Upon the unzipping of tents, the serene mix of sublime weather conditions and stillness that comes with a 4am start high above the snow line, hinted at a successful day on the mountain. Even with your own car, it’s a tough drive on these mud roads (highest point we got to was 1870 m elevation).

From Soran we drove around 95 km. Or even some local thugs?

Perhaps the Kurdish military? There are quite a few military checkpoints along the main road to Choman and depending on how credible you come across as a “mountain tourist” these might involve some delays if you travel on your own.2) Security. Car paking, internet and laundry service is available.

It is visited by tourists from all over Iraq and other foreign countries to spend enjoyable time in adventure and hiking. Climbing Halgurd Mountain in Iraq At just over 3,600 meters in elevation, Halgurd Mountain is one of the few snow-covered peaks in the Middle East that is worthy of summiting. :-) It was worth every minute. The region receives an abundance of rain and snow...Dlopa lies 12 kilometers northwest of Erbil with a height of 420 meters above sea level. Therefore, they consider Halgurd as the highest mountain in Iraq with an altitude of 3,607 meters. My spirits were still high the day before when we managed to drive our 2WD diesel van high up along the muddy access roads from the town of Choman to an elevation of 1870 m, far above the last settlement, before washouts prevented further progress.
For the hiker, they were just fine, except for the annoying red clay mud that kept sticking to my boots, making my feet three times heavier!After steadily gaining elevation, I followed another higher track that came in from the left, paralleling the creek. For this expedition it is imperative that everyone’s boots are crampon compatible, a B1 rating boot is advised. In Choman, another friend joined us, the friend who arranged our permit. Bekhal Summer Resort. So, find friends on social media who can come with you. With a peak altitude of 3607 meters, Halgurd is the tallest mountain in Iraq.

Consult the internet or your local outdoors shop staff for advice. In the last decade, Iraqi Kurdistan has experienced a boom in mountaineering and hiking groups who weather challenging conditions including land mines and drone strikes to enjoy … Prior to gaining more altitude, essential mountain skills training take place including the use of crampons and ice axes. Hahhaaa. Our friends had their own jeep which is perfect for dirt roads as well. But I packed up and set off anyway, following the dirt track higher on the right (east) side of a small creek before a washout forced me to jump to the other side and continue on another track. It’s not allowed to climb everywhere due to the reasons I’m going to talk about later.At 3:30 am we woke up and had breakfast.

In the evening, enjoy a celebratory team meal and a comfortable night’s stay.

The snow was just too soft and deep and this was definitely no fun anymore! with We start by hiking Kurdistan and then climb Mount Halgurd (3,607m). Secret Compass will provide crampons for all teammates.Teammates are welcome to bring crampons, let us know so we don’t bring extra crampons out for you.In Erbil and urban areas women will need to cover their hair/ heads with a scarf or similar. This is by far the biggest concern. If you continue to use this site I will assume that you are o.k. This formidable natural barrier has for centuries kept cultural and political entities apart, from early Mesopotamian and Median cultures to the more recent Persian and Ottoman empires.In addition to ethnic Persians, the surrounding regions are home to communities of Assyrian Christians, Kurds and Turks and many other significant ethnic groups with agriculture, animal husbandry, carpets and rugs the mainstays of many local economies. Halgurd... Rawanduz. 7 November 2018.

I was sinking in knee-deep in places and it was only getting worse the higher I went. You’re then free to book flights out at any time from this day onwards and, due to differing departure arrangements, will arrange your own return transfer to the airport (easily organised at the hotel).Accommodation will be in a basic hotel in Erbil at the beginning and end of the expedition, and in Choman en route to the mountain trekking phase. The aim of this epic expedition is to make a summit attempt on Mount Halgurd (3,607m). :-)If you are in Iraqi Kurdistan, I highly recommend this hike. Halgurd, First Complete Ski Descent Iraq, Zagros Mountains In late February, in partnership with Dutch guide Jan Bakker, I led a small team of American skiers on what we believe to be the first complete ski ascent and descent of the highest mountain lying fully in Iraq: Mt. It is eclipsed by only a few metres by Cheeka Dar, which sits just 6 km northeast of Halgurd right on the Iranian border and is therefore much more difficult to access.

When Wen heard our friendly banter, she crawled out of the car and offered him some bananas and drinks. Halgurd is climbed relatively often, perhaps because it is the highest mountain However, compared to peaks of similar stature in Europe or North America, Halgurd is completely and utterly different. Initially the land is green and fertile with flowing streams and rivers. I pulled out helmet and ice axe and tried to climb along the rocks on the sides instead, but unexpected ice and deep snow holes underneath made it a risky exercise. With a peak altitude of 3607 meters, Halgurd is the tallest mountain in Iraq.
A fuller itinerary is provided in the Kurdistan Expedition Handbook which is available on request or upon application to join the team.All teammates fly into Erbil to arrive at or before 2000 on day one of the expedition, then get themselves to the local hotel where the expedition leader awaits. These dirt roads were in pretty poor shape and definitely undriveable due to heavy erosion, with rocks strewn around and water-worn gullies in places. These mountains are considered sacred by the Kurds.Kurdish people are renowned for their hospitality and generosity. Another friend of his arranged our Foreigners need a permit if they want to climb there. Cheekah Dar, however, straddles the border with Iran and is not currently climbable (and not wholly within Iraq).The Zagros range is around 1500 km long.