About Us

An Australian / Kurdish joint venture, Kurdistan Adventures combines local knowledge with Western tour operations management. We pride ourselves on immersing our small groups of travelers in Iraqi Kurdistan culture with safety, security and professionalism.

The management team of Kurdistan Adventures is deeply passionate about Kurdistan and all are based in the Iraqi Kurdistan region. Our intimate local knowledge and connections within the region allow us to offer you the best possible tour experience with access to places not always available to foreign companies.

We work closely with our suppliers, the majority of whom are local Kurdish based businesses. This not only allows us to keep our costs down (and thus passed on to you), but importantly means that the money stays within the local communities we visit, interact and touch as part of our amazing adventures.

Kurdistan Adventures is proudly a member of the Adventure Travel Trade Association.

Introducing the management team

Shannon

Originally from Australia, Shannon never fully recovered from being bitten by the travel bug at an early age. His passion for off the beaten track adventure travel has seen him drinking fermented mares milk in Mongolia, jumping naked into the freezing temperatures of Lake Baikal in Siberia and climbing through the ruins of Salahaddin’s castle in northern Syria. He has travelled extensively through the world, says he knows a thing or two about independent and group styles of travel and now chooses to call Iraqi Kurdistan home.

Karwan

Born in Slemani, Iraqi Kurdistan, Karwan moved to the UK at the age of eight with his family as a refugee. He lived there until he returned to his home in 2003 as a free Kurd. He is very passionate about a free Kurdistan and also part of the Iraqi Government. During his time in the UK, he traveled to many countries across Europe and the United States and shares the real passion about the potential for tourism in Kurdistan. He is keen to show the rest of the world the history, heritage, stability and the welcoming people that Kurdistan has to offer. Like many Kurdish expatriates, he is also learning about his wonderful Kurdish heritage and traditions that for too long were not available to his family.

Brendhan

Also from Australia, Brendhan has been living and working in Iraq on and off since 2003 but has spent the last three years in Kurdistan only and has traveled extensively throughout the country and region over this time. He caught the adventure travel bug some years ago and has gone onto hike over the Greater Caucasus Mountains in Azerbaijan, been four-wheel driving through Georgia, and rafted down wild rivers in Borneo and Thailand. A thirst for adventure, he has climbed a number of active volcanoes in Indonesia and swam with sharks off the Australian coast. Brendhan has a real passion for promoting tourism in the Kurdistan region in order to highlight the unbelievable hospitality of the Kurdish people, the stunning landscapes and genuine cuisine the region has to offer.