Lalish Temple Secrets: The Hidden Culture of the Yazidis

Ok, this place is something special.

If I had to pick one of the most extraordinary places I’ve visited in Iraq…

It would be the Lalish Temple.

Lalish is the holiest site for the Yazidis, hidden deep inside the beautiful Kurdish landscape. They’re a religious community that remains very closed off to the outside world. 

Yazidis are not permitted to date or marry anyone outside their community, which is one of the reasons why not many people have heard of this place in Iraqi Kurdistan.

The Yezidis have a dark and tumultuous history. They have recently begun welcoming outsiders to raise awareness and share their culture. As you’ll find many interesting Kurdish traditions in the region.

I was one of the lucky ones to step foot in this incredible place and meet the incredible, kind, and warm people of the Yazidis.

Join me on my journey through the holy lands of Lalish!

What Makes The Lalish Temple Special?

Entering the Ancient Yazidi Temple

Everyone had to take off their shoes before entering the area of the Yazidi community, not just the temple but the whole outdoor space. 

So everybody was walking around barefoot through the sand and stones. We had to remember that we were not allowed to step on the threshold. The Yezidis’ spokesman said the entrance steps were ‘wings of angels.’ 

A local sat at every entrance step to ensure no one would step on it. 

Can you believe how surreal it feels to have an entire community living within these customs and traditions?

A Sense of a Closed Yazidi Community

Because they opened their doors to outsiders, many Yezidis dressed in local attire and posed for photos. The photo below is one of the most extraordinary photos I’ve taken during my two years in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Somehow when I look into her eyes I can see a sense of unfamiliarity to the outside world

It’s like she has no clue what the outside world is like and through my lens, though my own eyes that come from a completely different world, we connect for that very short moment which I luckily captured on camera. I’ll never forget this moment. Not only the people but also the surroundings and location was extraordinary.

The Oddest Location in Northern Iraq

The temple’s location was so odd. We had to drive through a landscape of hills where there were many oil refineries. Huge flames would rise up from enormous pipes, which made it a bit surreal when we arrived at this sacred temple.

What was even more mind-blowing is that below the main temple, the walls of the tunnels were all covered in tar, black tar with prints of hands on it…

If I could pick a scene for a scary movie, this would be perfect… Huge vases with dried-up tar were placed along the walls. 

It felt like I was inside a community that was almost worshipping the oil and tar, the same oil that they were collecting in the surrounding area at oil refineries. It’s one of the most surreal things I’ve ever seen.

4 Ancient Yazidi traditions

During my time there, I discovered four surprising and ancient traditions that locals told me about. Experiences I will never forget:

Eggs on the wall

Besides the above-mentioned customs and traditions, there were three other striking traditions. One of them is that you could see something stuck to the wall above every door. It seemed so odd, but it turned out to be a mix of mud, eggshells, and grass. I was told this would help with the fertility of their crops. 

Throwing a scarf

Another tradition happened inside the temple. Somewhere along the 1000-year-old tunnels, there was a slightly bigger room than most other rooms. There were quite a few people standing there, and the spokesman of the Yazidis explained that whoever was able to throw a scarf on the pillar would get to make a wish. 

A young Kurdish kid got three chances and on the third try he threw it on the pillar. Everyone started to clap and congratulate him. He told his wish. After that, the spokesman asked where he was from, and he said, I’m from the Netherlands!

Then suddenly,

Everyone looked and pointed at me and said I was also from the Netherlands. I had to come forward and meet the Dutch-Kurdish kid and take a photo with him and the whole family! It was an unexpected but heartwarming moment.

It all happened in this underground tunnel below the temple, with dried up black tar on the floor and walls covered in prints of hands, while standing there on bare feet.

It took a while for me to grasp what had just happened and how surreal this all had been.

Putting your hands through the wall

Further down the tunnels, there was a point where there were two fairly narrow holes. I forgot the meaning, but you would have to put your hands in both holes and try to touch your hands inside.

It would bring good luck if you could do it. But I was still recovering from everything that happened before this…

One room was closed off to visitors

Within the tunnels, there was one room even further down underground. We were told that only true Yazidis were allowed to go there as it was believed that it would help with their fertility. And I don’t mean crops but the fertility of their women. Such an eerie sight to see…

Please, take a photo of our baby!

This is another one of those mind-blowing moments I had in Lalish. 

They were incredibly open to photos because they opened their doors to outsiders and wanted to show the world more about the Yazidi community.

As a travel photographer, I find this amazing. One of those unforgettable moments was when a Yazidi family approached me, asking if I’d take a photo of their newborn son. At first, I hesitated because who does that, right? Who hands over such an intimate moment to a stranger?

But they insisted, smiling and gesturing toward their baby that I couldn’t resist. I snapped a few shots, expecting them to come around my camera to see the result.

But they didn’t.

They just smiled, thanked me warmly, and walked away!

They didn’t want the photo for themselves. They wanted me to have it, to carry a piece of their story back to the world with me.

And I realized it wasn’t just about the photo. It was about sharing their pride, their hope, and a glimpse of their world.

Once again, I was astounded, and at the same time, it felt so heartwarming that they were so proud of their baby that they wanted to share it with the world.

How Lalish Changed My View On the World

Like most people, everyone is inside their own little bubble: doing groceries, cleaning the house, feeding the cats, etc.

Stepping inside the Lalish temple, this incredible place with all its mind-blowing aspects, felt like a pinch that burst that bubble and opened my eyes to see the incredible diversity out there.

It makes you stand still for a moment and reflect on your own life because, for a moment, I could see my own life through their eyes. Two completely different worlds connected for a brief moment at the temple.

There are so many other beliefs and traditions out there. This made my view of the world slightly bigger again, as it grows with every experience during my travels abroad.

How to Get There

Visiting the temple is doable, but it will take some effort. Local touring company Kurdistan Outdoor provides cultural tours occasionally from Erbil. It’s usually a whole day trip until the evening. You’ll visit some other cultural spots as well during the day.

I would not advise going alone, as the road there is tricky and the area is not far from Mosul, where reports of ISIS are still present.

The temple complex is about 2 hours driving from Erbil. I went with Kurdistan Outdoor, a tour operator run by a local woman who is incredibly passionate about everything that’s connected to Kurdistan.

I highly recommend contacting them. Contact them a few weeks beforehand, as making the payment takes some effort.

From Erbil, it is about a two-hour drive in the Western direction. Don’t go there by yourself; traffic is chaotic and dangerous, many accidents have happened with truck drivers, and there have been reports of unsafe incidents in the area.

When you do book a tour with Kurdistan Outdoor, please know that there are occasions when the tour can't happen last minute because of heavy rainfall for instance. But, this is not common.

Flight tickets to Erbil, as well as places to stay can be booked through the links on top of this page under “Plan Your Trip” on mobile or on the right side on Desktop.

If you book a ticket through my site, I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. With these small commissions I can keep Moving Jack ‘moving’! Thank you for your support ❤️.

Best time to visit

The best time to visit the Lalish temple is before or after summer, so in April, May, September, or October. July would be okay as well, although it will be quite hot. However, a big part of the trip will be underground in the tunnels below the temple. August is the hottest month in Iraqi Kurdistan, so I would not advise going then as it can get up to 55 degrees Celsius.

On the first Wednesday of April, they celebrate their new year, Sar-Sal. I went there a few weeks later, so I missed the event, but even without the event, there were many Yezidis dressed in their incredible and colorful traditional outfits.

Final Thoughts & Tips

Before visiting Lalish, I had only a vague idea of who the Yazidis were; most of it was from some news reports. But once I set foot inside the temple, everything changed. Walking barefoot through their holy grounds, I realized I had entered a world few outsiders ever get to see.

If you want to know more about the history of the Yazidis, Daughters of the Sun on YouTube is an incredible and also heartbreaking documentary that tells the tale of the Yazidis during ISIS.

If You’re Planning a Visit to Lalish, Here’s What You Need to Know

• Embrace the Culture: Respect their traditions. Even simple actions like removing your shoes and observing silence are deeply appreciated. It’s not just a sign of respect; it’s your ticket into their world.
• Come with an Open Heart and Mind: Forget everything you think you know. Lalish is unlike any other place. I noticed that showing a friendly smile opens doors and opportunities for great photos.
• Don’t Rush It: Take it slow and enjoy the temple views against the hilly landscape. It is perfectly fine to sit down and enjoy the surroundings.

Dress code and etiquette for entering the Lalish temple

At almost every religious site, it is advised to dress moderately. Before entering, you will have to take off your shoes. Your feet will probably get wet, so bringing a small towel is smart. You’re also allowed to walk on your socks, so bringing a pair of extra socks is a good idea.

From my experience, it is allowed to take photos of everything. One thing that was not allowed was to bring my professional camera inside the tunnels in the main temple; oddly enough, only mobile phones were allowed inside.

One Last Insight About Lalish

I was told that the oddly shaped cones around the temple are made so that when you see them from above, they look like stars. This way, the temple is connected to the universe above. It’s just one of those things that really adds to the mystic vibe of this place.

Thinking of Visiting Erbil? Find out the best areas and hotels to stay.

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