Welcome to the new and improved Forward Travel website. We're currently putting the finishing touches on the site, so you may notice that some features or pages are still being updated or are temporarily unavailable. We appreciate your patience as we complete the final stages of development. If you notice any issues while browsing the website, we'd greatly appreciate you letting us know so we can address them as quickly as possible. To report an issue, please contact us on +61 401 812 219 or drop us a message at thekitchen@forwardtravel.com.au. Thank you for helping us make the Forward Travel experience even better. Get in Touch

Forward Travel

Tailor-Made Itineraries

Forward Travel

Tailor-Made Itineraries

Kurdistan Explored (11 Days) - Small Group Tour | Forward Travel | Forward Travel

Kurdistan Explored

Image of Jail Mosque Erbil Kurdistan Iraq Middle East

Travel Map

Baghdad, Iraq → Basra, Iraq

Country: Iraq
Start: Baghdad, Iraq
End: Basra, Iraq
Date: Flexible
Duration: 11 days
Theme: Culture, Discovery, History
Physical rating: Moderate
Meals: 9 breakfasts, 10 lunches, 10 dinners
Transport: Private vehicle, cable car, walking
Price: On Request

Request Customisation

Trip Highlights

Explore the UNESCO-listed Erbil Citadel, continuously inhabited for more than 6,000 years.
Visit the Kurdish Textile Museum inside the Erbil Citadel.
Ride the 4-kilometre Korek Mountain cable car across the Zagros Mountains.
Drive through Rawanduz Canyon, known for its steep mountain cliffs and winding roads.
Visit Gali Ali Beg Waterfall in northern Kurdistan.
Discover Shanidar Cave, where Neanderthal remains dating back approximately 65,000 years were uncovered.
Walk through the hilltop town of Amedi, positioned 1,000 metres above sea level.
Cross the 16th-century Delal Bridge in Zakho.
View Assyrian rock carvings commissioned by King Sennacherib around 700 BCE at Khinis.
Stop at Dukan Dam and Lake Dukan in central Kurdistan.
Explore the Sulaymaniyah Museum’s Mesopotamian and Kurdish collections.
Visit Amna Suraka, Saddam Hussein’s former intelligence headquarters.
Learn about the 1988 Halabja chemical attack at the Halabja Memorial and Cemetery.
Explore the mountain town of Byara near the Iranian border.
Visit Hazar Merd Cave, a prehistoric archaeological site.
Wander through the bazaars and old quarters of Erbil, Duhok, and Sulaymaniyah.
Experience Kurdish mountain landscapes, valleys, lakes, and highland roads throughout the journey.

Request Customisation

Itinerary

Must Know

Inclusions

Accommodation throughout the tour
Private transport throughout the journey
Airport arrival and departure transfers
All sightseeing and activities listed in the itinerary
Entrance fees to all included sites and attractions
Cable car ride at Korek Mountain
All meals as specified in the itinerary
Unlimited drinking water during the journey
English-speaking local guide
Local permits and checkpoints assistance where required

Exclusions

International and domestic flights
Iraqi visa fees and processing
Travel insurance
Personal expenses
Alcoholic beverages
Snacks and drinks not included with meals
Tips for guides and drivers
Optional activities not listed in the itinerary
Early check-in or late check-out outside standard hotel policies
Any services not specifically mentioned in the inclusions or itinerary

Will This Trip Suit You?

Enjoy archaeology, history, and cultural travel.
Want to explore lesser-visited regions of the Middle East.
Comfortable with long overland drives through mountain regions.
Enjoy nature, mountain scenery, caves, waterfalls, and highland landscapes.
Appreciate museums, heritage sites, and local markets.
Comfortable walking on uneven ground, stone paths, and stairs.
Want insight into Kurdish history, including recent political and humanitarian events.
Enjoy interacting with local communities in smaller towns and villages.
Are interested in Assyrian, Kurdish, Ottoman, and prehistoric history.
Prefer luxury-focused or resort-style travel.
Dislike long driving days between destinations.
Have difficulty walking on steep, rocky, or uneven terrain.
Uncomfortable visiting museums and memorials related to conflict and genocide.
Prefer nightlife-focused or entertainment-heavy itineraries.
Require predictable infrastructure or Western-style tourism facilities everywhere.
Sensitive to mountain roads or high elevations.
Prefer a fast-paced itinerary with minimal travel time between locations.

✦Ready when you are

Want to See the Middle East on Your Own Terms?

Let’s bring your dreams to reality. Perhaps you already know what you want to see and do, perhaps you don’t. We will help you bring your social media feed to reality.

Book Private ChatBuild your own itinerary

ATTA & CATO accredited

1,000+ happy travellers

Reply within 24 hours

Your travel consultant

David Smyth

Director, Forward Travel

Sample only

AvailabilitySample only

Response timeSample only

Session length30 minutes

Schedule a call →

Kurdistan Explored

Trip Highlights

Itinerary

Day 1: Erbil

Day 2: Erbil – Korek Mountain

Day 3: Korek Mountain – Duhok

Day 4: Duhok

Day 5: Duhok

Day 6: Duhok

Day 7: Duhok – Sulaymaniyah

Day 8: Sulaymaniyah

Day 9: Sulaymaniyah

Day 10: Sulaymaniyah – Erbil

Day 11: Departure

Must Know

Inclusions

Exclusions

Will This Trip Suit You?

Want to See the Middle East on Your Own Terms?