Travel to Iraq in 2026: Federal Iraq + Kurdistan

This is a comprehensive travel guide on Iraq including both south of Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan. I promise this will be your bible for traveling around the entire country, the Republic of Iraq.

Traveling to Iraq is a trip of a lifetime. It’s, by all means, one of my favorite countries in the world. Iraq is full of stunning and unusual places and it’s the land of the most hospitable, the friendliest and kindest people in the world.

Iraq is not your usual travel destination.  I traveled everywhere in Iraq independently and I absolutely loved it. I’m still blown away by all the amazing things that I experienced in Iraq and all the fantastic people I met there.

Before traveling to Iraq, it’s very important to understand Iraq and what traveling in Iraq is like. That’s why I created this travel guide for you.

It’s a very long travel guide full of information and my travel experience in Iraq that will help you in getting prepared for traveling to Iraq. As it is a long guide, you should use the table of content to navigate in this travel guide.

I have dozens of Instagram stories with photos and videos from Iraq on Instagram. Check them out: here.

Capital of Iraq: Baghdad
Capital of Iraqi Kurdistan: Erbil

Population of entire Iraq: ~ 47.5 million
Population of Iraqi Kurdistan: ~ 6.4 million

Official language of Iraq: Arabic language
Official language of Iraqi Kurdistan: Kurdish language

Iraq, officially called the Republic of Iraq, is a country located in the heart of the Middle East. Iraq consist of 19 governates. Four of them are also part of Iraqi Kurdistan.

Kurdistan is a geo-cultural territory, not a country. As of today, the area spreads into four countries: Turkey, Iraq, Syria, and Iran.

Iraq is the only country that recognizes Kurdistan within its own borders. Thus, Iraqi Kurdistan is recognized as an autonomous region as part of Iraq.

They have their own government called the Kurdish Regional Government and their own military since 2003. They even have their own borders. When you enter Iraqi Kurdistan from Turkey or Iran, you will see a sign with Welcome to Iraqi Kurdistan and not only Welcome to Iraq.

It feels like two different countries.

The official name of Iraqi Kurdistan is the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. It consists of 4 governorates populated by Kurds: Erbil, Dohuk, Sulaymaniyah, and Halabja.

What you see just above the shrine of Imam Hussein in Karbala, Iraq

CAN AMERICANS TRAVEL TO IRAQ

Normally, yes, Americans can travel to Iraq. Remember that there are quite a lot of Americans living and working in Iraq.

You might also ask if it is safe for Americans to travel to Iraq. It’s probably not safer or less safe than it is for any other nationality. But of course, if you read any Iraq travel advisory, you will read that traveling in Iraq is not safe for Americans. I believe the reality is the opposite.

IRAQI VISA AND IRAQI KURDISTAN VISA AS OF 2025

There are some differences between the Iraqi visa and the Iraqi Kurdistan visa.

First, I’ll explain the Iraqi visa. Then, you’ll learn about the Iraqi Kurdistan visa. Finally, I’ll discuss whether the Iraqi visa allows travel to Iraqi Kurdistan and whether the Iraqi Kurdistan visa is valid for the rest of Iraq.

IRAQ E-VISA

As of March 1, 2025, Iraq has implemented new regulations for tourist visas:

• e-Visa Requirement: Travelers from countries previously eligible for visa on arrival are now required to obtain an e-Visa before traveling to Iraq.

• Application Process: The e-Visa can be obtained through the official portal a https://evisa.iq/en. Don’t register for the site. Just click on Visa on Arrival and start the visa application.

• Duration and Validity: The e-Visa is valid for 60 days and allows a single entry.

• Where can I enter Iraq with the Iraqi visa: If you have the Iraqi e-Visa, you cannot enter Iraq through Iraqi Kurdistan first, you must enter first federal Iraq.

IRAQ e-VISA FREE OF CHARGE

Nationals of the following countries may obtain an e-visa free of charge:

Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates

IRAQ e-VISA WITH PAYMENT

Citizens of the following countries can get an e-visa with payment:

European Union citizens:

(Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden), Switzerland, United States, United Kingdom, Canada, New Zeeland, Australia, China, Japan, South Korea and Russia.

The price of the e-visa depends on your nationality. As a Hungarian citizen, I pay 206,000 Iraqi dinars (~157 USD).

Health insurance fees are also added in addition to the electronic visa fees.

Visa on arrival for Iraq received at the Baghdad International Airport 

VISA FOR TRAVELING TO IRAQI KURDISTAN

If you want to enter Iraq via Iraqi Kurdistan, you can do so without applying for a visa in advance and simply pay for a visa on arrival.

This Iraqi Kurdistan visa on arrival can be obtained at international airports, at the Turkish-Iraqi Kurdistan land border, and at the Iran-Iraqi Kurdistan land borders.

The price of the visa on arrival is generally 80 USD and it is valid for 30 days.

IRAQI KURDISTAN VISA ON ARRIVAL WITH PAYMENT

Citizens of the European Union, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zeeland, UK, United Arab Emirates, Japan, Kuwait, Qatar, South Korea, Iran, Turkey and Brazil can get a visa on arrival upon entering Iraqi Kurdistan both by land and air.

Visa on arrival for Iraqi Kurdistan obtained at the Turkish-Iraqi Kurdistan border, Ibrahim Khalil border

COUNTRIES REQUIRED PRIOR VISA ARRANGEMENTS

If your country is not on the above list, contact the Kurdistan Regional Government and ask them how you should apply for a visa. I hope they will answer you and you can travel to Iraqi Kurdistan.

If they answer you, most probably you will have to get a letter of invitation from a tour guide or tour company.

IRAQI KURDISTAN VISA FOR THE REST OF IRAQ

Your Iraqi Kurdistan visa is only valid within the borders of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

Legally, you cannot enter the rest of Iraq with your Iraqi Kurdistan VISA, literally nowhere in the Arabic part of Iraq (Southern Iraq).

If you entered Kurdistan first and then you want to travel to federal Iraq, there is a solution. You need to fly to Baghdad from Erbil to get the Iraqi visa at the Baghdad Airport which is valid everywhere in Iraq.

And no, you cannot go by car or bus from Erbil to Baghdad because, at the Kurdish-Iraqi land borders, you cannot get an Iraqi visa.

BUT! According to personal reports, many travelers managed to enter federal Iraq through Mosul with a Kurdistan visa.

IRAQI VISA FOR IRAQI KURDISTAN

According to present-day visa regulations, with an actual Iraqi visa, you can travel to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

I actually tried that. I traveled from Baghdad to Erbil through Kirkuk. Then, I traveled to Mosul from Erbil and then back to Erbil. So, once you have your Iraqi visa, you can keep coming and going between Kurdistan and the rest of Iraq.

In the heart of Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, with the Citadel of Erbil in the background

Iraq including Iraqi Kurdistan is not covered by most travel insurance companies due to the fact that foreign governments and authorities advise against unnecessary travel to Iraq.

There are only a few insurance companies that you can use when traveling to Iraq. One of them is the IATI Insurance.

They have a number of different travel insurance plans and their prices are definitely affordable.

Since I travel full-time, I use Nomad Insurance from SafetyWing, which covers nearly the entire world, including  Iraq and even Afghanistan. It’s a solid option if you’re looking for flexible, worldwide coverage.

Iraq Travel Guide by Brandt

This is the only paper-based travel guide about Iraq. It includes Iraqi  Kurdistan as well.

The latest edition has just come out in 2022 and I have it myself.

Brandt’s travel guides are extremely detailed and insightful. That’s why I can recommend it to you.

However, it’s full of outdated travel-related information. My advice is that you should use the Brandt travel guide to learn about history but as for practical travel information and updates regarding traveling to Iraq, use online resource

Brandt also lists and describes every single site, city and region you might visit in Iraq. The best and most beautiful places to visit in Iraq, you can find in this guide written by me: Best and Most Beautiful Places to Visit in Iraq.

However, if you find places that are not on my list but you have found it in the Brandt guide, make sure you ask for the current updates about it online in the Iraqi Travelers Cafe Facebook group or in the Kurdistan Region Travel Facebook Group.

Sweet Tea with Cardamon: A Journey Through Iraqi Kurdistan

From this book, you can learn about the plights of Kurds, especially Kurdish women, under Saddam Hussein’s brutal regime.  The author, Teresa Thornhill,  collected a lot of interesting and heartbreaking stories while traveling around Kurdistan in 1993. The stories talk about Kurdish women who survived chemical attacks and prison stays among others.

The American Granddaughter

Inaam Kachachi, the writer of the novel portrays the dual tragedy of her native land, Iraq: America’s failure and the humiliation of Iraq. The novel describes the American occupation of Iraq through the experience of a young Iraqi-American woman, who returns to her home-land, Iraq, as an interpreter for the US Army.

The Rise of Islamic State: ISIS and the New Sunni Revolution

If you want to understand how ISIS works and ISIS’s impact on the Middle East including Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan, this book written by Patrick Cockburn is definitely for you.

In nutshell, ISIS, the Islamic State, poses the biggest threat in the Middle East since 2014. Among others, ISIS undertook an extremely violent genocidal campaign against the Yezidi community of Iraq. They killed thousands of innocent civilians and destroyed numerous Yezidi temples and shrines.

When it comes to safety in Iraq, we have to talk about south of Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan separately.

IS IRAQ SAFE TO VISIT

First, how safe is Iraq? Websites run by foreign ministries and governments advise avoiding all travel to Iraq due to the security situation in Iraq. They say that the security situation in Iraq is unpredictable, volatile and potentially dangerous.

They write that Iraq is a war zone and you should not go anywhere without military escort as a foreigner.

Certain websites write about how dangerous Iraq is for women and how high the pickpocketing risk is. And, of course, there is much more you can read regarding why you should not travel to Iraq.

Also, if you read or listen to the news, you will feel that Iraq is a dangerous country to visit.

Mind the fact, that a lot of websites are not up-to-date. Nevertheless, the security situation in Iraq can quickly change. In my opinion, the best way to get the latest information regarding the security situation in Iraq is to ask locals in Iraq. This is something you can easily do on social media.

Last but not least, if you talk to Iraqis, they will tell you that south Iraq is dangerous for independent travelers, especially for women. However, several independent travelers reported that they always felt safe in Iraq.

For me, traveling to Iraq was a dream come true. I traveled to Iraq and it was one of the best decisions of my life. In my blogs about Iraq, I’m sharing my own experience and knowledge about Iraq. I do that in order to help you, intrepid travelers, to plan your journey to Iraq.

I traveled for 2 weeks in the southern part of Iraq and I personally find Iraq super safe. I traveled around Iraq by public transport solo and stayed at strangers’ places who became my friends. I felt safe every single second of my life in Iraq.

Is Iraq safe? These Iraqi dishes, especially Quzi, are definitely dangerously delicious. You are running the risk of eating too much! Picture taken in Samarra in a restaurant. (Travel to Iraq)

IS IRAQI KURDISTAN SAFE

Everyone who has traveled to Iraqi Kurdistan will agree that Iraqi Kurdistan is a very safe place to travel to. I traveled around Iraqi Kurdistan solo with a backpack for an entire month including hitchhiking solo. Based on my personal experience, Iraqi Kurdistan is safe. I never felt unsafe, not for a second.

All in all, I feel that Iraq is safe for tourists but anything can happen anytime.

Let me share with you my personal experience. Iraq is totally fine for solo female travelers.  To be honest, traveling in Iraq as a woman solo is not a big deal.

Personally, I find it super easy to travel around Iraq independently and solo as a woman. It’s actually the same as in other Middle Eastern countries or even easier.

I have never got disrespected or harrassed in Iraq.

BEST TIME TO TRAVEL TO SOUTH OF IRAQ

At this point, I will only talk about the two seasons that I recommend for visiting Iraq: autumn and spring.

NOVEMBER – THE BEST TIME TO TRAVEL TO IRAQ

At the ancient ruins of Babylon in the south of Iraq at the beginning of November – Travel to Iraq

As for Iraqi Kurdistan, the most perfect time to visit it is from the middle of October to the middle of November. As for the rest of Iraq, the absolute best time is November.

When visiting federal Iraq, I have chosen to travel there at the very beginning of November and then move to Iraqi Kurdistan around the middle of November.

From the end of September to the end of October, the south of Iraq is still quite hot, but if you like the heat, you can give it a shot.

Just for your information, here are the average temperatures in Baghdad in the autumn season:

• September: max 45 ℃ / 113 ℉, min 33 ℃ / 91 ℉
• October: max  34 ℃ / 93 ℉, min 24℃ / 75 ℉
• November: max 24 ℃ / 75 ℉, min 16 ℃ / 61 ℉

MARCH – ALSO THE BEST TIME TO TRAVEL TO IRAQ

One of the best things about March is that the celebration of the Nowruz Festival takes place in March.

Of course, April and early May are still good times to visit Iraq.

Now, let’s the average temperatures in Baghdad in the spring season:

• March: max 25 ℃ / 77 ℉, min 15 ℃ / 59 ℉
• April: max 31 ℃ / 88 ℉, min 20 ℃  / 68 ℉
• May: max 37 ℃ / 99 ℉, min 27 ℃ / 81 ℉

By the way, do you know how hot Bagdad can be in summer? Imagine that in Bagdad in summer the temperature can be as high as 47 ℃ (117 ℉).

BEST TIME TO TRAVEL TO IRAQI KURDISTAN

As Kurdistan is situated in the north of the country, you have a bit more options.

TRAVELING IN IRAQI KURDISTAN IN AUTUMN

From the middle of September to the middle of November – the best time to travel to Iraqi Kurdistan

Hiking in Zoragvan Valley in Barzan, Kurdistan at the beginning of November – Travel to Iraq

At this time the temperatures are very pleasant. The Kurdish mountains and meadows are absolutely stunning this time sparkling in autumny colors.

I was traveling in Iraqi Kurdistan from the middle of October to the middle of November. I never even needed a sweater unless I was up in the mountains.

Moreover, it never rained at this time.

November is also the best time to climb the Halgurd mountain, the highest mountain in Iraq. In November, the hiking trail is covered by snow from about 2,000 meters.

On the top of the highest mountain of Iraq at the beginning of November – Travel to Iraq

Just for your information, here are the average temperatures in Erbil in the autumn season:

• September: max 37 ℃ / 98 ℉, min 23 ℃ / 73 ℉
• October: max  29 ℃ / 84 ℉, min 19℃ / 66 ℉
• November: max 18 ℃ / 64 ℉, min 12 ℃ / 53 ℉

On a side note, 20 ℃ / 68 ℉ feels much warmer in Iraq than in Europe. :-)

TRAVELING TO IRAQI KURDISTAN IN SPRING

From the middle of March to the end of May – also the best time to travel to Iraqi Kurdistan

The spring season is also stunning in Kurdistan when the flowers are blossoming and the trees wearing their greenest attire ever.

Now, let’s the average temperatures in Erbil in the spring season:

• March: max 18 ℃ / 64 ℉, min 9 ℃ / 48 ℉
• April: max 25 ℃ / 77 ℉, min 13 ℃  / 55 ℉
• May: max 32 ℃ / 89 ℉, min 20 ℃ / 68 ℉

March is also an excellent time to visit Kurdistan because Nowruz, the celebration of the New Year in Kurdish society takes place in March.

Nowruz is a symbol of happiness and revival and it is celebrated actually not only in Iraq but in Iran as it’s also the Persian New Year.

TRAVELING TO IRAQI KURDISTAN IN SUMMER

Summer in Iraqi Kurdistan is the low season because it is really hot and dry. It’s a scorcher. The temperature can rise as high as 38 ℃ / 100 ℉ – 42 ℃ / 107 ℉ during the day in places such as Erbil and Sulaymaniyah.

In the mountains, for example, or in Akre, of course, the weather in summer is more pleasant.

TRAVELING TO IRAQI KURDISTAN IN WINTER

In Iraqi Kurdistan, the winter temperatures are pretty mild in cities as Erbil, Duhok, or Sulaymaniyah. The coldest it can get in Erbil is 5 ℃ / 41 ℉.

Only the mountainous regions of Kurdistan get colder in winter.

Just for your information, here are the average temperatures in Erbil in the autumn season:

• September: max 37 ℃ / 98 ℉, min 23 ℃ / 73 ℉
• October: max  29 ℃ / 84 ℉, min 19℃ / 66 ℉
• November: max 18 ℃ / 64 ℉, min 12 ℃ / 53 ℉

On a side note, 20 ℃ / 68 ℉ feels much warmer in Iraq than in Europe. :-)

TRAVELING TO IRAQI KURDISTAN IN SPRING

From the middle of March to the end of May – also the best time to travel to Iraqi Kurdistan

The spring season is also stunning in Kurdistan when the flowers are blossoming and the trees wearing their greenest attire ever.

Now, let’s the average temperatures in Erbil in the spring season:

• March: max 18 ℃ / 64 ℉, min 9 ℃ / 48 ℉
• April: max 25 ℃ / 77 ℉, min 13 ℃  / 55 ℉
• May: max 32 ℃ / 89 ℉, min 20 ℃ / 68 ℉

March is also an excellent time to visit Kurdistan because Nowruz, the celebration of the New Year in Kurdish society takes place in March.

Nowruz is a symbol of happiness and revival and it is celebrated actually not only in Iraq but in Iran as it’s also the Persian New Year.

TRAVELING TO IRAQI KURDISTAN IN SUMMER

Summer in Iraqi Kurdistan is the low season because it is really hot and dry. It’s a scorcher. The temperature can rise as high as 38 ℃ / 100 ℉ – 42 ℃ / 107 ℉ during the day in places such as Erbil and Sulaymaniyah.

In the mountains, for example, or in Akre, of course, the weather in summer is more pleasant.

TRAVELING TO IRAQI KURDISTAN IN WINTER

In Iraqi Kurdistan, the winter temperatures are pretty mild in cities as Erbil, Duhok, or Sulaymaniyah. The coldest it can get in Erbil is 5 ℃ / 41 ℉.

Only the mountainous regions of Kurdistan get colder in winter.

TOURISM IN SOUTH OF IRAQ

Tourism in Iraq (south) was hardly happening in the past except for Islamic religious tourism. But, since the new visa program offers visa on arrival for 38 nationalities, there are more and more tourists in Iraq everywhere. Vacation in Iraq? Iraq might become a popular vacation destination. Who knows…

You can travel in south of Iraq independently, you can join a tour or you can travel with a travel guide.

Regardless how you want to travel to Iraq, this Iraq guide will be essential for you to understand what it means to travel in Iraq, especially when it comes to the checkpoints.

INDEPENDENT TRAVEL IN FEDERAL IRAQ

Today, it’s possible to travel in Iraq independently. However, traveling independently in Iraq is not for everyone, in my opinion. I would only recommend it for those who are experienced independent travelers and already have experience with traveling in the Middle East on their own.

In the south of Iraq, you have to go through military checkpoints where nobody speaks English or you have to have contacts to enter places. This is something that you have to deal with yourself. I believe that these are one of those things that make Iraq a unique travel destination.

I personally find traveling around Iraq extremely easy. But that’s because I’ve been traveling solo all around the Middle East for a long time. Moreover, I generally have very good chemistry with Middle Eastern people including Arabs. I feel like we are brothers and sisters.

TOURS IN FEDERAL IRAQ

If you pay for a tour in Iraq, of course, your guide will deal with all this and you can relax. Moreover, you will learn about Iraq’s history and culture from an experienced local travel guide.

TRAVELING WITH A TRAVEL GUIDE IN FEDERAL IRAQ

This is also a great option if you would not travel on your own but you are not into joining groups.

TOURISM IN IRAQI KURDISTAN

The infrastructure is not so developed for traveling as in Dubai, Jordan, and Iran but tourism in Iraqi Kurdistan is definitely growing.

INDEPENDENT TRAVEL IN KURDSITAN

If you are an experienced independent traveler, you will love traveling around Kurdistan. But make sure that you have time to explore Kurdistan. Traveling independently in Kurdistan needs time for many reasons: there is no public transport everywhere, finding places, figuring out things and organizing your journey for yourself require time, patience and an easy-going attitude. In any case, if you decide to travel independently in Kurdistan, use my travel guides to get prepare properly.

JOINING A TOUR IN IRAQI KURDISTAN

If you only have a limited amount of time available such as a week, you have no time to organize your trip or you just want to discover Kurdistan in a more relaxed, you can join a tour.

TRAVELING WITH A TOUR GUIDE IN KURDISTAN

There is a third option. If you want someone to organize your trip but you don’t want to be in a group, you can hire a travel guide. I’ve got you covered also for this option. Write to me and we will send you a customized itinerary based on your needs and wants.

Write me on Instagram or send me an e-mail to diana@theglobetrottingdetective.com.

In Iraq, it’s extremely important to make friends. Yes, it’s a statement. If you want to get the best out of your stay in Iraq, be open to getting to know the locals both online or offline.

I can tell you that without making friends on the way in Iraq, my travel experience would not have been so awesome. Thanks to the Iraqi Travellers Cafe,  Instagram and Couchsurfing I have now friends in every city in Iraq.

Ways to get to know people when traveling in Iraq online:

• Iraqi Travellers Cafe: It’s a Facebook group for Iraqi people who love traveling and foreigners traveling to Iraq. In this group, foreigners traveling to Iraq can ask questions and meet up with the members of the group. I can honestly say that the Iraqi Travellers Cafe is the best thing that happened to me in Iraq.

• Instagram: I tried to post Instagram stories as often as possible everywhere in Iraq. It’s a really good way to get to know the locals and make new friends.

A guy from Nasiriyah, who had studied in Hungary, contacted me on Instagram and invited me to his house. His mom prepared this wonderful meal for lunch.(Travel to Iraq)

• Couchsurfing: I only used Couchsurfing in Kurdistan and I was really happy with it.

11.1. CHECKPOINTS IN THE SOUTH OF IRAQ

If you travel in southern Iraq, you will pass a lot of military checkpoints. If you travel around the south of Iraq for two weeks, you will pass around 40 checkpoints.

Some of them will go quickly, and some of them can take longer to pass through. In the past when tourism started in federal Iraq, we needed a permit or a sponsor (local contact) to get to certain cities but it changed by today.

However, you might need a local contact to get to Fallujah, Hit, and Ramadi. I needed it for Ramadi.

You don’t need to be afraid of the checkpoints. They are security checkpoints. The soldiers’ task is to check people on the roads and at the entry of tourist places, villages, and cities for the sake of the population’s security.

It’s very important that you present your papers to them at the checkpoints when requested as every Iraqi does.

They can ask questions from you such as where you are from and what you are doing in Iraq.

Always stay friendly, polite, and respectful. The soldiers at the checkpoints are generally friendly and happy to meet foreign travelers.

If you can, learn some Arabic. That will help a lot. Whenever I speak Arabic in Arab countries, I’m treated completely differently.  You don’t have to know a lot. A few words can melt hearts.

How things are going at the checkpoints can change anytime and you might have a different experience as well. Each traveler has generally a different experience at checkpoints.

Below you will find all the routes that I have taken in the south of Iraq. I start with the easy checkpoints and I continue with the more problematic ones. Lastly, I explain shortly about checkpoints in Kurdistan.

11.1.1. EASY CHECKPOINTS IN FEDERAL IRAQ

All of them are my personal experience.

BAGHDAD – KARBALA:

I was traveling by shared taxi. There were a couple of checkpoints on the way but we just drove through them.

KARBALA – HILLAH:

I was traveling by minibus. There were a couple of checkpoints on the way but we just drove through them.

KARBALA – NAJAF:

I was traveling by shared taxi. There were a couple of checkpoints on the way but we just drove through them.

NASIRIYAH – BASRA:

I was traveling by minibus. There were a couple of checkpoints on the way but we just drove through them.

BASRA – BAGHDAD:

My first experience: I was traveling by a shared car (GMC).  There are probably a couple of checkpoints on the way but we never stopped on the way and I didn’t even notice them.

My last experience: I was traveling by a shared taxi quite late. There was a lot of traffic that day and there were a lot of cars on the way. There were about two checkpoints when entering Basra and we were standing there so long because there were too many cars lining up. The policemen quickly looked into our car but didn’t check us.

11.1.2. CHECKPOINTS THAT ARE EASY BUT TAKE A BIT OF TIME

#1 BAGHDAD – ERBIL:

Between Baghdad and Erbil, I always use shared taxi.

My first experience:

The two checkpoints I remember were at the Iraq – Kurdistan border.

On the Iraqi side, they photographed my passport. They asked what I was doing in Iraq. I just said siyahet (visit) as usual. That was it.

On the Kurdistani side, everybody was checked again. It took longer than the Iraqi side. Everyone’s handbag and luggage were checked. The backpack with me was checked in a separate room and then the bags and suitcases in the car were taken out and a police dog went through all of them. The Kurdish side also registered my passport. It was ready quickly.

The people working at the checkpoints were nice and friendly with me.

My last experience:

This report documents my journey through the checkpoints from Erbil to Baghdad. But my journey from Baghdad to Erbil was approximately the same.

At the first checkpoint, I had to get out of the car and proceed to a booth where someone checked my passport. The guy there asked the usual questions. He even asked for my phone number. I questioned that.

The guy said it’s the process. I said no, it’s not the process. I have been to countless checkpoints and I never had to provide my phone number. Anyways, I let him take to a photo of my phone number. It’s not a big deal.

At the second checkpoint, the police took my passport, then I had to get out of the car again, go to an office and my passport was quickly checked.

At the third checkpoint, my passport was just checked again at the car.

At the fourth checkpoint, I had to go to a booth again where the policemen checked my passport. They asked where I’m from and what I’m doing in Iraq. Also, they checked the boot of our taxi.

At the fifth checkpoint, just at the car, my passport was checked and I asked where I am from and what I’m doing in Iraq.

At the sixth checkpoint, a policeman took my passport, took it somewhere and I got it back a minute later.

At the seventh checkpoint, they took my passport, waited in the car, and got it back in 2 minutes. In the meantime, a police dog inspected the whole car.

#2 BAGHDAD – SAMARRA

Tourists used to need a local contact for Samarra but not anymore!!!

There are sevaral checkpoints on the way to Samarra but the only interesting one is the one just right before entering the city.

At this particular checkpoint, you will have to leave your passport or national ID (in the case of Iraqi nationals) at this checkpoint and you will get a visitor card in exchange.

On the way back, when you return the visitor card, you get your passport / ID back.

Normally, they only let you go to the Malwiya Tower as a tourist. Some tourists are escorted by policemen the whole time when they are there.

It can also happen that if you travel to Samarra by a shared taxi, the policemen will ask the shared taxi driver to wait for you as they make the driver responsible for you, and then you can only travel back to Baghdad with him. When this happened to me, I refused it and ot worked.

If any of this happens to you, just tell them where you want to go to and that you will take a shared taxi back to Baghdad to wherever you want to go to after Samarra.

I have been to Samarra twice. Let me share with you how I traveled to Samarra. You can learn a lot from them.

MY PERSONAL REPORT ON THE SAMARRA CHECKPOINT AND BEING INSIDE SAMARRA

First time in Samarra:

I have been to Samarra with my Iraqi friends who I know through the Iraqi Travelers Cafe in Baghdad. My friend arranged the permit and the military escort for us for the entire day. But in the end, we only spent about 5 – 6 hours in Samarra and not the entire day as we had planned it. It’s because our escort changed his mind and didn’t feel like being with us the entire day.

Nevertheless, we spent a lot of time at the Great Mosque of Samarra where the Malwiya Minaret is located, in the Virgin Palace and in the Al Ashiq Palace. We also had the chance to go and eat in a restaurant in Samarra.

As for the Virgin Palace, foreigners are generally not allowed to visit it. I just managed to get in thanks to my friend. However; you can visit the Al Ashiq Palace as there is a road leading there without having to enter the city of Samarra.

Unfortunately, this time I couldn’t see the Al-Askari Shrine as we had to leave the city before that.

Second time Samarra:

So, this time I only wanted to get to the Al-Askari Mosque as I missed that on my first visit to Samarra.

On the way to Samarra, there were 4 checkpoints.

At the first checkpoint, it took about 5-10 minutes to check my passport, at the second and third, it wasn’t checked. Finally, at the last checkpoint, in exchange for my passport, I got a visitor card.

First, they wanted the taxi driver to wait for me but I refused it. I told them that when I’m done sightseeing in the Al-Askari Shrine and eating, I’ll take a shared taxi to get back to Baghdad. It took some time to convince them but they let me go.

Following this, I was free to visit the mosque and I had an absolutely epic time there.

#3 GETTING INTO NASIRIYAH

GENERAL INFORMATION ON GETTING INTO NASIRIYAH

Tourists used to need a local contact to pass the checkpoint of Nasiriyah but not anymore!!!

Why was the local contact needed before?

It’s a high-security city. The reason for it is that you can find a maximum-security prison here. It’s the Nasiriyah Central Prison, also called the Al-Hoot Prison.

It was built by the United States Army in 2008. Imagine that it cost about 49 million USD to build it.

The vast majority of prisoners are people who are incarcerated for political crimes or involvement in terrorism. There are many prisoners who were accused of being ISIS or Al-Qaeda members.

Let me explain how it was before just to also document the development of tourism in Iraq.

When I visited Nasiriyah for the first time in November 2021, to get into Nasiriyah, I had to have a sponsor who is a resident of Nasiriyah or have a resident card there.

Alternatively, you needed someone who could put you in contact with the security services in order to preregister you. If you are pre-registered, you can pass through the city entry checkpoint smoothly. I knew it but I actually forgot about it.

In this mudhif we had breakfast – Travel to Iraq

MY PERSONAL REPORT ON THE NASIRIYAH CHECKPOINT

This happened in November 2021. This is how it was getting into Nasiriyah before. I leave this here to see how it was in the past and if you read something similar, you will know that this was the old system when tourism started in federal Iraq.

I left the southern shared taxi/minibus station at around 17:30. The shared taxi had a short break somewhere on the way.

One older woman took me under her wings as she saw I was traveling alone. She escorted me to the bathroom, talking to me all the time, asking if I have anyone waiting for me in Nasiriyah. I know enough Arabic to understand what it was about and I was trying to explain that I have a friend waiting for me Nasiriyah. He is actually a friend of a friend who I know through the Iraqi Travelers Café.

I just called my host and gave the phone to the old lady and her husband. They were relieved knowing for sure I had a friend waiting for me in Nasiriyah. She also brought a bottle of fruit juice for me.

One man paid for my ticket. I tried to pass a 10,000 dinar note to the driver but the men in the van just said to put my money away.

At 20:15, I was already at the Nasiriyah checkpoint. The younger and middle-aged men had to go through a security check but the women and the elder people didn’t have to.

I thought that wearing an abaya would leave me unnoticed at the checkpoint But no! I was wearing an abaya I bought in Abu Dhabi. The policemen doing the border control thought I was an Emirati woman. I handed my passport to them and a piece of paper on which I have written the name of my host and his telephone number.

The policemen are very welcoming and kind people. We were chatting and laughing a lot. It was a great opportunity for me to practice Arabic.

I called my host and the policemen asked him to pick me up from the checkpoint. Look, I knew I was going to need a local contact but I thought that it was going to be enough if we called him from the checkpoint. But it wasn’t sufficient.

While waiting I was offered water, tea, and falafel. I was definitely being spoilt. What can I say, Iraqi hospitality is everywhere!

An hour later, my host arrived. He had to register himself as my “sponsor” in Nasiriyah. Until he arrived, the shared taxi driver was not allowed to leave. It’s because until my friend arrived, the driver of the shared taxi was responsible for me. That’s just the way it is.

Once my host registered himself as my host in Nasiriyah and we took a couple of selfies with the policemen at the checkpoint, we were ready to leave.

In the meantime, the passengers of the shared taxi left. The shared taxi driver had to pay for their private taxi which was 25,000 Iraqi dinars. The driver was really pissed because of that. But, of course, I paid this amount to the driver.

The whole story was about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Personally, I really enjoyed this little adventure. However, I would not repeat it this way because I have caused a lot of trouble to people, especially the passengers in the shared taxi.

#4. GETTING TO THE ZIGGURAT OF UR

GENERAL REPORT ON THE CHECKPOINT OF UR

It used to be problematic to get into Ur but not anymore!!!

So how was it before?

There were so many different stories about this checkpoint. I had friends who went to Ur with a private taxi and could get through the checkpoint in 5 minutes.

But a friend of mine made a completely different experience. She had a driver for her whole trip to Nasiriyah. She was told that she could only enter Ur if she had a sponsor / a local contact. Her driver had to argue a lot with the police to let her in without a sponsor. It took her about 45 minutes to get through the checkpoint.

I had another friend who tried to visit the Ziggurat of Ur twice and he never managed to get inside. On both occasions, he was asked to get a permit to get in.

MY PERSONAL REPORT ON THE CHECKPOINT OF UR

You can go to Ur independently once you are in Nasiriyah. I took a private taxi with one of my local friends to get to the Ziggurat.

The police at the first checkpoint registered me and took a photo of my passport. So, it was really easy for me.

So, the above-mentioned prison will be on the way to the Ziggurat. At the entrance of the Ziggurat, they took my passport. It’s the standard process.

On my way out, I paid the entrance fee (25,000 IQD for foreigners, 3000 IQD for Iraqi citizens) and I also got your passport back.

#5. GETTING INTO MOSUL IN FEDERAL IRAQ

GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE CHECKPOINTS TO ENTER MOSUL

We used to need local contacts to enter Mosul but not anymore!

MY PERSONAL REPORT ON THE CHECKPOINTS BETWEEN ERBIL AND MOSUL

My first experience:

I traveled to Mosul from Erbil by mini bus/coaster.

First, the driver didn’t want to take me. It took me some time to figure out why. It was because he assumed that I only had a Kurdistan visa. In order to be allowed to get on board, I had to show them my Iraqi visa.

There are two checkpoints between Erbil and Mosul. First at the border of Kurdistan and Iraq and then just before entering the city of Mosul.

I was never checked. At the first checkpoint, the younger and middle-aged men had to present their ID to the policemen and that was it. At the second checkpoint, we just simply drove through.

On the way back, I traveled by shared taxi. At the Iraq – Kurdistan checkpoint, I had to show my passport on the Kurdish site. A policeman had a look at it for a couple of seconds and then gave my passport back. That was all.

My second experience:
From Mosul to Erbil I traveled by shared taxi. At two checkpoints, I had to get out of the car and go to an booth where my passport was checked.

MY PERSONAL REPORT ON THE CHECKPOINTS BETWEEN BAGHDAD AND MOSUL

I traveled to Mosul from Baghdad by shared taxi. There was really nothing that I could mention on the way.

11.1.3. CHECKPOINTS TO GET PREPARED FOR IN FEDERAL IRAQ

#6 RAMADI, FALLUJA & HIT

I have only been to Ramadi. I traveled there from Baghdad. There were many checkpoints on the way and each checkpoint wanted to talk to my contacts on the phone. My contacts were a policeman in Ramadi and one of the organizers of the event I attended.

#7 SPECIAL PLACES IN BAGHDAD

The Victory Arch and the Monument of the Unknown Soldier in Baghdad are located in the Green Zone. This area is also referred to as the International Zone of Bagdad or the International Zone of Iraq.

The Green Zone is a restricted area. To enter the Green Zone to see these two monuments, you need special permission to see them as they are not open to the public.

Officially, you need a Letter of Permission issued by the Prime Minister National Operation Center to get inside.

I could see the Victory Arch and the Monument of the Unknown Soldier from the roads closest to them because at that time the roads were open to driving through. If you are lucky, maybe the police let you take photos of the monuments.

While driving around in the Green Zone of Baghdad, I quickly shot this awesome picture – Travel to Iraq

Al-Quds Gate

The Al-Quds is also located in the Green Zone. Therefore, you need permission to see this as well.

As mentioned, I have been to the Green Zone. One of my friends is working there and she took me in for a short visit and I could see the Al-Quds Gate with my own eyes.

This was another quick shot from the car in the Green Zone of Baghdad while approaching the Al-Quds Gate – Travel to Iraq

2. CHECKPOINTS IN IRAQI KURDISTAN

I can recall two checkpoints in Kurdistan during my one-month journey around Iraqi Kurdistan.  At the checkpoints, the Peshmerga soldiers, those who work at the checkpoints, check everyone’s ID. They are friendly and respectful.

Peshmerga is the military of the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The meaning of the word Peshmerga is: “those who face the death”. They are responsible for taking care of the security of Iraqi Kurdistan and protecting the people. They are one of the most highly respected people in Kurdish society.

I was hitchhiking both times when I encountered a checkpoint.

Once, on the way to Aqrah from Soran and once on the way to Barzan from Soran. I was asked to show my passport, tell them what I was doing In Kurdistan and where I was traveling to. I politely answered all the questions and after about half an hour, we the road again.

The second time, when I was hitchhiking solo, I was interrogated by the boss at the checkpoint and had to explain what I was doing in a stranger’s car. I answered all the questions I was asked as last time.

After this particular interrogation, they invited me for lunch, prepared a sandwich for me and arranged a car that drove me where I wanted to get to.

HOW TO TRAVEL TO IRAQ BY AIR

In Iraqi Kurdistan, there are two international airports. One of them is the Erbil International Airport and the second one is the Sulaymaniyah International Airport.

In the southern part of Iraq, there are three international airports you can use: Baghdad International Airport, Basrah International Airport and Al Najaf International Airport.

Most international flights to Iraq fly to Erbil and Baghdad International Airport.

From Istanbul to Erbil and from Istanbul to Baghdad

A Turkish low-cost carrier, Pegasus Airlines, offers the cheapest flights to Erbil from Istanbul.

Turkish Airlines is also flying from Istanbul but it costs more.

From Dubai to Erbil

The cheapest airline flying from Dubai is Fly Dubai.

From Dubai to Baghdad

The best prices are offered by the Royal Jordanian Airlines.

HOW TO TRAVEL TO IRAQ BY LAND

You can get to Iraqi Kurdistan from Turkey and Iran. I crossed the two most popular land borders of Iraq.

My experience was extremely positive both when crossing the Turkey-Iraq and Iran-Iraq border.

From Diyarbakir (Turkey) to Erbil / Sulaymaniyah (Iraq)

I took a bus from Turkey to Iraqi Kurdistan. The bus runs between Diyarbakir and Erbil on daily buses. The ticket price is around 27 € / 32 USD. The journey takes 8 hours.

Alternatively, you can also travel to Sulaymaniyah.

From Bashmaq (Iraq) to Penjwen (Iran)

The border crossing between Iraqi Kurdistan and Iran is more adventurous because there is no public transport running between Iraqi Kurdistan and Iran.

From Amman (Jordan) to Baghdad (Iraq)

The Jordan – Iraq border also called the Al-Karamah Border Crossing is open. Shared taxis run between the Jordanian capital, Amman and the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, on daily basis.

The journey takes 11-12 hours.

From Kuwait to Iraq

I crossed the border from Iraq to Kuwait but the process is the same the other way around.

The journey starts in Kuwait City and ends in Basra which takes ideally 3 – 4 hours. The border crossing itself is about an hour but could be less.

Iraq Visa on Arrival is available on the Iraqi side of the border.

You’ll most probably arrive at the Baghdad International Airport. That’s I’ll write about this.

VISA ON ARRIVAL AT THE BAGHDAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

If you are eligible for Visa on Arrival with payment, get your passport and the exact amount of the visa fee in USD ready.

At the visa desk, you need to fill in the visa application form and pay the visa application fee.

The price of the VOA is 80 USD as it’s written at the visa desk at the Baghdad International Airport.

When I was there, all the foreigners got their VOA in about 10 – 15 minutes. I had to wait almost 2 hours to get my visa. They didn’t find Hungary on the list of eligible countries for VOA.  They wanted to actually send me back to Hungary. But after one and half hours, they realized that Hungary in on the list eligible for VOA and I got in.

HOTEL “REBOOKING FEE” SCAM

This is a scam. It was confirmed by the Iraqi Travelers Cafe that it’s an illegal activity performed by some airport officials at Baghdad Airport and Basra Airport.

When I was at the visa desk last time, nobody asked for a hotel reservation.

But I know that many travelers are asked for it and many travelers need to pay a so-called rebooking fee. I will tell you what you need to know about it.

According to foreign travelers’ reports, there is a list of expensive hotels where you are supposed to book your first night in Baghdad. If you didn’t book a room in one of these hotels, you have to rebook for one of them at the airport. Rebooking means paying 50 USD to the airport officials at the visa desk.

But in the end, you will still not have a room in any of these hotels. So what happens is that they pay this so-called rebooking fee and you will still stay in the hotel where you booked.

All the foreigners, except two travelers I know, who were requested to pay this amount, just paid. YouTuber Wandering Emma refused to pay and managed to leave the airport without paying this so-called rebooking fee.

Another friend of mine started acting kind of weird and panicked, and this way he also got away with it.

If you are in this situation, please don’t pay the fee as it’s completely illegal.

At the Basra International Airport, a friend of mine was requested to pay 60 USD. He refused to pay the 60 USD and after arguing for about 2 hours, she got a 10% discount.

WIFI AT THE BAGHDAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

When I was there, it really sucked. But I could use it a bit.

BUYING A SIM CARD AT THE BAGHDAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

You can buy a sim card at the airport. When you are in the arrival hall, on your left, you will find a stall for Zain, which is the best mobile internet provider in Iraq. If you arrive to late or too early and you cannot buy a sim card there, you can buy it later in one of the big shopping malls in any city with an airport.

EXCHANGING MONEY AT THE BAGHDAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

You can exchange some of it at the airport and then you can change the rest later in the city of Baghdad.

GETTING TO CENTRAL BAGHDAD FROM BAGHDAD AIRPORT

You have two options here. The first one is for budget travelers and the second one is for you if want to get to your hotel directly from the airport terminal quickly.

1) Minibus to get outside the security zone of the airport + taxi from outside the security zone to your hotel

FIRST STEP:

Take a minibus: When you are in front of the terminal, just across the street, there is a parking lot. On the ground floor of the parking lot, there are white minivans going to Abbas Ibn Firnas Square. This square is located just outside the security zone of the airport.

Minibus time schedule: It operates until early morning.

Minibus price: 8,000 IQD (~ 6.10 USD / 5,60 €)

SECOND STEP:

Take a taxi from Abbas Ibn Firnas Square: Once this minibus dropped you off, you can take a taxi. If you managed to get a SIM card and internet, get a Careem Taxi to your hotel.

From this point to anywhere in Baghdad, a taxi ride costs a maximum of 15,000 Iraqi dinars. This means anything above that is a scam.

Don’t trust any policeman, taxi driver, or your hotel about the price. This is the only place where I got scammed in Iraq. The policemen and the taxi drivers there are probably sharing the money when they scam foreigners.

If you have the Careem app, just call a Careem taxi. In that case, you will pay around 12,000 – 13,000 IQD for getting to your hotel.

– Private taxi from inside the airport

Price: At least ~ 25,000 IQD (~ 19.10 USD / 18 €) up to 45,000 IQD. I didn’t manage to figure out the exact price.

IRAQ MAP FOR THE 38 BEST AND MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES

I have a separate travel guide about the best and most beautiful places to visit in Iraq. These places include the most important places in Iraq, really all the major landmarks in Iraq.

Most of these places are historical places but there are also a lot of amazing natural wonders among them.

I started my list from the south, from the capital city of Iraq, Bagdad, and I take you all the way to the highest mountain of Iraq, Mount Halgurd, in Kurdistan.

38 Best and Most Beautiful Places in Iraq

1) Baghdad
2) Samarra
3) Taq Kasra
4) Karbala
5) Hillah
6) Babylon
7) Najaf
8) Kufa
9) Al-Ukhaidir Fortress
10) Nasiriyah
11) Mesopotamian Marshes – Chibayish
12) Ziggurat of Ur
13) Basra
14) Al-Qurnah
15) Kirkuk
16) Hatra
17) Tikrit
18) Mosul
19) Erbil
20) Lalish
21) Alqosh
22) Rabban Hormuzd Monastery
23) Mar Mattai Monastery
24) Duhok
25) Akre
26) Soran
27) Rawanduz Canyon
28) Bekhal Waterfall
29) Geli Ali Beg Waterfall
30) Halgurd
31) Zoragvan
32) Barzan
33) Deraluk
34) Amediyah
35) Rania
36) Dukan Lake
37) Sulaymaniyah
38) Halabja

I’ll propose a couple of itineraries to help you decide about your route.

In front of Taq Kasra – Travel to Iraq

7-Day Iraq Itinerary

Flying to Baghdad – Flying out from Baghdad

This is an itinerary including the most famous places in Iraq in the south.

DAY 1 – in Baghdad

DAY 2 – Taq Kasra: a half-day trip from Baghdad + in Baghdad

DAY 3 – Travel to Karbala, in Karbala

DAY 4 – Hillah & Babylon: a day trip from Karbala

DAY 5 – Najaf: a day trip from Karbala

DAY 6 – Samarra: a day trip from Baghdad

DAY 7 – Mesopotamian Marshes and Ziggurat of Ur

10-Day Iraq Itinerary

Flying to Baghdad – Flying out from Erbil

DAY 1 – in Baghdad

DAY 2 – Taq Kasra: a half-day trip from Baghdad + in Baghdad

DAY 3 – Travel to Karbala, in Karbala

DAY 4 – Hillah & Babylon: a day trip from Karbala

DAY 5 – Najaf: a day trip from Karbala

DAY 6 – Samarra: a day trip from Baghdad

DAY 7 – Mesopotamian Marshes and Ziggurat of Ur with a guide

DAY 8 – From Baghdad to Mosul, in Mosul

DAY 9 – Hatra with a guide, travel to Erbil

DAY 10 – Erbil

16-Day Iraq Itinerary

Flying to Baghdad – Flying out from Erbil

In this case, you’ll have time for all the places that are accessible in Iraq in the south.

In the end, you have several options. You can either travel back to Baghdad and fly out from there. Or you can travel from Mosul to Erbil and fly out from there. Or, from Erbil, you may continue your journey around Iraqi Kurdistan.

This plan is quite intense, I must say.

DAY 1 – in Baghdad

DAY 2 – in Baghdad

DAY 3 – Taq Kasra: a half-day trip from Baghdad + in Baghdad

DAY 4 – Travel to Karbala, in Karbala

DAY 5 – Hillah & Babylon: a day trip from Karbala

DAY 6 – Najaf: a day trip from Karbala

DAY 7 – Ukhaidir Fortress: a half-day trip from Karbala, and travel back to Baghdad

DAY 8 – Samarra: a day trip from Baghdad

DAY 9 – Travel to Nasiriya & see Great Ziggurat of Ur

DAY 10 – Chibayish / Mesopotamian Marshes

DAY 11 – Travel to Basra, in Basra, travel to Baghdad by night train

DAY 12 – Travel to Kirkuk, in Kirkuk

DAY 13 – In Kirkuk, travel to Mosul

DAY 14 – Half-day trip to Hatra from Mosul, in Mosul

DAY 15 – From Mosul to Erbil, in Erbil

DAY 16 – Erbil

TRAVELING AROUND IRAQ

TRAVELING IN IRAQ (SOUTH) BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT

At this point, there are five options: buses, shared taxes, minibuses, GMCs and a couple of trains.

To get to some of the tourist attractions where no public transport is available, you can always use a private taxi.

TRAVELING IN IRAQ (SOUTH) BY BUS

From Basra to Baghdad: 12,000 IQD (~9.20 USD / 8.40 €), ~540 km / 335 mi
From Basra to Najaf: 10,000 IQD (~7.60 USD / 7 €), ~438 km / 272 mi

TRAVELING IN IRAQ (SOUTH) BY MINIBUS

To Karbala to Hillah: 2,000 IQD (~1.50 USD / 1.40 €),  48 km / 30 mi
To Najaf from Karbala: 3,000 IQD (~2.30 USD / 2.10 €),  76 km / 47 mi
From Erbil to Mosul: 4,000 IQD (~3 USD / 2.80 €),  80 km / 50 mi
From Nasriyah to Basra: 8,000 IQD (~6.10 USD / 5.60 €), ~190 km / 118 mi
From Najaf to Nasriyah: 10,000 IQD (~7.60 USD / 7 €), ~260 km / 161 mi
From Baghdad to Suleyamaniya: 25,000 IQD (~19.10 USD / 18 €), ~371 km / 230 mi

TRAVELING IN IRAQ (SOUTH) BY GMC

These are the amounts I paid. The front seat costs more.

From Basra to Baghdad: 25,000 IQD (~19.10 USD / 18 €), ~540 km / 335 mi
From Baghdad to Erbil: 30,000 IQD (~23 USD / 21 €), ~370 km / 230 mi

These are the prices I paid. But it’s supposed to be more if you take the front seat.

TRAVELING IN IRAQ (SOUTH) BY SHARED TAXI

Traveling by shared taxi is the most common and most comfortable form of public transportation in Iraq, both in the south of Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan.

Summary of Shared Taxi Prices Between Popular Travel Destinations in Iraq:

The prices apply for one person one way and it can be more if you take the front seat.

To Najaf from Hillah: 7,500 IQD (~5.70 USD / 5.30 €), ~60 km / 37 mi
To Hillah from Baghdad: 10,000 IQD (~7.60 USD / 7 €), ~115 km / 71 mi
To Karbala from Baghdad: 10,000 IQD (~7.60 USD / 7 €), ~120 km / 75 mi
To Mosul from Erbil: 10,000 IQD (~7.60 USD / 7 €), ~80 km / 50 mi
To Samarra from Baghdad: 15,000 IQD (~11.50 USD / 10.30 €), ~130 km / 81 mi
To Najaf from Nasiriyah: 15,000 IQD (~11.50 USD / 10.30 €), ~256 km / 159 mi
To Basra from Nasiriyah: 12,000 IQD (~9.20 USD / 8.40 €) for the back seat, 15,000 IQD (~11.50 USD / 10.30 €) for the front seat, ~190 km / 118 mi

TRAVELING IN IRAQ (SOUTH) BY TRAIN

Traveling in Iraq by train is also possible but the options are limited for now.

Iraq Railways Today

At the moment, there is only one railway line operating in Iraq.

This train runs between Basra and Baghdad which are the two biggest cities in Iraq.

This old Chinese train only runs a couple of times a week. At the moment, it only runs on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. But you should double-check it as it can change anytime.

Check out the details of this train connection:

From Baghdad to Basra: Departure at 7 pm and arrival at Basra Railway Station at 4 am / 5 am. It stops at Nasriyah at 2 am.

From Basra to Baghdad: Departure at 7 pm and arrival at Bagdad Railway Station at 6 am.

Tickets are not sold online. If you want to take this train, just go to the train station in Baghdad,
and buy your ticket the same day.

I bought my ticket in the morning but it would have been enough to buy it before the train departure. To buy the ticket, you need to show your passport and visa.

If you buy the ticket for your friends as well, you will also need a copy of their passport with the page where your details are and the visa or ID on your phone. I bought 4 tickets and it took a lot of time to get the tickets. Definitely, don’t go there last minute to buy the tickets.

Baghdad – Basra Ticket Prices
Regular seats: 10,000 Iraqi dinars
1st class seats: 15,000 Iraqi dinars
Sleeping compartment with 4 berths (beds): 25,000 per berth
Sleeping compartment with 2 berths: 50,000 per berth

The security at the train station and on the train is very high. You can totally feel safe there even if you travel alone.

Before getting on the train, your bags will be inspected by the security staff with a sniffer dog.

The first class is airy and kind of clean. The seats are dirty but we survived it. I booked only seats as I only traveled to Nasiriyah.
I don’t recommend the second class with seats because they are very crowded, not airy, and much dirtier than the first class.

The sleeping compartments seemed to be much cleaner.

On the train, it’s possible to buy tea, water, and kebab from the food stall. A tea costs 500 dinars and a kebab costs 5000 dinars.

Iraq Railways in the Past

There used to be both international and national train connections for Iraq. I want to write about these two because in the future they might open up again.

There was a train connecting Bagdad and Istanbul through Syria. It was built by Germany in the 1900s to connect Berlin and Baghdad. During the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988), it was closed. Then, in 2010, it reopened but today it’s closed again.

Moreover, there were train connections from Basra and Diyala to Iran and from Bagdad to Jordan.

As for the national train connections, there were train connections from Baghdad to Falluja. Moreover, there were trains available for pilgrims on Fridays to visit the holy city of Samarra from Baghdad.

RENTING A CAR IN IRAQ (SOUTH)

Hertz has a car rental counter at the Babylon Rotana Hotel. For a Nissan Sunny with automatic transmission, you would pay around 39 USD per day. Be aware that a certain amount for the deposit will be booked on your account.

Moreover, you will get a letter from Hertz that proves that you are authorized to drive their vehicle. You will need to show it at each checkpoint you pass along with your passport, visa and vehicle documents.

Generally, highways in Iraq have a lot of ruts and potholes. Therefore, you can drive at about 120 km/h. Some highways can have better quality. For example, the highway between Babylon and Nasiriyah is in better condition and you can drive there at around 160 km/h.

TRAVELING AROUND IRAQI KURDISTAN

PRIVATE TAXIS IN IRAQI KURDISTAN

For certain travel destinations, there is no public transport. Then, you need to have a private transport.

From Duhok to Lalish: 48 km for 25,000 Iraqi Dinars per person (~19.10 USD).
From Duhok to Lalish: 41 km for 15,000 Iraqi Dinars per person (~10.20 USD).

SHARED TAXIS AND MINIBUSES IN IRAQI KURDISTAN

You can find shared taxis and minivans connecting big cities:

For example: Sulav – Duhok, Duhok-Erbil, Erbil-Rania, Erbil-Suleymania, Rania-Suleymaniya, Suleymaniya – Penjwen.

Shared taxi prices in Kurdistan

From Sulav to Duhok: 67 km for 6,000 Iraqi Dinars per person (~4.60 USD). Sulav is the village next to Amedi.
From Duhok to Erbil: 160 km for 15,000 Iraqi Dinars per person (~11.50 USD).
From Duhok to Amedi: 73 km for 8,000 Iraqi Dinars per person (~6.10 USD).
From Duhok to Akre: 105 km for 10,000 Iraqi Dinars per person (~7.60 USD).
From Erbil to Sulaymaniyah: 200 km for 15,000 IQD (~11.50 USD)
From Rania to Sulaymaniyah: 132 km for 10,000 IQD (~7.60 USD)

Minivan prices in Kurdistan

Minivans are cheaper than shared taxis.

From Erbil to Rania: 120 km for 6,000 Iraqi Dinars per person (~4.60 USD).
From Erbil to Sulaymaniyah: 200 km for 10,000 IQD (~7.60 USD)
From Rania to Sulaymaniyah: 132 km for 7,000 IQD (~5.40 USD)

HITCHHIKING

You can read my stories about hitchhiking adventures in the following two blogs. Then, you can decide if you want to hitchhike or not.

Hitchhiking from Soran to Duhok

Hitchhiking from Soran to Aqrah

RENTING A CAR IN KURDISTAN

Renting a car in Iraqi Kurdistan is one of the best options if you want to travel around independently. I’ve asked travelers what it was like to rent a car and drive around in Kurdistan. Everybody said it was great and nobody had issues at checkpoints.

In the big cities, the roads are pretty good. Many people have big cars and they drive very fast.

In the villages and the mountains, the traffic is normal. The roads don’t have very good quality, and there are older cars as well on the roads. Thus, don’t drive too fast with older cars on bad roads.

Where can you rent a car in Erbil

You can rent a car from Avis at Hotel Divan in Erbil. If you want to arrange things in advance, you can contact them on WhatsApp. Just send them a copy of your passport and driver’s license.
For a Nissan Sunny with automatic gear, you pay about 45 USD per day. They don’t accept credit cards. So, you have to leave a deposit of 300 USD in cash.
They will keep your passport. So, make sure you have a colored copy of your passport with the visa for the time of the rental. AVIS there can make a copy for you.

After returning the car, you don’t get the deposit back. The deposit is supposed to cover possible traffic fines.
You have to wait for 10 days and if there is no issue, you will get the deposit back through Western Union.

CAREEM TAXI IN BIG CITIES

In most big cities, you can use the Careem app for getting around.

I used it a lot in Baghdad and a couple of times in Najaf.

4.5 km costs around 4,400 IQD (~3.40 USD) in Baghdad.

This question mainly concerns women.

What to wear in Iraqi Kurdistan

As for Iraqi Kurdistan, just wear modest clothing. I was wearing three-quarter length jeans and a shirt covering my shoulders. When you want to visit a mosque in Erbil, make sure that on that day you totally cover up and you have a headscarf.

What to wear in Baghdad

In Iraq, I would say you shouldn’t wear tight stuff and wear things that cover your whole body just to be on the safe side. That’s it.

When you want to visit a shrine, just get a chador or an Iraqi abaya. You can easily get an Iraqi abaya for 15,000 IQD (~ 11.50 USD / 10.50 €) or a chador for 4,000 – 5,000 IQD.

I was traveling in federal Iraq for 16 days, all I had was a pair of jeans, a pair of long black pants, three shirts I had bought in Iran, an abaya I purchased in Abu Dhabi, two chadors from Iraq and an Iraqi abaya that my friend lent me for a day.

What to wear in Karbala

Karbala is a holy city. Women should wear either an abaya with a cap and headscarf or a chador in the entire city.

What to wear in Najaf and Kufa

Najaf is also a holy city. As you will mostly visit mosques and holy shrines there, wear an abaya there the whole time.  I was wearing a chador in Najaf and an Iraqi abaya in Kufa.

What to wear in Nasiriyah, Basrah, Hillah, Samarra and Mosul

You can wear the same things as in Baghdad. I was normally wearing a headscarf as well. My local friends told me not to but I still did. I think it was better that way.

It’s not easy to figure out about hotels in Iraq. That’s why I collected hotels here for you. They were all recommended by my Iraqi friends who I actually know from the Iraqi Travellers Cafe. If available, read the reviews of the hotels so that you know what to expect.

If you want to stay in a mid-range to 5-star hotel, make your reservation on booking.com. I have linked to the hotel sites on booking.com to make the reservation easier for you. Just click on the links.

If you want to stay in a budget hotel, look for the hotel on Facebook and contact them to make a booking.

HOTELS IN BAGHDAD

BUDGET HOTELS IN BAGHDAD

To be honest, I cannot recommend good hotels in Baghdad that are value for the money you pay. If you ever find a hotel that you are happy with in Baghdad, let me know.

They cost around 21 – 35 USD per night.

At this price, don’t have high expectations. If you are not a backpacker who is used to all kinds of crappy places, you will definitely not be happy with budget hotels in Baghdad. Budget hotels in Baghdad are not clean. Most of them are actually filthy. It means that they don’t ever clean the rooms and bathrooms. In budget hotels in Baghdad, they don’t change the bedsheets either. I always have to ask the hotel staff to change the bed sheets. And if I am lucky they find clean sheets somewhere.

Diwan Hotel

A 1-person room for one night costs 23 USD / 30,000 IQD. This is a special price for Iraqi Travelers Cafe members. You can join the group simply by entering their Facebook group.

You can easily make a reservation through Whatsapp by contacting the Iraqi Travelers Café on +964 774 428 4407. Only, this way you can get a room for the above-mentioned price.

Please, bear in mind that the Iraqi Travelers Cafe is a non-profit initiative.  The hotel gives its members this special price and some of the volunteers of the Iraqi Travelers Cafe are helping you to make your hotel booking.

Think of them as your local friends. When you contact them, it might take some time until you get a response. But don’t worry, you can be sure that they are taking care of your booking.

On Google Maps, you can easily find this hotel as Hotel Diwan.

I stayed in this hotel and I didn’t like it because the bathrooms are filthy, the rooms I got had no windows and I had to ask for clean bedsheets.

Royal Gardin Hotel

I used to recommend the Royal Gardin Hotel located close to Firdos Square in Baghdad.

But this hotel got really bad too. I always got dirty rooms, filthy bathrooms and I had to ask for changing the bed sheets. One of them is worse than the other.

A 1-person room for one night costs 26.70 USD / 35,000 IQD. It’s centrally located and has good customer service. The price is also a special deal available for the members of the Iraq Travelers Café.

You can easily make a reservation through Whatsapp by contacting the Iraqi Travelers Café on +964 774 428 4407.

GPS coordinates of the hotel: 33.317169,44.420345

You cannot find it on google maps if you search in English. So, copy and paste it in Arabic: فندق رويال كاردين

If you need a cash machine, look for the Iraq National Bank of Iraq. It’s about 5 minutes from the hotel. They have several ATMs which take all kinds of cards including VISA and MasterCard.

MID-RANGE HOTELS IN BAGHDAD

They cost around 50 € per night. One of them is Inter Hotel.

4-STAR HOTELS IN BAGHDAD

They cost generally 100 USD  and 5-star hotels 150 – 200 USD per night in Baghdad.

5-STAR HOTELS IN BAGHDAD

They include The Taj Hotel, Baghdad Hotel, Coral Baghdad Hotel, Babylon Rotana Hotel. The best-rated hotel among them is the Taj Hotel. You can make a reservation on booking.com.

HOTELS IN KARBALA

BUDGET HOTELS IN KARBALA

Dar Fatema

This is where I stayed. I paid 10,000 IQD for one night. I don’t know if it was a special price for me or it’s the regular price because a friend of a friend arranged it for me.

You cannot find it on google maps and the name of the hotel is not written outside the hotel. I suggest that first you go find the hospital next to the shrine. The hospital is called مستشفى السفير in Arabic. Copy and paste it to Google Maps or ask for mustashfaa which means hospital in Arabic.

Once you are at the hospital, just ask people working in the shops where it is. They should know it. It’s less than a minute from the hospital.

مدينة سيد الاوصياء : It is located on the road between Baghdad and Karbala, maybe 15 minutes away from Karbala, It’s not a hotel but a free accommodation to those coming to Karbala for pilgrimage. You can sleep on the floor with many other people.

There are actually many hotels around the shrine where you can get a room for 15,000 – 20,000 dinars.

HOTELS IN NAJAF

BUDGET HOTEL IN NAJAF

Yassen Hotel, 20 USD / night, located 2 minutes from the Imam Ali Shrine.

To book here, contact Hussein on +964 770 803 1598.

MID-RANGE HOTEL IN NAJAF

Hotel Royal Eagle and Granada Hotel cost around 75 – 100 USD / night.

5-STAR HOTEL IN NAJAF

Qasr AlDur Hotel costs around 200 – 300 USD. You can find it on booking.com.

HOTELS IN BASRA

I tried Al Buraq Hotel in Basra where a night costs 25,000 Iraqi dinars including breakfast. It’s an acceptable hotel for people traveling on a budget. When I was there, I checked three rooms and I picked the most acceptable one. The room was clean, had hot water and clean bed sheets.

You can find the hotel on Google Maps as Buraq.

HOTELS IN BASRA

4-STAR HOTEL IN BASRA

Shams Al-Basra costs ~ 60 USD per night.

5-STAR HOTEL IN BASRA

Horizon Hotel costs ~ 90 – 100 USD per night.

HOTELS IN NASIRIYAH

Hotels in Nasiriyah are a disaster. They are so filthy that it’s unbelievable. Cleaning the rooms and changing the bed sheets are non-existent.
The cheapest hotel with clean rooms and sheets is the Al Zaiton Hotel where a single room costs 75,000 Iraqi dinars.

HOTELS IN MOSUL

BUDGET HOTEL IN MOSUL

Karamanah Hotel:
On google maps, you can find it as فندق كهرمانة. It’s a budget hotel. A room with a single bed costs 25,000 dinars.
When I was there, I asked them to hoover my room and change the bed sheets. With that, I found the hotel acceptable.

The hotel can organize your trip to Hatra as well. The price we, 3 of us, paid together for the trip was 70,000 dinars.
If you want to know the details of the trip, check it out, here.

Royal City Hotel (30,000-50,000 IQD)
If you want something better than a budget hotel, you can try the Royal City Hotel which is much better than Karamanah Hotel.

HOTELS IN KIRKUK

BUDGET HOTEL IN KIRKUK

Hotel Diwan

HOTELS IN ERBIL

20 – 200 USD / night

HOTELS IN DUHOK

40 – 60 USD / night

HOTELS IN SULAYMANIYAH

40-100 USD / night

I always stay in Khan Saray Hotel that you can find on booking.com.

A single room with breakfast costs there 40 USD per night. It’s located in the old town of Suleymaniyah. It’s a clean and decent place.

HOSTEL IN SULAYMANIYAH

There is one hostel in Iraqi Kurdistan and that’s in Sulaymaniyah.

A bed in a mixed dorm costs 14 – 15 €. The hostel’s name is Dolphin’s Hotel and Hostel Sulaymaniyah.

The three major mobile network operators in Iraq are Zain Iraq, Asiacell and Korek Telekom. Most of their services are based on 3G, 4G, and LTE.

Zain Iraq and Asiacell are actually the best among the three operators.

You can easily find these operators in shopping Malls such as Baghdad Mall or Zayoon Mall in Baghdad, or Family Mall in Erbil.
In case you need to recharge, you can do that at the most random places pretty much anywhere, even in small shops.

ZAIN

Now, I am using a Zain Sim Card that I purchased with the Super Card 35,000 package.

You can find the latest prices below:

Sim card price: 1,500 dinars (1 USD)

Super Card 35,000:
20GB, 720 minutes calls, 720 SMS: 42,000 dinars (29 USD) including tax
Super Card 25,000:
8GB, 500 minutes calls, 500 SMS: 25,000 + tax

The packages are valid for 30 days.

ASIACELL

Last time, I tried Asiacell. At the moment, in terms of prices, there is only a very little difference between Zain and Asiacell.
I had good network coverage everywhere except on the way between Basra and Baghdad.

KOREK

Another time, I purchased a SIM card with unlimited internet valid for an entire month from Korek Telecom.

It didn’t have very good network coverage everywhere but it was not that bad.

The official currency in Iraq is the Iraqi Dinar.

And 1 USD is ~ 1,500 Iraqi Dinars.

SHOULD I BRING CASH FOR MY ENTIRE TRIP TO IRAQ

It’s a very popular question I want to address.

There is no need to bring cash for your entire trip to Iraq. I traveled to Iraq with 20 USD in my pocket last time.

There are a lot of ATMs in big cities in Iraq. I normally withdraw money from ATMs in big cities in Iraq. Generally, at one time I only withdraw 200,000, 250,000, or 300,000 dinars.

Sometimes, when I have money from other countries, I also exchange money in Iraq.

CURRENCY EXCHANGE

In case you want to exchange money, you can do it. There are a lot of exchange offices in big cities in Iraq.

If you travel to Iraq, you can easily exchange USD for Iraqi dinars and you can pay with USD in many places. If you want to exchange Euro, that is also fine, there is no need to change Euros for US dollars.

When I traveled to Iraq for the first time, I traveled from Turkey to Erbil. Thus, I had some Turkish liras left that I could easily exchange in Erbil.

In big cities (Baghdad, Karbala, Basrah, Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Duhok), you can easily find places to exchange money in the city center and shopping malls.

In Erbil, you can find random stalls where you can exchange money in the main bazaar. Moreover, there is a huge money market where it’s a lot of fun to exchange money.

You will see little stalls with loads of money on them without any security and surveillance.

In downtown Baghdad, you can also find several places for exchanging money.

CREDIT CARDS

In my opinion, it’s better to have both a VISA and Master Card when you travel to Iraq. If you have both, like me, it’s the best. I had a couple of situations when the closest ATM only took Mastercard and it was really useful to use my Mastercard.

By the way, Revolut doesn’t work in Iraq.

PAYING BY CREDIT CARD

In big cities, in modern supermarkets, fancy restaurants, and cafés in modern shopping centers in Iraq,  I always paid with my VISA card.

In budget hotels, only cash is accepted as a form of payment but in expensive hotels, card payment is probably acceptable.

But everywhere else you will need cash. In any case, always have cash on you. Don’t rely on paying by bank card in Iraq.

ATMs

You can easily find ATMs in big cities in Iraq such as Baghdad, Nasiriyah, Basrah, Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, and Duhok. Whenever you are in any of these cities, it’s when you should withdraw money. It’s better than thinking about whether you will find an ATM in the next small city you are traveling to.

There are ATMs at the airports too.

The transaction fee of banks per withdrawal is generally between 4,000 – 7,500 dinars (~2.70 – 5 USD). The lowest transaction fee I found was at the National Islamic Bank in Baghdad. The fee was only 1,250 dinars which is less than a dollar.

I withdrew money quite often from ATMs in Iraqi Kurdistan, Baghdad, and Nasiriyah. I find using ATMs in Iraq 99% unproblematic.

Only a couple of times, it happened to me that withdrawing money was troublesome but that happens everywhere.

In Soran, there were only two ATMs from a Turkish bank. They only accept Mastercard, no VISA. And one of them didn’t even work.

Luckily, I travel with two credit cards as I mentioned above. When an ATM didn’t take my VISA, I could use my Mastercard.

This is why, I recommended two different credit cards, a VISA, and a Master Card, for you when you are in Iraq and have money on both of them.

And once in Suleymaniyah, it happened that I found an ATM that didn’t work for some reason but close to that ATM there were so many other ATMS.

I needed to withdraw money countless times in federal Iraq. And it always worked out very well without any issues.

GETTING DOLLARS FROM ATMs

If you want to withdraw US dollars, find the International Development Bank. If you travel to another country from Iraq, for example to Iran or Jordan, make sure, it’s much better to take dollars than Iraqi dinars.

392 €: Munich – Baghdad with Turkish Airlines

223 €: Erbil – Munich with Turkish Airlines

80 USD: Visa on Arrival (for Hungarian / EU citizens)

I budgeted about 1,000 € for two weeks in federal Iraq including PCR tests and the visa fee. In the end, I spent around 650 €.

I don’t have my budget summary for my month-long Kurdistan trip but in my blog focusing on Kurdistan only, I have collected prices for many things including fruits, street food, restaurants, and so on. Read, here: How much things cost in Kurdistan, Iraq.

In 2022, Ramadan is between 1. April and 30. April. Many travelers are wondering whether it’s a good idea to travel to Iraq during Ramadan and what it’s like to travel during Ramadan in Iraq.

I asked Osamah Mousa, one of the founders of the Iraqi Travellers Cafe from Baghdad about it.

He says that most people will be fasting in Iraq during Ramadan.

During Ramadan, restaurants and cafés are closed daytime. It’s because people would not eat out anyways during the day during Ramadan. However, by chance, you might find some places to eat open. They can be open for takeaway or delivery.

Supermarkets are open during the day. Actually, during Ramadan people buy a lot of stuff, more than usual.

Generally, during Ramadan people don’t eat and drink in public. Even if they don’t fast themselves, they simply don’t do it out of respect.

He says it’s an awesome idea to travel to Iraq during Ramadan because the nightlife is really vibrant and fun this time. A lot of people break their fast in restaurants and go out in the evening.