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O V E R L A N D    D R E A M I N G

UNIQUE SUV EXPEDITIONS FROM THE SAHARA TO THE HIMALAYAS

OPERATED AND MANAGED by Dusko M DuSwami

 

TURKEY + IRAQ/KURDISTAN/KRG + IRAN + ARMENIA + GEORGIA


Arrival/fly-in: Istanbul, departure/fly-out Van City or Erzurum or Trabzon or Tbilisi

September 2012.

Arrival in Istanbul, drive to Safranbolu/Kapadokya,  a day of easy trekking, views from Uchisar. We climb Nemrut Dagi, meditate with gods and press on to Iraq/KRG via Silopi. For safety read this:

“The three provinces of Dohuk, Erbil and Sulaymaniyah form the Kurdistan Region and are administered by the Kurdistan Regional Government which, under the 2005 constitution, has considerable powers of autonomy within a federal Iraq. The Kurdistan Regional Government administered area has significantly greater stability, compared with the rest of Iraq.”

Also important: Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines fly to KRG-Erbil but not to Baghdad.


KRG is a para-state with its own police, visa policy (visa not valid in the “other” Iraq), currency, government, etc.


In Turkey we stay in cool little traditional hotels, in KRG in cool but simple modern hotels, there are no traditional hotels in KRG.


We explore the mountains, the waterfalls; everything is so easy and accessible here in KRG; a lot more than on the other side of the border in Turkey where there are numerous checkpoints and military paranoia everywhere.


After 3-5 days in KRG we return to Turkey and take the super spectacular road to Lake Van and Iran; or..... even better.... continue to Iran from KRG if Allah allows us to do so......


Yes, you don’t cross the Iraq-Iran border every day, do you? In mystical NW Iran we stop in Orumiyeh, drive along the banks of the Aras River, climb to Armenia - a 35km climb to the altitude of 2600m, visit the absolutely stunning mountainous monasteries & churches and the mystical Armenian Stonehenge called Zorats, explore Lake Sevan and the remnants of ex-Soviet lake tourism; then we cross into Georgia, eat khachapuri in beautiful Tbilisi, hit the Georgian Military Highway, go deep into its side valleys and canyons and so much more. In the end we go to the cave city of Vardzia and take a wonderful mountainous road back to Turkey. A gorgeous expedition! Expedition ends in Dogubeyazit or Erzurum or Trabzon or Kapadokya or Istanbul.



21 days (3+3 days Turkey, 3-4 days Iraq/KRG/Kurdistan, 2-4 days Iran, 3 days Armenia, 5 days Georgia): from 2500€.



Price includes:

  1. -accommodation in cozy little family-owned hotels or B&B’s

  2. -local food + (bottled) drinking water

  3. -ground transport in sturdy, comfortable, air-conditioned Japan made SUV’s

  4. -organization & logistics





Price is based on 4 passengers per vehicle + guide/driver. There are however numerous options in terms of accommodation, single/double occupancy, food, etc. - we need to hear from you to finalize the options and the price.

AlJazeera on Iraqi Kurdistan.