Thanks again for this post. I am on my way down to Cyprus, and Iraq is not too far away... So the plan is to visit!

I'm not carrying a tent, as I did not plan on visiting Iraq / Kurdistan. Will it be easy to find accommodation? Does the fuel need filtering, is it high enough octane? Anything else I should keep in mind?

Kurdistan is an easy place to travel and you won't step back in time to the 1970s.

Will it be easy to find accommodation? I don't tend to use hotels but they are plentiful, use an app like booking.com to have a look.

Does the fuel need filtering? Yes, that's why vehicles have a fuel filter. No reason to think Iraqi fuel is dirtier than anywhere else. Fuel cleanliness is mostly down to the retailer though, so if you are worried, stick to large, busy filling stations.

Is it high enough octane? What octane do you need? If you're coming in a Zonda you may struggle to find super unleaded, but Iraqis drive the same kind of cars as you and I (the place is full of US imports) so you'll be able to get at least 92 RON and 95 RON in larger cities. My only worry would be driving a diesel with a DPF - don't go near sour Middle Eastern crudes with one.

Kurdistan is very easy, you don't need a visa, it's safe, people drive new cars, use the internet etc. If anything, it looks more modern and prosperous than the eastern parts of Turkey. Iraq is an oil economy and there is plenty of money around (albeit rather unequally distributed).

EDIT - one additional thing - be careful with maps of Iraq, many seem to be very out of date. Driving from the border to Erbil is an example - on most maps it will look like the logical route is via Mosul (which is not in Kurdistan and has questionable security) but on the ground, following the traffic / signs will take you on a more direct route to Erbil which is safe.

EO

__________________
EurasiaOverland a memoir of one quarter of a million kilometres by road through all of the Former USSR, Western and Southern Asia.

I am wondering if it is still possible to enter from Iran and exit into Turkey?

Can you get into Iran?

Iran has just started issuing tourist visas again and it's a bit early to tell what the situation is regards entering via land borders.

If you can get into Iran, I don't think you'll have a problem entering Iraqi Kurdistan, but of course there have been no travel reports for the last couple of years.

EO

__________________
EurasiaOverland a memoir of one quarter of a million kilometres by road through all of the Former USSR, Western and Southern Asia.

Getting in is no problem and land borders are open mate.

So they say, but I'm still waiting to see a report of someone who as done it. The press announcement from the Iranian MFA mentioned restrictions on entering from WHO 'High Risk' countries; where this WHO list is, and which countries are supposedly on it is not clear.

__________________
EurasiaOverland a memoir of one quarter of a million kilometres by road through all of the Former USSR, Western and Southern Asia.

People have definitely crossed at Esendere / Serow in the last few days.