AN EXPLORATORY TOUR OF IRAQI KURDISTAN
Cultural tour of Iraq

Day 01: Arrive Erbil
This evening you are scheduled to arrive Erbil. Once clearing through Customs & Immigration, you will be met and transfer to the hotel.
Overnight: Erbil International Hotel (2 nights) (D)

Day 02: Erbil
The city of Erbil is one of the largest cities in Iraq, which is also the capital of the Kurdistan Region. It is also believed that it is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Today’s tour includes the Citadel of Erbil, which is one of the major Erbil tourist attractions that cannot be missed out. The Citadel is also known as Qelay Hewlêrin Kurdish. The attraction is located in the center of the city. It is built on a number of layers of archaeological ruins. These layers of archaeological ruins are the historical settlements built in ancient times. The first village was established here around the 6th millennium BC. The Citadel's area is 102000 square metres and has a height of 26 metres from the ground level. The Citadel of Erbil had witnessed many empires like Sumerians, Babylonians, Assyrian, Achaemenid Persians, Greeks, Iranian Parthians, Persian Sassanids and Ottoman Turks.
Next stop is the Qayssarria Bazaar, which is a covered market and is located in the city center in the south of the citadel monument. You can enter the bazaar through a number of alleys surrounding it. After you enter inside the bazaar you can walk through the maze of narrow paths between the shops. Many of the alleys sell a number of unique products in the same location. In the northeast corner of the bazaar you will find a north-south alley. This alley sells a variety of honey and dairy products like yoghurt and cheeses. If possible then visits to the Mudhafaria Minaret and the Mound of Qalich Agha will also be included in today’s tour. (B, L, D)

Day 03: Erbil / Dohuk (Drive)
Approaching Dohuk brings to mind the countryside in Italy. The war is over in Dohuk. After suffering perhaps a half century of fighting, the people have finally gotten the peace they wanted long ago. With the old Iraqi government vanquished, Dohuk is thriving. In fact, this Iraqi city appears to be doing at least as well as-perhaps remarkably better than-many comparably-sized towns in Italy. A visit to this place affords more than a break from the rugged routine of war; it also provides a postcard of a possible future for all of Iraq.
Overnight: Hotel Dishad (2 nights) (B, L, D)

Day 04: Dohuk
This morning visit the Zoroastrian temple near Jar Sangi Cave. The temple is believed to be the most complete to have been unearthed in the region. It is also said that it was a Mithraist temple, which was dedicated to the Zoroastrian deity Anahita, indicated by the discovery of Anahita's emblem and a fire-alter at the heart of the temple, which made up of five sanctuaries, three of which were carved into rock, with the remaining two having been constructed from stone blocks. The discovery of the temple is being hailed as the most significant archaeological development in the region in recent times.
Need info on Solaf & Sarseng. (B, L, D)

Day 05: Dohuk / Sulaymaniyah (Drive)
Drive to Sulaymaniyah via Amadiya and Dokan Lake. The modern city of Sulaymaniyah was founded in 1784 by a Kurdish prince known as Ibrahim Pasha Baban who named it for his father Sulayman Pasha. Since being founded as the capital of a powerful Kurdish principality it has grown to about 1,800,000 people. It is the cultural centre of the Sorani-speaking Kurds and an important economic centre for Kurdistan. Since liberation in 1991, it has been administered by Autonomous Kurdish Government and serves as one of the metropolises of Iraqi Kurdistan (KRG). The city is quickly becoming a tourist attraction for Iraqis and other Middle Easterners due to its relative prosperity, security, and natural beauty. It is also known for its strong economic ties with Iran.
Overnight: Sulaymaniyah Palace Hotel (2 nights) (B, L, D)

Day 06: Sulaymaniyah
Tour of Sulaymaniyah. (B, L, D)

Day 07: Sulaymaniyah / Erbil (Drive)
Drive back to Erbil. (B, L, D)

Day 08: Depart Erbil
Check out by 1100 hrs. Transfer back to the airport for your flight home or extend the trip with another tour in our repertoire. (B)

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Departure Dates
2010 English Speaking Departures Please call for details 1-800-663-0844 / +1-604-264-7378
Inclusions
Tour Price Includes Tour Price Does Not Include Accommodation as mentioned or similar, including hotel taxes Any airfare & Departure taxes Meals as mentioned (B=Breakfast, D=Dinner) Insurance / Visa Fees All sightseeing and transfers Tips/Gratuities to Drivers & Guides Services of local English speaking guide Drinks/Beverages with meals Entrance fees to museums and sites included in the itinerary
Tour Price
We accept payment in US $ (US Dollars), CA $ (Canadian Dollars) or equivalent EURO (for clients outside North America). Bestway Tours & Safaris offers conversion rate protection. Once full payment has been received, and no modification has been made to the tour itinerary, we will honour that rate. For complete payment procedures, please download Bestway_Payment_Info.pdf Note: to read this file you must have Adobe Acrobat.
Departure Double Occupancy Single Room Supplement 2010 US$ US$ Please call for details 1-800-663-0844 / +1-604-264-7378
Estimated International Airfare - International airfare is NOT included in this tour
Canada - West Coast - USA - West Coast - Canada - East Coast - USA - East Coast -
Participants
Notes
Customised Itinerary If you would like to have a tour on dates other than the above ones or with a customised itinerary, please contact us and we will be happy to work out an exclusive program for you. Foreign Language Departures Please contact us for information on French, German, Italian and Spanish speaking departures. You may e-mail us at bestway@bestway.com or call us at 604.264.7378. Residents of U.S.A./Canada may call us toll free at 1.800.663.0844.