The history and contemporary culture of the predominantly Kurdish regions of the Middle East holds vast riches to explore for the adventurous and seasoned traveller, but for various reasons, both practical and political, this area, centred in the ancient region known as Mesopotamia, has been obscured from the sights of travellers. This book, primarily intended as a travel guide covering east and southeast Turkey, hopes to remedy this to some extent. 

The book highlights ethnographic details and paints a picture of traditions and contemporary life which goes beyond what you will find in many existing travel guides. As such, it should appeal to those with a special interest in the Kurdish regions as well as those seeking an alternative tourism experience with more direct interaction with local people, cultures and landscapes. The book takes particular care to cover less visited sites, including unusual museums and ancient ruins, many undiscovered examples of which

remain to be explored by the curious visitor. 

The core of the guide comprises chapters on 15 provinces. Each chapter starts with a description of the provincial capital and includes some details of how to reach the area, before covering other districts within the province. There are also additional sections giving practical advice and some historical

or other background to the subjects covered. Being a diaspora Kurd, and indeed a travelling restless one, with a special interest in the Middle East and the Kurdish heartland, I came across many difficulties when travelling in the region due to a lack of tourism infrastructure and of local and Kurdish literature written in a critical and comparative manner. This book, which relates personal and professional observation of life in the region, provides the opportunity to introduce this amazing land

to both foreign and local travellers.