Wanna travel to Kazakhstan with Against the Compass?
Join a group of like-minded travelers in our next scheduled tour in Kazakhstan on:
June 4th to 13th, 2025
Kazakhstan is the 9th largest country in the world and the most modern of all the ‘stans’.
Yet very little is known about this fascinating country.
Following more than a few visits there, I compiled this guide with all the relevant travel tips for Kazakhstan, from visas to how to get in, money, and everything needed to plan your trip.
With its Backpacker plan, IATI Insurance is the best insurance for any kind of adventurous destination, like Kazakhstan.
🇰🇿 Introduction: what it’s like to travel in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan is, by far, one of the strangest countries I have ever been to, along with Haiti and Eritrea.
On the one hand, it is a surprisingly developed country, home to the most Westernized city in Central Asia – Almaty, whose inhabitants are very European-minded – as well as some striking mountains.
This is the Aral Sea in Kazakhstan
On the other hand, this gas-rich, barely populated country is also the 9th largest in the world and is home to some of the bizarrest places on Earth, such as an old nuclear testing town, a dried-up sea, the Russian Cosmodrome, and an extremely vast steppe with the occasional hairy 2-humped camel.
Kazakhstan has two faces, and for this reason, it can find a place in everybody’s heart, both the traveler who likes to explore a cosmopolitan city and beautiful mountains, and the avid backpacker who likes to delve deep into obscure places off the beaten track.
Citizens from the following countries can get a free visa on arrival (VOA) in Kazakhstan.
All EU and Schengen countries, Argentina, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Iceland, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Oman, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam
This is valid for any entry point, both international airports and land borders, and all you get is a friendly stamp.
Registering in Kazakhstan
In the past, registering your stay with the local authorities was mandatory, but since 2020, it’s no longer a requirement.
🚑 Travel Insurance for Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan is an adventurous destination, so we recommend going there with proper travel insurance.
Their backpacker plan covers all types of adventure activities, including trekking
Very competitive prices
Readers of this blog can get a 5% exclusive discount
💻 Internet and connectivity when you travel in Kazakhstan
How is the Wi-Fi in Kazakhstan?
Wi-Fi mostly works fine throughout the country.
It’s not the best Wi-Fi in the world but I managed to work online without major issues.
Can I get a SIM Card for Kazakhstan?
Yes, you can get a SIM Card on arrival at the airport or at any official mobile shop. Data plans are really cheap.
I strongly recommend doing so because having a local number is a must to use local taxi apps such as Yandex.
eSIM for browsing, calling and traveling in Kazakhstan
An eSIM is a regular SIM card with a digital format that works like a normal physical SIM card, with the added benefit being that you can buy it at home before the beginning of your trip, hence avoiding the hassle of buying it at your destination.
In Kazakhstan, they use the Kazakh Tenge, and approximately
1 USD = 500 KZT
Can I pay by card in Kazakhstan?
Yes, absolutely. Today, you can pay by card virtually everywhere throughout the country.
The only place where card payments might not be accepted is the café on trains, so do bring cash for your long train journeys across Kazakhstan.
Also, carry some spare cash when you’re visiting smaller villages or traveling by marshrutka instead of train.
Can I use an ATM?
Yes, you will find many ATMs in all towns and cities, most of them accepting foreign cards.
Where can I exchange foreign currency?
You can easily exchange Euros or American Dollars in many banks and offices across the country.
Keep in mind that, except for Russian Rubles, Kazakhstanis aren’t huge fans of their neighbors’ currency. Kyrgyz Som should be fine, but I was never able to exchange the Uzbek Som I had left.
How much does it cost to travel in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan is the most expensive of all Stans, including Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Below are the prices of the most typical expenses:
Dorms – 3,000 to 6,000 KZT
Single room in a mid range hotel in Almaty – from 19,000 KZT
Meals in local restaurant – 3,000 KZT
Meals in nicer restaurant – Mains from 4,000KZT
Trains – Aktau to Aralsk, 20 hours, 1,400km, 2nd class (19,000KZT)
Kazakhstan has several international airports, the best known being Almaty International Airport (ALA).
Check out flights with Pegasus, Turkish Airlines or Qatar Airways.
You can also fly into Astana (NQZ), Shymkent (CIT) and Aktau (SCO).
How to travel to Kazakhstan by land border
Kazakhstan shares a border with 5 countries. Pretty much all borders are open.
Russia: Most borders with Russia are open. I crossed the border near Astrakhan in 2024 by train. Easy to cross. Check our Russia travel guide for more info.
Turkmenistan: Open, as long as you have a valid visa for travel in Turkmenistan.
Uzbekistan: Pretty much all borders are open, some can be crossed by train. I crossed by train at Beyneu.
Kyrgyzstan: Busy crossing but no train, only car or marshrutka.
China: Open as long as you have a valid visa for China.
Remember that contrary to what some travelers believe, Kazakhstan doesn’t share a border with Mongolia. It looks like they do, but zoom in and you’ll see there’s a tiny bit of Russia in between.
This is the border between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan
How to travel to Kazakhstan by boat
Long-term overlanders like to catch the ferry from Baku to Aktau, which takes 24 hours. I’ve never taken it but my friends over at Journal of Nomads did.
Kazakhstan is an ex-Soviet republic that got its independence from Russia in 1991.
It is, however, the country with the largest Russian influence in Central Asia – to the extent that Russian is generally more widely spoken than Kazakh itself.
‘We like Russia because she takes cares of us’, a Kazakh friend of mine said.
Kazakhstan is the only Stan that borders Russia, so it’s not surprise that its presence and influence is highly visible.
Friendly Kazakhs
Kazakhstan today
Kazakhstan is the most modern and developed country in Central Asia, something that can be explained by its abundance of natural resources, such as oil and gas.
The Government has also been investing a lot in terms of education, one of their most successful policies being the opportunity of awarding loads of scholarships to students to study abroad at major universities worldwide, the only condition being that they must come back and work in Kazakhstan after X number of years.
This has led to a highly educated work-force for Kazakhstan.
Furthermore, Almaty is a seriously modern city by European standards.
In fact, I think Almaty is the most European city in all of Asia.
Astana is very modern too but it’s one of those brand-new cities with absolutely no soul, more similar to Dubai and Almaty itself.
Modern Astana
Kazakhstani people
Kazakhstanis are descended from Turkic and Mongolian tribes.
Although very ethnically mixed, most of them have strong Mongolian features.
The Kazakhs used to be a nomadic nation that moved across the steppe and their biggest contribution to the Silk Road trade were animal-related products like fur.
However, unlike in Mongolia and neighboring Kazakhstan, nomadic life has pretty much disappeared not only due to the country’s development but also because under the Soviet Union, many Kazakhs were forced to become sedentary and focus on the plantation of wheat.
a friendly Kazakh woman in the mountains near Shymkent
Language in Kazakhstan
Kazakh, a Turkic language, is the official language in Kazakhstan, along with Russian.
Russian however, is the main language used in Almaty.
Well-educated young people from Almaty and Astana can speak English, but other than that, do try to learn some Russian words if you decide to visit Kazakhstan.
Google translate and Google Lens have made our life much easier but still, I recommend learning some Russian words, as well as the alphabet.
Religion in Kazakhstan
Officially, Kazakhstanis are Muslim, although religion doesn’t play any significant role in Kazakhstan.
This is not only because they used to be part of the USSR but also because religion has never seeped into nomadic societies.
Still, you are likely to see a few mosques with a handful of worshipers; generally though, Kazakhs are atheist, even though Saudi Arabia is ploughing millions into trying to reverse that.
Turkestan mosque
🛺 Transportation: how to get around in Kazakhstan
Traveling in Kazakhstan by train
A multi-day train journeys over the Kazakh steppe is an experience by itself and so much fun!
To avoid any hassles, I recommend you download Yandex, which is like the Russian Uber.
Remember that you will need a local number to use Yandex.
🏨 Accommodation: where to stay in Kazakhstan
From backpacking hostels to 5-star hotels, accommodation in Kazakhstan is a no-brainer.
You can find all sorts of accommodation to suit all budgets.
In my Kazakhstan itinerary, you can find a variety of accommodation options in each city I visited.
Epic train journeys, always the most unexpected stuff
🍲 Food and alcohol when you visit Kazakhstan
In large towns and cities, there are all sorts of food available, but when it comes to the local cuisine, this is very similar to other countries in Central Asia.
The first time I visited Kazakhstan, it was my last stop after a trip across the region spanning several months, so I’m a bit biased when it comes to judging Kazakh food, since I was already bored of it before even stepping foot into the country.
When it comes to local dishes, pelmeni (dumpling soup) would be the most common option, as is lagman (noodle soup with horribly chewy and fatty beef).
Horse meat in Kazakhstan
Although you can find horse meat in many countries around the world, nowhere else does it like Kazakhstan, where horse meat is the base of many of their dishes, which is why you’ll see farms all around the country.
I actually visited a horse-farm in Zhabagly, a mountain village around Shymkent.
They kept hundreds of horses and told me that, when the horse gets to a certain age, they decide whether to keep it as a work horse or send it to the butchery.
Horse farm in Kazakhstan
The most unique horse-based dish they have is beshbarmak, a national dish which consists of pasta layers, vegetables, and the star-ingredient being horse meat, all served in a huge flat dish with a bit of broth.
Usually, it is a sharing dish, so the few restaurants that serve it require a minimum order of a couple of people.
Kazakhs reserve beshbarmak for special occasions.
Beshbarmak, the national dish
❗ More resources for traveling to Kazakhstan
📢 In my Travel Resources Page you can find the list of all the sites and services I use to book hotels, tours, travel insurance and more.
All guides and articles for traveling in Kazakhstan destination
Wanna travel to Chechnya with Against the Compass?
Join a group of like-minded travelers in our next scheduled tour in Chechnya on:
April 14th to 21st, 2026
Chechnya is a republic in the North Caucasus that forms part of the Russian Federation.
Infamous for its agitated past, few know about its stunning mountains, its warm hospitality, and that it has become one of the most modern regions in the Caucasus.
This guide will cover everything you need to know about traveling to Chechnya, including cultural etiquette, permits, how to get in, where to stay, things to do, and more.
Chechens were always a proud and fierce group of people living in the remote mountain areas of today’s South Chechnya, feared by the Tsars who conquered them in the 19th century, as well as by Stalin, and modern Russians.
During WWII, Stalin began an ethnic cleansing campaign that consisted of the mass, forced deportations of Chechens into Kazakhstan, and they weren’t allowed to return until 1957, following Stalin’s death. However, their social exclusion continued until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Unlike other Caucasian countries such as Georgia, Armenia or Azerbaijan, Chechnya was unable to become an independent country because it already formed part of the Russian Federation before the Soviet Union was created.
This is Grozny, one of the most surprising things to see in Chechnya
Decades of being excluded from the rest of Russia – fueled by their strong identity – led to the self-declarion of independence from Russia, resulting in the first Chechen war, from 1994 to 1996.
The war ended with Russia’s victory, although they were never able to fully control the ongoing rebellion, hence a second war began from 1999 to 2009.
These two wars saw a toll of 250,000 deaths, but after 2009 a peace agreement allowed Chechnya to enter a new era under the rule of a controversial but pragmatic leader named Kadyrov, initially a pro-independence revolutionary but later a close ally to Putin.
Kadyrov is the man chosen by Putin to control Chechnya by keeping it free from any separatist movements. In exchange, Chechnya receives big chunks of federal investment and Kadyrov can rule the republic as he sees fit, acting like almost a dictator.
This is a very brief summary of today’s Chechnya.
Chechnya was practically destroyed during the two wars but it was entirely reconstructed. When you travel there, you’ll realize that from an infrastructure perspective, Chechnya is an advanced region as per regional standards, but Chechens have never lost the strong identity that defines them.
Beautiful road in southern Chechnya
Cultural Etiquette: what to expect when you travel in Chechnya
Chechnya is a surprising destination indeed.
Despite being part of the Russian Federation since 1858, this small country is a completely different world from anywhere you might have been in Russia, or any other Caucasus country.
First of all, Chechnya is a Muslim country but, unlike in other former Soviet Muslim nations, religion plays a big role in Chechens’ daily lives.
Men can’t wear shorts
This also translates into strict rules that may affect you as a traveler. For example, wearing shorts in public is strictly forbidden, a rule you will see announced in pretty much any public space, most likely as a warning to all the Russians from Moscow who come for a visit.
No alcohol in Chechnya
Moreover, Chechnya is a near-dry country with only one or two places in Grozny (top-notch hotels) serving alcohol. This is something I wasn’t expecting to experience in a country like Russia.
A homogenous society
After visiting Chechnya, I found it easy for me to recognize Chechens in Moscow, not only because of their facial features but also because they all share a particular style.
Men trim their beards just like Kadyrov does long beards with no mustache. It was pretty intriguing to walk along the main boulevard in Grozny and notice that pretty much all Chechen men looked like Kadyrov.
Most women dress similarly as well. They all wear a long, colourful dress with long trousers underneath, without exception. The vast majority wear a hijab too.
Chechnya has managed to keep a very strong identity, which I for one find truly fascinating.
Yes, you can. Chechnya is part of the Russian Federation, therefore any traveler visiting Chechnya will need a Russian visa.
For more information, check the visa section of our travel guide to Russia.
Permits for visiting Chechnya
Do you need any special permit to travel around Chechnya?
No, you don’t, not even in the areas near the border with Georgia.
However, remember that you do need a permit to visit South Ingushetia – travelers tend to cover both republics in one trip.
By the way, Ingushetia is a different republic from Chechnya, but Ingushetians are ethnically and culturally the same as Chechens. They were simply split into 2 different republics in an attempt to divide their society.
You need a permit to visit the border areas, and you’ll also require the help of a local guide and tour operator. It takes one full month for the permit to be issued so if you’re interested in visiting that part of North Caucasus, plan accordingly.
Tours of Chechnya
Traveling around Chechnya and North Caucasus requires complicated logistics, not only in terms of transportation but also because a knowledgeable local guide will always come in handy.
At Against the Compass, we offer one expedition that combines not only Chechnya but also Ingushetia, Dagestan and North Ossetia.
Grozny – the capital of Chechnya – has an international airport (GRV). To be honest, it’s a very small airport with few international flights, but there are some flights from Istanbul, Jeddah and Dubai.
However, Grozny has several daily connections with Moscow.
Alternatively, you can also fly to the nearby airports of Makhachkala (Dagestan) and Vladikavkaz (North Ossetia).
For more information on how to book flights, read the Getting in section of our travel tips for Russia.
How to travel to Chechnya by train
Grozny has a train station with direct trains from Moscow and many other cities in Russia. Keep in mind however, that the journey from Moscow to Grozny takes more than 1 day.
I personally entered Russia from West Kazakhstan into Astrakhan, from where I took a night train to Makhachkala. From Makhachkala, I entered Chechnya by car through the mountains, but there’s a train connecting both cities as well.
For more information on how to book trains, read the Getting in section of our travel tips for Russia.
How to get around Chechnya
Chechnya isn’t great in terms of public transportation.
I mean, you can easily get to Grozny by train and travel between the different towns and cities by minibus, but it’s very difficult to visit the southern part of the republic, since that’s a barely populated area of the Caucasus.
Hitchhiking, however, should be easy, and it’s something the local people do all the time. It can be quite an adventure too, time allowing.
A 4WD is also necessary to visit the remotest and most stunning parts of Chechnya.
Road you will have to travel in South Chechnya
Best time to visit Chechnya
Generally speaking, the best time to visit Chechnya is from June to September.
That’s the best season to visit the mountains as well as for trekking.
However, since Grozny is located in the lowlands, it can get overwhelmingly hot in the summer months, and the same goes for pretty much any other city in North Caucasus.
Honestly, if you aren’t planning to do any particular hikes, I’d say that April-May and October-November are the two best times to visit Chechnya, since the weather in the cities will be pleasant.
Where to stay in Chechnya
Where to stay in Grozny
Grozny has plenty of hotels. I personally stayed at Central City Hotel Grozny, a newly built, small hotel located in the center.
If you want something a bit fancier, check out Grozny City Hotel, located in one of the tallest buildings in Chechnya.
Where to stay in other parts of Chechnya
In South Chechnya, near Itum-Kale, you can stay at Edelweiss Hotel, which is very close to the Tusheti region of Georgia.
I also stayed at Kezenoy, a mountain lake in east Chechnya. While it’s true that the lake is nothing spectacular, you’re likely to stop off here on your way from Dagestan. There’s a government-run hotel called Kezenoy-Am Hotel.
When it comes to cities in the North Caucasus, Grozny is my favorite, but only because it’s something you would never expect, not only because of its unique identity but also because some areas are more like Dubai than to anywhere else in Russia.
Besides strolling around the city center and along the main boulevard, where Chechens all hang out, I recommend taking a Yandex to Argun, the most newly reconstructed area in probably all of the Caucasus.
I recommend to spend 1 or 2 nights here in Grozny.
Grozny’s most visited mosque, one of the best places to visit in Chechnya
Day 2 – Galanchozh, Tsoy Pede and Veduchi
This was my favorite part in the whole of Chechnya, home to utterly jaw-dropping landscapes.
You will need a 4WD, however, since the roads here are really rough.
It’s actually possible to reach Veduchi – the final destination – with a normal car, but then you’ll be missing the highlights found on the road that runs parallel to the Republic of Ingushetia. Please, check the above map for reference.
At the end of the mountain road, you will come to Tsoy Pede, a Caucasus necropolis built in the 13th century, consisting of several crypts built on the top of a hill, and where you can still see human remains.
Next, I recommend heading to Veduchi, where you can stay at a decent hotel named Edelweiss.
Day 3 – Sharoi, Kezenoy-am and Khoi
From Veduchi, you can travel from valley to valley along a pretty insane mountain road that will take you directly to Sharoi, a newly reconstructed Chechen mountain village that has today been turned into an open-air museum.
To be honest, I am not a big fan of these modern, soulless reconstructed places but I must admit it’s actually impressive to see.
Mountains in South Chechnya
From Sharoi, you can also travel to the next valley along another amazing mountain road that will take you to Kezenoy, a mountain lake and popular tourist spot for Chechens.
I don’t think the lake is particularly pretty, but it’s a cool place where you can see locals hanging out and spending their day over a barbecue.
In Kezenoy, you can stay in the government-run hotel called Kezenoy-Am Hotel.
The following day, I recommend continuing onwards on your journey to Dagestan.
More information:
📢 In my Travel Resources Page you can find the list of all the sites and services I use to book hotels, tours, travel insurance and more.
All guides and articles for traveling in Russia destination
Join a group of like-minded travelers in our next scheduled tour in Socotra on:
October 28th to November 4th, 2025
Socotra is an isolated island that has always been safe and attracted visitors, despite belonging to war-torn Yemen.
Home to around 60,000 people, Socotra is also rich in unique flora and fauna that helped it to be designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2008.
Packed with Dragon Blood and Bottle trees, white sandy beaches, unique cultural heritage and a wide range of endemic species, Socotra is a very different destination from anywhere you’ve seen in the Middle East.
This travel guide will cover everything you need to know about traveling to Socotra, including visas, how to get in, where to stay, things to do, and more.
IATI Insurance is one of the very few that covers travel in Socotra.
🇾🇪 Socotra today: what’s the situation like?
As you may know, Yemen is essentially divided into two regions:
Yemen Arab Republic, also known as North Yemen
People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen, also known as South Yemen
For detailed information on why these two regions are considered different, check the relevant section in our Yemen travel guide.
Where is the island of Socotra located?
Socotra is an archipelago located 350km southeast of Yemen, and it belongs to South Yemen.
Today, North Yemen (with its capital in Sanaa) is ruled by the Houthis, while South Yemen is mostly controlled by the officially recognized Government, backed by Saudi Arabia.
However, a significant part of South Yemen is ruled by the Southern Transitional Council (STC), a separatist group who want South Yemen to become an independent country.
A separatist flag from South Yemen
This separatist group rules over Aden, Mukallah and Socotra, and is backed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which is why you’ll see Emirati flags flying all across the island, and the reason why tourism has increased so much over the past few years.
The UAE has big plans for Socotra when it comes to turning it into a prime eco-tourism destination, but that will only happen once Yemen as a whole becomes a more stable destination, and one worth investing in.
When will that happen? Nobody can say.
🪪 Do you need a visa for Socotra?
Yes, to travel to Socotra, you will need a visa, but it’s relatively easy to get one, and I say ‘’ relatively‘’ because you can’t get one as an independent traveler; rather you must arrange it through a local tour operator, who always include them as part of the tour package.
Socotra visa requirements
The only thing you need is a valid copy of your passport.
Applying for the visa takes no more than 3 weeks, and it costs 150 USD.
All nationalities can apply for a Socotra visa.
My travel visa for Socotra
Visa for Socotra: is it valid for mainland Yemen?
No, it’s not.
The visa for mainland Yemen is valid for travel to Socotra island but not vice-versa.
If you are planning to travel to Yemen after Socotra, you’ll need to get two separate visas.
We also offer tours to mainland Yemen, with coming departures on:
Most travel insurance companies don’t cover for travel in Socotra and Yemen, except for IATI.
I recommend it because:
Only travel insurance company that covers Socotra and all of Yemen
They have different plans for all budgets
Covers senior citizens too
Readers of this blog can get an exclusive 5% discount.
✈️ How to reach Socotra island?
Today, the only official way to get to Socotra is by flying in.
The airport is located in the capital Hadiboh and is called Socotra Airport (SCT).
There are 3 different routes traveling to Socotra Airport:
From Abu Dhabi
From Mukallah
From Cairo
A beautiful Bottle tree, endemic to Socotra
How to fly to Socotra from Abu Dhabi
I’d say that 98% of travelers use this route.
A flight operated by Air Arabia travels from Abu Dhabi to Socotra 2-3 times a week, depending on the season.
Usually, flights operate on Tuesdays and Fridays, as well as Sundays in high season.
However, flights to Socotra are scheduled every 6 months, so the schedule could change in the near future.
A round-trip flight ticket costs around 950 USD.
How to fly to Socotra from Mukalla
Every Sunday there is a flight connecting Socotra and Mukallah, the capital of Hadramut province in mainland Yemen.
A one-way ticket costs around 250 USD.
How to fly from Cairo to Socotra
There’s also the possibility of flying to Socotra from Cairo with Yemenia Airways via Aden, where you’ll be spending one night before flying to Socotra.
I have never used this route but according to our contacts in Yemen, your fixer will need to get you a special visa and/or permission to be able to transit in Aden for a day.
How to book your flights to Socotra
Flights to Socotra can’t be booked online they have to be booked-through the respective travel agent.
If you are traveling to Socotra as part of a group, your travel company should organise this for you. On our expeditions to Socotra, we will take care of that for you.
Also, bear in mind that the island is quite small, so you’ll be bumping into tourists and familiar faces every now and then.
With our group in Socotra, replanting a baby Bottle tree
The problem with trash
Yemenis from Socotra love their island and are deeply connected to its nature, but on the island, there’s little awareness on keeping it clean and trash-free.
To be honest, this has improved massively since the beginning of 2024, mainly due to pressure and efforts made by a few foreign tourists, and the growing involvement of certain local tour operators.
Your role as a traveler visiting Socotra should not only be cleaning up your own trash, but also helping the locals to keep the place tidy.
Bring your reusable water bottle
Nowadays, most local tour companies will provide with a water dispenser filled with mineral water. However, although the option to re-fill your water bottle is available, they keep handing out plastic bottles, and while this might sometimes seem handy, please reject it if a mineral water dispenser is available.
Dress code: be respectful of the local culture
Something you should know is that generally speaking, Socotra is a highly conservative society, a country and/or region where you are unlikely to see a woman’s face, like in pretty much all South Yemen.
While it’s true that the new tourism boom is triggering a certain degree of tolerance towards how foreign women might dress, this doesn’t necessarily mean they like it or they even feel comfortable with it.
It’s OK to wear a discreet swimsuit when you are at the beach but other than that, I recommend covering your shoulders and knees, and wear non-revealing clothes. Being mindful of local customs will help create a positive atmosphere.
⛅ Best time to visit Socotra
Travel to Socotra is highly seasonal. Here’s what you need to know:
Worst season to travel to Socotra: May – September
The low season in Socotra is during the warmest and windiest months, when the sky is so hazy and the weather so hot that you won’t be able to enjoy nature properly.
I would avoid visiting Socotra during this time at all costs.
Best season to travel to Socotra: October – April
The high season for traveling to the Yemeni island is during the cooler months, when the sky tends to be clearer.
However, note that November and December can be a bit rainy and that February and March are the best months for fully blossoming Bottle trees.
This photo was taken in the month of November
🗺️ Tours for Socotra
If there’s one destination which is ideal for group travel, that would be Socotra.
Socotra is about enjoying nature, hiking and gathering around a bonfire, activities which are best enjoyed with a group, rather than solo.
Against the Compass is known for group expeditions made up of laid-back, like-minded travelers. Our upcoming group expeditions:
There might be some local shared taxis and small minivans running between towns, but traveling around Socotra by public transportation can be extremely inconvenient as all of the places to visit are natural sites located in remote areas of the island.
Traveling around Socotra by 4×4
Mountain roads in Socotra can be rough and there’s no other way to tackle them than in a 4×4.
All tours to Socotra include transportation in 4×4.
🏨 Where to stay in Socotra: what’s the accommodation like?
Generally speaking, there are two options for travel in Socotra: full camping trips, or staying in a hotel in Hadiboh the doing day trips from there – the latter being a terrible idea.
Camping in Socotra
Camping in Socotra is great, one of the best places I’ve ever camped!
Travelers are likely to be given their own tent and the local team always provides with a thick mattress, a pillow and a blanket.
Basic gear, but that’s the closest to glamping I have ever come 😉
Moreover, for all our tours, we always travel with a portable table, chairs and all of the necessary equipment to make your camping trip a comfortable one.
How are the campsites in Socotra?
Some campsites don’t have any facilities, while others have basic showers and toilets.
However, most itineraries are designed so you can stay in a campsite with showers at least every other day.
Staying in a hotel in Hadiboh
Staying in a hotel in Hadiboh is never a good idea, for several reasons.
First of all, the only decent hotel in Hadiboh is expensive, like 130 USD for an average room. There are cheaper hotels of course, but they aren’t good.
Second, the best places in Socotra are far from Hadiboh, plus they are best enjoyed at sunset or early in the morning, so not fully enjoyable on a day trip from Hadiboh.
Lastly, Hadiboh isn’t a particularly pleasant city. I recommend sparing some time to visit the bazaar but other than that, it’s better to spend the night in a comfortable tent by the ocean.
💰 Money and budget in Socotra
Socotra belongs to South Yemen, so they use South Yemen Rials (different to North Yemen) and approximately:
$1 = around 1400 YRI
ATMs in Socotra
Your debit or credit card will be useless in Socotra, so bring everything in cash and in US dollars, the only currency that will be accepted.
Exchanging money in Socotra
US dollars are accepted virtually everywhere but I also understand that travelers might like to get some local currency, as it’s always fun.
There are a few exchange offices in Hadiboh where they’ll gladly accept your dollars. Your local guide should take you there on the day you arrive.
How much does a trip to Socotra cost?
This is what a Socotra tour is likely to set you back:
8-day all inclusive tour: 1950 USD
Visa fees: 150 USD
Round-trip flight from Abu Dhabi: 950 USD
Tips (optional): from 40 USD
Total price for traveling to Socotra is roughly 3000 US dollars.
Additionally, there is a souvenir shop where you can buy local handicrafts. Other than that, there’s not much to spend money on in Socotra!
A shipwreck in Socotra
💻 Internet, connectivity and devices during your trip in Socotra
How is the Wi-Fi in Socotra?
You won’t find any Wi-Fi in Socotra, except for the hotel in Hadiboh, but even there it isn’t great.
Can I buy a SIM card in Socotra?
Certain areas of Socotra have 3G internet, but it’s very weak.
This weak signal is provided by Etisalat, a mobile provider from the United Arab Emirates.
If you buy an Etisalat SIM Card in either Abu Dhabi or Dubai, you’ll be able to connect to the internet.
Please note that this will only work with physical SIMs, not eSIMs.
Is Starlink available in Socotra?
Starlink is a device by SpaceX that offers unlimited high-speed data through a bunch of small satellites that deliver relatively fast internet, wherever you are.
The first time I saw Starlink was in Canaima National Park (Venezuela). It’s typically used in very remote areas where there isn’t any signal and today, many people in Socotra are starting to use it, including some local tour companies.
Charging your devices in Socotra
Some campsites do have power sockets but they don’t really work.
When I visited Socotra, I could only charge my devices with the USB from our cars, which wasn’t great, so I strongly recommend bringing a good power bank and spare batteries for your camera.
Drones in Socotra
Technically, drones are allowed in Socotra but from what I know, if the respective local authorities find it upon arrival at the airport in Hadiboh, they will make you pay a 150 USD fee.
I did bring a DJI Mini 4 Pro but they never found it and I flew it over the island multiple times without any problems.
A drone photo in Socotra
⚠️ Is it safe to travel to Socotra?
Yemen is a war-torn country which has been at war since 2014.
While North Yemen’s main problem has been the direct war between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis, South Yemen has been suffering from terrorism and Al Qaeda.
If we look at travel advice for Socotra, the FCDO doesn’t make any special distinction with Socotra, instead they just advise against all travel to Yemen.
Socotra has suffered the consequences of the war, especially financially and a shortage of basic goods but, from a safety perspective, the island has always been spared from the conflict, mainly thanks to its remoteness and isolation.
It’s up to you whether to believe the FCDO advice or not but, in my humble opinion, there are other risks which are 10x more likely to happen such as heat stroke, and injuries from trekking.
🕌 People in Socotra and their culture
Socotra is inhabited by about 60,000 Socotrans.
From Saudi Arabia to Kuwait, Oman and also Yemen, Arabs from the Gulf are known for their relaxed attitude towards life, but Socotrans are able to bring this to the next level, as is usual on most tiny islands around the world.
Socotrans are strong Sunni Muslim devotees and speak a distinct language named Soqotri. This language is closer to the Ethiopian Semitic languages – family of languages spoken in Eritrea and Ethiopia – than to Arabic itself. However, pretty much all Socotrans speak fluent Arabic.
A fisherman in SocotraThe famous caveman from Socotra
🧳 What to bring: Packing list for visiting Socotra
The following packing list is completely subjective:
Reusable water bottle. We will have a water dispenser to fill your bottles, thus reducing plastic consumption.
Head torch
Microfiber towel
Water shoes or sandals: for beach days or wading in natural pools.
Trekking shoes
All toiletries
Biodegradable wipes or toilet paper
Hand sanitizer
Lightweight, breathable clothing: temperatures can be hot, so pack loose, comfortable clothing made from cotton or moisture-wicking fabric.
Long sleeves and pants: to protect against the sun and bugs, particularly in the evenings.
Swimwear: to enjoy the beaches and natural pools.
Windbreaker or light jacket: evenings can be cool
Hat and sunglasses: essential for sun protection.
Insect repellent
A dry bag is a good idea to protect your cameras and electronics from any water damage.
Power bank and spare batteries
😍 Top places to visit in Socotra
There are many awesome places to visit in Socotra, here’s just a couple of them.
Hadiboh
Mainland Yemen is known for its absolutely mind-blowing towns and villages, but those famous buildings never made their way into Socotra so from an architectural perspective, the towns in Socotra aren’t very appealing and the capital Hadiboh is no exception.
Hadiboh is ugly and it’s packed with massive piles of trash everywhere, but the people here are welcoming, hit as a worthwhile fish market, and the bazaar will give you a taste of what city life is like in Socotra.
Detwah Lagoon
Detwah is a saline lagoon that connects to the Gulf of Aden, from which it is separated by an absolutely stunning sand-spit.
This was my favorite place of my trip to Socotra
Qalansiyah
Located next to Detwah Lagoon, this is my favorite town in Socotra, the second largest after Hadiboh. I like it because it’s way cleaner, plus it has a pretty notable fishing vibe, great for photography.
A local man from Qalansiyah
Hoq Cave
Hoq is a 2-km-deep cave whose main passage has an average width of 50 m and an average height of 20 m.
You can walk up to 1 km deep into the cave, which I found to be pretty amazing, since it was my first time hiking through a cave without artificial paths. Getting to the cave is a 1.5 hr hike.
Firmihin Dragon Blood Tree Forest
For me, this is the best place to visit in Socotra, and the top reason to came here for. A virgin forest of thousands of Dragon Blood Trees, where you can actually camp and wake up in the morning surrounded by these beautiful, endemic trees.
Dragon Blood tree forest
Shoab beach
Only reachable by boat, Shoab is the closest thing to a Thai beach on th island.
These are the type of beaches you find when traveling in Socotra
Dihamri
This rocky peninsula is the hub for snorkelling and scuba-diving in Socotra.
The snorkelling here is great. For no more than 10 USD, you can rent a pair of fins and a diving mask and swim along the coral reef, where you are likely to see tonnes of colorful fish.
My experience diving in Socotra In Socotra. we did one dive, but I strongly discourage you from doing so, unless you are a professional diver. I honestly believe people running the diving centers here are unprofessional. They never checked our gear or gave us any briefing, even though they took us to an awful diving spot with absolutely no visibility and extremely strong currents. Everyone in our dive group came back to the surface with 75% of their tank full. There was a woman who had done more than 200 dives, and she claimed that this particular dive had been the worst of her life. No reputable diving center should ever take people to dive in such bad (and dangerous) conditions.
Arher beach
The most popular spot in Socotra, a bunch of massive dunes that go nearly all the way down to one of the most beautiful beaches on the island.
In my opinion, this beach is getting too busy these days – definitely the busiest spot in Socotra, but it’s a great place to relax for the day.
The dunes at Arher beach are mentioned in all travel guides to Socotra
❗ More information
📢 In my Travel Resources Page you can find the list of all the sites and services I use to book hotels, tours, travel insurance and more.
All guides and articles for traveling in Yemen
Travel guides to other countries in the Middle East
Join a group of like-minded travelers in our next scheduled tour in Russia on:
September 9th to 16th, 2025 (Russian Caucasus) – APPLY NOW
Sept 18th to 24th, 2025 (Arctic Russia) – APPLY NOW
It’s incredible to see how quickly things have changed when traveling in Russia.
From booking accommodation to accessing the internet or just getting into the country, traveling to Russia is very different from what it used to be like pre-2022.
Russia is a massive country, not only in terms of land, but also in its diversity and complexity. It would be impossible to write down a compelling travel guide in just 3500 words.
However, rather than serving as the ultimate guide to traveling across each region, this Russia travel blog contains all the relevant updated info and recent changes that will help plan your trip to Russia, including how to look for hotels, how to get your visa, how to book domestic flights, and much more.
Until 2022, Russia was a popular destination for travelers, and nobody was ever criticized for traveling there.
Moscow International Airport had connections with pretty much everywhere in the West, embassies across Europe were always packed with travelers trying to secure their visas, and the main language heard in the Hermitage Museum of Saint Petersburg was definitely English.
But today, Western foreigners are a rarity across Russia.
You can still see Asian tourists (mainly groups from China, Malaysia and Iran) in Moscow’s Red Square but the total number of Western tourists I saw after 1 month of traveling across Russia was zero, not a single one.
This made things particularly interesting, especially when meeting English-speaking Russians, who always had plenty of questions on my country’s opinion of Russia.
Red Square in Moscow, the most touristic place in all Russia
What do Russians think about the Ukraine war?
The conflict with Ukraine was on the top of my mind but engaging in local politics with Russian people wasn’t really my objective, since I had traveled to Russia to learn about the country and its cultural diversity.
Obviously, I did speak about the current conflict with a few Russians, but the only thing I’ll say is that most people around the world dislike war.
From Syria to Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan, I’ve always been criticised when traveling to certain countries with controversial regimes, and Russia was no exception.
In fact, I don’t think there is any other country in the world which inspires as much rejection as Russia these days.
It’s important to remember that we are travelers, not activists, and that local people can never be blamed for their Government’s actions, whatever those actions might be.
Photo taken in rural Russia. Seriously, do you think these people like Ukraine war
🪪 How to get a visa for Russia
Can you travel to Russia?
Surprisingly, getting a tourist visa for Russia is much easier than it used to be before the war with Ukraine.
In fact, Russian authorities recently introduced the option of applying for an e-visa for visits no longer than 16 days.
Also, most embassies and consulates around the world no longer require an appointment, probably because they aren’t as busy as they used to be.
Here’s what you need to know about how to apply for a Russian tourist visa.
How to apply for an e-visa for Russia
For single-entry visits of up to 16 days, you can apply for a Russian e-visa.
Which countries are eligible for a Russian e-visa?
All EU and Schengen countries, as well as Bahrain, Cambodia, China, Japan, India, Indonesia, Iran, Korea, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, North Macedonia, Oman, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Taiwan, Turkey and Vietnam.
How long does it take to get approval?
Around 4 calendar days.
How much does the Russian e-visa cost?
It costs $52.
What’s the e-visa validity?
Once your visa is issued, you have 60 days to enter Russia.
Once you get in, your stay can’t exceed 16 days.
Can I use the e-visa at any entry point?
You can enter Russia via any international airport but with the e-visa, land border crossings are limited.
When should you get an ordinary visa instead of an e-visa?
You plan to travel in Russia for more than 16 days
You need to get a multi-entry visa
Your country is not on the list of countries eligible for an e-visa. This includes the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia.
Visa requirements for Russia
Russia travel tip: I can’t speak for all Russian embassies and consulates, but I do have recent experience of getting one at the Consulate of Barcelona and, from what I heard, all offer a similar experience. Just check your nearest embassy’s website for specific requirements.
Russian visa typical requirements:
Passport
2 passport photos
Valid travel insurance for traveling in Russia. We recommend Alfa Strakhovanie.
Letter of Invitation (you should get this from a local tour operator)
How much does the visa for Russia cost?
Price varies from embassy to embassy but at the Russian Consulate of Barcelona:
Single entry non-urgent visa: €120
Single entry urgent visa: €195
Multi-entry non-urgent visa: €250
Very expensive!
How long does approval take?
In my case, a non-urgent visa took around 2 weeks, while an urgent one takes 2-3 days.
My visa for Russia
✍️ How to sign up for a tour in Russia
Traveling with a group and an expert local guide will make things much easier, and more fun!
In Against the Compass, we have the following expedition scheduled for 2025-2026:
April 12th to 18th, 2025 (Arctic Russia). SOLD OUT
April 21st to 28th, 2025 (Russian Caucasus). SOLD OUT
September 9th to 16th, 2025 (Russian Caucasus). APPLY NOW
September 18th to 24th, 2025 (Arctic Russia). APPLY NOW
November 16th to 22nd, 2025 (Arctic Russia). APPLY NOW
March 31st to April 6th, 2026 (Arctic Russia). APPLY NOW
April 14th to 21st, 2026 (Russian Caucasus). APPLY NOW
🚑 Travel Insurance for Russia
Remember that having valid travel insurance for travel in Russia is a must requirement for getting your visa at the embassy.
Our preferred travel insurance company (IATI Travel Insurance) isn’t covering travel in Russia any longer.
Instead, we recommend Alfa Strakhovanie. It’s a Russian-based insurance company, so they are accepted by the embassies, plus they allow to purchase a policy with a foreign card.
⚠️ Is it safe to travel to Russia?
Many people believe that due to the war with Ukraine, Russia has become an unsafe country.
In fact, if we look at the FCDO advice, the largest country in the world is today considered one giant red zone, meaning that even places like Vladivostok, which are nearly 10,000km from Ukraine, are also unsafe for travel due to the Ukraine war.
Russia travel advice according to the FCDO
They also talk about arbitrary detentions and a lack of available flights to return to Europe.
It’s more than obvious that the different foreign ministries don’t want their citizens traveling to Russia, but I’d also like to give my perspective based on my last visit.
Is Russia safe to visit given the war with Ukraine?
As of today, the war with Ukraine is mainly limited to the border areas, up to the region of Kursk.
Outside of those areas, life in Russia is completely normal, just as usual, and the reason is that Russia is just too big for other parts to be affected by it, from a security perspective.
What about the long-distance missiles that hit Moscow?
In September 2024, Ukraine launched a bunch of long-distance missiles that hit some buildings in the suburbs of Moscow, which resulted in the death of one civilian.
Although I’ve never said that the rest of Russia was 100% safe, but I do want to mention that I was in Moscow when that incident happened, and I only found out about it from the Spanish news.
The authorities closed the airport for a few hours but other than that, life went on as always. You also need to remember that there are more than 13 million people living in Moscow.
No country in the world is free of risk, so it’s up to each traveler to assess how much risk they choose to be exposed to when traveling to a certain region or country.
Are arbitrary detentions a risk in Russia?
Arbitrary detentions don’t affect foreign tourists traveling on a valid tourist visa who stick to tourist sites and don’t get involved in politics.
Lack of flights
You can’t fly out direct to Europe, but you can fly to Baku, Dubai, Istanbul, Cairo and many other places around the world.
Lenin square in Makhachkala. When traveling in Russia, you will see that even the smallest town has a Lenin square
🛫 How to get in Russia
How to fly to Russia
Because of the sanctions, there are no flights operating between Russia and any Western countries, but you can still fly from many cities around the Middle East and Central Asia.
The most popular connections for flying to Russia are:
Istanbul (Turkish Airlines)
Dubai (Emirates and FlyDubai)
But you can also travel to Russia from:
Can you fly to Russiawith Aeroflot, Ural Airlines, S7 or any other Russian airline?
Yes, you can.
These airlines have connections with all the previously mentioned cities.
However, because of the sanctions, you can’t book flights through their website using a foreign card, although it can be done through Aviasales.com, a search engine for flights that allows international card payments.
How to travel to Russia by land border
Russia has endless border crossings with 14 different countries, so it’s impossible to provide up-to-date information on each and every one of them.
However, we can give you a rough idea of what the situation is like in each of the countries that borders Russia:
Norway: The border is open and, due its remoteness, it doesn’t present many issues.
Finland: The border is closed.
Estonia: The border is open but reports suggest it can take over 12 hours to cross.
Latvia: The border is open but reports suggest it can take over 12 hours to cross.
Lithuania: It borders with the enclave of Kaliningrad. Easy to cross, no more than 2 hours.
Poland: It borders with the enclave of Kaliningrad. Easy to cross, no more than 2 hours.
Belarus: As a foreigner, you can’t cross this border because there aren’t any immigration authorities, since Russians and Belorussians are allowed to cross it freely.
Kazakhstan: The longest border in the world. Most entry points are fully functional and don’t present any major issues.
China: They share a border but there isn’t an actual entry point.
Mongolia: Borders are fully operational.
North Korea: On the e-visa portal, I was surprised to read that the electronic visa is valid for entering from North Korea by train at Khasan. If you happen to be in North Korea, perhaps you could be the first traveler to ever exit through Russia.
Do you get a lot of questions when entering Russia?
It’s hard to say, I guess it depends on your entry point.
If you’re entering from Europe (Estonia, for example), you’ll certainly get a lot of questions, plus the whole immigration process is very slow.
If entering via Moscow International Airport, the chances of being questioned are also high, as travel reports suggest.
Nevertheless, be aware that all this questioning is mere procedure, and that nobody I know has been denied their entry into Russia, as long as they were traveling on a valid tourist visa.
I personally entered from Kazakhstan by train. I did get asked a few questions but they were mostly about the 2 visas for Afghanistan stamped on my passport, no big deal.
They also made me fill in and sign a form with Ukraine-related questions, just to make sure that you had no interest in getting involved in their politics.
💰 Money and budget in Russia
In Russia, they use the Russian Ruble and approximately:
1 USD = 85 RUB
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, there’s been a massive inflation and currency fluctuation, but they’ve managed to stabilise it.
Can you use foreign bank cards when backpacking in Russia?
No, absolutely not.
Because of the sanctions, international credit and debit cards can’t be used anywhere in Russia.
Where can you exchange money?
You can exchange your foreign currency at pretty much any bank, easy.
How much does it cost to travel in Russia?
Overall, Russia is cheap as per European standards but it really depends on what you do.
Budget backpackers will be happy to hear that all towns and cities in Russia have an abundance of budget hostels, and that meals are inexpensive.
Long distance trains aren’t super cheap, but you can cover a lot of terrain, plus you save nights in a hotel.
Here are the prices of the most typical things:
Pint of beer: from 300 RUB
Main course at a local restaurant: 400 RUB
Main course at a nicer restaurant: 1000 RUB
Short taxi rides in Moscow: 600 RUB
Short taxi rides in secondary cities: 300 RUB
Overnight train in third class: 2500 RUB
Overnight train in 4-bed compartment: 4000 RUB
Single room in a hotel: from 4500 RUB
Dorm in a hostel: from 600 RUB
Backpacking budget for traveling in Russia: from 40 USD a day
⛅ Best time to visit Russia
Russia can be visited all year around, even during the freezing winter.
Traveling to Russia in winter
Everyone knows that winter in Russia can be cold but it can be adventurous as well.
You would not be the first person to visit the coldest city in the world (Yakutsk) during the month of January or travel across Siberia on the Trans-Siberian.
Northern Siberia can get pretty cold even during sunny summer days
Traveling to Russia in summer
This can be a great time to visit Russia, especially if you plan to visit the Arctic, Lake Baikal or the Caucasus and Altay regions.
Please be aware that many areas of Russia, and that includes Moscow, have a continental climate with very cold winters, but very hot summers.
Summer is a great time to visit Russia if you travel to the Caucasus region
Traveling to Russia in spring and autumn
It’s hard to give an accurate answer on this, it depends on where you go and how early or late in autumn or spring you visit Russia.
🛺 How to get around Russia
How to travel around Russia by train
One of the best experiences when traveling in Russia is boarding a Soviet train. It’s a great way to meet local people and also the only way to comprehend the vast size of this country.
You can go by train to pretty much everywhere in the country.
You won’t be able to book train tickets with a foreign bank card, but the site will help you plan your trip.
How to book a train ticket at the station
Once you know your train schedule, head to the train station and before paying for the ticket, make sure to choose your preferred class:
Lyux – 2-bed compartments. The most expensive.
Kupé – 4-bed compartments. Upper-middle class.
Platzkart – The most common, at its most powerful Soviet style. These wagons don’t have compartments but bunk beds placed all over the wagon.
Obshy – Seats, no beds.
This is platzkart class
How to travel around by taxi
When traveling around Russia, you will have to download Yandex GO, the Russian version of Uber.
You can order a taxi using Yandex GO from virtually anywhere in Russia, even in small towns in the extreme north of Russia, such as Salekhard.
Top Russia travel tip: You can only use Yandex GO with a Russian SIM card, so get one of these upon arrival in Russia.
How to travel around by plane
Domestic flights are a good option for travelers with little time who are interested in visiting different regions of Russia.
You can check flight schedules on Aviasales and book them using a foreign bank card.
How to navigate around Russia
In Russia, Google Maps works fine but Yandex Maps is more detailed and accurate.
In fact, I realized that many businesses such as restaurants were not listed on Google Maps but they were on Yandex.
By the way, due to the war in Ukraine, geolocation isn’t working properly in the center of Moscow.
🏨 Where to stay in Russia: accommodation
Russia is packed with hotels of all types.
From budget hostels to expensive 5-star chains, you will never have any issues trying to find a hotel in Russia.
The problem is more about how to book a hotel in Russia, since popular search engines such as booking.com or hostelworld.com are no longer operating in the country.
Instead, you can search and book hotels through ostrovok.ru, and even book and pay with your foreign card. It is 100% reliable.
💻 Internet in Russia
Wi-Fi and internet speed in Russia
From an internet perspective, Russia is a highly developed country.
There will be good reception pretty much anywhere you go.
Getting a SIM card in Russia
Internet data is ridiculously cheap in Russia.
I paid less than 7 USD for a package that included a SIM card with 50GB of data and unlimited calls.
I bought it at the official store in a mall and all they required was my passport.
You can also get yourself one upon arrival at the airport.
Getting an eSIM for Russia
Some eSIM providers such as HolaFly, GoMoWorld or Alosim offer eSIM for Russia but they are way too expensive compared to the local plans, plus you can’t get a local number, which is absolutely vital to be able to use Yandex GO.
Just get a local SIM instead, it’s super simple.
Restricted websites and apps in Russia
Some restricted websites, services and apps include:
I’ve been using ExpressVPN for years but to my surprise, it wasn’t working in Russia.
NordVPN is my back up VPN, but it also didn’t work.
Instead, I used OpenVPN and it worked well. Some Russians told me they use Planet VPN.
Download and configure your VPN before traveling to Russia because their websites are often blocked as well.
Getting hacked in Russia
It is said that the best hackers in the world are Russian, and that getting hacked is not uncommon here.
I am extremely paranoid about the internet, so my advice is to be very careful about the public Wi-Fi networks you connect to.
Always connect using a VPN and if possible, only connect through your mobile data.
Since data packages are so cheap, I always connected my laptop via my mobile hotspot.
🕌 The people, culture and language in Russia
Cultural diversity in Russia
People tend to think of Russia as one massive Slavic nation but you’ll be amazed to know that Russia is home to 190 recognized ethnic groups, making it one of the most diverse countries in the world.
Caucasian people in Chechenya
While it’s true that many of those ethnicities refer to people from former Soviet countries (like Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Ukraine or Armenia) who for whatever reason moved to the Russian Federation in the past, there are many minorities who are indigenous to a specific region in Russia, such as Tatars, Chechens or Kumyks.
I have personally been to the republics of Dagestan, Chechnya, Ingushetia, North Ossetia and the autonomous region of Yamalia.
Traveling in the different republics of Russia feels like visiting a different country. They have their own rules, religion, habits, food, and culture, and they refer to actual Slavic Russians as if they were from a separate country.
From a traveling perspective, this is Russia’s best asset and the one thing that makes you realize that most travelers have only scratched a tiny bit of the surface of Russia.
Nenet woman, north Siberia
Language in Russia
Russian is the most widely spoken language in Russia, but there are 25 other official languages and over 100 minority languages, all proof of the broad cultural diversity in Russia.
English in Russia
There is a massive language barrier when backpacking in Russia since very few Russians can speak English.
In fact, most people outside of Moscow don’t even understand very basic English words and sentences, such as numbers.
While it’s true that Google Translate and Google Lens have made our life much easier, traveling in Russia is a bit challenging if you don’t know any Russian, so I strongly recommend learning a few basic words.
Also, learn how to read the alphabet. It’s very easy. It took me one day to learn it back in 2018, when I was traveling in Kyrgyzstan.
When it comes to reading food menus, understanding the alphabet is particularly handy.
🍲 Food and drinks in Russia
I don’t want to go into too much detail in this section.
Russia is a developed country so even in small, remote towns, you’ll be able to find decent food options and nice cafés.
Even in the Arctic town of Salekhard – a very small city which until 2021 was impossible to reach by road – there was a sushi restaurant and a German-style bar with a large selection of beers on tap.
Russian caviar. If you want to learn about caviar when you travel in Russia, I recommend going to Astrakahan
You’ll also find modern Russian restaurants all over the country.
Russian cuisine is, of course, very meat-based but all menus will feature different types of soup and salads.
Borscht (beetroot soup), pelmeni (meat dumplings), or varenniki (potato dumplings) are some of the most common dishes.
For breakfast, I really like sirniki, small but thick pancakes made of cottage cheese, usually served with sour cream.
Additionally, there is a vibrant coffee culture in Russia, so you won’t have any problem finding decent coffee anywhere you go.
❗ More helpful information to visit Russia
📢 In my Travel Resources Page you can find the list of all the sites and services I use to book hotels, tours, travel insurance and more.
All guides and articles for traveling in Russia destination
Join a group of like-minded travelers in our next scheduled tour in Iraq, where we’ll visit Baghdad, Babylon, Karbala, Mosul, and more
October 2nd to 12th, 2025
This country is truly an adventure, and this guide contains absolutely everything you need to know to travel to Federal Iraq, including visa procedures, how to move around, where to stay, going through checkpoints, budget, money, security tips, and much more.
By the way, this guide refers to traveling independently in Iraq proper, which includes Baghdad, Mosul, the Marshes, and everything in between, but it doesn’t focus on the autonomous region of Kurdistan. For that, read our Kurdistan travel guide,
IATI Insurance is one of the very few that covers travel in Iraq.
Introduction: why visit Iraq?
After decades (literally) of being pretty isolated from the outside world, Iraq finally decided to open its borders to international travelers, making a dream for many come true.
This is the cradle of modern civilization and the heart of Ancient Mesopotamia, home to Babylon, the City of Ur and Nineveh, once the center of the world, and today epic archaeological sites awaiting to be discovered by intrepid adventurers.
The country, however, is much more than just archaeological sites; Iraq is made of its people, kind-hearted Iraqis who will accompany you in your journey, offering you unprecedented doses of Arab hospitality and generosity.
Jaw-dropping shrines, the lively streets of Baghdad, and a surprisingly elaborate local cuisine: there are many reasons to travel to Iraq.
🪪 How to get a tourist visa for Iraq
Update March 2025
Since March 1st, visa on arrival is no longer available for entering Iraq.
Instead, an e-visa for traveling into the country is strictly required.
The e-visa costs 165 USD, takes 24 hours to process, and allows you to enter Iraq through the following entry points:
Baghdad International Airport
Basra International Airport
Jordan-Iraq border
Kuwait-Iraq border
Iran-Iraq border
Saudi-Iraq border
Which countries are eligible for the e-visa?
All EU passport holders, and also the United States (yes, Americans can travel to Iraq), United Kingdom, Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Switzerland
Bonus: What happens with the rest of the nationalities?
If you are not one of the lucky countries, you can still travel to Iraq, but you will need approval from the respective Ministry, something which you must arrange through an authorized Iraq tour company.
For this service, they charge $250, plus you need to join one of their guided tours.
This approval takes up to 4 weeks.
Book one of our tours to Iraq
Check below our upcoming Iraq departures:
How long is the Iraq visa valid for?
The visa allows you to travel in Iraq for 60 days.
How much does the Iraq visa cost?
Today, the Iraqi visa costs 165 USD.
What is the airport procedure?
Collecting your Iraq travel visa is surprisingly easy.
You just need to show your e-visa to the respective authorities and collect the visa sticker.
Is the Federal Iraq travel visa valid for the Kurdistan region?
Yes, it is.
Once you are in possession of an Iraqi tourist visa, you can travel freely all over the country, from Baghdad to Erbil, including by land.
Update 2025
Is the Federal Iraq travel visa valid for the Kurdistan region?
Yes, it is.
Once you are in possession of an Iraqi tourist visa, you can travel freely all over the country, from Baghdad to Erbil, including by land.
Update 2025
Since January 2025, the visa for Kurdistan ($75) is also valid for Federal Iraq.
My tourist visa for Iraq
✍️ How to sign up for a tour in Federal Iraq
Traveling with a group and an expert local guide will make things much easier, and more fun!
Against the Compass has several Iraq expeditions scheduled all year long, and the next one is on:
And we will try to find other travel buddies you may travel with. Otherwise, know that we can also organize private, tailored trips.
In Babylon with one of our past groups
🚑 Travel Insurance for Iraq
Most travel insurance companies don’t cover for travel in Iraq, except for IATI.
I recommend it because:
Only travel insurance company that covers Iraq
They have different plans for all budgets
Covers senior citizens too
Readers of this blog can get an exclusive 5% discount.
📚 Useful books for planning your trip to Iraq
Iraq Travel Guide by Bradt
If you follow my blog, you will see that I always recommend Bradt guides for all destinations, so Iraq will be no different. They have the most insightful guidebook to Iraq.
The Rise of the Islamic State by Patrick Cockburn
This is my favorite journalism book ever and it is written by Patrick Cockburn, one of the world’s top experts on the Middle Eastern conflict. In this book, he gives an extremely perceptive introduction to the origins of ISIS, with many references to Iraq, of course. A really useful book to understand the complexity and origin of the conflict.
A pictorial guide to Iraq by Sian Pritchard-Jones & Bob Gibbons
My friends and fellow travelers Sian and Bob just published this pictorial guide to Iraq which also contains fresh and actionable advice to the country.
⚠️ Is it safe to travel to Iraq?
Safety is the number one concern for people visiting Iraq.
From the war between Iran and Iraq in 1980 to Saddam’s Hussein regime, the US invasion in 2003 and the more recent ISIS rule, decades of conflict and religious sectarianism made Iraq an actual war-torn country, labeled by all international media as one of the most dangerous destinations in the world.
While it’s true that for decades, Iraq was a pretty dangerous country to travel to, the situation has drastically improved.
This has been recently proved by the visit of Pope Francis in March 2021, thanks to whom – no kidding – Iraq finally opened its borders for tourism.
I traveled around Iraq independently, moving around by public transportation and I was particularly surprised by how calm and peaceful everything seemed to be, especially Mosul and around, an area occupied by ISIS just a few years ago.
Except for the endless checkpoints, everything else seemed pretty normal when traveling in Iraq, with the particularity that Iraqis, in general, were always extremely kind, helpful, and generous, like nowhere else you might have been to.
Nevertheless, remember that religious sectarianism still exists across the country and that occasional bombings may happen from time to time, in Baghdad in July 2021.
Iraq is mostly safe to travel but even experienced travelers should keep an eye open because we can’t forget that the country is highly unstable.
Always stay up-to-date with the latest security updates but, instead of reading biased newspapers or the Iraq travel advice FCDO, do contact the local people.
For that, Iraq Travelers Café is an invaluable source of information, where you can get in touch with English-speaking Iraqis.
What about the Kurdistan region? Kurdistan is a different story. The region has always been safe, which is why it has been open to international tourism for quite a while now. For a better understanding, read: Is Kurdistan safe?
There’s army and police everywhere you visit in Iraq but they are super friendly always
🤔 Iraq independent travel vs organized tour
Wanna travel to Iraq with Against the Compass?
Join a group of like-minded travelers in our next scheduled tour in Iraq, where we’ll visit Baghdad, Babylon, Karbala, Mosul, and more
For most people, Iraq is perceived as a challenging country to travel to, a destination only aimed at experienced backpackers, the reason why most travelers tend to visit Iraq with a local guide or on an organized tour group.
Traveling in Iraq independently – aka backpacking in Iraq
You would be surprised to know that independent travel in Iraq is completely doable, in fact much easier than in countries likePakistan or Afghanistan.
There’s plenty of public transportation, most cities have a range of hotels and local Iraqis are super helpful.
The only challenge you may encounter, however, is police and army checkpoints.
Some checkpoints are pretty easy to get through, but some may come with their own challenges, for which is best to have a local contact, which you can easily get from Iraqi Travelers Café. More on checkpoints later.
Nevertheless, some previous experience traveling alone in Arab countries like Palestine or Lebanon is highly recommended.
Martyr’s monument in Baghdad, an unmissable monument in your trip to Iraq
Traveling in Iraq with a local guide or on a group tour
That’s what most people do, and it’s fine.
Against the Compass (this site) is leading group expeditions into Federal Iraq.
With its bustling bazaars and lively districts, Baghdad is a thrilling city with so much going on, the destination within Iraq where you need to spend at least one day.
This is Shabandar Café, a must-see in your trip to Iraq and one of the oldest cafés
Learn about the Islamic State’s legacy
The rule of the Islamic State in the north of Iraq is still latent in people’s life, living history I call it.
Witnessing the city’s reconstruction and the Iraqis’ struggle to return to normality is an unmissable part of their history to experience.
This is the oldest mosque in Mosul, destroyed during the liberation from ISIS
Touring the Mesopotamian Marshes on a boat
The Arab Marshes are a wetland ecosystem in south Iraq, a huge aquatic landscape in the middle of the desert, home to a distinct cultural group named the Marsh Arabs. Going through the Marshes on a traditional boat, visiting the different islands and the local people is a great experience.
A Marsh Arab
Witness one of the largest pilgrimages in the world
The city of Karbala, along with Najaf and Samarra, are the holiest cities for Shia Muslims, cities that every year receive millions and millions of pilgrims from all over the world, especially from Iran.
The shrine in Karbala
Discover Iraq’s ancient history
Iraq was the heart of Ancient Mesopotamia, the people who developed the first cities, writing and agriculture, between 10,000 and 3,000 BC.
Discover Iraq’s glorious past by paying a visit to the most relevant archaeological sites.
Ancient Babylon
🕌 Iraqi culture, language and religion
Iraqis are proud Arabs, something you are likely to notice throughout your travels in Iraq.
They comprise 75% of the total Iraqi population, the rest being Kurds, Turkmens, Assyrians, Yazidis, Armenians, Mandaeans, Shabaks, and other minority groups.
It’s an ethnically diverse country but these figures might have changed in recent years, especially those of Yazidis, Mandaeans and Turkmens, whose numbers have drastically decreased due to violence unleashed against them.
A man from Mosul cooking kubba
Getting to know local Iraqis
Before traveling to Iraq, I expected Iraqis to be very generous, similar to their Arab neighbors, but what surprised me the most is that they could be perfectly equal to Pakistanis, Afghans or Iranians – you know, the most hospitable countries in the world – unprecedented hospitality in the Middle East.
Topics aside, making friends in Iraq is particularly easy, and a lot of fun.
Local Iraqis will always be super happy to hang out with you, to show you around, something truly appreciated in a country where chances to meet other travelers are scarce.
They can, however, be over-protective sometimes, and will always want to pay for all your meals and buy you souvenirs. This made me feel awkward but that’s their culture, you are their guest and, although you should always attempt to pay for your own food, just go with their flow.
In Nasiriya with some local friends
Language spoken in Iraq
Arabic is the common language throughout Iraq, understood by pretty much everybody, except for a large portion of Kurds.
English is relatively commonly spoken among highly educated people but not the rest of Iraqis, especially at checkpoints, so learning some Arabic words can prove very useful.
Religion in Iraq
More than 90% of Iraqis are Muslim, divided into Shia and Sunni Muslims by ≈ 50%, depending on the report.
This extreme division dictates Iraq’s everyday politics and is one of the reasons why religious sectarianism flourishes.
There is a large proportion of Christians too, around 7% according to some reports, mostly living in Baghdad, Mosul, and Erbil.
A destroyed church in Mosul, or what’s left from it
Close to Mosul, there is a city named Bakhdida, home to 300,000 people, 90% of whom are Christian, the largest Christian city in Iraq and perhaps in the whole Middle East.
Pope Francis visited it in March 2021, where he said Mass in a recently restored Catholic church that had been burnt down by ISIS.
A priest from the Catholic church in Bakhdida
🍲 Cuisine in Iraq
Before traveling to Iraq proper, I had spent two weeks in Kurdistan running two expeditions, eating nearly the same thing every single day.
In Iraq proper, where I also traveled for two weeks, I thought I’d be eating the same dishes again, but I was wrong.
While it’s true that shawarma, falafel, and grilled kebabs abound everywhere, being their staple foods, there are many must-try, elaborate dishes defining Iraq’s rich, complex history.
In the north, I found the food to be more sophisticated, more varied, probably because of their proximity to Syria and also because the land is more fertile.
The classic Syrian foul for example, which is like hummus but made of beans, could be found everywhere in Mosul.
In the south, I ate mandi on a few occasions, consisting of rice with meat on top, and the national dish in Yemen, but also in neighboring Saudi Arabia.
Alcohol in Iraq You would be surprised that liquor shops in Iraq abound, especially in Baghdad and Mosul, where you find the largest Christian populations. Drinking in the street is technically not allowed in Federal Iraq, but you can do it in your hotel and in Baghdad there are many Western-style bars. Kurdistan on the other hand, is way more permissive than Federal Iraq, with far more liquor shops.
Anyways, some more must-try dishes when you visit Iraq are:
Kubba – Consisting of a couscous paste filled with meat. It comes in plenty of different sizes and shapes, depending on the region in Iraq. I was always down for kubba 🙂
Kubba 🙂
Masgouf – An old Mesopotamian dish consisting of a huge fish from either the Tigris or Euphrates, which they grill for hours sometimes.
Masgouf 🙂
Kahi with Geymar – The national breakfast, consisting of a sweet pastry with honey or syrup, covered with a creamy, thick white cream made from buffalo milk. Amazing.
Local breakfast
Gus – Similar to shawarma but eaten with broth and floating pieces of bread. Typical from Mosul.
From mid-October until March, when the temperature is pleasant.
You should know, however, that in winter, especially from December until January, the northern part (Mosul and surroundings) can get pretty cold (0ºC).
The south is warmer but it can also get chilly at night so, if you are traveling in Iraq during winter time, do bring some warm clothes.
Worst season to travel to Federal Iraq
Summer, late spring, early autumn.
During the warmer months, all Iraq can be too hot for traveling so, unless you can stand extreme heat (40 to 50ºC), I don’t recommend visiting Iraq at that time of the year.
What about Kurdistan? Kurdistan is a mountainous region, with extremely cold winters and extremely hot summers. In December-January, most of the region is covered by snow but in spring, the whole region is covered in lush green and colorful meadows, making it a visually appealing season to travel to. Autumn is a great season too, with pleasant temperatures and beautiful fall colors. Remember to check my Kurdistan itinerary
It gets chilly in Iraq in December, even during the day, that’s why I wear a jacket
🛫 How to get to Iraq
How to travel to Iraq by air
The International Airport of Baghdad has connections with pretty much any city in the Middle East, especially Dubai, Doha, Beirut, Amman and Riyadh.
If you are coming from Europe, Istanbul is a common stopover, Pegasus having the cheapest fares.
Erbil, the capital of Kurdistan, has an international airport too, with similar connections to Baghdad.
Getting from Baghdad International Airport to the city center At the arrival terminal, there are branded official taxis that can take you to the city for 40,000IQD. To make it cheaper, you can take the bus (9,000IQD) that takes you out of the airport security zone. From there, you can take a taxi for 12,000-15,000IQD
How to travel to Iraq by land
Now that you can get a visa for Iraq at all landborders, things have improved a lot when it comes to overlanding into Iraq.
Traveling from Turkey to Iraq
You can easily cross into the Iraqi Kurdistan region.
There are direct buses from the city of Diyarbakir to Zakho, the first Kurdish town, and a visa is available on arrival.
Traveling from Iran to Iraq
You can also cross into both Kurdistan, and the rest of Iraq, and the visa is available at both.
You cross the border on foot because direct transportation is not available.
In Iraq, they use the Iraqi Dinar (IQD) and approximately:
1 USD = 1300 IQD
Exchanging money in Iraq
Exchanging money in Iraq is fairly easy.
Exchange offices are plentiful, but one small issue I encountered is that Euros (€) are not accepted everywhere, especially outside of the big cities.
US dollars, however, can be changed all over.
This wasn’t the case in Iraqi Kurdistan, where both USD and € are widely accepted.
Withdrawing money in Iraq
ATMs are accepting both VISA and Mastercard but you need to look for them. It’s better to bring cash with you.
Also remember that except for a few fancy places, you can’t pay by credit card in Iraq, but only cash.
How much does it cost to travel in Iraq independently?
Baghdad was obviously the most expensive city in all Iraq, while Mosul was the cheapest.
Kurdistan lies somewhere in between and the rest of Iraq is pretty affordable. These are the cost of the most typical things:
Visa: 80USD
All entry sites to archaelogical sites cost 25,000IQD
Budget (but comfortable) hotels in Baghdad: from 60,000IQD
Budget (but comfortable) hotels in the rest of Iraq: 25,000IQD – 40,000IQD
Bottle of beer in a liquor shop: 1,200IQD – 1,1200IQD
Local eateries: 5,000IQD to 8,000IQD for a local meal
Fancy restaurants: main courses starting at 14,000IQD
Taxi rides within cities: 3,000IQD – 7,000IQD
Transportation between cities: 5,000IQD – 25,000IQD depending on distance
Average daily backpacking budgetfor Iraq Starting from $45 – $65 a day
The 10,000 dinar bill features the twisted minaret from Al Noori mosque, today destroyed due to the war
🛺 Transportation: how to travel around Iraq
Moving around Iraq by public transportation is fairly easy.
Typically, most towns and cities are connected with either local shared taxis or minibuses.
The local shared taxi is always a bit more expensive than the bus, but it’s way faster and more comfortable. I only took shared taxis and I recommend you do the same.
Shared taxis I took (with prices):
Baghdad to Karbala – 10,000IQD (115km)
Karbala to Hilla (Babylon) – 2,000IQD (45km)
Hilla to Najaf – 7,000IQD (60km)
Najaf to Nasiriya – 10,000IQD (250km)
Nasiriya to Chibayish (Marshes) – 5,000IQD (90km)
Nasiriya to Baghdad – 20,000IQD – 25,000IQD, depending on the seat (345km)
Baghdad to Mosul – 20,000IQD – 25,000IQD, depending on the seat (400km)
Iraq Travel tip – garage is the word used for referring to a bus or taxi station. If you wish to go to Nasiriya, just ask for the Nasiriya garage and Iraqis will point you in the right direction,
Hitchhiking in Iraq
I didn’t hitchhike but in Karbala, when asking for the Hilla garage, a random Iraqi told me: I am going in that direction, you can join me. Does that count as hitchhiking?
In any case, hitchhiking in Iraq should be easy.
Taxis to move around Baghdad
If you have a SIM Card, get your Careem App, which is the regional version of Uber.
Taxi rides within Baghdad cost anything between 3,000-7,000IQD.
Touring the Marshes by boat is one of the greatest experiences when traveling in Iraq
Checkpoints in Iraq
As mentioned, military checkpoints are the one challenge travelers need to face when backpacking in Iraq.
A few things about checkpoints in Iraq:
There are checkpoints to enter each and every city, and also on roads.
Checkpoints exist for security purposes.
The authorities tend to be very friendly, and even ask for photos.
Checkpoints can be operated by different armed groups. Most of them are run by the Iraqi police, but they can also be controlled by different local militias, mostly Shia but also Christian militias, like in Bakhdida.
Most checkpoints are pretty straightforward, you either get through or they just quickly check your passport.
One issue I encountered at many checkpoints was that, since the entry date of my visa was written in English, soldiers weren’t able to understand it. This meant waiting a bit extra, since they had to consult with a superior, but it never turned out to be an issue.
However, there are 2 checkpoints that can take a lot of time.
Based on my own experience, here’s an overview of each one of them:
Nasiriya checkpoint
Update 2024: A local contact/sponsor was required but this isn’t the case anymore
Nasiriya is a big city in southern Iraq and an unavoidable destination for anyone heading to Basra or the Marshes.
Its main peculiarity is that this is home to al-Hoot prison, an American-made high-security prison, today filled with ISIS fighters, and the reason why the Nasiriya checkpoint is a tricky one.
Basically, in order to enter Nasiriya, you are supposed to have a local to sponsor your visit. If you don’t have one, you will eventually make it through but there are reports from travelers who waited there for several hours.
In my case, I did have a friend in Nasiriya.
I gave his phone number to the authorities and after 45 minutes, they let me go. During those 45 minutes, all we did was have friendly chats, mainly about Spanish football. That’s it.
Samarra checkpoint
Update 2024: A local contact/sponsor was required but this isn’t the case anymore
Since then, the armed group and Shia militia Sarayat al Salam has taken control of Samarra, establishing checkpoints all over the city, closing all hotels, and making Samarra the worst city to live today in Iraq, according to local Iraqis.
Sarayat al Salam is a paranoid group which is suspicious of everyone, especially foreigners. If you come to Samarra by yourself, without a local Iraqi, chances are that you can be waiting at the checkpoint all day before they let you through.
I visited Samarra with two local Iraqis actually from Samarra and even with them, we had to wait 15-20 minutes at each checkpoint before they let us through.
At the Nasiriya checkpoint, on my way from Chibayish
🏨 Where to stay in Iraq: accommodation guide
There are no hostels in Iraq, but you can find all sorts of hotels.
In Baghdad, they can be expensive for what you get but, in the rest of the country, they are pretty affordable.
Here’s a list of all the hotels I stayed during my trip to Iraq:
Baghdad – Uruk Hotel – Around 70 USD a night. Very good location, comfortable and great Wi-Fi.
Karbala – Al Karama Hotel – 15,000IQD. Very basic, but OK for one night. It was close to the shrine.
Najaf – Qaem Hotel – 20,000IQD. Also basic but better than the one in Karbala. Amazing shower and good Wi-Fi.
Nasiriya – Hotel Tourist – 50,000IQD. Quite good, and comfortable.
Chibayish – I did a homestay, paying around $30 including dinner and breakfast.
Mosul –Alsfer Hotel – $15. Surprisingly good for the price.
Samarra – You are technically not allowed to stay in Samarra.
💃 Solo female travel in Iraq
According to female travelers I have been talking to, traveling in Iraq as a solo woman isn’t very different than in other Arab countries like Egypt or Jordan.
Occasional verbal harassment does happen, but it’s rare, and most Iraqis will be nothing but extra kind with any foreign women.
What to wear as a solo female traveler in Iraq
In cities like Baghdad, Mosul, or Nasiriya, you will see all sorts of women dressing in all different ways, some of them apparently quite liberal.
However, do always dress modestly in order to avoid unwanted attention, and bring a headscarf with you, since you may need it depending on the area you are visiting.
On the other hand, in Karbala and Najaf – two very holy cities – a full abaya covering your whole body is mandatory.
I hope you enjoyed this article, which I believe is the best travel guide to Iraq available on the internet. Any questions or concerns, kindly let me know in the comments section.
Located in the far north of Iraq, nestled between Iran and Turkey, Iraqi Kurdistan is today a safe but turbulent region, home to some of the most breathtaking landscape in the Middle East, composed of green mountains with snow-capped peaks that, definitely, will break with all the stereotypes you have about Iraq.
Iraqi Kurdistan is no desert and, most importantly, it is not a war zone filled with ISIS terrorists but an autonomous region which, for the last couple of years, has done a tremendous job defending its borders.
It is in fact, one of the safest countries in the Middle East and the most ultimate destination for travelers looking for something unique, very off the beaten track, and who are willing to meet the Kurds, a very proud and brave nation, who turn out to also be some of the most hospitable people I have ever encountered, with similar experiences to Iran, Pakistan, and Sudan.
From visiting a Syrian refugee camp to remote Christian monasteries and millennial villages, discovering Sadam Hussein’s heritage and learning from the conflict against ISIS, Kurdistan may be the high point of all your backpacking travels.
I have visited the country three times, here you have all my travel tips for Iraqi Kurdistan.
In this Iraqi Kurdistan travel guide you will find:
our recommended travel insurance for Iraq
IATI Insurance is one of the very few that covers travel in Iraq.
This is the town of Aqrah – Travel to Kurdistan
🪪 How to get a visa for Iraqi Kurdistan
Citizens of the following countries can get a visa on arrival in Kurdistan.
Since March 2025, it is recommended to get an e-visa for Kurdistan in advance through this portal for all nationalities
European Union, Albania, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Canada, China, Iran, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, New Zealand, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, UK and USA
The visa is valid for 30 days, whether you enter by land or air.
How much does the visa for Kurdistan cost?
Iraqi Kurdistan visa had always been free but since April 2021, it costs 75 USD.
How to get a Kurdistan visa for the rest of the nationalities
Since 2024, it’s possible to get an e-visa through this portal.
Is the visa for Iraqi Kurdistan valid for Iraq proper
Update 2025:
Yes, since January 2025, the visa for traveling to Iraqi Kurdistan allows you to travel to Federal Iraq, including Mosul and Baghdad.
Spring is definitely the best time to travel to Iraqi Kurdistan, from March to the end of April, when the whole region is fully blossoming, at its greenest, and the weather is pleasant.
Traveling to Kurdistan in summer
Summers can get hot, especially in the area around Erbil and Sulamaniyah, where the temperature may easily reach 45ºC.
In the mountains, or in cities like Duhok, the weather might be slightly cooler but still hot, the reason why summer is low season for visiting Kurdistan, from mid May to September.
Traveling to Kurdistan in autumn
Autumn is the second best time to visit Iraqi Kurdistan. The Kurdish mountains and meadows may not be green, but you get the beautiful autumn colors and the weather is pleasant.
Traveling to Kurdistan in winter
In winter, the temperature drops and most Iraqi Kurdistan gets covered in snow. I have never traveled in Kurdistan during its freezing winter but it must be beautiful, despite the cold weather.
Visiting Kurdistan in spring
🚑 Travel Insurance for Iraqi Kurdistan
Most travel insurance companies don’t cover for travel in Iraq, except for IATI.
I recommend it because:
Only travel insurance company that covers Iraq
They have different plans for all budgets
Covers senior citizens too
Readers of this blog can get an exclusive 5% discount.
🛫 How to go to Iraqi Kurdistan
How to travel to Iraqi Kurdistan by air
Kurdistan has two international airports: Erbil and Sulaymaniyah, Erbil being the most transited airport.
Istanbul (both Turkish and Pegasus) and Dubai (Fly Dubai) are the cheapest and most common routes.
How to travel to Iraqi Kurdistan by land
You can enter Kurdistan from either Iran or Turkey. The Iranian side is very easy and straightforward but on the Turkish side, the Turkish authorities may give you some trouble.
If you follow my blog, you will see that I always recommend their guides for all destinations, so Iraqwill be no different. They have, obviously, the only travel guide to the country, with a pretty long chapter focused on Kurdistan. Bradt has the most insightful guidebooks I have ever read.
The Rise of the Islamic State by Patrick Cockburn
This is my favorite journalism book ever and it is written by Patrick Cockburn, one of the world’s top experts on the Middle Eastern conflict. In this book, he gives an extremely perceptive introduction to the origins of ISIS, with many references to Iraqi Kurdistan and Iraq, of course. A really useful book to understand the complexity and origin of the conflict.
The bad things that happen in Iraq don’t happen in Kurdistan
Whatever you have been hearing in the news about Iraq for the last few years,happened in Arab Iraq, not in Kurdistan.
The last terrorist attack that occurred in Kurdistan was in Erbil back in 2014. This means that London and Paris have suffered more attacks than the whole of Kurdistan itself.
However, the region is very unstable
I never meant that traveling to Kurdistan will be as peaceful as your spiritual journey through Bhutan, not even close.
Despite being safe, the region is highly volatile and effective military operations are the only reason why it is safe. This means that things may change overnight, so being extra careful is more than wise.
A billboard indicating how to deactivate mines, in an area which used to be heavily mined
There are military controls everywhere
When you travel between towns and cities, you will find so many military checkpoints run by Kurdish Army guys named Peshmergas.
As a Western passport holder, they don’t give you any trouble but, once, I was traveling with an Iraqi from Baghdad and they held him for 15 minutes, at least. They don’t trust Arabs at all as any Arab could, potentially, be an ISIS spy.
A Peshmerga base located in Sadam Hussein’s Palace
Crime rates are ridiculously low
Kurdistan has one of the lowest crime rates in the world. It is one of those places where you may forget your phone in a café, come back in a few hours and still recover it.
The old tanks from Sadam Hussein’s regime, in Sulaymaniyah – Kurdistan tourism travel guide
💃 Solo female travel in Iraqi Kurdistan
Iraqi Kurdistan is a very safe region of Iraq, regardless of your gender but women should of course, take extra care, like they would do in other conservative Muslim countries.
In Kurdistan, they use the Iraqi Dinar and, approximately:
1 USD = 1308.68 IQD
Exchanging money in Kurdistan
You can easily exchange €, USD and GBP in all the main cities.
Some exchange offices are just stalls in the middle of the street, with no surveillance, no security and no glass screen with lots of huge bundles of cash. The reason is that the crime rates here are very low.
Credit cards and ATMs
There are quite a few banks which accept foreign cards, so you can withdraw money easily but, except for some good hotels, most places in Kurdistan accept only cash.
How much does to cost to travel in Iraqi Kurdistan?
Compared to its neighbors, traveling in Kurdistan isn’t very cheap.
Budget Hotels: 20,000-25,000IQD
Beer in a liquor shop: 1,200-2,000IQD
Beer in a bar: 8,000-12,000IQD
Fast food (like a shawarma or falafel): 1,000-1,500IQD
Local eateries: 5,000 to 8,000IQD for a local meal, consisting of rice, beans and chicken, or a kebab
Fancy restaurants: Main courses starting at 14,000IQD
Taxi rides within cities: from 3,000ID to 5,000IQD
Transportation between cities: Local shared taxi from Suleymaniyah to Erbil costs 15,000IQD
Some money exchange stalls – No surveillance? – Traveling to Kurdistan
🕌 The country, its people and culture
From all Kurdistan regions, Kurdistan in Iraq enjoys the highest level of autonomy, to the extent that they control their borders, immigration, they have their own army and even Parliament.
Kurds are spread over 4 countries
There are 40 million Kurds spread over Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Iraq, making them the largest stateless nation in the world.
Many years ago, they used to be one single country but, at the end of the British Empire, the British themselves decided to draw the Middle Eastern map like that.
Kurds are not Arabs
Kurds are a different nation and ethnicity who are closer to Persians than Arabs. Never tell a Kurd that they are Arabs because they won’t like it, and it’s extremely important to know and make the distinction.
Kurdish is the main language
Kurdish – a language with many similarities to Farsi or Dari and Turkish – is the official language in Kurdistan.
Many young Kurds don’t even speak Arabic anymore
People who are less than 30-years old don’t really speak Arabic, or very little at least. They don’t teach it in schools anymore, a very drastic measure from the Kurdish Government after the Saddam Hussein invasion, when their national pride and differences versus the Arabs accentuated even more.
Speaking English in Iraqi Kurdistan
Young, well-educated people in Erbil and Sulamaniyah speak English but that’s it. With the rest of the population, you will have to talk using signs or Google Translate.
Many Kurds don’t like Arabs, at all
Educated Kurds are aware that their problems with the Arabs are more political but, during my journey, I met many closed-minded Kurds, especially in the villages, who told me that they really hate Arabs.
The Kurds, in Rawandiz – Travel Kurdistan Iraq
They are Sunni Muslims
Kurdistan is a Muslim country and most Kurds are Sunni Muslims.
However, they are moderate Sunnis
In Kurdistan, you may realize that Kurds are not as religious as Muslims from other Middle Eastern countries.
As I said, Kurds are the largest stateless nation, 40 million people spread over 4 different countries striving to get more recognition, more autonomy, so their national identity prevails over religion, the reason why Kurdistan is such a diverse nation composed of all types of Muslims, Christians, as well as other minorities.
This is the reason why the Kurds are moderate Muslims.
Yazidi people, in Lalish, the holiest place for Yazidis
In Erbil, there is a big Christian district named Anqawa and you actually find several Christian villages and Orthodox monasteries throughout the region.
Other minorities include Yazidis, Kakais and Shabaks.
Kurdish hospitality
Similarly to when you are traveling in Iran, house, lunch and chai invitations aren’t a rare thing to happen. Hospitality is in their blood, especially if you are an outsider.
Kurdistan is the most developed region in Iraq
Iraqi Kurdistan, especially Erbil and Sulaimaniyah, have drastically developed in recent years. They hold some of the largest oil reserves in the country, control the main borders with Iran and Turkey and Erbil has become sort of a business hub, where many international companies have settled in.
Because of all the above, Kurds are craving for independence
More than 90% of the Kurds want to separate from Iraq. In fact, they already celebrated a referendum back in 2017 but due to international pressure and threats from Iraq and its neighbors, they didn’t move it forward.
The Kurdish flag and Amadiya in the background – Kurdistan travel guide
🍲 The food in Iraqi Kurdistan
A shawarma economy
During your trip to Kurdistan, you will get absolutely sick of shawarma, being the only option in most places. Eating a shawarma costs less than a dollar but it’s very unhealthy, even though many Kurds eat shawarma every single day.
Vegetarian falafel is widely available as well.
You may find kebabs
Sometimes, you may find some places serving good kebabs, of all types. A good kebab, however, isn’t cheap and you may end up paying up to 10USD for just a few of them.
If you are lucky, you may find local eateries
Local eateries typically serve red beans with rice, chicken and also kebabs. There aren’t many, however, and you will have to look for them. You need to look for them, however, or know where to go.
In a traditional restaurant, with the expedition group
The best Kurdish food is served at home
I have been invited in quite a few Kurdish houses and the main conclusion is that the best traditional Kurdish food can’t be found in restaurants but only in Kurdish homes.
Their cuisine is mostly rice and meat-based, quite fatty and with many stews. Red beans will always be the side dish of any meal and, when they have guests, they don’t care about making you eat chicken, lamb, and beef at the same time, along with fried rice with meat in it and a lot of flatbread.
I always left their houses completely rolling.
The amount of food they serve is insane
🍻 Drinking alcohol when you travel in Kurdistan
Good news: Alcohol is widely available in Kurdistan
Unlike the rest of Iraq, liquor stores are available everywhere. You can buy fresh, cold beer, wine and any type of liquor. In Erbil and Sulaymaniyah you can find plenty of bars, as well.
You can actually drink on the street
I didn’t really drink in the center of Erbil but I had some beers in a few parks in both Erbil and Suleymaniyah, as well as in villages throughout the country, and I never had any problems.
Well, this is not actually true because, in Suleymaniyah, I had a beer in the main square, basically because my Couchsurfing host told me it was OK to do so, but the police came to me quite annoyed, even though they just made me put it away. Apparently, it is legal to drink but some police don’t like it anyways.
In liquor shops, beer is cheap, not in bars
In the stores, a beer costs not much more than a dollar but, in bars, they charge 10 times more, unfortunately, so if you are on a budget, don’t get drunk in bars.
Chai and cafés
Like pretty much in all countries in the Middle East, chai is a big deal and it always comes with sugar by default. Hanging out in cafés is one of the highlights of any trip to Kurdistan, the best place to socialize with friendly locals.
Mam Khalil, one of the oldest tea houses in Erbil
🛺 How to travel around Iraqi Kurdistan: transportation
Moving around by bus or minivan
Buses are basically mini-vans but they don’t really run to many places, except between the main cities. They are much slower than shared taxis and not much cheaper.
Local shared taxis
The way to go. They go everywhere and are the most common way of transportation among locals. They aren’t cheap asin Iran and Central Asia but still quite affordable.
Hitchhiking in Kurdistan
Super safe and convenient. I hitchhiked all the way from Soran to Dohuk via Amedi, which is around 300km. Nobody never asked me for money and I had great experiences with many of the people, which a few times involved stopping for lunch or even making a detour, so they could drop me just at the place I wanted.
Crazy roads in Iraqi Kurdistan – Visit Iraqi Kurdistan
💻 Internet and SIM Card
Wi-Fi in Kurdistan
It is not the fastest Wi-Fi in the world, but it is pretty decent and you find good connection all across the country. Internet is not much of an issue when you travel in Iraqi Kurdistan.
Getting a SIM Card
You can easily buy a local SIM Card in many of the stalls located around the covered bazaar in Erbil. I got Korek Telecom and I remember paying around 12USD for a SIM Card and 3GB of data but as you know, data plans change every other day.
🏨 Where to stay in Iraqi Kurdistan: accommodation
Hotels in Iraqi Kurdistan
Erbil, Sulaimaniyah and Dohuk are well-sorted of hotels.
Budget Hotels (pensions)
Like I said in the budget section, the cheapest hotels will cost you around 12-20USD but they can’t be booked online. You can check all the hotels I stayed at in my Kurdistan itinerary.
Couchsurfing
In Suleymaniyah and Erbil, there are so many active profiles. You may also find a few in Dohuk but outside of the main cities, I never got a couch.
❗ More information for visiting Iraqi Kurdistan
📢 In my Travel Resources Page you can find the list of all the sites and services I use to book hotels, tours, travel insurance and more.
Drones
I am telling you this based on my own experience. When I was traveling in Kurdistan, I got arrested for having a drone and I didn’t even fly it. They found it in my backpack and they took me to a military base, where they interrogated me for a few hours.
I really thought I would not get my drone back but, in the end, they believed my story. Basically, they are used by ISIS to spy, so if you do have one because you are overlanding, hide it and don’t fly it!
Tourists visiting refugee camps
It is possible to visit some Syrian refugee camps, but just some of them. They are outside the cities and you should go with a local. I visited Darashakran and you can read about my experience: Visiting a Syrian refugee camp in Iraq.
Wanna travel to Mauritania with Against the Compass?
Join a group of like-minded travelers in our next scheduled tour in Mauritania:
December 23rd to 30th, 2025
How to get a visa, budget & costs, cultural facts, moving around, how to find accommodation, top experiences and more.
This is the most comprehensive and epic guide for traveling to Mauritania available on the internet.
In this Mauritania travel guide you will find:
our recommended travel insurance for Mauritania
With its Backpacker plan, IATI Insurance is the best insurance for any kind of adventurous destination, like Mauritania.
🇲🇷 Introduction to traveling to Mauritania
If I had to say one reason to visit Mauritania, I would say that few countries in the world feel as raw.
Until the middle of the 20th century, when the French were ruling the country, up to 90% of all Mauritanians were still carrying out a nomadic, pastoralist lifestyle.
That wasn’t a long time ago.
Today, many from that generation are still alive, so their tribal system and traditional life are completely visible, not only in remote Sahara towns such as Tidjikja, but even the most cosmopolitan people of Nouakchott will wear traditional clothes and have a haima deep into the desert as their second residence.
Backpacking around Mauritania, traveling like the locals do, is the best way to witness the unspoiled Mauritanian lifestyle. If you are lucky, you will travel in a local pick-up loaded with camels, or goats in the worst-case scenario, and taking a break in a Bedouin camp where you will be offered some zrig (fermented yogurt) is almost guaranteed.
In Tidjikja, I once met a Mauritanian who had lived and worked in the USA for almost 10 years. He decided to return to his homeland and, with all the money he saved, he bought tens of camels.
Like in the old times, this is the best business – he said. He was one of the richest men in town now.
And then there is the desert. Mauritania is nearly twice the size of France, yet less than 5 million people live spread across those extensive arid plains, mostly composed of breathtaking desert landscapes, yet to be explored by the average traveler.
Mauritania was on the way to becoming a mass tourism destination (relatively-speaking) but unfortunate events related to the conflict with the Sahel put an end to the industry.
However, Mauritania is still there, awaiting to be discovered by the rawest adventurers.
Nouakchott and Nouadhibou have the most transited international airports, and I chose Nouakchott because flights were cheaper.
I flew to Nouakchott via Dakar (Senegal) with Air Senegal, but you can find some direct flights from Europe, especially from France and the Canary Islands (Spain).
Alternatively, the airport of Atar – capital of the Adrar region, where most touristic sites are – has direct flights from Paris and some other French cities.
Traveling to Mauritania overland
Mauritania shares a border with:
How to travel to Mauritania from Morocco (Western Sahara)
An easy border to cross, the entry point being the closest Moroccan city to Nouadhibou.
The Algeria-Mauritania border is currently closed to foreigners due to safety concerns.
How to travel to Mauritania from Mali
After my trip to Mauritania, I went to Mali but I flew there.
It should be open but do check the latest security update, since most embassies claim the border areas are not entirely safe, even though all travelers I met who crossed them said it was just fine.
Spread across some of the driest plains in the Sahara, Mauritania might easily be one of the hottest countries on Earth, along with Sudan and Saudi Arabia, with overwhelmingly killing summers.
Personally, I can’t stand the heat, so my advice is to definitely avoid coming in the summer months, the best season for backpacking in Mauritania being from November to March.
I was backpacking in Mauritania there in the month of February and, during the day, the sun was already pretty harsh, with temperatures averaging 30-35ºC.
Nights and early mornings were kind of chilly though (15ºC), so do bring some small clothes, especially if you are planning to ride the Iron Ore train.
Overlooking the oasis of Terjit. This was early in the morning and as you can see, I was wearing a pretty warm sweater
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🛖 Top Experiences in Mauritania
Riding the Iron Ore train
Every single day of the year, a 2.5km long train departs from the remote Sahara town of Zouerat and travels 700km across the Sahara desert to the coastal city of Nouadhibou, transporting hundreds of tonnes of iron ore.
As hardcore as it sounds, travelers can get on top of the train and travel along the 18-hour journey.
This is one of the top reasons to visit Mauritania, and one of the best traveling experiences I have ever had.
As I said in the introduction, Mauritania is a particularly raw country and visiting several villages deep in the Sahara feels like traveling back in time.
I strongly recommend Tidjikja.
Daily life in Tidjikja
Seeing the largest concentrations of camels ever
From Oman to Sudan, hanging out with camels has become a vital part of my travels across the Middle East, but I think the camel market that takes place in the city of Nouakchott has the largest concentration of camels I have ever witnessed.
Cameeeeels 😀
Exploring the vastest Sahara
Mauritania is a far-flung land home to jaw-dropping desert scenarios that only a small bunch of travelers have had the chance to discover.
The dunes near Chinguetti
📚 Useful books for planning your trip to in Mauritania
West Africa travel guide by Lonely Planet
A useful book for West Africa overlanders – with a chapter fully dedicated to Mauritania – but bear in mind that it contains travel guides to 18 different countries, so consider it a small introduction to the region.
The desert and the drum (Mbarfek Ould Beyrouk)
This is the first Mauritanian novel to ever be translated into English and I think it’s the only one so far, that’s why I bought it.
The story is about a Bedouin girl who falls in love with a stranger city guy and all the consequences after her tribe found out.
To be very honest, the book is a bit cheesy but what I liked that it gives you many insights into how tribal people live in Mauritania.
🕌 Facts about Mauritania, its culture, people and religion
Mauritania is where Maghreb meets Africa
Nestled between Morocco and Senegal, Mauritania is a chaotic mix of both Maghrebis and sub-Saharan Africans, visible not only in people’s facial features but also in their food and the daily life of many Mauritanians.
Generally speaking, Mauritanians classify their society into 3 main groups:
White Moors (Beidane) – The dominant ethnic group, which refers to those Maghrebi-looking people who have lighter skin, and mostly have Arab or Berber descent.
Black Moors (Haratin) – Descendants of black slaves who lived in the Maghreb.
Sub-Saharan ethnic groups – Mauritanians who belong to African ethnicities from different parts of West Africa.
Something you need to know about Mauritania is that there is a pretty tangible structural racism, visible in all aspects of life. Mauritanians have a particularly traditional society, many of them either have a tribal mindset or live under a tribal system, which is why black ethnic groups are often treated as second-class citizens, have lower salaries and pursue low-qualified jobs, from house servants to fishermen. ‘’You will never see a White Moor cleaning houses’’ – some locals told me, as if they always felt the need to acknowledge to me they are the dominant group. I didn’t like it.
White Moors, Ouadane
Hassaniya is the local language
Hassaniya, which is a variety of Maghrebi Arabic, is the main language in Mauritania, and in the Western Sahara as well.
Nevertheless, languages such Pulaar, Soninke and Wolof are also recognized as national languages, and they are spoken by black African Mauritanians, depending on their ethnicity.
Fishermen are always from sub-Saharian Africa
It used to be a French colony, so French is the way to go, but English is not that useful
As a former French Colony (from the late 19th century to 1960), French is widely used in Mauritania, especially in Nouakchott and Nouadhibou.
Outside of these two cities, however, only highly educated people or people working in hospitality speak fluent French.
English, nevertheless, was hardly spoken by anyone – not even in touristic auberges – and that was a big downside for me, since my French is good enough to make myself understood but I can’t have deep conversations.
It’s a Muslim country
99.9% of the population in Mauritania are Sunni Muslims, most of them being highly devoted to Islam.
You also need to know that there is no freedom of religion and that atheism is punished with the death sentence.
Chinguetti Mosque, the most important mosque in Mauritania (13th century), whose minaret is said to be the second oldest in continuous use anywhere in the Islamic world
Most people wear traditional clothes
What I loved about Mauritania is that everybody wears traditional clothes, even young people from the capital.
Typically, men wear a wide blue dress named daraa and cover their head with a turban named shesh, which basically means scarf in Arabic.
I did buy the full set in a local market in Nouakchott and didn’t pay more than 6€, but I had to bargain.
Women dress in a traditional colorful dress named melhafa.
Rocking my ”daraa” somewhere in Ouadane, Mauritania
Leblouh is still a big deal in Mauritania
Leblouh refers to the tradition of force-feeding girls when they are very young, typically in those places where obesity is directly related to beauty, so they can get married earlier.
This old practice has been used in many African countries but in Mauritania, it’s still a very big thing. A few young local men talked to me about this particular topic, saying it’s a widely used habit. You will quickly notice that most Mauritanian women are curvy.
Slavery in Mauritania You probably heard of Mauritania being home to the last slavery stronghold in the world and, to some extent, it can be true. Slavery in Mauritania was only abolished in 1981, but it didn’t become an actual criminal offense until 2007. According to international media, however, slavery still exists. Slaves in Mauritania were always black Africans serving their White Moor masters. When you travel in the north of Mauritania, you are likely to see Bedouin families with black servants. Those servants were born and raised among those Bedouins but are treated as second-class family members, whose main goal in life is being their servants. Foreign media will tell you that those are actual slaves, while local Mauritanians claim those people are free to leave but they don’t because they are uneducated, that’s the only life they know and, basically, they are OK with it. Make your own judgment.
Looking for a ”daraa” in the local market of Nouakchott
🍲 Food in Mauritania
If I ever travel back to Mauritania, food won’t probably be the reason.
Mauritania is mostly composed of arid plains and it’s a traditionally nomadic society, so they never had either the ingredients or the motivation to have an elaborate cuisine.
Nonetheless, since Mauritania is sort of a cultural hub with people from Maghreb and sub-Saharan Africa, you can find some food variety, but you need to look for it.
One thing that surprised me about backpacking in Mauritania is that it can be difficult to find food, cooked food I mean.
In many towns and villages, there weren’t any restaurants, and even in a relatively sized-town like Tidjikja, there was only one, and the day I went there, they said I had to order 3 to 4 hours in advance. On the next day, I did go there early in the morning, but it never opened.
Don’t panic, however. Usually, most auberges have a daily dish.
Things you are likely to eat in your trip to Mauritania:
Macaroni – Regular, greasy pasta with vegetables and meat. That’s what they fed me most days.
Maccaroni
Thieboudienne – That was my favorite. It’s a traditional Senegalese dish consisting of a brown, thin rice, fish and spices.
Thieboudienne is a Senegalese dish but in Mauritania it’s as traditional
Moroccan cous-cous – I say Moroccan because that’s what they call it. Just regular cous-cous but nothing comparable to the ones you find in Tunisia or Morocco.
Camel meat – Many of the above dishes will often come with camel meat.
Tea culture in Mauritania
Tea is an essential part of Mauritanian life, and a symbol of hospitality.
They have it in a similar way to neighbouring Morocco but the ritual takes longer and they serve it with a lot of foam, like in the Western Sahara.
Their tea is good, heavily concentrated but they take so much time preparing it, averaging 20-25 minutes, if doing it right.
During the first few days of your Mauritania trip, it’s a pretty cool process to observe but then, when you bump into random people who want to invite you for tea, expect to waste 40 or 45 minutes of your time. Because of this, once I missed the sunset and got very upset.
Alcohol in Mauritania Mauritania is a dry country and alcohol consumption is strictly forbidden.
Mauritania belongs to the Sahel, a region that spreads across Mauritania, Mali, Niger and Chad – among others – and one of the most turbulent regions on Earth, today home to rebel groups like Al Qaeda Maghreb (AQIM) and many other similar organizations.
The truth is that Mauritania has actually suffered from unfortunate incidents that ended with the premature tourism industry, but it’s also true that, thanks to an outstanding level of security, the situation in Mauritania has remained stable for many years.
There are some areas near the border with Mali and Algeria where security can be an issue but that’s too remote to go anyways.
Mauritania travel tip: Bring 20-30 copies of your visa & passport When you are traveling around Mauritania, you will go through endless checkpoints in which all foreigners must register for their own security. In those checkpoints, the gendarmerie or military will ask you for a fiche, a document containing a copy of your passport and visa. If you don’t have one, they will make you get off the car and write down all your information, wasting you a lot of time. Therefore, do bring plenty of copies (30, at least). I recommend printing one single page with a copy of your visa and passport, along with your local phone number, if any.
Chinguetti is limited by a sea of dunes
💃 Solo female travel in Mauritania
Mauritania is a patriarchal, conservative, Muslim country, so a woman’s experience will differ greatly from a man’s.
However, I haven’t met yet a female traveler who has been backpacking in Mauritania by herself, so I can’t give very specific information about it. If you have visited Mauritania as a solo woman and would like to tell us about your experience, kindly let me know.
Based on female experiences in other countries, nonetheless, here are a few observations:
Do expect some occasional harassment, but no more than popular destinations, such as Egypt.
If you don’t have a lot of solo travel experience in Muslim countries, it is recommended to first travel to more touristic countries such as Jordan or Morocco
Traveling in Mauritania as a solo female should not be very different from traveling in Pakistan or Sudan
💻 Internet and connectivity in Mauritania
Generally, internet is pretty bad in Mauritania, both Wi-Fi and internet data, even in Nouakchott.
Outside of Nouakchott and Nouadhibou I never found Wi-Fi.
Internet data worked OK in Atar, Tidjikja and Zouerat.
In Ouadane and Terjit, it was nonexistent. Chinguetti was fine to send emails and simple browsing.
If you need to download anything, do it in your home country.
I bought a Mauritel SIM card and you can buy extra data and calls in any regular grocery store across the country.
Get a VPN for traveling in Mauritania
You should always use a VPN when you travel, especially when you connect to public Wi-Fi networks.
Your connection will be much safer.
Moreover, you will be able to access content which is typically censored in Mauritania.
I recommend ExpressVPN – Extremely easy to use, fast and cheap.
In Mauritania, they use the Mauritanian Ouguiya (MRU) and, approximately:
ATTENTION!
In 2018, Mauritania replaced their currency by introducing a new Ouguiya with the same value divided by 10.
The problem is that the vast majority of people still think in the old currency, and it’s so easy to get confused. Occasionally, it’s difficult to guess in which currency they are talking about, especially because sometimes it looks either too cheap or too expensive, but Mauritania is a very cheap country, so always go for the cheaper option 😉
Credit cards and ATMs
You will hardly find a place where you can pay by card. Do always have cash.
Société Generale is the most popular bank among foreigners for withdrawing money. I think it’s the only one that accepts international credit cards. You can find quite a few branches in both Nouakchott and Nouadhibou.
Outside of these two main cities, ATMs are scarce, so remember to bring enough cash.
Exchanging money
There are several exchange offices in the city center (Capital area). Alternatively, I exchanged in many auberges at an acceptable rate.
How much does it cost to travel in Mauritania?
Prices of the most typical things:
Full meal in a local place: 150MRU
Full meal in fancier places: from 250-350MRU
Meals in auberges: 200-300MRU
Fast food (sandwich): 70MRU
Coffee in a local place: 40MRU
Coffee in a fancy café: 80MRU
Bottle of water (75cl): 10MRU
Local shared taxi within Nouakchott: 10MRU
Bus from Nouakchott to Tidjikja: 700MRU
Local car from Tidjikja to Atar: 700MRU
Local car from Atar to Chinguetti: 200MRU
Backpacking in Mauritania – Average daily budget
35€ a day
Mauritanian notes have camels in them
🏨 How to find accommodation in Mauritania
In Mauritania, there are many accommodation options but, outside of the main cities, they mostly consist of basic campsites and auberges. They also come with a large variety of nonsensical prices. Once I paid 20€ for a creepy hut and the next day I paid 4€ for a similar quality room.
In Nouakchott, if you are a budget traveler, I strongly recommend Le Village & Auberge Triskell, run by Sebastien, a French man who has been living in Mauritania for a long time.
Moreover, in Nouakchott, you can find hotels suitable for any wallet.
Outside of Nouakchott, you will rarely find anything on the internet.
Below is a list of some of the places I stayed at:
Tidjikja –Auberge Caravane du Desert – Very basic rooms with private bathroom. 1,000MRU for a double room
Terjit –Chez Jamel – A tended camp. It’s pretty basic but it’s well taken care of. 300MRU for a tent
Ouadane – Auberge Vasque – This is the best place I stayed in Mauritania. Clean, the only auberge with hot water and a comfortable mattress. 1,200MRU for a double room
Chinguetti – Auberge Zarga – Extremely basic and very dirty but the owner seems to be one of the few people in town who is used to dealing with travelers. 150MRU for a dorm-bed Zouerat – Tiris Hotel – Basic hotel and expensive but not many options in Zouerat. 1,500MRU for a double room
Nouadhibou –Hotel Esma – A proper, modern hotel. Perfect for those who arrive in Nouadhibou after riding the Iron Ore Train. 2,000MRU for a double room with breakfast
If I ever visit Mauritania again, I will rent a 4×4. Actually, one of the things I regret about visiting Mauritania is that I didn’t get deep into the desert. I mean, I did visit remote Sahara towns, but didn’t get far away from civilization and main roads.
You can easily rent a car in Nouakchott, or through your preferred guide/tour operator.
By the way, only experienced drivers should attempt exploring the depths of the Mauritanian Sahara.
Traveling around Mauritania by public transportation
Before traveling to Mauritania, I thought that moving between Sahara towns would be challenging but it turns out that all you need is a shit load of patience.
OMG, you can’t imagine how many hours I wasted waiting for a bus/car to leave.
Typically, local 4×4 pick-ups is the preferred way of transportation for moving between Sahara towns. They fit up to 8 people and leave once they are full, but when a town is too remote, it may take a few days to fill it up.
A local pick-up, or shared taxi, loaded with a camel
I actually wanted to go to Tichit from Tidjikja. Upon my arrival in Tidjikja, the first thing I did was try to arrange the local pick-up to take me there. The car wasn’t full yet, so I waited for one more day but nothing, they still didn’t have enough passengers:
Maybe tomorrow, or maybe not – they said.
In the hypothetical case I managed to get to Tichit, there could also be the possibility that I had to wait there for 3-4 extra days to come back to Tidjikja, which would imply spending more than a week in a very remote area with not much to do and where nobody spoke English, so I passed.
This is how I moved between towns:
Nouakchott to Tidjikja – Local buses leave early in the morning from Carrefour Madrid. It’s a 12-hour journey.
Tidjikja to Terjit – Local pick-ups leave almost daily, but you need to arrange it on the day before. It’s an epic ride over sand dunes. 10-hour journey.
Terjit to Atar – A local pick-up leaves early in the morning but I managed to hitch a ride after waiting for more than 2 hours.
Atar to Chinguetti – A few pick-ups run daily. Easy.
Chinguetti to Ouadane – First, you need to take a private taxi to the Ouadane intersection and wait there for a car to pass by. The intersection is literally in the middle of the desert, with no internet service and 30km from the nearest civilization. I waited for like 3 hours.
Ouadane to Zouerat – A very long ride. First, you must arrange a local pick-up that will take you to Atar, which typically leaves at 7am. Once in Atar, I had to wait for about 5 hours for a bus to depart to Zouérat.
More often than not, that sand has literally swallowed the road
❗ More information for traveling in Mauritania
📢 In my Travel Resources Page you can find the list of all the sites and services I use to book hotels, tours, travel insurance and more.
All guides and articles for traveling in Mauritania destination
Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana, popularly known as ‘’the 3 Guianas’’, are three countries located on the eastern shoulder of South America – and probably the least visited countries in the all the Americas.
Whether you are overlanding across Latin America or just traveling here for a few weeks, it’s easy to combine the 3 countries in one single trip.
This guide will show you how to cross the 3 Guianas (Guyana-Suriname-French Guiana) overland, from Georgetown to Cayenne.
In this Guyana travel guide, you will find:
our recommended travel insurance for Guyana
With its Backpacker plan, IATI Insurance is the best insurance for any kind of adventurous destination, like Guyana.
Introduction to travel in the Guyanas: Why are they called the 3 Guianas?
The Guyana is a geographical area comprised of the Guiana Shield.
Politically-speaking, this area today refers to Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana but, theoretically, it also includes the Guayana region in eastern Venezuela and Amapá state in Brazil.
In fact, during colonial times, Venezuelan Guayana was referred to as Spanish Guyana, while Amapá state was Portuguese Guyana.
Similarly, Guyana (the country) was known as British Guyana, and Suriname as Dutch Guyana.
French Guiana never got its independence and today, this tiny country is an overseas department and region of France, and as such is part of the European Union.
The Guyanas is mostly dense forest, photo taken in South Guyana (British)
How to get to the 3 Guianas
Where to start from, Guyana or French Guiana?
From a logistical perspective, it really doesn’t make any difference you should start from wherever is more convenient for your kind of trip.
I personally started from Georgetown (Guyana), and the only advantage I can think of is that I liked ending my trip in Cayenne (French Guiana), where I found pretty amazing restaurants serving decent French food and wine, something which is hard to find in the other 2 Guianas.
How to travel to the 3 Guianas by land
Traveling to Guyana by land
From Venezuela: There’s no official border between the two countries, not even roads, just thick jungle.
From Brazil: The border is open at Lethem, easily reached by public transportation from Boa Vista. If you are traveling in Venezuela, you should get yourself to the southern city of Santa Elena de Uairén – there are direct buses from Caracas – and then cross into Brazil to Boa Vista.
The journey from Lethem to Georgetown is a very long one, over 500km of mainly unpaved road including a river crossing by ferry, and it’s difficult to do it in one go, so do stay somewhere in between, like the area of Rupunini or Iwokrama.
Traveling to Suriname by land
Suriname has a border with Brazil but there aren’t any roads, so you can only get in from either Guyana or French Guiana.
Traveling to French Guiana by land
Macapá, a city that lies on the Amazon delta, is the main transportation hub to Saint-Georges, the border town from this part of French Guiana.
How to travel to the 3 Guianas by flight
Before getting into the Guianas, I was traveling in Trinidad and Tobago for a couple of days, and from there I flew into Georgetown.
From Port of Spain (Trinidad and Tobago) there are inexpensive daily flights to Georgetown, meaning that adding Trinidad and Tobago onto your 3 Guianas adventure is quite feasible, especially because from a cultural perspective, they are similar.
Traveling to Georgetown by flight
Georgetown has two international airports – Eugene F. Correia International Airport (OGL) and Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).
Besides Port of Spain (POS), common connections are Panama (PTY), Miami (MIA), New York City (JFK) and Bridgetown, Barbados (BGI).
Traveling to Cayenne by flight
Besides a daily flight to Paris (CDG) with Air France, the International Airport of Cayenne (CAY) has barely any connections, only to the French Caribbean islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe.
How to travel the 3 Guianas overland: Georgetown-Paramaribo-Cayenne
our recommended travel insurance for Guyana
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The route Georgetown-Paramaribo-Cayenne
The distance between Georgetown and Paramaribo is 840 km.
Remember that the countries are not connected by road, and are separated by a river with no bridge, meaning you can only cross by boat.
How to get from Georgetown to Paramaribo (Guyana to Suriname)
The main cathedral in ParamariboMain market in Georgetown
Here are the steps you need to follow to travel from Guyana to Suriname by land.
Step 1: Get your Suriname e-visa and complete the online immigration form
Suriname is the only country in the Guianas that requires a visa.
The portal recommends applying 72 hours in advance, but I applied the day before and got mine right there and then.
After securing your visa, you need to fill out the following online form and show the respective QR code upon arrival in Suriname.
A yellow fever certificate is also an entry requirement for Suriname
Step 2: Georgetown to Molson Creek
Molson Creek is the border town with Suriname, where you need to catch the ferry.
The journey takes 3 to 4 hours, depending on the type of vehicle used.
You have two options:
1) Booking a shared taxi in advance
This has the added benefit that they will pick you up from your hotel. A second shared taxi will be waiting for you across the border to take you to Paramaribo.
For this, you should book a couple of days in advance to secure your spot.
Pick-up is between 4 am and 5 am and the journey takes about 3 hours. It costs 50 USD, including the second leg of the journey, from the border to Paramaribo.
Note that the ferry ticket isn’t included in the price.
I can recommend a man named Rudolf, a very easy-going, kind local guy from Georgetown. You can message him on WhatsApp: +592 641 6010
2) Going by local bus
The advantage of going by bus isn’t really the price difference but personally, I prefer going by public transportation, as it’s usually a great way to meet locals. Option 1 is just too easy.
Important: there’s only one daily ferry crossing the river, so if you want to catch it, you’ll have to be at the station extra early, no later than 4 or 5 am.
The problem, however, is that the minivans depart from Stabroek market, one of the sketchiest areas in the city, and you’ll have to be there when it’s still dark.
Georgetown is well-known for its violent crime so, if possible, try to get there by taxi from your hotel don’t walk alone around this area!
Alternatively, you could just show up in the middle of the day, and spend the night at the border town.
Due to all the safety issues in Georgetown, Stabroek market in Georgetown features a massive surveillance screen
Step 3: Immigration and ferry crossing
In Molson Creek, you’ll need to get to the ferry terminal, where you’ll go through immigration and purchase your ferry ticket, costing 20 USD.
In my experience, the border was quite busy, but the whole process didn’t take more than 25 minutes.
Guyana / Suriname border
After getting your passport stamped, all you have to do is wait for the ferry. Apparently it departs at any time between 9:30 am and 1 pm. In my case, it departed at 11 am.
The journey by ferry takes 1 hour 30 minutes, and it’s incredibly slow.
The ferry that takes you from Guyana to Suriname
Step 4: Suriname immigration and South Drain to Paramaribo
As soon as you cross the river, get off the boat quickly to skip the immigration line.
On leaving customs, you’ll be approached by several shared-taxi drivers looking for passengers to Paramaribo.
The journey shouldn’t cost more than 20-25 USD.
From the border to Paramaribo takes another 3 to 4 hours.
How to get from Paramaribo to Cayenne (Suriname to French Guiana)
Here are the steps you need to follow for overland travel from Suriname to French Guiana.
Step 1: Complete your online immigration form
Similarly to what you did when entering Suriname, you will also need to fill out the same online form to exit the country. Here’s the link.
Step 2: Paramaribo to Albina
To travel to French Guiana, you can easily take a local shared taxi to the border town of Albina.
The journey takes 2 hours and costs 20 USD. Too easy…
Step 3: Look for the actual customs
The boats that take you to French Guyana, actual European Union
This could prove confusing for some.
The local shared taxi will drop you at a very busy spot by the river banks, an area packed with small boats that take you across the river.
These boats take people into French Guiana illegally, but I was never able to understand why there isn’t any control over it.
While you are sure to be approached by some of their captains, remember that first, you’ll need to get your exit stamp at the actual customs, located 500 meters away from where you probably are. Right here.
After obtaining your exit stamp, it doesn’t matter whether you take the official boat or go back to the ‘’illegal’’ port.
In fact, the guy who stamped my passport encouraged me to take one of the illegal boats, since it’s way faster, but he told me to make sure I go through French immigration.
I went back to my initial location and, when I got on one of the boats, the guy said: Do you want to be dropped off at the French customs?
I was the only person who actually got off at the customs, the rest entered French Guiana somewhere else.
This is what you find upon arriving in French Guyana
Step 4: Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni to Cayenne
The French have invested very little in their South American colony/enclave, especially when it comes to public transportation.
Moreover, this is a rarely-transited border crossing, so the chances of not seeing any drivers at all are pretty high.
You have 2 options:
Walk to the center of Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni and take the 1 pm bus to Cayenne. There are 2 daily buses, one at 6 am and another at 1 pm.
At the customs, you’ll see a few boat owners. If you can’t see any taxi, ask them to call a shared taxi for you.
Cayenne. the capital of French Guyana
In my case, I decided to spent the night in Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, which I can strongly recommend.
The town is packed with street vendors most likely from Suriname, there’s a nice market and the Transportation Camp for the prisoners going to the Salvation Islands (remember the book/movie Papillon?). It’s hard to believe the town belongs to the EU.
The next day, at around 10 am, I headed to the bus station only to find out that I’d already missed the first bus (it was at 10 am) so I went back to customs, where I managed to find a shared taxi thanks to one of the boat men.
You can either try your luck there or just call this number: +594 694 21 18 28 (Nell)
The journey takes 3 hours by car and costs 40 USD. French prices!
More travel information
📢 In my Travel Resources Page you can find the list of all the sites and services I use to book hotels, tours, travel insurance and more.
Trinidad and Tobago is the southernmost country in the Caribbean.
After the Republic of Haiti, this island-nation is also the least visited and most unsafe country in the region.
It’s a country divided into two islands: the island of Trinidad, and the island of Tobago, each one offering a completely different travel experience.
This travel guide to Trinidad and Tobago will tell you everything you need to know to tour one of the least visited countries in the Caribbean, including how to get there, budget, itinerary and more.
In this travel guide to Trinidad & Tobago you will find:
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🇹🇹 Introduction to traveling to Trinidad and Tobago
I liked Trinidad and Tobago, and I liked it because this isn’t your typical Caribbean destination.
On the one hand, the capital – Port of Spain – is a bustling metropolis as per usual Caribbean standards. It’s busy, polluted and the city center features high-rise, concrete towers.
Port of Spain’s city center
On the other hand, and as mentioned earlier, this Caribbean nation is composed of two islands that could hardly be more different.
The island of Trinidad is multiethnic, most of their population being ethnically African – descendants of former slaves – and Indian – brought to replace freed African slaves who refused to continue working on the sugar plantations.
You are also likely to meet many white Trinis, as well as direct descendants of incomers from Syria and China.
This cultural diversity and the way the different ethnicities coexist and worship in their respective temples – the island is packed with Hindu temples, churches and mosques – is the highlight of visiting Trinidad.
A Hindu temple somewhere in Trinidad
Tobago, nevertheless, is more rural and 99% African. It’s also significantly closer to your idea of a Caribbean holiday, with the added benefit that mass tourism isn’t really a thing here. In fact, this is one of the few places in the Caribbean where you can still find unspoiled beaches that can be enjoyed all to yourself.
The thing is that Trinidad and Tobago is the leading producer of natural gas and oil in the Caribbean, so they never had a need to develop a proper tourist industry, making it one of the most authentic countries to explore in this part of the world.
Trinidad was first Spanish and then British Trinidad had been a Spanish colony since their first permanent settlement in 1592 but years of negligence and leaving the island abandoned and defenceless make the British taking it over in 1797. Trinidad and Tobago got its independence from the British in 1962. Despite Trinidad being a Spanish colony for 200 years, today’s colonial heritage is purely British, not only in the language and architecture, but also in that Indians – brought to replace freed African slaves who refused to continue working on the sugar plantations – are the largest ethnic group.
An empty dreamy beach in Tobago
⚠️ Is it safe to travel to Trinidad and Tobago?
Excluding Haiti, Trinidad is infamous for being the most violent country in the Caribbean and one of the worst in Latin America.
In 2024 alone, the country registered 624 homicides for a population of 1.5 million people. That’s higher than Mexico and USA cities with a high level of criminality, such as Chicago.
The situation was so bad that in December 2024, Trinidad and Tobago imposed a nationwide state of emergency due to the spread of gang violence in Port of Spain.
This gang violence is explained by the country’s proximity to Venezuela and direct transportation routes to Europe, which makes Trinidad and Tobago an appealing market for drug smuggling.
Gangs and violent street crime are a fact of life here, but that shouldn’t prevent travelers from visiting Trinidad and Tobago, for the following reasons:
Gang violence mostly focuses on Port of Spain
Shootings and homicides are concentrated in Port of Spain, more specifically in certain areas within Port of Spain like Laventille, which you are very likely to avoid.
Violent crime here is not worse than in Bogota or Mexico City
Street crime in Port of Spain is pretty bad per Caribbean standards, but I don’t think it’s that bad if we compare it to other Latin American cities frequented by tourists such as Rio de Janeiro, Bogota or Quito.
You already know how things work in these places, just apply common sense: don’t take random taxis, don’t walk alone at night and avoid empty areas after dark, such as downtown.
Tobago is pretty safe
Unlike Trinidad, Tobago is as safe as other islands in the Caribbean.
Tobago is super safe to travel
🪪 How to get a visa for Trinidad & Tobago
You don’t need a visa to visit Trinidad & Tobago.
Upon arrival, all you’ll get is a friendly stamp valid for travel in Trinidad and Tobago for 90 days.
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🛫 How to get to Trinidad and Tobago
How to travel to Trinidad and Tobago by air
The International Airport of Port of Spain (POS) is the main hub in the Caribbean, connecting with several islands like Barbados, Grenada, and Saint Vincent, among many others.
You can also fly there from anywhere in the 3 Guianas, including Georgetown, Paramaribo and Cayenne.
Just check flight schedules on Caribbean Airlines, the national airline.
If you’re coming from Europe, you can find relatively cheap flights from London with British Airways, and if coming from the Americas, check out flights via Miami (American Airlines) and Panama City (Copa Airlines).
I personally traveled to Port of Spain on a direct flight from London and flew out to Georgetown, Guyana.
Does Tobago have an international airport?
Tobago has a tiny international airport named ANR Robinson International Airport (TAB).
It has several daily connections with Port of Spain but very limited (and expensive) connections with the rest of the world.
However, they are currently building a larger terminal, so Tobago is set to be more connected within the next few years.
How to travel to Trinidad and Tobago by boat
As of today, there aren’t any official ferries going to Trinidad, only cruise ships.
⛅ Best time to visit Trinidad and Tobago
Choosing when to travel to Trinidad and Tobago highly depends on the amount of rain.
The dry season runs from the end of November to May so technically, this would be the best season to visit both islands, especially if you are interested in beaches and Caribbean vibes.
The rainy and hurricane season runs from June to November. However, being the southernmost island in the Caribbean means that Trinidad and Tobago receives lesser amount of rainfall than other islands in the Caribbean, from Grenada to Haiti.
Visit Trinidad during Carnaval
Port of Spain holds what is arguably one of the best Carnavals in the world, perhaps not as large as Rio de Janeiro’s but way more authentic. That’s what they claim, anyway.
Their Carnaval is so important to them that upon my arrival in Port of Spain, the bartender from the first bar I went to asked me: Are you here for the Carnaval? – even though Carnaval was still 6 weeks away.
If I ever go back to Trinidad, I’ll definitely visit the country during Carnaval.
As you may know, Carnaval dates always vary but it’s always some time between the end of January and the beginning of March.
Lookout at Maracas. We visited Trinidad in January, it was great, just a little rain from time to time
🛺 How to get around Trinidad and Tobago
As in other West Indies islands, public transportation isn’t great and not particularly convenient to visit the various nature spots around the country.
That’s why I recommend renting a car directly from the airport, either in Tobago or Trinidad. Remember, however, that in Trinidad and Tobago, they drive on the left side of the road, like the United Kingdom.
If, for whatever reason, you can’t rent a car, you can still get around (sort of) on the buses and minivans connecting the main towns, although you’ll be more limited.
Is there a bus from the airport to Port of Spain?
Yes, there is a bus running from Monday to Friday, and tickets can be purchased from inside the terminal.
However, the bus drops you downtown, one of the most notorious areas in Port of Spain for violent crime, so I don’t recommend getting on that bus if it arrives after dark. In day time, it should be fine.
How to get around by shared taxi
To get around Port of Spain, locals use what they call Route Taxis, which are shared with other passengers going in a similar direction. They charge TT$5 per passenger.
Please make sure their license plate starts with the letter ‘H’’. Don’t accept a ride from cars with the license plate beginning with the letter ‘’P’’ or ’T’’, just as you wouldn’t accept a ride from a random car in Mexico City, Bogota or Caracas.
How to travel between islands, from Trinidad to Tobago
Traveling from Trinidad to Tobago by air
Caribbean Airlines has loads of daily scheduled flights from Port of Spain to Tobago for around 70 USD return. It’s a 30-minute flight, making it the fastest way to travel to Tobago.
How to travel from Trinidad to Tobago by ferry
There are 2 daily ferries running between Port of Spain and Scarborough, the capital of Tobago.
Typically, one departs in the morning, and the other in the afternoon.
Important: In my experience, rental car companies don’t allow their cars on the ferry. If you plan to rent a car for your entire trip, you’ll have to make 2 different bookings, one on each island.
💰 Money & budget in Trinidad and Tobago
In Trinidad and Tobago, they use the Trinidad & Tobago Dollar (TTD) and approximately:
1 USD = 6.75 TTD
Exchanging money in Trinidad and Tobago
I recommend exchanging your currency at the airport – the rate was pretty decent.
Cash or card?
Many places across both islands accept card payments, especially hotels and fancier restaurants, but do bring cash for the rest.
By the way, US dollars are accepted in many hotels and/or Airbnbs.
How much does it cost to go backpacking in Trinidad and Tobago?
These are the prices of the most typical things:
Private room with bathroom in Tobago: from 400 TTD
Private room in a hotel in Port of Spain: from 100 TTD
Local meal, e.g. roti: from 40 TTD
Street food e.g. doubles: from 10 TTD
Main meal in a restaurant: from 110 TTD
Rental car: from 60 USD a day
Beer: from 70 TTD
Short taxi ride with local app: from 100 TTD
🛖 What to do in Trinidad and Tobago in a 5-day itinerary
The following itinerary for Trinidad and Tobago is what we followed during our 5-day visit, which worked pretty well for us.
In only 5 days, we obviously didn’t became the ultimate experts on the country, but it gave us an idea of what’s it’s like.
Try doubles Doubles is a popular street food consisting of curry chickpeas served in two fried flatbreads. They tend to top it with mango and different kind of spices, so this Indian-influenced snack is more amazing than it sounds. You can find doubles everywhere across both islands.
Map of our Trinidad and Tobago itinerary
What to do in Trinidad and Tobago on a 5-day itinerary
Day 1 – Arrival in Trinidad and Tobago, staying in Piarco
The first day of our Trinidad and Tobago trip, we landed in Piarco International Airport around 5 pm.
We decided to spend the night in the town right next to the airport, since our flight to Tobago was scheduled on the next day early in the morning.
There’s not much to do in Piarco, so all we did was go for drinks and a meal at a bar/restaurant called Quties.
Where to stay in Piarco
Please note that accommodation in Piarco is pretty expensive for solo travelers.
If you want something cheaper, go to Port of Spain instead.
We stayed at a place called Travelholics Getaways, a comfortable, privately-owned guesthouse. It’s quite expensive but there were 3 of us, so it turned out to be a good deal.
Proper hotel. There aren’t many hotels in this area and Holiday Inn Express is one of the few choices, but it’s $$$.
Around Piarco, there’s a cheaper option called The Layover, a small apartment with two rooms.
Day 2 – Fly to Tobago
On day 2 of our Trinidad and Tobago itinerary, we took the Caribbean Airlines flight from Port of Spain to Tobago.
We picked up our rental car (via Rental Cars) at the airport itself and chose to stay in a village named Castara.
Do I recommend staying in Castara?
Yes, I actually do. It’s a small coastal village with a pretty laid-back and quiet local vibe.
On Thursday night, local people from the area gather by the beach around a bonfire with music and drinks.
On that particular day, we didn’t do much other than recover from jetlag and a small hike to Castara waterfall.
Where to stay in Castara
We stayed in Casa de Castara, a house that features single and double rooms with a private bathroom. I think it was the cheapest option in town.
Day 3 – Full day around Tobago
On our third day in Trinidad and Tobago, we did a full circuit of the island, stopping in the following places:
Englishman’s Bay: Probably the best unspoiled beach in the Caribbean.
Parlatuvier: This tiny village isn’t only pretty but also very local
Charloteville and Pirate’s Bay: A medium-sized town, not touristy, from where you can walk to another unspoiled beach named Pirate’s Bay.
Argyle Falls: The highest falls in Tobago, which you can reach in an easy 20-minute hike. They charge an entry fee of around 10 USD per person.
Scarborough: The capital of Tobago. There isn’t much to do here, but it’s worth checking it out.
Pigeon Point: The closest thing in Tobago to a proper touristy Caribbean beach. I don’t really recommend it, but it’s good to see every facet of Tobago.
In the evening, on the way back to Castara, I recommend you stop at a local bar named Village Vibes, right in the center of the island, where you can enjoy a very authentic side of Tobago.
Look for Sue’s Doubles in Tobago. The best doubles we had in Tobago were from Sue’s Doubles, which has quite a few street stalls across the island. Look for the one in Scarborough.
This is Trini rotiThis is Trini doubles
Day 4 – Back to Trinidad and full day around Trinidad
On day 4 of our Trinidad and Tobago trip, we flew to Port of Spain in the early morning.
After checking in to our hotel, we spend the day driving around the island of Trinidad.
A man selling coconut in Port of Spain
Places we visited included:
Sewdass Sadhu Shiva Mandir Temple in the Sea: A Hindu temple built on the sea. There wasn’t anyone there when we visited but it’s still nice to see.
Dattatreya Mandir Temple: Another Hindu temple, larger and more active than the previous one.
Maracas Beach: The northern coastline is the prettiest in Trinidad, Maracas being the most popular places for locals.
Try chow at Maracas Lookout: Here, you’ll get amazing views of the area and you’ll also be able to buy chow, which consists of local fruit like mango or pineapple marinated in garlic, salt and coriander.
This is the famous Trini chow
Maracas is known for serving the best Bake & Shark, a Trini fried fish sandwich, too greasy in my opinion, but a typical thing to eat in the area.
We spent the evening and night in Port of Spain, in a very busy street called Ariapita, which is packed with all manner of bars and restaurants.
Where to stay in Port of Spain
Port of Spain is definitely not backpacker friendly, most budget accommodation being rooms and apartments run by private owners. Hence, I recommend Alicia’s Lodge.
Budget/mid-range hotel – Culture Crossroads Inn. Probably the cheapest proper hotel in the city.
Day 5 – Port of Spain and departure
Our flight to Georgetown (Guyana) was in late afternoon, so we saved the last day to visit Port of Spain properly.
For breakfast, I recommend going to an area by the sea, where you will find a dozen food stalls serving all sorts of local foods, including coconut bake with smoked fish, a traditional breakfast.
For lunch, try roti at Prataj Roti Shop. Roti is another Indian-influenced street food, consisting of roti bread filled with a choice of slow cooked curry, from shrimps to potatoes.
When it comes to things to see and do in Port of Spain, we walked around Independence Square in downtown – an area to avoid once it gets dark – and also Queen’s Park Savannah and all the colonial buildings along Maraval Road.
Colonial building in Port of Spain
❗ More information
📢 In my Travel Resources Page you can find the list of all the sites and services I use to book hotels, tours, travel insurance and more.
