Duhok Governorate · Iraq
Duhok travel guide
Duhok is a city in Duhok Governorate, Iraq, home to about 331,000 people.
- Best months
- April and November
- Nearest airport
- NKT100 km · Şırnak Şerafettin Elçi Airport
- Currency
- IQDIraqi dinar
- Time zone
- Asia/Baghdad
- Language
- Arabic, Kurdish language
About
About Duhok
Duhok (Kurdish: دهۆک, romanized: Dihok; Arabic: دهوك, romanized: Dohūk; Syriac: ܒܝܬ ܢܘܗܕܪܐ, romanized: Beth Nohadra, Lishanid Noshan: דוהוך, romanized: Dohok) is a city in Kurdistan Region, Iraq and the capital city of Duhok Governorate.
Wikipedia contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Duhok
See
Duhok offers a few touristy things to do, but those things are better than you will experience anywhere else. For starters, Dream City is the most popular amusement part among Duhok's natives. And a trip to mazi mall, a ginormous supermarket feels like a field trip of itself.Another admirable thing is the waterfalls, as well as the Duhok Bazaar.There is an ancient mosque in the center of bazaar and a folklore museum near hotel Bircin. Spectacular waterfalls and ruins of a Zoroastian temple are located north of the town (c. 20 minutes walk). The city has made some major changes and is more tourist friendly than a lot of big-shot places elsewhere.
- Dream City
- Dohuk Valley and Dam
- Dohuk Waterfalls
- Dohuk Bazaar
- Dohuk Art Gallery
- Church of St. Ith Llaha
- Halamata Cave
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Duhok to stay in
Many hotels located on the two main streets that run through Dahuk. Prices vary from 24,000 dinars up to 72,000 dinars for a triple room. The lack of tourism means that prices are negotiable.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Duhok
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Duhok are April and November. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 42 °C; March is the wettest, with about 90 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Duhok: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Şırnak Şerafettin Elçi Airport (NKT), about 100 km from the city centre in a straight line; Erbil International Airport (EBL, 110 km) and Hakkari Yüksekova Airport (YKO, 136 km) are also within reach.
Getting in
Coming from Zakho near the Turkish border, buses and taxis run regularly and cost no more than US$10. Soldiers are stationed every few kilometers on most roads and every village, town and city has checkpoints going in and out. As a foreigner, you almost certainly will be questioned, but given the trouble in the rest of Iraq, this is a routine yet very necessary precaution. Fly to Erbil or Sulaymaniyah Airport and from there by bus or taxi to Duhok.
Getting around
Taxis within Dohuk should cost around 3,000 dinars. Public transportation can be found on and off the main street at the bus station and nearby taxi stands. Buses stop in front of hotel "Baghdad".
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
NKT · Şırnak Şerafettin Elçi Airport
EBL · Erbil International Airport
YKO · Hakkari Yüksekova Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Duhok
Drink
Many stores sell fruit juice in plastic bags. The grape and pomegranate flavours tend to be the best since they are made from real fruit. These bags are meant to be taken home. Each bag is 1000 dinars. Water (pronounced "My" or "Af" in Kurdish) can be found in sealed bottles for about 250 dinars at most restaurants, cafes, and convenience stores. It is not recommended that you drink the tap water. There are several Christian clubs that serve food and beer. They are located around town, and usually have plastic tables set outside on a grass lawn. Some examples include Doctor's Club, Artist's Club, Assyrian Club. You can get the best kinds of beers and spirits from around the world.
Stay safe
Following the conflicts in Iraq, Dahuk is one of the places that has remained relatively safe for foreign visitors. Dahuk is only a short drive from Mosul and Kirkuk, which are certainly not safe for visitors and heading in those directions should be avoided. As a foreigner, you can walk the streets safely. Although some may stare, their stares are those of confusion as Iraq is the last place most tourists go and as the Kurdish north was isolated for so long, there never was any history of tourism. Westerners can walk and talk freely although it is possible the police or military may question you and ask for identification. Unlike other countries, this isn't a scam and they don't want money.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Duhok: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Duhok?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Duhok are April and November. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 42 °C; March is the wettest, with about 90 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Duhok?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Şırnak Şerafettin Elçi Airport (NKT), about 100 km from the city centre in a straight line; Erbil International Airport (EBL, 110 km) and Hakkari Yüksekova Airport (YKO, 136 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Duhok?
Iraqi dinar (IQD).
Nearby
Destinations near Duhok
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.