5/5 Brent F. 1 year ago on Google
Nick
and
I
were
lucky
enough
to
visit
Kurdistan
in
September
2022
for
5
days.
It
was
our
first
visit
to
Kurdistan,
and
our
first
tour
with
Kurdistan
Iraq
Guide.
We
selected
a
two-day
tour.
Our
guide
was
Cardo,
and
our
driver
for
the
tour
was
Kanhan.
If
one
word
could
describe
our
trip,
it
would
be
“incredible”.
Right
off
the
bat,
we
felt
the
hospitality
that
Kurdish
people
are
know
for.
When
Nick
I
first
arrived
in
Kurdistan,
we
had
a
few
questions
about
the
upcoming
tour
and
wanted
to
cross
some
X’s
and
O’s.
Karwan
was
very
accommodating
and
took
the
time
to
meet
us
at
our
hotel
two
days
before
the
tour
and
was
there
to
answer
our
questions.
The
first
day
of
the
tour
focused
primarily
on
religious
institutions
within
Kurdistan.
The
main
stops
were
the
Mar
Matai
Monastery
(about
30km
from
Mosul),
and
the
Lalish
Temple
(the
most
holy
place
of
the
Yazidi
people).
When
visiting
both,
Cardo’s
knowledge
and
insight
allowed
Nick
and
I
to
learn
so
much
about
each
holy
site
that
we
would
not
have
been
able
to
learn
if
we
had
travelled
there
by
ourselves.
In
addition,
the
history
behind
both
sites,
both
historically
and
recent
(as
both
areas
nearly
overrun
by
ISIS
in
2014)
was
both
tragic,
fascinating,
and
uplifting.
At
both
the
Monastery
and
Lalish,
the
chance
to
interact
with
the
staff,
locals,
and
visitors,
many
of
whom
were
making
pilgrimages
from
all
over
the
region.
These
interactions
made
the
experience
truly
memorable.
To
hear
their
stories
and
meet
people
from
other
cultures
and
religious
backgrounds
gave
Nick
and
I
a
true
appreciation
and
better
understanding
of
the
region,
culture,
the
people
who
live
there.
More
specifically,
having
the
chance
to meet
and
talk
to
the
Yezidi
people,
who
had
gone
through
so
much
turmoil
recently
with
the
war
against
ISIS,
was
truly
special,
as
they
were
incredibly
down
to
earth,
humble,
and
some
of
the
nicest
people
we
have
ever
met.
After
our
first
day,
we
stayed
overnight
in
Dohuk
(a
town
up
north),
where
Nick
and
I
were
able
to
spend
some
free
time
to
eat
and
mix
with
the
locals.
The
second
day
we
arose
early
to
have
breakfast
at
a
Peshmerga
café
which
paid
honour
to
Peshmerga
soldiers
who
had
died
fighting
ISIS.
This
was
an
extremely
special
honour
to
eat
here,
as
it
provided
an
amazing
opportunity
to
pay
respect
to
the
Kurdish
soldiers
who
made
the
ultimate
sacrifice
defending
their
homeland.
The
highlight
of
the
second
day,
undoubtably,
was
being
able
to
visit
Saddam
Hussein’s
former
“guesthouse”,
or
one
of
his
many
palaces,
where,
when
in
power,
he
hosted
dignitaries
from
around
the
world.
His
former
palace
was
stripped
bear
and
was
anything
but
lavish
as
it
must
have
been,
as
you
could
tell
the
Kurdish
people
gutted
it
in
a
small
act
of
revenge
for
the
turmoil
Saddam
had
inflicted
upon
them.
However,
its
current
condition
made
it
for
an
eery
Chernobyl-like-feeling
you
got
when
visiting
it
(and
it
made
for
some
amazing
photo
opportunities!)
A
very
cool
part
of
the
trip
that
Nick
and
I
loved
having
the
opportunity
to
visit!
The
second
day
ended
with
driving
back
to
Erbil,
as
Nick
and
I
got
one
more
day
to
spend
in
amazing
Erbil
before
flying
out
of
Kurdistan.
I
can’t
say
enough
times
how
valuable
both
Cardo
and
Kanhan
were
to
guide
and
drive
us!
Cardo’s
knowledge
of
the
sites
again
played
such
an
important
role
to
facilitate
Nick
and
I’s
understanding
of
the
region,
history,
and
people
who
call
Kurdistan
home.
And
of
course,
a
big
shout-out
to
Kanhan!
The
man
is
a
driving
pro
and
he
allowed
us
to
get
from
place
to
place
in
a
timely
manner
and
see
these
amazing
sites!
Nick
and
I
will
always
remember
your
guys
amazing
hospitality,
generosity,
and
patience
when
dealing
with
us
two
goofy
Canadians
for
those
two
magical
days!
To
summarize,
Nick
and
I
would
100%
recommend
taking
a
tour
with
Kurdistan
Iraq
Guide
if
you
have
the
chance
to
visit
Kurdistan.
I
guarantee
you
won’t
be
disappointed!
- Brent
&
Nick
