How to travel Iraqi Kurdistan in 2025
Travel Iraqi Kurdistan in 2025 – My Ultimate Guide
Often overshadowed by the turmoil in other parts of Iraq, Iraqi Kurdistan is a peaceful, autonomous region in the north that offers travelers a very different side of the country — one filled with breathtaking mountain landscapes, deep-rooted culture, ancient religious sites, and some of the most genuine hospitality in the world. Safe, welcoming, and largely untouched by mass tourism, Kurdistan is an underrated destination that feels both surprising and deeply rewarding for those willing to venture off the beaten path.
📜 What is Kurdistan?
The Kurdish people are the world’s largest ethnic group without their own country. Spread across Turkey, Syria, Iran, and Iraq, the Kurds have long fought for recognition and autonomy. Of all these countries, only Iraq has granted the Kurds a semi-independent region — Iraqi Kurdistan.
Located in the north, with Erbil (Hewlêr) as its capital, Iraqi Kurdistan has its own government (the KRG), military (the Peshmerga), border policies, and even visa system. While it technically remains part of Iraq, many of the people here don’t identify as Iraqis or Arabs — they identify proudly as Kurds, with a distinct language, culture, and identity.
Iraq is essentially split into two regions:
Federal Iraq – governed by Baghdad, culturally Arab, and religiously dominated by Shiite and Sunni Islam.
Iraqi Kurdistan – autonomous, Kurdish-speaking, and culturally distinct, with a stronger sense of regional identity and stability.
These two parts of Iraq differ not only in governance but in history, security, culture, religion, and travel experience. This guide focuses on the Kurdish region
🪪 How to get a Visa for Iraqi Kurdistan
When traveling to Iraqi Kurdistan, it’s important to know that there are two different types of visas depending on where you’re heading:
Federal Iraq Visa – covers all of Iraq, including Kurdistan Region
Iraqi Kurdistan Visa – only valid for the Kurdish autonomous region in the north.
In the past, both visas were available on arrival, but now you’ll need to apply online in advance.
Federal Iraq Visa
Cost: Around $160 USD
Note: The official visa website is known for payment issues, especially with non-Iraqi credit/debit cards.
Apply here: Federal Iraq Visa Application- Visa Updates in this Facebook Group: Iraqi Travel Community
Iraqi Kurdistan Visa
- Cost: $80 USD
Generally easier to obtain and the application process is more straightforward.- Apply here: Kurdish Visa Application
Where can you go?
With a Kurdish Visa you can enter all parts in Iraqi Kurdistan and roam around freely, though occasional passport controls might still occur. This means you have access to Erbil, Dohuk, Rawanduz, Akre, Lalish, Choman and more.
- Note: Depending on the mood of the border officers, you might even be able to go to Mosul, which lies in Federal Iraq, with your Kurdish visa. I heard from people who managed to do this and others who had to turn around at one of the checkpoints. However if you are travelling with a guide, you can definetly visit Mosul on a Kurdish Visa.
💡 The Visa Process for Iraqi Kurdistan is automated for european passports. Once you entered your passport information and personal data, the system will automatically create your visa file and send it to you within less than a minute.
✈️ How to enter Iraqi Kurdistan
✈️ Enterin Iraqi Kurdistan By Air
The main international airport is located in Erbil (Erbil international airport). There are direct some direct flights from Europe but you will most likely have a Layover in Athens, Greece or Istanbul, Turkey.
🚐 Enterin Iraqi Kurdistan By Land
Entering Iraqi Kurdistan by land from Turkey is straightforward and popular among overland travelers. Buses run regularly from Turkish cities like Diyarbakır or Van to Zakho or Duhok, crossing the Habur–Ibrahim Khalil border.
There is also an open border with Iran, but it’s a longer and more time-consuming route. Along my travels I met people who took this route before and reported it to be more time consuming and a bit chaotic.
⚠️ Why You Can’t Enter Federal Iraq from Kurdistan
While Iraqi Kurdistan is part of Iraq geographically, it functions autonomously — including its own immigration system. When entering from Turkey or Iran, you’ll receive a Kurdish visa stamp, not a Federal Iraqi one.
This becomes a problem if you later want to visit Federal Iraq (e.g., Baghdad, Basra, Mosul):
There is no official Iraqi immigration checkpoint at the internal border, meaning you won’t get the necessary Federal Iraq entry stamp. Without it, you can’t legally travel into Federal Iraq, even though there are no hard borders or fences between the regions.
💡 Update 2025: According to several Guides and other travellers you can now visit Mosul and even Baghdad on a kurdish visa. Note that those rules can change again any time.
🗺️ My favourite Spots in Iraqi Kurdistan
🔗 Want to explore Rawanduz & Soran in more depth? Check out my full guide: How to Visit Soran & Rawanduz
Rawanduz & Soran
Let’s start with my personal highlight in all of Kurdistan. Rawanduz is a paradise for Outdoor fans. Most unique is the canyon of Rawanduz which you wouldn’t find anywhere in Europe. You can hike through the entire canyon and even go Camping & Rock Climbing (More about that here)
Just next to it lies the smaller city of Soran, which is easily reachable from Erbil. I spend 5 days in this region alone, which shows how beautiful this area is.
The region is also known for its waterfalls—some of the most scenic in Kurdistan. That said, many of them have been somewhat over-commercialized, so don’t expect untouched nature at every spot.
Still, the area draws visitors from all over Iraq, especially during the lush green season (March–May).
Akre
Akre is a beautiful town built in the slopes of of a hill, located around 1.5 hours north of Erbil. Especially from a distance the place looks almost like a painting.
One of the city’s highlights is the Akre Grand Mosque, considered one of the oldest mosques in the Kurdistan Region. The town also holds cultural significance for the Newroz (Kurdish New Year) celebrations, which are famously vibrant here, attracting crowds every March with torch-lit processions on the hills.
👉 For more details, check out my full Guide: How to visit Akre
🔗 Full Guide for Halguard: How to summit Iraq’s highest mountain
Halgurd, Iraq's Highest Moutain
At 3,607 meters, Halgurd is widely considered the highest mountain in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. While Cheekha Dar, located just a few kilometers away, is technically taller at 3,611 meters, it lies in a sensitive border zone between Iraq and Iran. Due to military presence from both the Kurdish Peshmerga and the Iranian army, access to Cheekha Dar is heavily restricted—making Halgurd the highest accessible peak in the country.
In Contrary to what you’d expect of Iraq, you’ll find snow-covered peaks, alpine valleys and lots of wild animals here. You’ll need ropes, helmet and crampons to summit it.
⚠️ Important: The area around Halgurd is still littered with landmines left over from the Iran-Iraq war, and permits are required to enter. Hiking without a guide is not allowed. Throughout my travels in Kurdistan I managed to meet Danial, the owner of Soran’s hiking store. He both serves as a licensed mountain guide and can help you obtain the necessary permits. You can find his hiking store here.
Erbil
Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, is likely where your journey begins if you’re flying into the country.
The city’s vibrant main square is a great place to soak in the local atmosphere—surrounded by fountains, shisha cafés, tea houses, and street food vendors. Just a short stroll away is the Erbil Citadel, an iconic landmark that sits at the heart of the city. While incredibly photogenic, the citadel is currently closed to visitors (last updated: May 2025) due to ongoing restoration work.
Outside the main square, you’ll find a sprawling bazaar full of spices, textiles, and souvenirs. It’s a great place to get a feel for local life and perhaps pick up a few gifts.
Personally I think there is not that much to do here and you can see everything in 1-2 days. Still you can read more about Erbil and some hidden corners in my full Guide to Erbil.
👉 For more details, check out my full Erbil Travel Guide: How to visit Erbil
🚕 How to get around in Iraqi Kurdistan
Getting from city to city in Iraqi Kurdistan is mostly done via shared taxis. Each city has a local hub, often referred to as a “garage”—a parking area where taxis wait until they have enough passengers to depart. Usually, once four people are ready to go to the same destination, the car leaves.
For popular destinations like Dohuk or Sulaimaniyya, the wait time is minimal. But if you’re headed to smaller towns like Akre or Soran, it can take a while. When I took a shared taxi from Soran to Akre, I had to wait two full hours until the car was full.
Erbil → Soran: 10,000 IQD (shared taxi), 6,000 IQD (shared minivan)
Erbil → Dohuk: 15,000 IQD
Erbil → Sulaimaniyya: 25,000 IQD
⚠️If you’re headed to Sulaimaniyya, double-check that your shared taxi does not go through Kirkuk. Kirkuk lies in Federal Iraq, not Kurdistan and you might get trouble with a Kurdish Visa.
Note: These garages are not well marked on Google Maps, so here are some helpful garage locations:
💡 Extra Tip: Careem works pefectly fine within Erbil.
👍 Hitchhiking – Surprisingly Easy
Kurdistan is one of the easiest and most welcoming places to hitchhike I’ve ever been to. Locals are incredibly kind and often go out of their way to help. In Rawanduz, I had two cars stop within 10 seconds of putting out my thumb. On another occasion, someone even turned his car around to drive me in the opposite direction. As a little thank you I handed out some german choclate I carried with me.
Tips:
Don’t hitchhike at night.
Use common sense.
Carry small gifts or snacks to offer as thanks.
🛑 Military Checkpoints
You’ll frequently encounter military checkpoints when traveling between cities. Sometimes you’ll just be waved through, but other times you’ll need to get out of the vehicle to show your passport, visa and give your phone number to the officers.
🛏️ Accommodation in Iraqi Kurdistan
When it comes to finding a place to stay in Iraq, the best advice I can give you is this: don’t book in advance.
Most of the hotels you’ll find online are either luxury options or wildly overpriced. In both Federal Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan, the better approach is to:
Search the area on Google Maps,
Read recent reviews, and
Walk in and ask for a room.
💡 During my entire time traveling through Iraq, I never once encountered a hotel that was fully booked.
Budget hotels usually range from 15,000 to 30,000 IQD per night (~10–20 USD).
Hotels listed online often start around 50,000 IQD or more, for no clear reason other than being bookable via international platforms.
Most hotels include breakfast, and staff are generally helpful even if English is limited.
Here are some budget hotels I can recommend:
- Erbil: Janet Bludan Hotel – 25.000IQD. Honestly it is not the best and not even very clean but probably the best you can find in Erbil for this price range,
- Akre: Laween Hotel – 25.000 IQD. I haven’t been here myself but in Akre are barely any Hotel options. This is the best you’ll find.
- Soran & Rawanduz: Zagros Hotel – 15.000 IQD. Update May 2025: Currently closed
Hotel Diana Palace – 35.000 IQD. The most expensive Hotel I’ve been to during my travel but very clean and big rooms.
⛺ Camping
When I was in Rawanduz I decided to sleep a night in the canyon. Even though the sunet was stunning and I found a comfortable spot for my sleeping bag, I got woken up by the biggest snake I’ve seen in my entire life and left the campsite in the middle of the night. Camping is definetly possible but maybe ask a local first where to go.
🏠 Local Hospitality
There’s a good chance you’ll make friends along the way — and sometimes, those friendships come with a warm invitation to stay at someone’s family home.
During my journey, I accepted these kinds of offers on three different occasions.
🙏 While you should never take advantage of people’s hospitality, in Iraq, these invitations are often genuine and offered with pride and generosity. Just use your common sense:
Don’t immediately accept overnight offers from strangers.
Spend the day with them first, get to know them, and trust your instincts.
A bit of caution goes a long way — even in a country full of kindness.
- Be respectful! This isn’t a free hotel — it’s a personal, cultural exchange. Think of it as being invited into someone’s life, not just their home. Most families are simply curious about you, your story, and your journey, and offering you a place to stay is their way of showing warmth and interest.
👮 Safety in Iraqi Kurdistan
While the name Iraq might still sound intimidating to many—due to decades of war, instability, and the headlines we’ve all seen—Iraqi Kurdistan is a very different story. The region operates with a high degree of autonomy, and when it comes to safety, it’s one of the most stable and secure parts of the Middle East.
In fact, I would go as far as saying that Iraqi Kurdistan feels safer than many places in Europe. Crime is rare, and foreigners are not only welcomed but often treated like honored guests. Police and military checkpoints are common, but they’re generally routine and nothing to worry about as a tourist. The biggest challenges you might face here are language barriers, not security concerns.
⚠️ I’m only talking about Iraqi Kurdistan—not all of Iraq, and not the broader Kurdish regions in neighboring countries. Conditions vary greatly across the region, so don’t assume Kurdistan is one unified experience.
👉 Want to know more about safety in Federal Iraq? Read my full guide How to visit Federal Iraq
🌐 Sim Card and Internet in Iraqi Kurdistan
📱 SIM Cards
You can purchase a local SIM card either at the airport or at Erbil’s City Center.
I paid 25,000 IQD for 20 GB of data by the Kurdish Provider Fast Link.
Unlimited Internet for 1 month is 35.000 IQD
Activation was quick, and the mobile internet was fast and reliable, even in smaller towns.
⚠️ Fast Link won’t work in Federal Iraq.
🛜 Wi-Fi
Most hotels and guesthouses offer free Wi-Fi, but:
It’s often unstable, with frequent dropouts or slow speeds.
Don’t rely on it for video calls or large uploads — your mobile data will likely perform better.
🏧Money Exchange, ATMs & Currency in Iraqi Kurdistan
💰 Currency
The local currency is the Iraqi Dinar (IQD)
1 Euro ≈ 1,451 IQD (rate may fluctuate slightly)
In all of Iraq you will need to bring Cash. Lots of Cash.
Hotels won’t accept cards and Food, Transportation or Guides will be paid in Cash as well.
Exchanging money is fairly easy. You’ll find proper exchange offices, but also more unusual setups — like men sitting on the street behind a glass box filled with thousands of dollars. It might sound strange, but that’s genuinely how many people operate. Even more surprising, these boxes are often left unattended during prayer times or overnight, which says a lot about the trust and safety in many areas.
Don’t rely on ATMs. . As far as I know, there’s just one working ATM in Erbil that supports international withdrawals.
🧭 Independent Travel in Iraqi Kurdistan
Traveling independently in Iraqi Kurdistan is absolutely possible, even though it comes with a few challenges.
Most locals speak little to no English, so communication often relies on hand gestures, translation apps.
Also don’t expect to find hotels, transportation (besides Careem), or tours listed on major booking platforms. If you’re someone who prefers planning every detail in advance, this can feel frustrating at first. But if you embrace a more flexible style of travel, you’ll find that this spontaneity becomes one of the most memorable parts of the experience.
That said, Kurdish people are incredibly helpful. Even with the language barrier, you’ll often find locals going out of their way to assist you.
😊 Hospitality in Iraqi Kurdistan
One of the most defining aspects of traveling through Iraqi Kurdistan is the extraordinary warmth of its people. The hospitality here rivals that of countries like Pakistan, where welcoming strangers is part of the culture. Locals are often thrilled to meet tourists and even ask for Selfies with you frequently.
Tea invitations are common and especially when a local speaks English they’ll love to hear your travel stories. I even got invited to a family’s dinner or to stay the night almost every day. Of course, it’s important to accept such invitations with respect and genuine interest — these aren’t just free meals or places to sleep, but moments of real cultural exchange. As long as you’re open, kind, and cautious, you’ll likely find that Iraqi hospitality becomes one of your favorite memories of the trip.
⛅ Best Time to Visit Iraqi Kurdistan
The best time to visit Iraq is between March and May, or from October to January. During these months, temperatures are more pleasant and travel is far less exhausting compared to the scorching summer heat.
If you travel in spring, you’ll catch Iraqi Kurdistan at its most beautiful, with lush green hills and colorful wildflowers that completely change the landscape.
Personally I would avoid visiting during Ramadan. While it’s a culturally rich time, life slows down significantly. Many restaurants close during the day, and locals spend more time indoors, which can make it harder to connect with people and enjoy the social atmosphere Iraq is known for.
🥡 Food in Iraqi Kurdistan
You’ll eat a lot of kebab. Every. Single. Day. While I genuinely enjoy kebab, I have to admit it gets a bit tiring after eating it multiple times a day for two weeks straight.
You’ll mostly encounter two main types of kebab:
Skewered Lamb Kebab – Grilled cubes of lamb served on skewers, usually accompanied by roasted vegetables, raw onions, and a side of naan bread.
Minced Meat Kebab – Seasoned ground meat (usually lamb or beef), shaped onto skewers and often served inside a naan-style sandwich with herbs, onions, and sometimes salad. (Kebab Sandwich)
Outside of Erbil, you won’t find much variety when it comes to international cuisines, but what Kurdistan lacks in diversity it makes up for in fresh, local produce. In nearly every village, you’ll see vans parked on the roadside selling fresh fruit, including bananas, apples and hands down some of the best melons you’ll ever taste.
👗 How to dress in Iraqi Kurdistan
When it comes to clothing, Iraqi Kurdistan is much more relaxed than Federal Iraq. In many ways, you can compare the dress code here to places like eastern Turkey — modest but not overly strict.
For women, it’s best to dress conservatively:
Wearing a t-shirt is completely fine, but shoulders and knees should generally be covered, especially outside of Erbil.
If you’re visiting a mosque or religious site, you’ll need to wear a hijab and dress more conservatively.
In Erbil, I saw some local women wearing shorter dresses or pants, but as a female tourist, I’d still recommend erring on the modest side — long skirts, trousers, and covered shoulders are a safe choice.
For men, the rules are easier:
T-shirts and knee-length shorts are widely accepted.
Tank tops or anything too revealing might draw unwanted attention in more rural areas, but overall, you don’t have to stress too much about what to wear as a male traveler.
🤑 Budget Travel in Iraqi Kurdistan
Traveling in Iraqi Kurdistan is definitely more affordable than in most European countries and probably comparable to rural Turkey. How much you spend really comes down to your travel style. If you’re on a tight budget and watch your expenses closely, you can manage on around $30 per day. On the other end of the spectrum, a more comfortable or luxury trip can easily exceed $150 per night, just for accommodation.
Day-to-day costs for food and transportation are very reasonable. Shared taxis, local meals, and even some entrance fees are budget-friendly. Where your money will go the fastest is accommodation (if booked online) and hiring a guide.
| Travel Type | Accomendation | Food | Transportation | Activities | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Budget |
15$ |
5$ |
5$ |
0$ |
30$ |
|
Average |
25$ |
10$ |
10$ |
10$ |
55$ |
|
Luxury |
100$ |
30$ |
15$ |
25$ |
170$ |
Conclusion
After all the sightseeing, non-stop tea invites, and navigating checkpoints, here’s the thing: Iraqi Kurdistan blew my expectations out of the water in the most unexpected way. Unlike the many horror stories you hear, this place is actually safe. In fact, some say it’s safer than parts of Europe
The region isn’t a tourist hotspot, so wherever I went it was just my own to explore. I met families who invited me into their homes, offered me tea and heartfelt smiles
Those moments made the trip feel personal like I wasn’t a tourist, but a guests. It’s a side of the Middle East that so few get to see and shows a heartwarming, unfiltered, and unforgettable side.
More on Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan
How to visit Erbil in 2025
How to visit Lalish in 2025
How to visit Rawanduz & Soran in 2025
How to visit Mosul in 2025
How to visit Akre in 2025 (Iraqi Kurdistan)
Halgurd: How to summit Iraq’s highest Mountain
Alex
Welcome off the beaten path!
I’m Alex, a 23 year old traveler who loves to explore the corners of the world, that still seem to be untouched. In this Blog I want to share my experiences with you.
