Ibrahim Yolu Culture Guide
Ibrahim Yolu Culture Guide Update
In October 2025, the Abraham Path Initiative (API) led two remarkable journeys that brought over 40 travelers from 15 countries together to explore living history and culture along the Ibrahim Yolu in southeastern Turkey and the Zagros Mountain Trail in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI).
Both trails were initially catalyzed by API, with the Zagros Mountain Trail now locally managed by the Kurdistan Trails Organization. These walks wove together landscapes and stories where ancient traditions, hospitality, and cultural memory remain vital parts of daily life.
Together, they embodied API’s vision of walking as a bridge—linking people, traditions, and hopes across borders while building a foundation for sustainable, community-led tourism in the years ahead.
The journey began along the Ibrahim Yolu—Abraham’s Path in Turkish—anchored in the values of connection and curiosity. A pre-departure webinar featuring API co-founder William Ury and board member David Baum set the tone of deep listening and shared exploration.
The group immersed themselves in Şanlıurfa’s historic market and Urfa Museum before hiking from Yuvacalı to Göbekli Tepe, a UNESCO World Heritage site older than Stonehenge. Along the way, they stayed with local families, shared home-cooked meals, and spent a night under the stars, culminating in an evening of music and food in the Alevi village of Kisas.
The second leg took travelers along the 215-kilometer Zagros Mountain Trail in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Beginning in Erbil with visits to its ancient citadel and bustling souk, the journey continued through mountain villages, homestays, and landscapes rich with multi-faith heritage. Local guides and young leaders from API’s ZMT Fellowship Program accompanied the group, sharing stories of resilience, cultural identity, and regional pride.
During the walk, API staff gathered stories and insights for the forthcoming Ibrahim Yolu Culture Guide—a resource designed to strengthen both the cultural and technological foundations of the Path. This guide will offer tools such as language and cultural support, as well as homestay best practices, to ensure that travel along the Path fosters meaningful and mutually beneficial connections between visitors and local communities.
Photos by Jodi Hilton and David Landis
The Abraham Path Initiative's Ibrahim Yolu Culture Guide
The Abraham Path Initiative (API) is a visionary nonprofit organization dedicated to cultivating understanding, connection, and peace through walking trails that trace the legendary journey of Abraham.
By creating and fostering trails across the Middle East—spanning Turkey, Iraqi Kurdistan, Jordan, Palestine, and Egypt—API brings together people of all faiths and backgrounds in a celebration of shared ancestry and cultural heritage.
Since its founding, API has championed local ownership and sustainability, helping communities along the trail develop their tourism infrastructure and supporting them with expertise, storytelling, and strategic resources to ensure long-term success.
At the heart of API’s work are the local communities who host and guide travelers on the Abraham Path. These individuals, along with API fellows who create powerful narratives of hope and resilience, are the lifeblood of the initiative.
API’s role has evolved to support these community-led efforts, responding to local needs and amplifying local voices. The Path is not only a physical journey but a cultural one—filled with stories, traditions, and encounters that foster empathy and global understanding. To further this mission, API is investing in new tools that will prepare travelers to walk with respect and awareness, deepening the experience for both guests and hosts.
With the support of Crooked Trails, API is launching a new project to build a mobile “culture guide” for the Ibrahim Yolu, the Turkish segment of the Abraham Path. This region, having endured years of conflict, a pandemic, and a devastating earthquake, is now recovering and ready to welcome travelers once more.
The culture guide—available through a new website and mobile app—will offer essential information on local etiquette, homestay norms, and language tips in Turkish and Kurdish.
Your support makes projects like the Ibrahim Yolu Culture Guide possible—a resource designed to foster meaningful and mutually beneficial connections between visitors and local communities. With your continued donations, Crooked Trails can fund more inspiring projects that empower local communities and create meaningful connections through responsible travel. Keep the momentum going—donate today and help us bring more stories like this to life!
Developed in partnership with local experts, this guide will ensure travelers are well-prepared to engage with communities along the trail respectfully.
Ultimately, this project aims to bridge cultures, strengthen trust with host families, and promote responsible and meaningful travel along one of the world’s most significant heritage routes.
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