English 
NederlandsRing in the new year in Iraq!
Kurdistan NYE Tour
Looking for an unforgettable way to ring in the New Year? Look no further than our tour of Iraqi Kurdistan during New Year’s Eve! This adventure-packed tour will take you to some of the most beautiful and culturally rich areas of the region, including Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Duhok, and Lalesh. But the real highlight of the tour is spending NYE in Erbil, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. With its ancient citadel and bustling bazaar, Erbil is the perfect place to welcome in the new year with your new travel friends. And with our expert guides leading the way, you’ll have an experience you’ll never forget.
Kurdistan Group Tours Schedule
General info
| Start date | Thursday 26 December 2024 |
| End date | Wednesday 1 January 2025 |
| Days | 7 days / 6 nights |
| Price | € 1,195 |
| Including | Accommodation (shared) Transportation on the ground Western & local guide Breakfast Entry fees |
| Excluding | International flights Single room (€ 300) Insurance Visa Lunch & Dinner Tips for the guide Personal expenses |
This offer is covered by the STO Garant guarantee. You can find the conditions for this guarantee scheme on STO Garant’s website.
Itinerary
Thursday 26 December – Erbil
- Arrival in Erbil on your own.
- Exchange money on the local market (if necessary).
- Meet the group.
- Overnight stay in Erbil.
Friday 27 December – Erbil – Sulaymaniyah
- Drive to Sulaymaniyah.
- Along the way we stop at an old caravanserai in Koisinjak. Here you’ll feel like you’re traveling back in time.
- Arrival in Sulaymaniyah (or Suly), walk over to the local souk.
- Highlight: We drive to Goizha Mountain, from here we’ll have an amazing view of the city.
- Overnight stay in Sulaymaniyah.
Saturday 28 December – Sulaymaniyah – Rawandas
- Visit to the Red Prison, where Kurds were imprisoned and abused in the time of Saddam Hussein. It’s now a museum.
- We visit the Zazi Cave, here several archeological findings have been done.
- Drive to Dokan Lake, close to the city of Ranya. A beautiful lake with a giant dam. We’ll take a short boat ride over the lake.
- Highlight: Walk along the famous Hamilton Road.
- See the small Bekhal Waterfall and the Kharand gorge.
- Overnight stay in Rawandas.
Sunday 29 December – Rawandas – Amadiya – Duhok
- Shanidar Cave, here are the remains of some Neanderthals.
- Highlight: Drive to Amadiya, here we’ll see the old City Gate (Bab Zebar).
- Continue to Duhok.
- City walk through this bustling town.
- Overnight stay in Duhok.
Monday 30 December – Duhok – Lalesh – Erbil
- We check out the St. Matthew Monastery (Mar Mattei), one of the oldest, still in use, monasteries in Iraq.
- Drive to Lalesh
- Highlight: Guided tour of Lalesh, the holiest place for the Yazidi people. A special population group that has its own religion.
- Return to Erbil.
- Overnight stay in Erbil.
Tuesday 31 December – Erbil
- Highlight: We visit the Citadel of Erbil, a 7000-year-old fort.
- We explore the Qayasari and Shexallah Bazaar, two beautiful markets full with food, clothes and perfume stores.
- We visit the Christian area of Erbil – Ainkawa. Here we’ll have the best rooftop bar for the NYE celebrations.
- Highlight: Enjoy the New Year’s Eve celebrations with lots of firework and dancing.
- Overnight stay in Erbil.
Wednesday 1 January – Erbil
- End of the tour, departure at your own convenience.