Lonely Planet
'Slow tourism is a positive way to move past trauma' - hiking in Iraq's Kurdistan region
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Zagros Mountain Trail
The Zagros Mountain Trail is independently managed by the Kurdistan Trails for Development organization. API is proud to have supported its creation.
The Zagros Mountain Trail (ZMT) is a 215km long trail through the Kurdistan region of Iraq, stretching from the village of Shush in the west to the foot of Mount Halgurd in the east. The trail takes walkers through 36 communities along ancient pilgrimage routes, trading paths, and shepherds’ tracks.
API began exploring trail development in Iraq in 2018, when Abraham Path Fellows were engaged in cultural heritage preservation projects from the marshes in the south to the Nineveh and Kurdistan Regional Governorates in the north.
API continues its long-term partnership with the Zagros Mountain Trail (ZMT), scouting trails, establishing relationships with communities along the trail, and identifying places of cultural, historical, and natural interest. In April 2022, The New York Times Voyages Magazine featured the ZMT in its Voyages Issue.
Congratulations to the ZMT on its official launch in October 2023!
Over 215 km of walking paths have been explored and scouted
50+ places of cultural and historical interest have been identified
A vibrant community of homestay hosts and local guides has been established
Partnerships with local specialists with outstanding cultural, environmental, and social knowledge of the area
