This brand new edition of Bradt's unique guide to Iraq gives up-to-date travel information and also informs the armchair traveler about the history and exciting archaeological prospects of this ancient land with a rich culture. Ancient sites such as Babylon and Ur, the stunning architecture of the country's mosques, the natural beauty and wildlife of the Marshes and beautiful Iraqi handicrafts create a myriad of attractions to inspire even the most seasoned traveller. The authors, Geoff Hann, Karen Dabrowska and Tina Townsend-Greaves, bring their considerable knowledge and understanding of Iraq to provide all the practical and background information needed to explore this country and to get the most out of your trip. Advice on cultural awareness and religious sensitivity in the context of Iraqi history, along with where to get the latest information on which parts of the country you can still visit, make this an invaluable guide.
About the Author: Geoff Hann is the owner and managing director of Hinterland Travel, the only UK-based travel company currently taking tourists to cover Iraq completely (not including the travel companies specialising in pilgrim traffic) . He has been taking tourists to Iraq since 1970, and ran the famous post-war tour, following the toppling of Saddam Hussain in October 2003. In April 2007 he took the first group of tourists into the Kurdistan region of Iraq following the US occupation of the country and in 2009 began again to take tourists to the rest of Iraq. Since that time he has been taking increasing numbers of tourists to the country, both from the UK and from Europe, America, Scandinavia, New Zealand, Asia and Australia. He works closely with the Ministry of Tourism in Iraq. He advised the TV programme 'Top Gear' on travel to and in Kurdistan for a TV Christmas special and his expertise is constantly sought by the press and other media when comment and opinion on travel to Iraq is being discussed. Karen Dabrowska was born in Wellington, New Zealand to Polish parents. She worked on a daily paper in New Zealand for six years before emigrating to Britain in 1985, where she completed an MA in International Journalism. She has edited a number of magazines and newsletters dealing with the Arab world including New Horizon and has visited most Arab countries. From 1991-2011 Karen was the London correspondent of Jana News Agency and Assistant Editor of Islamic Tourism Magazine and since 2012 she has been the London correspondent for the Tripoli Post. During the 1990s she edited a number of newsletters about Iraq. Karen's travels began with an overland tour of Nepal and India in 1980 but her interest in Iraq started in 1986 when she attended an international calligraphy festival in Baghdad and she has followed developments in the country since then. She has visited 33 countries including Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Yemen, Afghanistan, North Cyprus, Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan, Western Sahara, Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania.