The semi-autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan is subdivided in 4 governorates. The Erbil Governorate is the most populated one, and home to the Kurdish capital and economic hub, Erbil (also called Hawler, Arbil or Irbil).
The capital city is the biggest highlight of the governorate and stands near the south border of the province. To visit most of the other landmarks (the ones that are nature-related) we must travel northeast to the mountains, closer to the border with Iran. The exception is the monastery of Mar Mattai, which in fact is located in the Nineveh Governorate but classified here for practicality purposes.
1. Erbil
The capital and most important city of Kurdistan, Erbil is one of the highlights of this semi-autonomous region. We wrote a complete article on it, which you can check here.
Anyway, we’ll list below the places we think should be seen in any visit to this amazing city:
- The Citadel
- Main City Square
- Qaysari Bazaar
- Erbil Civilization Museum
- Mudhafaria Minaret
- Jalil Khayat Mosque
- Money Market
2. Mar Mattai Monastery
Mar Mattai, or the Monastery of St. Matthew, is located just 20km north of Mosul. Just as the Rabban Hormizd Monastery, which we included in the “Dohuk Governorate: highlights” article, this monastery is technically located in the Nineveh Governorate. However, the northeastern section of this province is disputed between Federal Iraq and Kurdistan. It’s then possible to visit the monastery from the Kurdish side, and we opted to include it here as it is easily reached from Erbil.
It was founded in 363 AD by Mar Mattai, a hermit who fled persecution from the Roman Empire. Being an Orthodox monastery, it survived many attacks led by the Kurds throughout history. Today, the monastery is administered by the Syriac Orthodox Church. Every year, on the 18th of September, numerous christians gather here to honour Mar Mattai on the day of his death.
3. Geli Ali Bag & Bekhal Waterfalls
This two waterfalls are very close to each other and to the city of Rawanduz, >100km north of Erbil. Both are favourite spots for locals, mainly during warmer times. We can find several restaurants and shops near the streams of water (which in our opinion ruin the beauty of those places). It’s possible to rent rubber boats in Geli Ali Bag on warmer months.
4. Rawanduz Canyon
Rawanduz (or Rawandiz) is quite near the waterfalls. If you’re visiting all on the same day coming from Erbil, you should visit in this order: Geli Ali Bag -> Bekhal -> Rawanduz. This is a small city that’s mostly known for the canyons that surround it. Expect exquisite scenery and lots of photo opportunities.
5. Mt. Halgord
Halgord is the second highest mountain in Iraq (3607m), and the highest fully within Iraq. Cheekha Dar, just a few kilometers away, is the highest of Iraq with 3611m but part of it is in Iran.
We didn’t hike all the way up because the summit was covered with snow and we did not have the time to do it in those conditions. However, we drove the road almost all the way to the trailhead of the mountain. If you want to hike there, you may use this link to guide you through the trail.
And these are our top picks for the Governorate of Erbil! Any suggestions or comments? Feel free to leave a comment in the section below!