IRAQ = a must see

[Tarzan]

Hey guys!

Thought I would post up a mini report on visiting northern iraq as there arnt many posts around...

As background... Im a solo rider, 23, rode from the UK to Iraq, the bike is an XT660R.

So, I entered Iraq via Turkey, the turkish half was crazy and nothing like the turkish border from bulgaria... you literally have to barge, shout and elbow your way to the front of the single miniscule window surrounded by a swarm of pissed of turks...

anyway heres the good bit... the iraqi half was the best border ive ever crossed through! free tea, leather chairs and a few questions...




Costs

Visa: FREE 10 day visa on arrival at the border
Carnet: NOT required
Total costs: NONE... all free

Northern Iraq is under semi autonomous Kurdish control, and the cities such as Dohuk are among the safest in the world... far safer than any western city... in fact their so safe their boaring...

Northern Iraq has been like no place i have ever visited before... i have never experienced kindness as i have here... the people are phenomenal. In restaurants, the owners refuse to take my money, if i want a banana or some fruit they wont let me pay, when i walk into a shop to grab a couple of bottles of water they just flat out refuse my money and say no its a present, today i tried to pay for a fresh orange juice but the owner said no you are a guest of iraq.. come and visit my family instead ... it is literally just continous

Danger is relative, it is true that Dohuk is 80 km from Moussel, one of the most dangerous cities in the world BUT... you cant accidently enter as there are military checkpoints absoloutly everywhere and they block of all entrances... i rode right past it twice on a 400 km ride deeper south.

the police and military are great... always smiling always saying welcome to kurdistan...


the only annoying thing about this place is that the army and police stop me every twenty minutes as they all want their mates to take photos of themselves with their arms around me next to the bike....

Sorry this is a super quick poorly written report, i dont have a lot of time on the net and its kebab time

I have a detailed report with some cool photos on my blog if your interested:

Middle East Overlander

middleeastoverlander.blogspot.com

PS ... atms dont work and you must bring US dollars ONLY dont expect to change anything else... everything here is super dooper cheap and your spending like one dollar per meal etc...

Thanks!

Andy

(a couple of taster photos

[PanEuropean]

Hi Andy:

Thanks for the great report, it sounds like a worthwhile place to visit.

Do you think the roads are generally in good enough condition that I could do a trip there on a Honda ST 1100 (a PanEuropean)? I am particularly interested in riding secondary roads, not primary highways (but, not 'off road', obviously).

Michael

[geoffshing]

Hey Andy,

Sound like your having a great time in beautiful Northern Iraq. It is beautiful and the people are some of the nicest you'll ever meet and you have headed to probably the best area of Iraq, the Northern Kurdish controlled area.

I've been and worked there, Kirkuk, Erbil, Mosul and pretty much everywhere else in Iraq as I'm a close protection operator and medic in the much frowned upon 'Private Security' sector working here since 2003. I'm currently working in Basra and will be home in 15 days!

But I'd like to remind fellow bikers and overlanders that as the Kurdish autonomous regions are the safest, the southern parts ARE NOT!! Kidnapping here is rife and generates lots of money, militia controlled areas are still abundant despite what the US says and corruption in the Police and Military is second only to Afghanistan. I get paid rather well to look after people here and have seen many things in my time. I would hate for a tourist to get him/herself into trouble in this part of the country..!

The requirement of permits for tourists to travel in the south are obligatory with foreign registered vehicles and having a British or US plated vehicle will set you up as a target immediatley. Please don't get me wrong and I don't want to pee in your soup but I would not recommend the south as a place to visit as of this moment, this place is still too dodgy and may be for some time to come.

I love biking and travelling and having been here for over 7 years I can say this with confidence that when this place does get to be safer, it will be one of my touring places on a bike as there is soo much to see, Temple of UR, Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Garden of Eden, Crossed Swords of Baghdad (see me in pic) etc, etc...

If anyone has any questions about this area then please feel free to ask, if I can't answer then I can pass you onto someone that probably can!

Be safe..!

p.s, my signature at the bottom.... doesn't apply to here cos that'd would just be stupid!

[tweetyduck]

We are looking at crossing Iraq into Jordan rather than risk Syria. Do you think this is safe. Quite happy to take the plates off the car and travel through.

So the big questions are...
Visa at border ?
Travel South to Jordan following the border ?
UK Car, UK passorts.
Possible of not?
Safe or not?
Stop off's in Iraq on the alleged 10 day Visa ?

Comments extremely welcome. Personal opinion welcome !

Thanks

Im out of contact till Saturday Evening. No web access.

[Tim Cullis]

Thanks Andy and Geoff, interesting posts.

[henryuk]

Great blog Andy - have added Iraq to my list!

Noted Geoff - will try and take a better map with me and steer well clear of any trouble- my ability to end up in the wrong country might not be so amusing out there!

[Travelbug]

Great trip report, Tarzan!

I've been to the "Republic of Iraq - Kurdistan Region" (so says the passport stamp) in 2008 and contrary to some armchair travelers in this thread, I can confirm it's a very interesting and relatively safe destination.

The most dangerous part for me was in Turkey from Van via Hakkari and Cizre to the Turkish/Iraqi border at Silopi. That Turkish road was like a warzone with fighter jets, combat helicopters, many heavily fortified military checkpoints and VERY nervous Turkish draft soldiers.

This came as a surprise to me, since there are no accurate reports in the mainstream media and even most of my Turkish friends themselves do not know the full truth about that corner of their country.

Of course they don't know, because the average Turk would never put his foot into the "hot" Kurdish areas - and just reiterate the official propaganda (as visible on this thread).

A sidenote: I had two aggressive moments with young Kurds, based on religious arguments. They were a lot more islamic fundamentalist than I expected. The usual portrait is that they are secular compared to the other groups in the area - not true IMHO.

[Knight of the Holy Graal]

Originally Posted by Travelbug

A sidenote: I had two aggressive moments with young Kurds, based on religious arguments. They were a lot more islamic fundamentalist than I expected. The usual portrait is that they are secular compared to the other groups in the area - not true IMHO.

It's my understanding that some Chinese massage shops and Christian liquor shops have been torched to ashes early December in Zakho by a screaming crowd , in the north of Kurdistan, after a local religious guide blamed them as anti-islamic during a sermon (Iraq: Muslims Attack and Torch Christian Businesses After Friday Prayers - YouTube)

I'm sorry for this, I have some options for my 2012 summer holiday ride and Iraqi Kurdistan in addition to Iran is one of them.

[Walkabout]

Originally Posted by Travelbug

Great trip report, Tarzan!

I've been to the "Republic of Iraq - Kurdistan Region" (so says the passport stamp) in 2008 and contrary to some armchair travelers in this thread, I can confirm it's a very interesting and relatively safe destination.

The most dangerous part for me was in Turkey from Van via Hakkari and Cizre to the Turkish/Iraqi border at Silopi. That Turkish road was like a warzone with fighter jets, combat helicopters, many heavily fortified military checkpoints and VERY nervous Turkish draft soldiers.

This came as a surprise to me, since there are no accurate reports in the mainstream media and even most of my Turkish friends themselves do not know the full truth about that corner of their country.

Of course they don't know, because the average Turk would never put his foot into the "hot" Kurdish areas - and just reiterate the official propaganda (as visible on this thread).

A sidenote: I had two aggressive moments with young Kurds, based on religious arguments. They were a lot more islamic fundamentalist than I expected. The usual portrait is that they are secular compared to the other groups in the area - not true IMHO.

Hi Travelbug,
Both the BBC world news and Al Jazeera, to name two, have carried coverage of the Turkish/Kurd conflict, over quite a few years. The journalists are not always there so I guess it is not continuous reporting, but there is little doubt that the conflict continues.

As a side comment, Turkey is the fascinating country because of its' international borders and the current relations between those countries and their relations with Turkey itself - Syria, Iraq, Iran, Armenia, Georgia etc etc

FWIW, my limited experience indicates that peoples are tribal first and foremost, religious next, and they may have affiliation with their country, thirdly.
The tribal issue can be very complex with sub-affiliations and loyalties; hence those with a western-society upbringing have difficulty to comprehend some aspects such as the intensity of feeling; as for religion, I'm not going down that route!!

Actually, isn't this why we all travel??

[Travelbug]

Originally Posted by Walkabout

Actually, isn't this why we all travel??

Hi Dave,

yes, indeed, I guess one of the main motivations for HUBB style travel, and certainly my own motivation, is to get a first hand view, without distortions by the media.

IMHO, there are three distortions or common misconceptions in regards to 'Kurdistan':

a) "All of Iraq is a dangerzone" => NOT TRUE

North Iraq is a pretty safe place in regards to crime, terror or even war activity.

b) "East Turkey (in particular post-Öcalan) is a relatively safe place with only occasional 'police vs. terrorist activity' and without visible effect on travelers" => NOT TRUE

The Hakkari area is a real dangerzone or warzone, however you want to call it. There is heavy military presence (not only police). It is nerve wrecking for the inhabitants, the military, and the traveler.

c) The Kurds' agenda is primarily 'freedom-oriented', 'nationalist' and 'secular' whereas religion is less important to them. => NOT TRUE

Islam is as important to them as it is to Iraqi Shiites/Sunnis or Persian Shiites - and probably more important than to the majority of Turks (this may have economic reasons as well).

In all three cases, the Western media distribute a distorted picture to serve an agenda. AKA propaganda.

BTW, a similar media spin is played against Iran, Chechnya, Belorus, North Sudan, and even North Korea. Not such hellholes as we are made to believe.

I spent time in Istanbul and I speak the Turkish language quite fluently. I've been to every war zone on the planet. I respect difference in qualified opinions, but not from the posters (two or three on this thread) that have not been in those areas themselves.

[Walkabout]

Thanks for the considered input Travebug.

I haven't been to "Kurdistan" but I have some understanding of the fundamentals from reading between the lines of the media, based on some experience of what governments are prepared to do on behalf of their own citizens + some time spent in a few areas of conflict spanning about 16 years; these years of background have confirmed my own views about what drives the various conflicts, but I am always looking for an exception, if only to prove the rule!