The topography of Kurdistan is more like Montana than the arid oil fields of southern Iraq, and as an oasis of stability in a region of tumult it’s ripe for tourism—but we’re talking true adventure travel, where things go wrong and the unexpected should be expected. Outfitter Secret Compass hasn’t put a Kurdistan mountain bike trip on its calendar yet, but it does offer an expedition to climb Halgurd, Iraq’s highest climbable peak, in spring. Want to do your own thing? Pick up a copy of Kurdistan: A Companion, found on Amazon, book a ticket to Erbil, and start there. Kurdistan Iraq Tours is also a good source of beta, kurdistaniraqtours.com.
Author Aaron Gulley is a lifelong traveler, journalist, and cyclist. This is his first piece for AJ. aarongulley.com, @aarongulley
Photos: Dan Milner, danmilner.com, @danmilnerphoto
Author Steve Hawk has been senior editor of Adventure Journal since our inaugural
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