Mount Arbaba

Arbaba (also written Arababa; in Kurdish: ئاربه‌با) is the name of a mountain in the city of Baneh in Kurdistan Province. The original name of the mountain is Arbaba, which some sources wrongly write as Arababa. The name comes mainly from the Turkic language, in which "Ar" means a hero or champion and "Baba" means a noble, respected person. The name is Turkic because the first inhabitants of Baneh were Turkic peoples; the Kurds settled there later. The mountain is 2,220 metres high and lies south of the city of Baneh. Dokanan Park and Pir Morad Park are on its slopes.

The mountain is one of the tourist attractions of Baneh and holds a special place in the culture of the local people, since a character of the same name also appears in Kurdish tales and poems. It is the only mountain in Baneh, Kurdistan, that in 2006 (1385 in the Persian calendar), through the efforts of a number of climbers, was equipped with a shelter on its secondary summit to make climbing easier for people. There is also a small cabin at an altitude of 2,170 metres, decorated with a beautiful scene of wildflowers, where climbers can spend a few minutes resting and drinking tea.

When planning a visit, note that you cannot drive close to the mountain. You must park your car a few kilometres away and continue on foot, following the winding climbing route.