11

Kurdistan is an ethno-cultural region within parts of several connected countries. It's basically the part of the world where the Kurds come from, but is not a country or nation.

The parts are mainly in three countries, eastern Turkey, northwestern Iran, northeastern Iraq, as well as a smaller part in northeastern Syria.

For an intrepid traveller, or a Kurdish person for that matter, is it possible to cross all the national borders between these countries to visit a broad cross-section of Kurdistan?

(I'm not asking about the obvious safety issues so please don't submit answers about safety instead of addressing the possibilities involving border crossing.)

hippietrail
  • 80,147
  • 56
  • 281
  • 643

2 Answers2

7

It's possible, although I would not necessary recommend it in the current climate. First, a map courtesy of the CIA:

enter image description here

Start from Diyarbakir, Turkey, in the Turkish area of Kurdistan. Cross into Iraqi Kurdistan via the Ibrahim Khalil checkpoint, firmly in Kurdish hands, and the town of Zakho. Detour to Faysh Khabur at Syria's northeastern tippy-top if you absolutely must plant your flag in Syrian Kurdistan, then continue to Iran via Erbil (Irbil), which has direct buses to Urmia ("Orumiyeh" on the CIA map) via the Haji Omran checkpoint. Ta-dah, you've now covered all three (or four) countries.

lambshaanxy
  • 99,971
  • 45
  • 616
  • 891
2

I'm not sure if you are asking about Visa requirements or things like that. However I can say for Iranian citizens (including Kurdish people) there are no visa requirements for travelling across those countries (Turkey, Iraq, Syria). I know the same rules apply for Turkish passports.

Actually there are many public transports (bus, train, airplane) which give frequent service, specially between Iran-Turkey (mainly routed in Tehran-Istanbul-Tehran direction) although buses and trains pass from Kurdish parts of Turkey (around Van). I remember there were fewer buses giving service to Syria and Iraq (not quite sure if still they operate though).

hatef
  • 3,269
  • 2
  • 23
  • 27