Safe route through Kurdish Turkey

[StepThruPanAm]

Hey guys,

In a couple of weeks time, all going to plan, we'll have crossed Iraqi Kurdistan and will be entering Turkey via the Zakho border. We'd like to make our way to Mersin for a ride along the Mediterranean Coast, but realise there are some security concerns around the border areas. Can anyone recommend a reasonable route from Zakho to Mersin or even advise any areas that should definitely be avoided? Also, we don't have green card insurance yet, can we buy temporary Turk insurance at the border?
Thanks

[bonnie25]

I bought Turkish insurance at the Bulgarian border, and it was all very official. I would assume that it's the same all over.
I travelled though Kurdish Turkey last summer, and although I got stopped (a lot!), one they realised I was a tourist, it was generally fine - though they did sometimes need some convincing! I would avoid Diyarbakir - there was a car bomb when I was there. There were also a lot of armed police in plain clothes on the street, and a lot of tension. I would avoid 10km to the Syrian border. You could easily head up to Gaziantep and along the main road west. Ask locals, they know where is safe and where isn't. Learn how to say hello and goodbye in Kurdish!

[bonnie25]

I am also really interested in your trip to Iraq! Is there somewhere I can read more about it?

[dooby]

Originally Posted by StepThruPanAm

Hey guys,

In a couple of weeks time, all going to plan, we'll have crossed Iraqi Kurdistan and will be entering Turkey via the Zakho border. We'd like to make our way to Mersin for a ride along the Mediterranean Coast, but realise there are some security concerns around the border areas. Can anyone recommend a reasonable route from Zakho to Mersin or even advise any areas that should definitely be avoided? Also, we don't have green card insurance yet, can we buy temporary Turk insurance at the border?
Thanks

Amazing journey, I believe more of us would like to follow your route if you have a blog or profile on facebook or instagram account maybe?

For security in Turkey/Syria border I would get in touch with Mr. Mehmet Zeki Avar here on forum, he is from Turkey, and has fresh info.

We can offer you EU border insurance check here

Stay safe and tell us more

Cheers
Dooby

[Mehmet Zeki Avar]

Be careful everybody planning to be in north İraq.
Not sure where to start and what to write..
Noone knows what will happen tomorrow according to agreements between turkey,iran,kurds, usa and russia..
Winds change directions so often same as rented fighting groups do...
Nobody knows what is discussed behind closed doors...
And North Iraq kurds leader Barzani was here 3-4 days ago..

Personal idea and my sixth sense says its a nogo area till mid may according to expectations of locals..Here is some inf. for why....

TR. army will start operations in north ıraq too in a cooperation with north ıraqı kurds and within a few days...
All north ıraq will be under airstrike bombings and firstly west of firat river(menbij area) then east side (kobani area)will be cleared from terrorist groups by military land operations....

Its reported that terrorists groups and işid in the area started wearing USA. military uniforms..

Turkish side of the ıraqi border is completely under military checkings and controls..If you have to be on the road,just obey what you are told by authorities..currently no escort follows but several check points.means several fruit,çay! offers,chat and selfie with soldiers..
Never leave the main road to west and dont travel during night time.Gas stations where trucks,buses give a break are most safe places to stop or spend the night if you have to do..Safety depends completely on being at the right place at the right time...

Insallah,hopefully these holy areas and mesopotamia, the birth place of civilizations will be peacefull,safe, friendly and welcoming again..

God bless all on the roads..

[StepThruPanAm]

Hi, thanks for the very helpful information. Will be crossing into Turkey shortly so I'm hoping we have no troubles either... We will certainly avoid Diyarbakir and probably take the Gaziantep route West, as you recommend. Cheers! If you'd like to know more about some of the places we've been you can check out our website: www.postietraumaticstress.com . It's a little behind as we are just putting together our Iran blog so Iraq will be a few week's yet I imagine. Thanks again for your help

[StepThruPanAm]

And to Dooby and Mehmet, thanks also very much for your help. Northern Iraq has so far been fantastic but I understand that the situation can change very quickly and this probably isn't the safest place in the world at the moment...still, we'll hopefully be crossing into Turkey in about 5 days time and then go as quickly as possible to some safer areas. Many thanks again.

[Mehmet Zeki Avar]

for your information.Checked today.
Before Kobane,Nusaybin M4 and akçakale 712 road gates are open,ceylanpınar is closed.you can also easily make to şanlıurfa via these gates then west through gaziantep.

Visa fees of turkey for AUS.
AVUSTRALYA
passport must be valid for minimum 5 months..
90 days with multiple entry.

e-visa...... 60 $
https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/

gate visa.. 70 $/ 50 € / 45 £

İnsallah your road angels be beside you..

Al the best and safe travels..

PS. you have made to the highest atm. of the world in a crazy weather so this stage may be a cheese cake for you..Great blog..Good luck..

[crisidsto]

Hi Mehmet,
I use this old thread to ask you if you have any recent update about situation in South East Turkey and Northern Iraq.
Next spring I would like to visit Sanliurfa, Mardin, Diyarbakir, Van, Dogubayazit and maybe spend a few days in northern Iraq to Erbil: do you know how are things going in the region now?

[terrybaker]

Originally Posted by crisidsto

Hi Mehmet,
I use this old thread to ask you if you have any recent update about situation in South East Turkey and Northern Iraq.
Next spring I would like to visit Sanliurfa, Mardin, Diyarbakir, Van, Dogubayazit and maybe spend a few days in northern Iraq to Erbil: do you know how are things going in the region now?

Did you make it across to Erbil ? How did you find it? I’m going to Turkey and the Caucasus in sept and am looking at a short detour through Northern Iraq.

Cheers

[crisidsto]

Originally Posted by terrybaker

Did you make it across to Erbil ? How did you find it? I’m going to Turkey and the Caucasus in sept and am looking at a short detour through Northern Iraq.

Cheers

First plan was to go there in the spring but then I changed it and I was supposed to go in august.
Because of Iran situation with bikes of more than 250cc, I had to change my plan one more time: it will not be this year for me...

BTW, I can now answer myself about the other question: Sanliurfa, Mardin, Diyarbakir, Van, Dogubayazit all seemed safe last april. Even checkpoints are not so many: I think I was stopped only one time.

[mbdiain]

I'll be doing a route similiar to this in two months, Adana -> Gaziantep -> Urfa -> Mardin -> somewhere -> Tatvan -> Dogubeyazit -> Kars -> Georgia.

Do you recommend to stay on the main highways the entire time and avoid rural roads? Or is everything pretty safe these days? I read a comment on wikivoyage saying that there have been reports of bandits between Adana and Gaziantep on the motorway but it sounds a bit like scaremongering.

[crisidsto]

Originally Posted by mbdiain

I'll be doing a route similiar to this in two months, Adana -> Gaziantep -> Urfa -> Mardin -> somewhere -> Tatvan -> Dogubeyazit -> Kars -> Georgia.

Do you recommend to stay on the main highways the entire time and avoid rural roads? Or is everything pretty safe these days? I read a comment on wikivoyage saying that there have been reports of bandits between Adana and Gaziantep on the motorway but it sounds a bit like scaremongering.

From Goreme to Gaziantep, I took the eastern route through Pinarbasi and south through the mountains to Kahramanmaraş.
The one passing from Adana should be faster.
I did not rode it, but I don't see why it should be less safe than any other place in the area. Or, at least, I never heard anything about it. I would not be worried to ride it.

Regarding rural roads, from Sanliurfa I went south to Harran and then east very close to the border to visit some pretty remote sites (I highly recommend Sogmatar ancient city, if you like history and remote places) and then I reconnected to the main road to Mardin. I did not saw anything strange or worrying.

From Mardin, I did a loop Midyat>Hasankeyf>Diyarbakir.
Even in Diyarbakir it seems that life is coming back to normality. Police presence is still heavy there.
I felt bad seeing the signs of destruction in the city center and the new buildings popping around with propaganda everywhere, but I think it is probably the most interesting city in the area. It definitely has some particular vibe.

Tatvan is a modern city: if you have to stop in that area, I suggest you to choose Bitlis.

[Samy]

Originally Posted by mbdiain

I'll be doing a route similiar to this in two months, Adana -> Gaziantep -> Urfa -> Mardin -> somewhere -> Tatvan -> Dogubeyazit -> Kars -> Georgia.

Do you recommend to stay on the main highways the entire time and avoid rural roads? Or is everything pretty safe these days? I read a comment on wikivoyage saying that there have been reports of bandits between Adana and Gaziantep on the motorway but it sounds a bit like scaremongering.

It is all safe my friend... No worries !

[mbdiain]

To report back on my trip for anyone interested, it was completely safe and dare I say, uneventful. Road quality was excellent to Mardin (two lane highway) and from there still pretty good the rest of the way. Only issue was Google Maps decided to take me through a steep mountain pass over a gravel road in Agri province, followed by a freak hailstorm. Thankfully a friendly local let me shelter inside his van.

There wasn't an overt military presence and although there were checkpoints at the entrances to all towns from Urfa through to Kars, I wasn't stopped at one of them, and indeed most looked completely empty at the moment. The Police I did see were friendly, stopping up next to me on their bikes while I was parked to compare motorcycles and ask where I was from.

The one thing I'd say is, you have to get used to some downright hostile staring in Urfa, I don't know if it's due to the influx of refugees or simply that the city is extremely conservative but I got the impression that Europeans aren't exactly welcome there, while Mardin (and of course the rest of Turkey) was the complete opposite.