Located in the far north of Iraq, nestled between Iran and Turkey, Iraqi Kurdistan is today a safe but turbulent region, home to some of the most breathtaking landscapes in the Middle East, composed of green mountains with snow-capped peaks that, definitely, will break with all the stereotypes you have about Iraq.
Iraqi Kurdistan is no desert, and it is one of the safest countries in the Middle East and the ultimate destination for travelers who are willing to meet the Kurds, a very proud, brave, and hospitable nation.
In the afternoon, we drove to the Alqosh, a small Assyrian town in the Nineveh Plains just 45 km north of Mosul. You will not find here a single mosque because the locals are Assyrians who mainly adhere to the Chaldean Catholic Church. We walked the old town around the tomb of the Prophet...
Our next stop was supposed to be Halamata Cave – an archaeological site near Duhok. The caves contain the Assyrian relief carvings known as the Maltai reliefs. The reliefs all show a procession of nine figures (the Assyrian king worshipping the main divinities in the Mesopotamian...
We drove from Zakho to the symbol of ancient Zoroastrianism – the Charsteen Cave. It is located just next to the Duhok Dam (🎫 1000 IQD). Fire, water, soil, and air were four sacred elements in Zoroastrianism. A short rocky tunnel leads to the sacred place – an open fire temple...
If you read our post about the horrible experience at the Turkish border crossing, then here you will find the second part from the Kurdish side, where we spent another 6 hours. Maybe this little guide will help you to cross it more smoothly than us. After crossing the bridge, you will...