Always going somewhere, just not always sure where
Eastern Turkey is a somewhat unknown and a mystery for travellers. Istanbul's minarets, Cappadocia's rock formations and the blue water of the Mediterranean coastline, is the Turkey most people know, with the Far East of the country seeming like a vast no mans land between continents. However, this is far from true. From the plains … Continue reading Eastern Turkey: what you need to know before you go
Ani ruins are considered an absolute must-see for anyone venturing out east in Turkey. However, their location, as far east as you can possibly get in Turkey, and on the cusp of the closed border with Armenia, means not too many people make it out there. However, if you do it will sure to be one of your highlights of the region. Here's my guide to exploring the ruined Armenian city.
After spending time in Southeastern Turkey, I moved further east to the edge of the Kurdish region to Van and Dogubayazit; home to Turkey's largest body of water, a number of important historical sites and the fabled Mt Ararat. I based myself in Van, a cool, youthful city on the edge of Lake Van, and … Continue reading Lake Van and Dogubayazit in far eastern Turkey
On my second trip to Turkey I was very excited to finally get to see Mount Nemrut, an incredible archeological site from the first century. Check this post out for how I visited Mt Nemrut as well as a day trip to Urfa and Gobeklitepe.
After crossing the border from Iraqi Kurdistan, I arrived in Mardin, an incredibly picture perfect town overlooking Mesopotamia. I really hadn't known much about Mardin before arriving there, other than Lonely Planet declaring it was worth a stop, but it simply took my 20 minute hike up through the town from where the bus had … Continue reading Southeastern Turkey’s old towns of Mardin and Midyat
If you're contemplating a trip to Iraqi Kurdistan and wondering what you need to know about going there as a tourist, then look no further. In this post, I have covered all the important practical things anyone would need to know before travelling to Kurdistan based on my experience. Leave your preconceived ideas, assumptions and … Continue reading Iraqi Kurdistan: what you need to know before you go
From Duhok in Iraqi Kurdistan, I wanted to cross over to Southeastern Turkey. I crossed the border at Ibrahim Khalil/Habur and here is my guide and report of the crossing.
From Duhok, I wanted to explore the small town of Amedi. I had read about this place where the Three Wise Men had come from, which was perched on top of a uniquely shaped plateau in the rolling hills of Kurdistan. I decided to take a day trip on my own this time and I … Continue reading Duhok and a day trip to Amedi
From Erbil, I explored three of Iraqi Kurdistan's biggest tourist attractions on the way to Duhok: Akre, Lalish and Alqosh.
Everyone had raved to me about Sulaymaniyah. However, it was actually Erbil that I came to really like. The city is Iraqi Kurdistan’s capital and is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world. The central citadel has been continuously lived in for 7000 years, and is now a built up, manmade hill … Continue reading Erbil: a guide to Iraqi Kurdistan’s capital
Iran is not really a country that you can just book a flight and go without having done any prior research or knowing anything about the country. From safety to visas to food, this post breaks down everything you need to know before going to Iran, so that you'll be fully prepared once you arrive.
I was really unsure what to expect in Iraqi Kurdistan. After crossing the border from Iran, my first destination was Sulaymaniyah, the region's second largest city. I had heard that Sulaymaniyah was a very modern, almost European-style city... whatever that really means. However, I can see how people would describe it in this way, with … Continue reading Sulaymaniyah: Iraqi Kurdistan’s cultural capital