Kurdistan Tour – Apr 2021
Paradise on Eart
At A Glance
Kurdistan is a prospective new nation protected by the Peshmerga, an oasis of safety despite being at the forefront of the fight against ISIS. Middle Eastern literature speaks of it as a paradise on earth, with breath-taking scenery and more than 3,500 archaeological sites, as well as some of the most friendly and welcoming people on earth. Our Kurdistan tour has become one of our most popular and we travel twice each year in April and October.
We begin our journey in Erbil, the capital of this unique region. We will travel to the world’s only Yazidi shrine at Lelesh, see the Peshmerga frontline against ISIS, visit Sadam Hussein’s palace at Amadiya, cruise along Hamilton Road, pay our respects at the scene of a mass chemical attack, explore the touristic Sulaymaniyah, drive through the former front line of Kirkuk and more before circling back to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Erbil. This is a region with a fascinating history, and of utmost importance in international current events. Join us on our trip to Kurdistan and witness history unfolding in real time.
KURDISTAN TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
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Feel an AK47 in your hands and take photos with the Peshmerga forces in Lalesh, the sacred town of the Yazidi people
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Get to see Saddam Hussein’s former palace in the town of Amadiya, situated on a mountaintop with amazing views of the surrounding scenery
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Visit Halabja including its shrines and museum. This was the scene of the worst chemical atrocity carried out by Saddam’s Baathist regime
For customers combining tours, you can avail of discounted rates. Get in touch for more details!
Dates & Pricing
At a glance
Duhok > Rawandas > Sulaymaniyah > Halabja > Erbil
Inclusive of
- Local guide
- All transport to complete itinerary
- All accommodation (Twin/triple share)
Exclusive of
- Tips for local guides and drivers
- Personal expenses
- Single supplement
- Food – average €20 a day
Itinerary
Thursday 22nd April
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Arrive at Erbil International Airport as per your own travel schedule. Erbil is served by several major international airlines.
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Those who arrive early, feel free to explore the Erbil bazaar or citadel – a bustling focal point of this ancient metropolis.
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In the evening we head for the welcome dinner, orientation, and drinks at our hotel, where we will review the itinerary.
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Overnight in Erbil.
Friday 23rd April
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We begin the day nice and early for the 2-hour drive to Lalesh. This is the most sacred town for the Yazidi people and is extremely interesting. We will get a chance here to have some photos taken complete with AK 47s and with the soldiers of the Peshmerga
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We then head to the Khanis archaeological site where it is also possible to drop down into our shorts and have a swim in the fresh water
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Our next stop is at one of the worlds oldest churches built into the mountains in Algosh. Algosh is technically part of Mosul and Iraq “proper” and from the mountainside church, we will be able to see the Peshmerga front line against ISIS
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Next up we grab lunch and a few beers in Algosh as luckily it is a Christian town
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After lunch, we drive onwards to Duhok, a quaint little town where we spend the night
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Walking city tour, dinner and overnight in Duhok
Saturday 24th April
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In the morning we head to Amadiya, home to one of Saddam Hussein’s former splenderous mountaintop palaces. Take in the amazing panoramic views.
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We’ll stop by the nearby famous cave restaurant for a traditional lunch
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After lunch we’ll head off on the 4-hour drive to Rawandas. Stopping along the way for pictures at the Shamarda cave as well as for refreshments
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When we arrive we’ll take a walking tour of Rawandas before dinner and drinks
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Overnight in Rawandas
Sunday 25th April
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After breakfast we drive the famously scenic Hamilton road. The road was built by AM Hamilton in the early 1930s for what he hoped would unify the peoples of the region when in fact the road has been fought over many times, especially during the war with Iran
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En route we will be stopping at various waterfalls and mountains for pictures before getting on the only mountain cable car in the region, the views are stunning.
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We’ll stop for lunch at a countryside restaurant
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Next up we depart for another scenic drive of around 3.5 hours to the second major city of Iraqi Kurdistan and the most important regarding tourism, Sulaymaniyah.
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That evening we’ll stroll through the city before heading into the Christian quarter for dinner and drinks
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Overnight in Sulaymaniyah
Monday 26th April
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After breakfast we take the 1-hour drive to Halabja. Halabja was the location of the mass chemical attack on the Kurdish people perpetrated by Saddam’s Baathist regime. We will visit some of the various shrines to the scene of this atrocity as well as visit a local museum
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We’ll stop for lunch by the border for some of the best kebabs in the entire region
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We’ll head back to Sulaymaniyah and check out the Red Prison. This is where Kurds were imprisoned and tortured if suspected of being against Saddams regime.
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Overnight in Sulaymaniyah
Tuesday 27th April
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After breakfast, we head back to Erbil, traveling the slightly longer route via Dukan lake, where, if weather permits we’ll have the possibility to go on a short boat ride and checkout the dam.
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We take a nice scenic drive back to Erbil and visit the Citadel for sunset, which, although it has seen better days, is still quit impressive. We then head into the bazaar with our local guide, he is a good man to consult on last minute bargains!
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Farewell dinner near the bazaar.
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How many people can say they’ve done a pub crawl in Iraqi Kurdistan? We finish our time in Iraq by seeing it off with a last night celebration
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Overnight in Erbil.
Wednesday 28th April
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This marks the end of your Kurdistan tour, we can either arrange additional accommodation, or transport to the airport just let us know!