In Part 1 of A Digital Pocket Guide On Northern Iraq, you learned that the KRG-controlled north is relatively safe, to bring your cash, and where to start looking for a place to sleep.

Now that you’ve laid down the foundations for a trip to Iraq, you’re ready see the unexpected sights and work your way through many-a-checkpoint.

Shared Taxis Through Checkpoints, Checkpoints…And More Checkpoints

Unless you take a flight from Arbil to Sulaymaniyah, moving between northern Iraqi cities requires making use of shared taxis. (Though yes, there are still other ways.) Shared taxis are basically that – a taxi 1-4 people share and split the cost of – to get from one city to another. The average cost, assuming 4 people in the car, between Arbil and Sulaymaniyah is 20,000 Iraqi dinar (~$20) to give you an idea.

• Waiting In Garages – Every city has a main garage for shared taxis between cities. Where a given car is going will be loudly announced and they’re lined up by destination. You’ll have to wait around for about 10-15 minutes hoping the car fills up with other passengers, otherwise you’ll be off with a higher rate.
• Checkpoints – You will go through several checkpoints on any given trip. An off-hand calculation would be about 1 per 45 minutes if not more. Cars are inspected often, occupants required to get out, and passports checked at these heavily armed checkpoints.
• Questioning – It’s also not uncommon to be questioned at checkpoints depending on your nationality. Your intentions and reasons for traveling in northern Iraq will be the primary focus; expect much more scrutiny if you have an Arabic surname.

It’s also a good idea to note the route a given shared taxi will take. Many direct routes leave the KRG-controlled areas and skim the borders for legs of the trip. While you can pay (3-4 times) more to stay within the borders of KRG-Iraq; which is considered safer, the extended drive time might not be worth the unquantifiable amount of added protection.

What To See And Do In Northern Iraq

Being a large geographic area, this is a section that really deserves to be its own (or several) posts. That said, most travelers will only have 10 days in the area and it may help you to plan your sightseeing around these particular experiences.

• Walk Around The Arbil Citadel – Sitting more than 30 meters above the rest of the city you can meander around this ghost town with great views of below.
• Ankawa In Arbil – The Assyrian/Christian district in the city is quite active at night.
• Deutscher Hof Erbil – Entering this German restaurant located on the site of an old United Nations (UN) base in Arbil is surreal.
• Halabja Memorial – Located in “old” Halabja (make this clear at the shared taxi garage) this memorial stands to recognize the thousands that were killed in a 1988 gas attack by Saddam Hussein. The Amna Suraka Museum in Sulaymaniyah also shows part of this dark history.

There are also the Gali Ali Bag waterfalls in the north, Sulaymaniyah’s bazaars and parks, and my personal favorite for free wi-fi and relaxation, the Shawany Maliek Cafeteria shisha cafe in that same city.

Looking For Food In Northern Iraq

Many of you asked about the food in northern Iraq and when it comes to eating out, things vary widely between cities. Most budget travelers looking for a bite in Arbil will be hard pressed to find anything more convenient than plentiful doner kebab and falafel sandwiches. While there are restaurants with a bit more variety in and around town, the culture of eating out isn’t quite in place yet.

The cuisine in Sulaymaniyah was much more varied; although admittedly it’s difficult to ascertain what’s local to such a cosmopolitan city.

Keep in mind that in northern Iraq, places to eat close down fairly early (around 7pm). For those of you who like to snack however, finding a corner store at most hours of the night won’t be tough at all.

Finally, alcohol is readily available and for sale at a number of liquor stores and small shops around the major cities. The prices, rather surprisingly, are incredibly cheap with major brand bottles of vodka and whiskey for sale from $5-15 and beer for about $1 a bottle.

Basic Travel Safety

Most of the safety questions about traveling in northern Iraq revolve around the violence associated with the country in general. However, in terms of general safety, scams, and street crime, it’s far and few between. In fact, one surprising thing was how consistent the prices I was quoted were. From meter-less taxis, hotels, and markets, none of the prices were above and beyond what I was told they should have been. The streets at night, although quiet, were peaceful and was told as much by everyone I encountered.

In fact, if you were just to fly into Arbil, or be dropped off in the center of Sulaymaniyah, you wouldn’t even realize the instability of war was so recent. The checkpoints and border controls are the few obvious signs of a war zone that’s right outside. Inside, all you see is that the Kurdistan-controlled north is looking forward – even if it’s still got a way to go in terms of tourism.

This Is Only A Rough Start

Such a large and complex area can’t be covered in a single post or two, but this digital pocket guide should get you off to a good start if you’ve ever considered traveling to Iraq (or are now!) It’s not the most straightforward place to navigate – which might be appealing to many travelers looking for a trail that’s not yet well worn.

It is often said that northern Iraq is the gateway to the rest of the country and the areas under the control of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) are a relatively stable place to start for adventurous travelers. Traveling in northern Iraq is easier than you might suspect – albeit with some drastic differences from many other destinations to take into account.

This digital pocket guide will have you prepared for a trip to this world inside a war zone.

Some Basic Questions Answered First

It’s important to understand that all of northern Iraq is not equally stable or as relatively safe. This digital guide focuses on the areas administered by the KRG; primarily the cities of Arbil, Sulaymaniyah, and Duhok. Also, it should be noted that while there might be a thrill in traveling to Iraq, it’s certainly not a trip for everyone.

• Is Traveling In Northern Iraq Safe? – Depending on your movements within northern Iraq, you’re unlikely to feel unsafe and targeted violence (against tourists) is remote.
• Understanding Kurdistan – Even the name of the semi-autonomous north is controversial in a neighborhood that’s in flux but under high tension.

Finally, before you hop on a flight to northern Iraq, it’s critical you have enough cash on you for the duration of your trip.

There are no ATMs in the KRG-controlled north, not even at the most common entry-point of Erbil International Airport. US dollars and Turkish lira can be exchanged easily by (the abundant) street vendors once you arrive, however don’t count on using plastic – credit cards won’t be accepted anywhere.

Getting To Northern Iraq By Land And Air

Flights to Arbil are probably the easiest way to arrive in northern Iraq from several connecting cities, including Istanbul, Turkey. Currently your best bets are with AtlasJet, Lufthansa, and Austrian Air.

• Keep in mind when searching for flights that “Arbil” is often spelled “Erbil” (in English) with “Irbil” also occurring from time to time.

Finding good deals on flights to northern Iraq isn’t easy, with those from Istanbul on average floating around $600 for a round-trip ticket. The cheaper – yet much more involved – method of crossing overland from Turkey is another option; particularly for intrepid travelers.

• How To Travel Overland To Iraq (Kurdistan) – Wandering Earl‘s incredibly detailed guide to making the crossing, including specific costs along the route.

Visas And Visiting The Directorate Of Residence

Visas upon arrival are issued by the Kurdistan Regional Government for US, EU, and several other nationalities for visits up to 10 days.

These entry stamps are separate from Iraqi national travel visas and also make note that you must “visit [the] Directorate of Residence within 10 days” – which can be a point of confusion.

Upon exit at Erbil International Airport, I was told that this was only necessary for those applying to stay beyond 10 days; though there didn’t seem to be a consensus among the officials I asked. I recommend consulting with your embassy if you have any questions or receive conflicting information upon arrival.

Hotels And Finding A Place To Stay

Booking hotel arrangements online prior to a trip to northern Iraq isn’t easy since most are independently owned and not to be found on the Internet. While there are some luxury hotels on the outskirts of the 3 major cities, the majority are the 1-2 start variety. The most straightforward way to find a hotel (there are no hostels) is to make your way to the given city center – in Arbil around the Citadel –  walk in and ask.

• Rates – Obviously they vary but $20-25 is the going price per day.
• Rooms – Many places only have double rooms, though you can book them for a single at the double rate, you might have to look around if you’re traveling solo.
• Reception – Although Arabic and Kurdish are the primary languages in north Iraq, basic English is usually enough to book a room. It’s a good idea to brush up or carry a European-to-Arabic numeral chart (shown below) for rates and phone numbers though.

Also remember that in Arabic, numbers are read from left to right (opposite of everything else).

• Wi-Fi – Most of the budget hotels will not have wireless Internet, though Internet cafes and shisha bars with wireless can be found in Arbil, Sulaymaniyah, and Duhok.

You can begin your hotel search by seeking out Hotel Shahan in Arbil, Hotel Chrakan in Sulaymaniyah (with good food immediately next door), and Hobo Traveler also has a great set of hotels for you to consider in northern Iraq.

In Part 2: Hopping Cities, Checkpoints, And Spaetzle

Now that you’ve got an idea of how to get to northern Iraq, tomorrow in Part 2 I’ll show you how you can move between the major cities of the Kurdistan-controlled region. As you make your way through checkpoints you’ll discover there’s quite a bit to see and do, with the journey undoubtedly being a memorable part of the experience.