Najaf to Karbala Walking Guide

Last Updated on 2^nd September, 2024

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NajafToKarbala
@NajafToKarbala5

Details:

Total Distance

80 km

Total Number of Poles

Najaf Poles: 182 // Karbala Poles: 1452

Distance Between Each Poles

50 meters [20 Poles = 1 km]

Approx. Walking Time Required

23 to 27 hours (Increased in the past few years due to hot weather)

Approximate number of Steps [Men/Women/Children]

For Adult Men: 104,000 to 110,000 Steps | For Adult Women: 115,000 to 120,000 Steps | For Children: Around 160,000 Steps [These are rough estimates and calculated based on average stride length of men, women and children respectively]

Estimated Time to Reach the Destination

3-4 Days/Nights

Preferred Start Time

15^th Safar [10^th August, 2025] - Ideally, on the eve of 15th Safar after Dinner and Ziyarat-e-Wida - Around 10pm

Expected Completion Time (InshaAllah)

17^th Safar [12^th August, 2025] - Late Night/Early hours of 18th Safar, InShaAllah

Who Can Do This?

Anyone (Male/Female/Families)

Directions:

Take an Exit from Imam Ali (A.S) Haram from Bab-e-Tousi (Opposite to Bab-e-Qibla) and start walking straight on Shahra-e-Tousi - After about 500 meters, Wadi-us-Salam Cemetry will start - Keep walking straight and you will eventually get to the Highway (on the right), turn left, where hundreds of thousands of people will be walking towards Karbala - Join them and you will reach the Haram of Hazrat Abbas (A.S) after about 70 km at Pole # 1452.

Route # 2 - Directions from Kufa via Hindiyah to Karbala [People Starting their walk from Mosque of Kufa]: You can start walking towards Masjid-e-Sehla. There is a route from back of Masjid-e-Sehla, This road runs parallel to the Najaf-Karbala Highway, most people walk on. This route is usually cooler during hot days, as it runs alongside the River Furaat. This route is longer and is about 98.1 km from Kufa to Karbala via Hindiyah. This route was more popular during the Saddam (LA) era, when the walk was restricted by the regime of Saddam Hussein (LA), as this route runs through the villages and isn't a proper route to be caught on and persecuted. - Route Map

Landmarks (Poles) - Pole Numbers are mentioned along the road from Najaf to Karbala on every Pole:

Karbala Poles Starts After

9-10 km approx.

Pole # 1

Ministry Office on Left side of the Road

Pole # 345

Concrete Walls - Temporary Checkpost

Pole # 578

City of Haidariya - Haidariya Hospital

Pole # 647

Proper Permanent Washrooms

Pole # 960

Large Checkposts

Pole # 1183

Checkpost

Pole # 1237

Al Ameed University (Formerly Imam Ali (A.S) City)

Pole # 1399

Moukkib by Our Turkish Brothers

Pole # 1252

Ministry of Import/Export - Office

Pole # 1285

Checking Checkpost - Entrance of Karbala

Pole # 1294

[Optional Shortcut] Turn Right - The same pole numbers will continue on this route as well - After about 4.5 kms, original pole numbers will again start from 1407

Pole # 1407

First Sight to Roza-e-Hazrat Abbas (A.S) - People who Have Turn Right at 1294 will Join here (Note: Remove your Shoes in Respect to Haram)

Pole # 1378

Al-Kafeel Hospital [Managed by Administration of Haram e Hazrat Abbas (A.S)]

Pole # 1452

End of Poles // Poles 1432 to 1452 has been temporarily removed due to the expansion of the road. So, the last pole number you'll currently see is 1432 and the haram is 500 meters from here, as these poles were closer to each other (25 meters distance between them)

25 Meters

Bab-e-Qibla - Roza-e-Hazrat Abbas (A.S)

Recommended Stops/Milestones:

• Preferably don't stop before the Karbala poles' starts.
• Try to spend the 1st Day in any Moukkib somewhere between Pole # 200 to 350. Only walk as much as your body allows you, don't overstretch yourself! Every body is different from the other!
• Try to spend the 2nd Day in any Moukkib somewhere between Pole # 650 to 900.
• You can take stops after every 70/100 or so poles to re-group with family/friends and take a rest of 10-15 minutes to allow your muscles to ease up.

Walking Notes:

• Update: As it is pretty hot out there during the day, ideally start walking an hour or two before Maghreb, as that will be the BEST time to cover the distance with the fastest possible speed. Arbaeen walk dynamics have changed and these walks are night time walks for next several years. Stay and rest during the day and walk at night!
• Don't over-stretch yourself during the walk. Take a rest, when required.
• Update: Stop walking at around Fajr time or if you can walk, few hours after fajar and try to find a comfortable place to stay for yourself and the people accompanying you. Quite a few camps (with AC/Air Cooler) got occupied early - So, ensure you stop early and have already found a reasonable place to spend the hottest hours.

Belongings' Notes:

• Try not to get too much weight with you. Don't take anything to eat or drink, there is already too much on the way.
• Take any regular medicines that would be required during the 3-4 days' walk.
• Prefer a lightweight backpack instead of a shopping bag to carry stuff during your journey.
• Seasonal: Update: Please check out the expected temperature for the Arba'een. The weather is expected to be reasonably hot, this Arba'een - unlike last years! Do check the weather forecast before packing up your bags to avoid carrying unnecessary apparel's weight.
• Any suitable cream for rashes. Important Update: Corn flour is ideal for immediate relief in rashes. Just spread it generously at the place of burning. It can be applied in advance to prevent rashes as well. Can be used at any place, as long as it isn't an open wound - pretty safe!!
• You can get a small pocket Quran/Duas/Ziyarat or put them in your mobile (if possible) to pass your time while walking.
• Don't wear new shoes - Try to wear something comfortable, that you can walk with. Click here to read more about Preventing Blisters.
• Passport, Mobile Charger (if you are carrying a mobile).

Important Notes:

• You don't have to worry much about doing it completely. If you ever think, that you cannot continue at any point, you can take a van to reach Karbala, there are hundreds everywhere. An average male/female above the age of 10 years is 99.99% likely to complete it on the 3^rd/4^th day without any issues. You should at least give it a try - it is definitely worth it!!
• Make sure you know the name of the Hotel; you are intended to stay in Karbala in both English & Arabic.
• (Update: The situation has improved in the last few years or so and the calls do get connected most of the times. You can use mobile for internet connectivity. Also, there are some WIFI Moukkibs but those aren't too reliable and only works randomly sometimes.
• For Common Terminologies in English, Arabic and Urdu - 1 | 2 NEW!!

Landmarks/Re-Grouping Stops:

Pole # 72

Moukkib Aal-e Abi-Talib (A.S.)/Moukkib Abil Fazlil Abbas (AS)

Pole # 212

Moukkib Aimmatul Baqi

Pole # 470

Moukkib Zahra Trust (U.K.)

Pole # 596

Moukkib by our brothers from Thailand

Pole # 602

Moukkib Aal-e-Fakhruddin

Pole # 510, 648, 650, 799, 991, 1045, 1071, 1195

Various Moukkibs by our Lebanese Brothers

Pole # 72, 89, 112, 172, 201, 208 (USA), 212, 313, 327, 364, 386, 392, 425, 448, 472 (USA), 475, 477, 536, 594, 603, 655, 709, 764, 777, 820, 892, 1086, 1163, 1176

Various Moukkibs By Our Pakistani/Indian Brothers (Preventing Blisters | Blisters Treatement | Blisters Guide)

Pole # 822

Moukkib for Repairing of Wheelchair/Stroller, Shoes, Bags, Glasses & Mobile Phones

Pole # 892

Hussainiya Fatima - Under the supervision of Grand Ayatullah Saeed Al-Hakim

Imam Hassan (A.S.) City - Managed by Administration of Haram e Imam Hussain (A.S)

Pole # 1237

Al Ameed University - Managed by Administration of Haram e Hazrat Abbas (A.S) - Formerly Imam Ali (AS) City

Note: There are literally thousands of Moukkib (Camps/Buildings) and you can stay anywhere, you want - this detail is just handy, if you are travelling with family/friends to set a re-grouping point. *Disclaimer:* Some moukkabs operated by our foreign brothers are makeshift camps in partnership with local Iraqi moukkabs. These camps may shift locations each year and may not correspond to the pole numbers mentioned above. We strive to update and maintain the accuracy of this information.

Kamil-uz-Ziyaraat (Chapter 43): Ziyarat of Imam Husain (a.s.) is obligatory on All

Tradition 1: Imam Sadiq (a.s.) said: Order our Shia to perform the Ziyarat of Imam Husain (a.s.), because it is obligatory on every believer who testifies that Husain (a.s.) is an Imam appointed by Allah, the Mighty and Sublime.

Tradition 2: Imam Reza (a.s.) said: There is a binding contract on every Shia and follower towards him Imam and the most perfect and beautiful way to fulfill this contract is to perform the Ziyarat of the grave of that Imam.
On Judgment Day, Imam (a.s.) will intercede for one who performs his Ziyarat with longing and believe in that which he has been ordered to believe.

Tradition 4: Imam Sadiq (a.s.) said: Even if you go to Hajj every year but don't perform the Ziyarat of Imam Husain (a.s.), you have abandoned one of your obligations towards Allah and His messenger, because the right of Imam Husain (a.s.) is made obligatory on every Muslim by the Almighty Allah.

Imam Jafar-e-Sadiq(A.S) About Ziyarat-e-Imam Hussain(A.S):

1. When the visitor leaves the house, each and every spot that he steps on, prays for him. (Behaarul Anwar, vol 101, pg 15, tradition 14)
2. When the rays of the sun fall on the visitor of Imam's (a.s.) shrines, it consumes his sins like the fire consumes wooden sticks. The sun does not leave any sin on his body and he returns home sinless. In fact on his return he is granted a status that is not even given to those who shed their blood in Allah's path. (Behaarul Anwar, vol 101, pg 15, tradition 14; Kamiluz Ziaraat, pg 298)
3. When a Shia knows Imam Hussain's (a.s.) right over the people and leaves his house for Imam's (a.s.) ziarat in this condition, without any pride and conceit, then a 1,000 angels accompany him from the right, with another 1,000 angels on the left. And he will be rewarded as if he has performed 1,000 Hajj and 1,000 Umrah with a prophet or with the successor (wasi) of a prophet. (Behaarul Anwar, vol 101, pg 91, tradition 33)
4. 'If one of our Shia goes for Imam Hussain's (a.s.) Ziarat, then he will not return but all his sins will be forgiven. For every step that he or his mount takes, 1,000 virtues are written for him, 1,000 sins are forgiven and his status is elevated by 1,000 degrees.' (Behaarul Anwar, vol 101, pg 25, tradition 26; Kamiluz Ziaraat, pg 134)