Destinations
Destinations in the Kurdistan Region
Four governorates, four very different trips.
Destinations
Heritage & city life
Erbil
Erbil (Hawler) is the capital of the Kurdistan Region and home to the Erbil Citadel, a…
13 places· Best time: Mar–May · Oct–Nov
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Arts, culture & mountains
Sulaymaniyah
Sulaymaniyah (Slemani) is the cultural capital of the Kurdistan Region: a city of poets…
9 places· Best time: Apr–Jun · Sep–Oct
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Valleys & outdoor escapes
Duhok
Duhok sits in a valley between the Zawa and Spi mountains in the far north of the…
7 places· Best time: Mar–May · Sep–Oct
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Orchards, history & Hawraman
Halabja
Halabja is the newest governorate of the Kurdistan Region, tucked against the Hawraman…
3 places· Best time: Mar–May · Oct
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Good to know
What is Erbil known for?
Erbil is known for the Erbil Citadel, one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements on Earth, its covered Qaysari Bazaar, the Christian quarter of Ankawa with its restaurants, and as the gateway to the Zagros mountains: Shaqlawa, Rawanduz and the Gali Ali Bag waterfall are all within two hours.
What is Sulaymaniyah known for?
Sulaymaniyah is known as Kurdistan's cultural capital: the Amna Suraka museum, the Slemani Museum's ancient collections, a café and live-music scene, the bazaar's Kurdish sweets, and nature within an hour: Dukan Lake, Ahmed Awa waterfall and the Hawraman valley on the Iranian border.
What is Duhok known for?
Duhok is known for its mountain scenery and day trips: Duhok Dam and lake, Amadiya perched on a 1,400-metre plateau, Lalish (the holiest site of the Yazidi faith), the Zawa Mountain viewpoint, the Sulav and Gali Sherana gorges, and the Kurdish-Kurmanji culture of the Badinan region.
What is Halabja known for?
Halabja is known for the Halabja Memorial Monument and Peace Museum, the Ahmed Awa waterfall and its riverside restaurants, the terraced stone villages of Hawraman (Tawela, Byara), pomegranate and walnut orchards, and the Hawrami music and dress that make the region culturally distinct.