Crossing the Ibrahim Khalil Border from Turkey to Kurdistan
I travelled from Cizre to Duhok, crossing the Ibrahim Khalil border between Turkey and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
This is the first of many blog posts from Kurdistan. I am hopelessly behind. And I have to apologise for the lack of photos on this particular post.
Kurds or Kurdish people are an Iranic ethnic group native to the mountainous region of Kurdistan in West Asia, which spans southeastern Turkey, northwestern Iran, northern Iraq, and northern Syria.
Iraqi Kurdistan, or Southern Kurdistan, refers to the Kurdish-populated part of northern Iraq.
This is a travel blog. I don't want to get all political. The website where I obtained my e-Visa refers to it as the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The stamp in my passport says, "Republic of Iraq - Kurdistan Region".
According to the UN, it's all part of the Republic of Iraq, another member state, taking me up to 115. Still, on my own list, I have added it, as a territory: Republic of Iraq - Kurdistan Region.
It would be like going to Socotra and declaring that you went to Yemen, or Somaliland and saying that you went to Somalia. For me, that just ain't gonna happen.
Kurds or Kurdish people are an Iranic ethnic group native to the mountainous region of Kurdistan in West Asia, which spans southeastern Turkey, northwestern Iran, northern Iraq, and northern Syria.
Iraqi Kurdistan, or Southern Kurdistan, refers to the Kurdish-populated part of northern Iraq.
This is a travel blog. I don't want to get all political. The website where I obtained my e-Visa refers to it as the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The stamp in my passport says, "Republic of Iraq - Kurdistan Region".
According to the UN, it's all part of the Republic of Iraq, another member state, taking me up to 115. Still, on my own list, I have added it, as a territory: Republic of Iraq - Kurdistan Region.
It would be like going to Socotra and declaring that you went to Yemen, or Somaliland and saying that you went to Somalia. For me, that just ain't gonna happen.
Can you visit Kurdistan without a visa?
Most likely, you will need a visa. Always check for the latest situation before you go.
Officially, citizens of 53 countries can still get a Visa on Arrival, but I didn't see any VOA office at the Ibrahim Khalil Border. Having an e-Visa just makes life so much easier. Print it out as well, before you go.
Officially, citizens of 53 countries can still get a Visa on Arrival, but I didn't see any VOA office at the Ibrahim Khalil Border. Having an e-Visa just makes life so much easier. Print it out as well, before you go.
You need to think for yourself a lot in Kurdistan. That's why there is no link to the e-Visa website. Get some practice in.
My day started in Cizre, where I'd spent a night at the Dicle Hotel, having travelled from Sanliurfa the day before. The Dicle was a bit posh, but the first cheapie is asked at was full, and the second was so bad that the only thing I would say about it would be that the building should be condemned. So, if any of you are interested in opening up a backpacker hostel in Cizre, there is a gap in the market.
The only other travel blogs I saw detailed taking a bus from Diyarbakir to Erbil.
I didn't want to go all the way up to Diyarbakir, adding yet more kilometres to an already long trip, so once in Cizre, it was a question of doing the legwork myself.
The guys in the bus station weren't helpful. I walked around. Nothing. Cizre never even made it into the Lonely Planet, which is kind of strange because it's quite a strategically situated town. For me, it made perfect sense to see Cizre as a place where one stayed before continuing the next day into Kurdistan.
The guy at the hotel kindly called a driver and told me that a dolmus would leave at 9am from the hotel, which sounded just too easy.
In reality, it was a spot outside the Cizre Nur bus ticket agency, 20 meters away and having waited 45 mins, the kind girl there told me after some messaging: "unfortunately not to today" and after some more moments and with the help of Google Translate, she pointed to a spot across the road, where luckily there was a minivan going, after 1 hour.
They wanted me to pay right away. My bag was put in the back, then we drove around town picking up people and suddenly by 10 am, the van was full and we were heading out of town.
The travels recently have caused me a lot of anxiety and made me question myself if I still have it in me to deal with the uncertainty of the road less travelled.
But once we were on the way, my mind settled, and I was smiling again.
It was just a short trip to the border, 50km, which is known as the Habur Bridge on the Turkish side.
Nomadic Backpacker at the Ibrahim Khalil Border Crossing:
My day started in Cizre, where I'd spent a night at the Dicle Hotel, having travelled from Sanliurfa the day before. The Dicle was a bit posh, but the first cheapie is asked at was full, and the second was so bad that the only thing I would say about it would be that the building should be condemned. So, if any of you are interested in opening up a backpacker hostel in Cizre, there is a gap in the market.
The only other travel blogs I saw detailed taking a bus from Diyarbakir to Erbil.
I didn't want to go all the way up to Diyarbakir, adding yet more kilometres to an already long trip, so once in Cizre, it was a question of doing the legwork myself.
The guys in the bus station weren't helpful. I walked around. Nothing. Cizre never even made it into the Lonely Planet, which is kind of strange because it's quite a strategically situated town. For me, it made perfect sense to see Cizre as a place where one stayed before continuing the next day into Kurdistan.
The guy at the hotel kindly called a driver and told me that a dolmus would leave at 9am from the hotel, which sounded just too easy.
In reality, it was a spot outside the Cizre Nur bus ticket agency, 20 meters away and having waited 45 mins, the kind girl there told me after some messaging: "unfortunately not to today" and after some more moments and with the help of Google Translate, she pointed to a spot across the road, where luckily there was a minivan going, after 1 hour.
They wanted me to pay right away. My bag was put in the back, then we drove around town picking up people and suddenly by 10 am, the van was full and we were heading out of town.
The travels recently have caused me a lot of anxiety and made me question myself if I still have it in me to deal with the uncertainty of the road less travelled.
But once we were on the way, my mind settled, and I was smiling again.
It was just a short trip to the border, 50km, which is known as the Habur Bridge on the Turkish side.
Nomadic Backpacker at the Ibrahim Khalil Border Crossing:
We were 7 in the van. The trick when you have no idea what you are doing is to befriend your fellow passengers. They will hopefully look after you. Or if not, follow them at a distance. They know the procedure. They are old hands at the borders.
We arrived at the border at 10.30. When you travel on foot, crossing borders takes significantly less time than when you are on a cross-border bus.
You bypass all the trucks and everyone else.
A female passenger took my passport and wrote down all the details, purpose unknown.
Then a short drive to the Kurdistan immigration. Stamped in super easily, as I had the e-Visa already.
Until now, there had been no money changers that other blogs had mentioned and no Visa On Arrival office. Had it been discontinued? Even if the official website says it is still available?
I was happy that I had secured mine already.
Then, back in the van out of the border area.
I love the buzz of crossing borders.
Then it all went a bit wrong. The others were going to Zahko, the first town, and it seemed that the minivan was going there.
The girl who had taken the passport numbers spoke reasonable English, and it seemed there was no option other than to take a personal taxi, at 25 USD. I had no energy left. My enthusiasm deserted me.
I agreed on the taxi, and then we stopped, and a guy, a friend of the taxi driver (?), ushered his wife (?) into my taxi.
This had happened twice before in Jordan. The first time had been from the airport in Amman. A fellow driver, whose car had broken down and needed a lift. The other time was on the way to the port in Aqaba. Suddenly, there was a young chap in the back seat, who was trying to get a ride at my expense, and everyone acted like it was normal.
That time I told him to pay half or get the fuck out.
This time, I remained quiet.
Kurdistan was my last stop on this little adventure. And I was determined to enjoy it. Getting angry changes nothing. When in Rome?
But I was mentally exhausted.
We cruised along. Kurdistan looked pretty modern in a Middle Eastern type of way. Everyone drove like loonies, seat belts are only worn because the car beeps if you don't. Everyone is on their phone.
Here is just 1 photo shortly after the border, shot through the windshield:
We arrived at the border at 10.30. When you travel on foot, crossing borders takes significantly less time than when you are on a cross-border bus.
You bypass all the trucks and everyone else.
A female passenger took my passport and wrote down all the details, purpose unknown.
Then a short drive to the Kurdistan immigration. Stamped in super easily, as I had the e-Visa already.
Until now, there had been no money changers that other blogs had mentioned and no Visa On Arrival office. Had it been discontinued? Even if the official website says it is still available?
I was happy that I had secured mine already.
Then, back in the van out of the border area.
I love the buzz of crossing borders.
Then it all went a bit wrong. The others were going to Zahko, the first town, and it seemed that the minivan was going there.
The girl who had taken the passport numbers spoke reasonable English, and it seemed there was no option other than to take a personal taxi, at 25 USD. I had no energy left. My enthusiasm deserted me.
I agreed on the taxi, and then we stopped, and a guy, a friend of the taxi driver (?), ushered his wife (?) into my taxi.
This had happened twice before in Jordan. The first time had been from the airport in Amman. A fellow driver, whose car had broken down and needed a lift. The other time was on the way to the port in Aqaba. Suddenly, there was a young chap in the back seat, who was trying to get a ride at my expense, and everyone acted like it was normal.
That time I told him to pay half or get the fuck out.
This time, I remained quiet.
Kurdistan was my last stop on this little adventure. And I was determined to enjoy it. Getting angry changes nothing. When in Rome?
But I was mentally exhausted.
We cruised along. Kurdistan looked pretty modern in a Middle Eastern type of way. Everyone drove like loonies, seat belts are only worn because the car beeps if you don't. Everyone is on their phone.
Here is just 1 photo shortly after the border, shot through the windshield:
I got dropped off at the bazaar in the centre of Duhok, found a hotel, The Sulaymani Palace, dumped my bags and went for lunch.
