah.
Every Shia carries a binding contract toward his Imam — and the most perfect way to fulfil it is the Ziyarat of that Imam's grave.
Even a yearly Hajj does not excuse abandoning the Ziyarat of Imam Husain — it remains an obligation owed to Allah and His Messenger.
The sun's rays falling on the visitor of the Imam's shrine consume his sins the way fire consumes wood — he returns home without a single one remaining.