Iraqi Kurdistan 2026: Erbil & Sulaymaniyah, the Stable Middle East

A fully autonomous region

Current situation — US/Israel/Iran conflict (since February 28, 2026)

On February 28, 2026, US-Israeli strikes on Iran triggered massive Iranian retaliation across the region — including Iraqi Kurdistan. Over 40 days, the Kurdistan Region recorded over 703 drone and missile strikes: ~560 on Erbil province, ~115 on Sulaymaniyah, ~26 on Dohuk. 17 people were killed and 92 injured in the region. Erbil Airport was targeted and Iraqi airspace was completely closed for 40 days.

A two-week ceasefire was concluded on April 7, 2026. Erbil Airport reopened on April 8 with reduced capacity. Isolated incidents continue. The situation remains volatile. The U.S. State Department has issued a Level 4 « Do Not Travel » advisory for all of Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region.

What Iraqi Kurdistan was like before the conflict

Iraqi Kurdistan consists of four governorates — Dohuk, Erbil, Halabja, and Sulaymaniyah — governed by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). The Iraqi federal army is not permitted to enter, and Baghdad does not directly apply its laws there. Before February 2026, cities like Erbil and Sulaymaniyah were among the most welcoming in the Middle East, receiving 3.5 million tourists in 2024. Thousands of independent Western travelers visited annually without incident.

Rules if you travel despite official warnings

• Check official advisories the day before departure — situation can change in 24 hours
• Register with your country’s travel advisory system (STEP for Americans)
• Purchase insurance explicitly covering active conflict zones (medical evacuation included)
• Avoid any area within 80 km of the Turkish and Iranian borders
• Confirm your flight status 48 hours before — cancellations remain frequent
• Never photograph soldiers, military installations, or government buildings

The Kurdistan e-visa

Since March 2025, the visa for Iraqi Kurdistan is obtained online via the official portal visit.gov.krd. It costs $75 USD, is processed in approximately 5 days, and is valid for 30 days. According to Surfiran’s 2026 Iraq visa guide, nationals of EU countries, the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and around 30 other countries are eligible.

A crucial point according to Against the Compass: the Kurdistan visa is only valid in the KRI (Kurdistan Region of Iraq). Since January 2025, it also allows travel to federal Iraq for most European passports — but always verify before departure, as rules evolve.

Available entry points

• Erbil Airport — recommended main entry
• Sulaymaniyah Airport — alternative (fewer direct flights)
• Ibrahim Khalil land border (Turkey) — possible but more complex

The mound of all civilizations

The city of Erbil is defined by its central circular mound — 102,000 m² of land raised 26 meters above the modern city. On April 2, 2019, NASA described this site as possibly the oldest continuously inhabited settlement on Earth, with traces going back to the 5th millennium BCE. According to UNESCO, Erbil has been on the World Heritage List since 2014.

Over the millennia, the citadel has been home to Sumerians, Akkadians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Achaemenids, Greeks, Romans, Sassanids, Ottomans — and today Kurds. Important in 2026: parts of the citadel may be closed for renovation — check before scheduling your visit. Exterior views and the nearby Qaysari Bazaar remain accessible at all times.

Not to be missed around the citadel

• Sunrise from the café facing the Grand Gate (pink light on the bricks)
• Choli Minaret (12th century, 22m) — often overlooked by tourists
• Traditional Kurdish breakfast: tea, Kalana, fresh cheese, honey, tandoor bread ($5-10)
• Shar Square with its illuminated fountains in the evening

One of the world’s oldest active markets

Located just below the citadel, the Qaysari Bazaar is said to have been founded under Sultan Gökböri (1190-1233), making it one of the oldest continuously operating markets in the world. Unlike the tourist-ified bazaars of Istanbul or Isfahan, the Qaysari remains primarily a neighborhood market where locals shop for spices, fabrics, gold jewelry, and sweets.

According to Advised Traveler, this is where spice aromas and colorful stalls mingle: the gold bazaar, Mosul halwa vendors, butchers, tea merchants, phone shops. Currency exchange happens with a man on a stool with a stack of bills — a relaxed level of security that reflects the low crime rate.

What to bring back from the bazaar

• Kurdish spices (sumac, za’atar, local saffron)
• Mosul halwa (renowned regional specialty)
• Hand-woven rugs and textiles
• Worked gold jewelry (negotiation required)

The most liberal and creative city in Kurdistan

Nicknamed the « Kurdish cultural capital, » Sulaymaniyah is radically different from Erbil: younger, more liberal, with a flourishing art and literary scene. According to Beyond Wild Places, it’s the creative and rebellious face of Kurdistan — underground art galleries, lively late-night cafés, poets reading their works in hip bistros.

The city houses the Slemani Museum, the most important archaeological museum in Iraqi Kurdistan, with three galleries covering 5,000 years of Mesopotamian history. The American University of Iraq is located in the heart of the city, bringing a notably youthful and cosmopolitan energy.

Must-sees in Sulaymaniyah

• Slemani Museum — 3 archaeological galleries, cuneiform tablets
• Grand Bazaar — more lively and accessible than Erbil’s Qaysari
• Chavi Land cable car — panoramic sunset views
• Café district around Salim Street — bohemian scene until midnight

Saddam’s former house of horrors, turned memorial

One of the most impactful experiences in Kurdistan is visiting Amna Suraka — the Red Prison. From 1979 to 1991, Saddam Hussein’s secret services (the Mukhabarat) established their regional headquarters here, a place of torture and imprisonment during the Al-Anfal Campaign — the genocide of the Kurdish people. The prison was liberated in 1991 by Peshmerga forces and transformed into a memorial museum in the 2000s.

According to Nomadic Backpacker, the hall of mirrors contains exactly 182,000 pieces of glass, each representing a victim of the Anfal campaign. The preserved cells still bear inscriptions from prisoners — names, dates, messages of resistance. Chilling dioramas, audio archives, and testimonies make it one of the most enlightening historical sites in the region.

The most iconic site in Iraqi Kurdistan

This place earned the nickname « Little Switzerland » — snowy mountains, green fields, flowers, waterfalls, and a breathtaking canyon. According to Laure Wanders, Rawanduz Canyon is perhaps the most iconic site in Iraqi Kurdistan. The Gali Ali Beg waterfall is depicted on the 5,000 Iraqi dinar banknote — testament to its national symbolic importance.

A beautiful hike starts from the left side of the bridge on the Soran-Rawanduz road, leading to Bekhal waterfall (1h30 round trip). Despite the uniqueness of the destination, according to It’s Alex Abroad, very few foreign travelers visit — you may encounter none on a weekday.

How to get there from Erbil

• Minivan Erbil → Soran: 6,000 IQD (~$4) — leaves when full, no fixed schedule
• Shared taxi Erbil → Soran: 10,000 IQD (~$7) — faster
• Private car with driver: ~$85/day — recommended for remote areas

5,000 years of history on a cliff plateau

Amedi sits atop a plateau rising from a vast valley in northern Iraqi Kurdistan. Its history stretches back 5,000 years — to 3000 BCE — when the Assyrians founded the city. According to Adventures of Lil Nicki (updated March 2026), it has always been a place where Muslims, Jews, and Christians coexisted peacefully. Local tradition holds that Amedi was the birthplace of the Three Wise Men of the Bible.

The Grand Mosque of Amedi (founded in 1177 under the Abbasid Caliphate) and its 30-meter minaret are the emblematic sites. The plateau, which seems to defy gravity, offers vertiginous viewpoints over the surrounding valleys — accessible on foot within 20 minutes from the village center.

The holy valley of an ancient religion facing extinction

Lalish is the holiest site for Yazidis and the burial place of Sheikh Adi ibn Musafir, central figure of the Yazidi faith. The Yazidis are one of the world’s oldest religious communities — their pre-Islamic faith draws from Mesopotamian traditions, incorporating elements of Zoroastrianism and early Christianity. According to Story at Every Corner, the olive oil of Lalish is used to light 365 lamps daily in the temples — each symbolizing a day of the solar year.

On the 1st Wednesday of April (Sar-Sal), Yazidis celebrate their New Year at Lalish — one of the most authentic and moving ceremonies in the Middle East. Thousands of pilgrims converge on the valley, according to Rudaw.

Absolute rules to respect at Lalish

• Remove your shoes before entering the sacred enclosure
• Step over doorsteps (never walk on them)
• Avoid blue clothing (considered disrespectful)
• Accept an invitation to share a meal if offered

A turquoise reservoir surrounded by golden hills

Nestled in the mountains of the Sulaymaniyah province, Lake Dokan is a vast reservoir formed by the dam on the Little Zab. According to Shafaq News, the site has become « a major destination for tourists from central and southern Iraq, as well as from around the world » — while remaining virtually unknown to Western travelers.

Surrounded by yellow and green hills in spring, the brilliantly blue lake is ideal for swimming, boating, and fishing. The resort complex includes several hotels, lakeside bungalows, and fresh fish restaurants. Nearby, the archaeological excavations of Tell Bazmusian and Tell Shemshara have revealed traces of civilizations dating back to the 2nd millennium BCE.

A realistic circuit: Erbil — Nature — Sulaymaniyah

Estimated budget per person (7 days)