Changes

One of the reasons Kurdistan is safe at the moment is the huge amounts of Kurdish military checkpoints around the country. They're mostly looking out for Arab and Shia Iraqis entering the area, but they'll take an interest in foreign hitchers for sure. They'll check your passport and sometimes take you into a the chiefs office for questioning. Its It's not an interrogation, they just want to know why your here and where you want to go. Assure them that you are a tourist that wants to see the country and that you're not going south of Kurdistan, or to Mosul or Kirkuk. They'll usually let you go with no fuss. Sometimes they'll even make you a chai or give you some cold water.

Checkpoint stops are pretty regular and theres there's no communication between each one, so be prepared to be stopped a lot in Kurdistan. It's usually not for longer than five to ten minutes at a time.

[[Camping ]] is possible in Kurdistan and safe. If you camp somewhere where people can see you, the police may come by and check your passports, but its unlikely that youll get any further hassle from the authorities.