Best of Iraq and Kurdistan: Erbil Citadel UNESCO, Sulaymaniyah, Babylon, Ur Sumerian, Hatra & Mesopotamia Cradle of Civilization, A 2026 First-Person Advisory Guide
Browse more guides: Iraq travel | Asia destinations Best of Iraq and Kurdistan: Erbil Citadel UNESCO, Sulaymaniyah, Babylon, Ur Sumerian, Hatra & Mesopotamia Cradle of Civilization, A 2026 First-Person Advisory Guide Last updated 2026-05-13. Mandatory Travel Advisory You Must Read Before Anything Else Before I write a single word about pretty citadels and ancient ziggurats, I owe you the truth. Iraq is not a normal tourism destination in 2026, and I would be doing you a disservice if I pretended otherwise. Most Western governments still advise against all or all but essential travel to Federal Iraq, with the United States Department of State, the United Kingdom Foreign Commonwealth Development Office, the Australian DFAT and the Canadian Government all maintaining raised warnings as of my last check in May 2026. The Iraqi Kurdistan Region, which has operated as a semi-autonomous federal region since 1991 under the Kurdistan Regional Government, is consistently rated significa...