Holidays in Iran
| country: | Iran |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | 2010: 20 Mar, 27 Mar, 3 Apr, 10 Apr, 17 Apr, 24 Apr, 1 May, 8 May, 15 May, 22 May, 29 May, 5 Jun, 24 Jul, 25 Sep, 2 Oct, 9 Oct, 16 Oct, 23 Oct, 30 Oct 2011: 19 Mar, 26 Mar, 2 Apr, 9 Apr, 16 Apr, 30 Apr, 7 May, 14 May, 21 May, 28 May |
| price: | From £1240 (15 days) excluding flights. We can arrange flights from the UK. |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
read 1 travellers review
the amazing things you'll be doing
Welcome to the hidden world of Iran. Travel through this fascinating country to discover refined Islamic cities, colourful bazaars, ancient Persian ruins, fascinating nomads, shimmering deserts and lofty snow-capped peaks. Whether relaxing in a teahouse in Tehran or breaking bread with the Qashqai nomads on the harsh Iranian plateau, you'll be touched by the warmth and hospitality of the Iranian people, and the profound beauty of their land.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Tehran. Venture through teeming bazaars and chaotic streets to the ornate Golestan Palace. The exquisite marbled terraces, artistic treasures and gilded mirrors here all attest to the power and influence of the Qajar rulers. |
| Days 2-3: | Shiraz. Discover the ancient ceremonial capital of Persepolis and perhaps experience the riches of Iranian culture in a traditional teahouse. |
| Day 4: | Nomad Stay. Enjoy an overnight stay with local nomads in a tent made from goat and sheep hair. |
| Day 5: | Abarqu. Get off the beaten track with a visit to the town of Abarqu, home of the famous Ice House, the 11th century Gonbad Ali Dome and an incredible 4,000-year-old cypress tree. |
| Day 6: | Zein-o-din Caravanserai. Step into the exotic shoes of a Silk Road merchant with an overnight stay in a classic caravanserai. Set in the desolate Dasht-e Lut Desert, this place of shelter has changed little since the 16th century. |
| Days 7-8: | Yazd. Visit the sacred Zoroastrian fire temple in this ancient town of wind-catchers. |
| Days 9-11: | Esfahan. Be led through the fascinating history, tree-lined boulevards and atmospheric bazaars of Esfahan, the jewel of ancient Persia. Don't miss the sunset over the dome of Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque - the tiles shimmer from cream to all shades of pink. |
| Day 12: | Abyaneh. Inspect the intricate architecture in this ancient red-rock town. |
| Day 13: | Kashan. See some fine examples of traditional wooden houses and try tasty Iranian stew in a local family's house. |
| Days 14-15: | Tehran. Travel to the holy city of Qom before visiting the shrine of Iman Khomeni on the way to Tehran. |
travellers' tales
What I took away with me was the scale and depth of the warmth of the people towards us Westerners and a far better knowledge of the nature of Iranian culture. (more)
small group adventure holiday
This is a 'small group adventure' - on our group trips you'll be with a maximum of 11 like minded travellers and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends it's good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting people from other parts of the world as well as seeing new places! (more) highly commended
This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society.Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
how this holiday makes a difference
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On this trip through incredible Iran, you will have the opportunity to meet local people, see the amazing sights and get an insight into this vibrant culture.
From learning how to cook fine Iranian food with a local family in Kashan to seeing how nomads live in the harsh Iranian desert, this trip gives you plenty of chances to assimilate with the friendly locals. In Shiraz, you'll see the complicated process of making traditional carpets in a local workshop. As we continue on our journey, the local nomads near Abarqu will welcome an opportunity to perform their traditional Qashqai music. It’s here that you will get the chance to experience the nomadic lifestyle as we stay with them for an evening. Wherever possible, we contract local indigenous suppliers and assist them to improve the quality of their services. By booking this tour, you'll be helping us to support Iranian service providers, artists and performers, small businesses, van owners and other poor people in communities throughout Iran. We use local freelance guides with wide experience and knowledge of cultural traditions and an ability to interpret the cultural heritage of the people in the places visited. For this tour, you'll have several guides, all from various provinces in Iran. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |