Kirkuk Governorate · Iraq
Kirkuk travel guide
Kirkuk is a city in Kirkuk Governorate, Iraq, home to about 975,000 people.
- Best months
- February to April and November
- Nearest airport
- KIK5 km · Kirkuk International Airport
- Currency
- IQDIraqi dinar
- Time zone
- Asia/Baghdad
- Language
- Arabic, Kurdish language
About
About Kirkuk
Kirkuk (Arabic: كركوك, romanized: Kirkūk; Kurdish: کەرکووک, romanized: Kerkûk; Syriac: ܟܪܟܘܟ, romanized: Kerkouk; Turkish: Kerkük) is a major city in northern Iraq, serving as the capital of the Kirkuk Governorate. The city is home to a diverse population of Kurds, Iraqi Turkmens and Arabs.
Wikipedia contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Kirkuk
See
- Kirkuk Citadel
- Mosque and Tomb of the Prophet Daniel
- Qishla of Kirkuk
- Eternal fire of Baba Gurgur
- Pirehmerd market
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Kirkuk
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Kirkuk are February to April and November. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 44 °C; March is the wettest, with about 67 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 Kirkuk: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Kirkuk International Airport (KIK), about 4.6 km from the city centre in a straight line; Jalal Talabani International Airport (ISU, 84 km) and Erbil International Airport (EBL, 95 km) are also within reach.
Getting in
Kirkuk has its own airport served by a limited number of domestic and international routes within the Middle East. Many visitors also use the major airport in Baghdad.
Getting around
It may be best to contact a local to help you get around. You can also go to tourism offices for advice but there aren't a lot of them here due to the small amount of tourism in this city.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
KIK · Kirkuk International Airport
ISU · Jalal Talabani International Airport
EBL · Erbil International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Kirkuk
Stay safe
The bombings and attacks have stopped since 2023, but still exercise precaution. See the warning on the Iraq article for more information. LGBT travelers: Militias have targeted the LGBT community in Kirkuk. Local police will not help you if you feel threatened for being gay, it's recommended to hide your sexuality.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Kirkuk: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Kirkuk?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Kirkuk are February to April and November. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 44 °C; March is the wettest, with about 67 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Kirkuk?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Kirkuk International Airport (KIK), about 4.6 km from the city centre in a straight line; Jalal Talabani International Airport (ISU, 84 km) and Erbil International Airport (EBL, 95 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Kirkuk?
Iraqi dinar (IQD).
Nearby
Destinations near Kirkuk
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.