For those looking for some travel info in German (I suspect Swiss German), have a look at Reisetipps Nordirak/Kurdistan, who also kindly linked here.
Those US hikers who wandered into Iran are now going to be put on trial for spying. Some people on this forum believe they must be CIA. I suspect the CIA would be a lot more professional than sending young hippie hikers to check out the border. From the little I've read of those arrested, they don't seem to be spy types. The Iranian foreign minister said the hikers had "suspicious aims."
Showing posts with label Iran. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iran. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Hikers charged with spying
Those American hikers arrested after apparently accidentally crossing the border into Iran from Iraqi Kurdistan (see my original post here) have now been charged with spying. Shane Bauer, Sarah Shourd and Josh Fattal from the Bay Area in California were arrested in July. Hopefully these guys won't become pawns in the negotiations over Iranian nuclear energy aspirations. More from the BBC here, and for the latest run-down, check Google news.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Recent travel notes
Some very helpful travel tips from Jo, who was in Iraq in June:
Getting in from Iran at Haj Omran border crossing, no problem, is open to foreigners and visa on arrival for Kurdistan and the other way round no problem either, but need Iranian visa in advance. Possibility to take 1 or 2 minibuses(10000 Rials) from Orumiyeh bus terminal to Piranshahr (or like i did via Oshnavieh first one left at 6:00am then on to Piranshahr after a one hour wait 5000 Rial each, less than 1 euro total ) and hitch with trucks to the border from there, not far less than 10 KM or take a taxi for the last bit ( but i did see a few minibuses waiting on the iranian side of the border, maybe possible) or there are quite a few direct buses, 35$, from Orumyeh to Erbil. I got a free ride from Piranshahr to the border on one of these luxury liners but don't count on it, a friendly guy at the bus office smuggled me on. From Piranshahr they wanted still 30$ to Erbil! To Erbil from the border post you can hitch with Trucks or take a (shared) taxi to Erbil, 15000-20000 Dinar. It cost me 20000 as I took 2 different cars...
Erbil Hotels i stayed at the Al Zhur hotel look for the Shahraban Tourist Hotel sign on the corner, its opposite, nice tea house next door, and ok internet up the stairs next door too, you called it Al Thur, in the 4 bed dorm for 7000Dinar, had attached bath and satellite TV, have been in much worse. But not for everybody. My 2 room mates were older men from Baghdad and I went with one of them to Slemani, really nice and sheperded me around and put me on the minibus to go to the center of Slemani. The Yezidi managers were really friendly. There is a great BBQ stand out in front with delicious liver on a stick, 5000 dinar for 4 with a plate of salad, not bad. The textile museum in the Citadel of Erbil is very good and free. Around it, north, are some burned down mansions and some restored ones and some abandoned ones which are lovely to explore [I agree! - bpi]. Everything else is off limits really, lots of military presence in the citadel.
Erbil to Slemani took a Minibus, called Coaster, skirted the suburbs of Kirkuk, on the outer ringroad, never entered, but at the checkpoint I had to get out across the road to be questioned. a little risky maybe to cross there in so obvious a target. But went well, took 3.5 hours and cost 8000 Dinar.
Slemani got off at the big crossroads before the turnoff that gets you to the garage ( between Malik Mahmood Ring Road or 60 meter circular and Salim street), has a huge new overpass running over the crossroads (a traffic circle) took a minibus 350 Dinar to the center of Slemani(along Salim St) got off at the municipal park.
Slemani hotels asked around and found a real rough little cheapy (love them) the Salahudin, 3000 Dinar for a dorm bed ( no attached bathroom, toilet at end of corridor and shower costs extra if I understood right, haven't tried it yet. No sign, only in Arabic, up a little all white staircase white and red sign over the door, just 5 meters south of the red sign for Paris or Peris Internet, can't miss it. It's on Kawa st, northern third, just after the crossroads with Mawlawi St. First hotel I checked was hotel Sheren or Sherin Hotel just 50m south of that crossroads on Kawa St. 100m north of the Salahudin Hotel.
Getting in from Iran at Haj Omran border crossing, no problem, is open to foreigners and visa on arrival for Kurdistan and the other way round no problem either, but need Iranian visa in advance. Possibility to take 1 or 2 minibuses(10000 Rials) from Orumiyeh bus terminal to Piranshahr (or like i did via Oshnavieh first one left at 6:00am then on to Piranshahr after a one hour wait 5000 Rial each, less than 1 euro total ) and hitch with trucks to the border from there, not far less than 10 KM or take a taxi for the last bit ( but i did see a few minibuses waiting on the iranian side of the border, maybe possible) or there are quite a few direct buses, 35$, from Orumyeh to Erbil. I got a free ride from Piranshahr to the border on one of these luxury liners but don't count on it, a friendly guy at the bus office smuggled me on. From Piranshahr they wanted still 30$ to Erbil! To Erbil from the border post you can hitch with Trucks or take a (shared) taxi to Erbil, 15000-20000 Dinar. It cost me 20000 as I took 2 different cars...
Erbil Hotels i stayed at the Al Zhur hotel look for the Shahraban Tourist Hotel sign on the corner, its opposite, nice tea house next door, and ok internet up the stairs next door too, you called it Al Thur, in the 4 bed dorm for 7000Dinar, had attached bath and satellite TV, have been in much worse. But not for everybody. My 2 room mates were older men from Baghdad and I went with one of them to Slemani, really nice and sheperded me around and put me on the minibus to go to the center of Slemani. The Yezidi managers were really friendly. There is a great BBQ stand out in front with delicious liver on a stick, 5000 dinar for 4 with a plate of salad, not bad. The textile museum in the Citadel of Erbil is very good and free. Around it, north, are some burned down mansions and some restored ones and some abandoned ones which are lovely to explore [I agree! - bpi]. Everything else is off limits really, lots of military presence in the citadel.
Erbil to Slemani took a Minibus, called Coaster, skirted the suburbs of Kirkuk, on the outer ringroad, never entered, but at the checkpoint I had to get out across the road to be questioned. a little risky maybe to cross there in so obvious a target. But went well, took 3.5 hours and cost 8000 Dinar.
Slemani got off at the big crossroads before the turnoff that gets you to the garage ( between Malik Mahmood Ring Road or 60 meter circular and Salim street), has a huge new overpass running over the crossroads (a traffic circle) took a minibus 350 Dinar to the center of Slemani(along Salim St) got off at the municipal park.
Slemani hotels asked around and found a real rough little cheapy (love them) the Salahudin, 3000 Dinar for a dorm bed ( no attached bathroom, toilet at end of corridor and shower costs extra if I understood right, haven't tried it yet. No sign, only in Arabic, up a little all white staircase white and red sign over the door, just 5 meters south of the red sign for Paris or Peris Internet, can't miss it. It's on Kawa st, northern third, just after the crossroads with Mawlawi St. First hotel I checked was hotel Sheren or Sherin Hotel just 50m south of that crossroads on Kawa St. 100m north of the Salahudin Hotel.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Is it possible to travel across the Kurdistan/Iran border?
A. As far as I know it is not officially possible (and I don't recommend an illegal crossing). If you want to travel between Iraqi Kurdistan and Iran it is necessary to go back through Turkey.
Q. Do I need a visa for Iraqi Kurdistan?
A. No. Generally at the Ibrahim Khalil border crossing at Zakho you are permitted entry without a visa, and I assume it is the same at Erbil and Sulaymaniyah airports. The passport stamp requires registration within 10 days at the Residence Office. You need to ask around to find this office.
With this entry stamp in your passport you may still exit the Kurdistan region. For instance, entering Kirkuk you will not be stopped. But don't think this is a great reason to visit Kirkuk or Mosul or anywhere else dangerous. It is likely that within a few hours of arriving there will be a price on your head. Don't go.
If you want to enter Iraqi through any other border or airport (ie. Baghdad) you need a visa in advance, which apparently can be difficult to get. And those regions are not recommended for travel either.
Q. What is the exchange rate for the Iraqi dinar?
A. The official rate is around 1250 dinar to US$1. The unofficial rate on the street can be up to 1400 dinar to US$1. It varies depending on the bank or money-changer. US bills below $10 are not always accepted.
Q. How much money should I take for my Kurdistan trip?
A. I recommend at least US$50 per day while within Iraqi Kurdistan, plus money for travel in and out.
US$50 includes $15 for accomodation, $15 for a shared taxi ride between towns, plus $20 for food and other miscellaneous costs.
You should allow at least US$300 for a flight out, or if going via the Turkish border, enough money for a taxi all the way to Silopi, so allow $50 from Zakho, $80 from Dohuk or up to $100 from Erbil. These are upper estimates to allow for being ripped off or having to pay for a whole taxi without sharing the cost.
Q. What are the costs of travelling between cities in Iraqi Kurdistan?
A. For more detail see this page. Generally one seat in a shared taxi costs US$15 for the following regular journeys, each between two and four hours:
Zakho - Dohuk
Dohuk - Erbil
Erbil - Sulaymaniyah (costs more if you want to avoid driving through Kirkuk)
There are shared taxis and minibuses which travel between smaller towns which you can find at various garages in each city.
Q. What other places are worth visiting apart from the main cities?
A. From Dohuk, there are the mountain towns of Amadiyya and Akre to the east.
From Erbil, there are the mountain resort towns of Salahaddin, Shaqlawa, Bekhal and Gali Ali Beg in dramatic mountain valleys.
From Sulaymaniyah, there is Halabja to the south-east, and Dukan and Derbendikhan dams nearby, with lakeside cabins available.
Some more info is here (from the KRG).
A. As far as I know it is not officially possible (and I don't recommend an illegal crossing). If you want to travel between Iraqi Kurdistan and Iran it is necessary to go back through Turkey.
Q. Do I need a visa for Iraqi Kurdistan?
A. No. Generally at the Ibrahim Khalil border crossing at Zakho you are permitted entry without a visa, and I assume it is the same at Erbil and Sulaymaniyah airports. The passport stamp requires registration within 10 days at the Residence Office. You need to ask around to find this office.
With this entry stamp in your passport you may still exit the Kurdistan region. For instance, entering Kirkuk you will not be stopped. But don't think this is a great reason to visit Kirkuk or Mosul or anywhere else dangerous. It is likely that within a few hours of arriving there will be a price on your head. Don't go.
If you want to enter Iraqi through any other border or airport (ie. Baghdad) you need a visa in advance, which apparently can be difficult to get. And those regions are not recommended for travel either.
Q. What is the exchange rate for the Iraqi dinar?
A. The official rate is around 1250 dinar to US$1. The unofficial rate on the street can be up to 1400 dinar to US$1. It varies depending on the bank or money-changer. US bills below $10 are not always accepted.
Q. How much money should I take for my Kurdistan trip?
A. I recommend at least US$50 per day while within Iraqi Kurdistan, plus money for travel in and out.
US$50 includes $15 for accomodation, $15 for a shared taxi ride between towns, plus $20 for food and other miscellaneous costs.
You should allow at least US$300 for a flight out, or if going via the Turkish border, enough money for a taxi all the way to Silopi, so allow $50 from Zakho, $80 from Dohuk or up to $100 from Erbil. These are upper estimates to allow for being ripped off or having to pay for a whole taxi without sharing the cost.
Q. What are the costs of travelling between cities in Iraqi Kurdistan?
A. For more detail see this page. Generally one seat in a shared taxi costs US$15 for the following regular journeys, each between two and four hours:
Zakho - Dohuk
Dohuk - Erbil
Erbil - Sulaymaniyah (costs more if you want to avoid driving through Kirkuk)
There are shared taxis and minibuses which travel between smaller towns which you can find at various garages in each city.
Q. What other places are worth visiting apart from the main cities?
A. From Dohuk, there are the mountain towns of Amadiyya and Akre to the east.
From Erbil, there are the mountain resort towns of Salahaddin, Shaqlawa, Bekhal and Gali Ali Beg in dramatic mountain valleys.
From Sulaymaniyah, there is Halabja to the south-east, and Dukan and Derbendikhan dams nearby, with lakeside cabins available.
Some more info is here (from the KRG).
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