Selected
JOURNEYS
"Travelling - it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller",
by Ibn Battuta.
Our journeys are bold and ambitious, and perhaps the flagship of this homepage.
Although we are also trekking and island nerds, our journeys are sorts of trailblazing travel expeditions which are unique, challenging and adventurous, and thus they epitomize our spirit within adventure.
Often, the regions, countries and places we visit during our journeys take on an exotic quality. What matters is to get away from the established routes and seek something that little bit more special and authentic. Often, we might have to overcome a bit of hardship and logistical challenges since our journeys most often don’t run smoothly. This is all part of the fun.
In our view, a journey is something you would recommend to others. To us, what really matters, is to get away from the established routes and seek something that little bit more special and authentic. We are not talking about the ultimate expedition, but to move away from the familiar, out of the comfort zone, where everyday situations and events take on an exotic quality.
Selected
JOURNEYS
"Travelling - it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller",
by Ibn Battuta.
Our journeys are bold and ambitious, and perhaps the flagship of this homepage.
Although we are also trekking and island nerds, our journeys are sorts of trailblazing travel expeditions which are unique, challenging and adventurous, and thus they epitomize our spirit within adventure.
Often, the regions, countries and places we visit during our journeys take on an exotic quality. What matters is to get away from the established routes and seek something that little bit more special and authentic. Often, we might have to overcome a bit of hardship and logistical challenges since our journeys most often don’t run smoothly. This is all part of the fun.
In our view, a journey is something you would recommend to others. To us, what really matters, is to get away from the established routes and seek something that little bit more special and authentic. We are not talking about the ultimate expedition, but to move away from the familiar, out of the comfort zone, where everyday situations and events take on an exotic quality.
Selected
JOURNEYS
"Travelling - it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller",
by Ibn Battuta.
Our journeys are bold and ambitious, and perhaps the flagship of this homepage.
Although we are also trekking and island nerds, our journeys are sorts of trailblazing travel expeditions which are unique, challenging and adventurous, and thus they epitomize our spirit within adventure.
Often, the regions, countries and places we visit during our journeys take on an exotic quality. What matters is to get away from the established routes and seek something that little bit more special and authentic. Often, we might have to overcome a bit of hardship and logistical challenges since our journeys most often don’t run smoothly. This is all part of the fun.
In our view, a journey is something you would recommend to others. To us, what really matters, is to get away from the established routes and seek something that little bit more special and authentic. We are not talking about the ultimate expedition, but to move away from the familiar, out of the comfort zone, where everyday situations and events take on an exotic quality.
Selected
JOURNEYS
"Travelling - it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller",
by Ibn Battuta.
Our journeys are bold and ambitious, and perhaps the flagship of this homepage.
Although we are also trekking and island nerds, our journeys are sorts of trailblazing travel expeditions which are unique, challenging and adventurous, and thus they epitomize our spirit within adventure.
Often, the regions, countries and places we visit during our journeys take on an exotic quality. What matters is to get away from the established routes and seek something that little bit more special and authentic. Often, we might have to overcome a bit of hardship and logistical challenges since our journeys most often don’t run smoothly. This is all part of the fun.
In our view, a journey is something you would recommend to others. To us, what really matters, is to get away from the established routes and seek something that little bit more special and authentic. We are not talking about the ultimate expedition, but to move away from the familiar, out of the comfort zone, where everyday situations and events take on an exotic quality.
Selected
JOURNEYS
"Travelling - it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller",
by Ibn Battuta.
Our journeys are bold and ambitious, and perhaps the flagship of this homepage.
Although we are also trekking and island nerds, our journeys are sorts of trailblazing travel expeditions which are unique, challenging and adventurous, and thus they epitomize our spirit within adventure.
Often, the regions, countries and places we visit during our journeys take on an exotic quality. What matters is to get away from the established routes and seek something that little bit more special and authentic. Often, we might have to overcome a bit of hardship and logistical challenges since our journeys most often don’t run smoothly. This is all part of the fun.
In our view, a journey is something you would recommend to others. To us, what really matters, is to get away from the established routes and seek something that little bit more special and authentic. We are not talking about the ultimate expedition, but to move away from the familiar, out of the comfort zone, where everyday situations and events take on an exotic quality.
From Europe to the Himalayas along
THE HIPPY TRAIL
Part II
From Europe to the Himalayas along
THE HIPPY TRAIL
Part II
From Europe to the Himalayas along
THE HIPPY TRAIL
Part III
From Europe to the Himalayas along
THE HIPPY TRAIL
Part III
TravelTwins.dk
Exploring the less beaten paths of the world
- look, read, dream, travel!
Crossing beautiful Kurdistan part II:
IRAN & EAST TURKEY
Part II covers our our flabbergasting encounter with an ancient land without formal recognition across the Iranian and Turkish parts of Kurdistan.
Traveling around these parts of Kurdistan, we saw that most Kurds live in small villages in remote mountain regions. A typical Kurdish house is made of mud brick with a wooden roof. In the summer, families sleep on the roof, where it is cooler. Some homes have underground rooms that are used during the winter to escape the cold. There is rarely indoor plumbing or heating. Water is carried into the house in jars and cans from a central village well. We also saw how some of the remaining nomadic Kurds live in tents made of blackened animal hides.
Traditional Kurdish dress is becoming rare, but it can still be seen in many places. Kurdish women wear colorful skirts and blouses. Men wear baggy, colorful trousers with a plain shirt featuring very full sleeves tied at the elbow. Brightly colored vests and sashes are worn over the shirt. Many men wear a silk turban.
One striking thing about Kurdish society, which we observed very clearly, is that Kurdish women freely associate with men in most social gatherings.
Locations: Iranian Kordestan province and East Turkey, during 1 month
This is the second leg of a longer overland journey across much of Kurdistan in Iraq, Iran, and eastern Turkey. On the first leg of this journey, we explored Kurdistan in Iraq in depth. Here, on the second leg, we explore the Iranian and Turkish parts of Kurdistan.
This part of Kurdistan is more remote and rural. There are only a few larger Kurdish cities, such as Mahabad and Sanandaj in Iran, and Diyarbakır, a sort of capital for the Kurds, and Van in Turkey. We start in Sanandaj, the capital of Iran's Kurdistan Province. It is a wonderfully friendly place where we stayed with a local Kurd who drove us into the mountains and to many small Kurdish villages over the course of several days. We found the Kurds in this region to be among the most traditional in all of Kurdistan. The communities around Howraman and Paveh, in particular, are highly traditional and speak the poetic Hawrami language. We then continue along the border with Iraq towards Sardasht, Hasanlu, Urmia, and Razi, before crossing into eastern Turkey. There, we explore some of the most significant Kurdish towns and villages.
If Middle East adventures excites you:
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We did long trip on the Hippy Trail through Turkey and Iran.
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We crossed Iraq
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See our travels in Syria and greater Middle East, including Israel, Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan
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Saudi Arabia and the Red Sea is a blast
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We've been exploring all countries in the Persian Gulf
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Yemen mainland and the Yemeni island of Socotra are spectacular
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The Middle East has some great neigborgs, e.g. Sudan, Somalia and Northern Africa, including Algeria, Tunesia and Morocco
Selected pics from this encounter:
(to see all photos, click Show More at the end of the gallery)
Kurds comprise nearly 10% of Irans population along the border with Iraq. There are however many different tribes scattered across Howraman, Paveh, Marivan, Sanandaj, Hanasalu, etc.
A common element in traditional Kurdish dress for most Iranian Kurdish menis the headscarf (mezare) and baggry trousers. If you are lucy, you will see men wearing kolobal felt jackets with shoulder "horns".
Kordestan, Iran
...is inside the Jameh Mosque in Sanandaj, one of the most beautiful mosques in Iranian Kurdistan
In Teheran we meet two Polish travelers who gave us the number of a local driver. We gave him a call, and after a few days he was our driver for a whole week in the Kurdish region of Iran.
A good place to take a stroll and enjoy the low, rolling mountains fronted by marshlands and the lake.
In Mariwan, which was our base for a couple of days, we slept on the floor (carpet) in the house of our driver. Kurds are extremely hospitable!
Brilliant Palangsan is one of the most picturesque villages of Kurdistan. Wobbly old bridges cross the river either end of town, and you will meet many intereseting and talkative locals in the streets.
To the left of the valley: Iraq To the right: Iran. The slippery road from Paveh to Howraman-at-Takht village is 90% hairpns and marvellously scenic but spine-jarringly exhausting driving. Probably impossible if wet or snowy (most of the winter).
The mountain views and villages was out of an adventure movie
This is one of Kurdistan's (and Iran's) least known and most spectaular towns. This is litterally where the asphalt ends. A particularly impressive and steep array on rock-and-mud bungalows, you can easily spend some time here to suck up the atmosphere.
Ultra-Kurdish amtmosphere and culture is guaranteed!
Inside the Muslim prayer room in Howraman-at-Takht.
View of the village
...near Howraman-at-Takht
...near Howraman-at-Takht
We had this for lunch many times. Unforgettable!
Past the rolling hills lies Iraq
A phenomenally hospitable place with a fine setting
After a few weeks in this corner of Irian Kurdistan it was time to move on. We tried to pass the border to Iraq but wasn't allowed to due to the turbulent situation in Kirkuk and Sulaymaniyeh near the boarder. So, we had to travel along the border of Iraq to the Turkish parts of Kurdistan. Okay, we could still explore the northern parts of Iranian Kurdistan.
Riding through Iranian Kurdistan you will see plenty of charming villages such as Saqqez. Knowing even a few words will delight locals you meet.
...half-way to the Turkish part of Kurdistan from Sanandaj
