The fifth annual Snow Games Festival was held at Korek Mountain, attracting 58 local and international athletes in a lively and striking winter atmosphere.
The snow-covered slopes of Korek Mountain have long drawn attention, and as part of the Kurdistan Regional Government’s tourism initiatives, the snow skiing festival has been held each year on a larger and more organized scale.
Halgurd Sheikh Najib, Supervisor of the Soran Independent Administration, said the event is more than an ordinary festival. “The history of these competitive games in this region goes back more than half a century. Year after year, the passion for these games grows stronger,” he said.
This year’s festival was made even more vibrant by the presence of foreign visitors and tourists from outside the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, who came to participate, watch, and enjoy the snowy landscape. Festival coordinator Hussein Ali noted that this year’s heavy snowfall allowed organizers to add additional sporting activities for both athletes and visitors.
Korek Mountain, also known as Shakh Korek, is located 90 kilometres from Erbil city center, 11 kilometres from Gali Ali Beg resort, and 53 kilometres from the Iranian border. Rising more than 2,000 meters above sea level within the Zagros Mountains, the mountain has become a major winter tourist destination, attracting visitors from across Iraq and beyond.
