Iran holiday
| country: | Iran |
| trip type: | Click here to check Foreign & Commonwealth office advice |
| departures: | 2010: 8 May, 2 Oct |
| price: | £2295 (16 days) excluding international flights. |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Iran holiday
The Islamic Republic of Iran may not be the first place you’d think of for a holiday, certainly if sunbathing and beer are an essential part of your getaway requirements! But for the culturally inquisitive, an Iran holiday offers a feast of ancient sights, a rich culture, interesting and varied landscapes, splendid cuisine and very hospitable people.
Despite the uncertain political winds that regularly batter this great country, here you will find a fascinating place to visit, with old cities packed with exquisite mosques and spectacular madrassas, ruins from ancient Persia, nomadic tribes, hill walking, skiing and surreal Caspian Sea beach resorts.
Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979 after the ruling shah was forced into exile and Ayatolla Khomeni took control. It is bordered on the north by Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkmenistan and the Caspian Sea, on the east by Pakistan and Afghanistan, on the south by the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, and on the west by Turkey and Iraq. Politically it does have very conservative leanings, but life on the street will surprise you.
An Iran holiday will not be for everyone. But for those with a desire to explore one of the great ancient civilisations and to understand the modern world in greater depth, a journey here is sure to be an enlightening experience.
The Islamic Republic of Iran may not be the first place you’d think of for a holiday, certainly if sunbathing and beer are an essential part of your getaway requirements! But for the culturally inquisitive, an Iran holiday offers a feast of ancient sights, a rich culture, interesting and varied landscapes, splendid cuisine and very hospitable people.
Despite the uncertain political winds that regularly batter this great country, here you will find a fascinating place to visit, with old cities packed with exquisite mosques and spectacular madrassas, ruins from ancient Persia, nomadic tribes, hill walking, skiing and surreal Caspian Sea beach resorts.
Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979 after the ruling shah was forced into exile and Ayatolla Khomeni took control. It is bordered on the north by Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkmenistan and the Caspian Sea, on the east by Pakistan and Afghanistan, on the south by the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, and on the west by Turkey and Iraq. Politically it does have very conservative leanings, but life on the street will surprise you.
An Iran holiday will not be for everyone. But for those with a desire to explore one of the great ancient civilisations and to understand the modern world in greater depth, a journey here is sure to be an enlightening experience.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Tehran:Join tour in Tehran: Accommodation for this night is included in the tour cost, due to the arrival times of our suggested flights. Those on the suggested group flight will arrive early hours of Day 2. Overnight: Hotel, no meals. |
| Day 2: | Tehran: After a rest this morning we will visit the National museum, giving us an introduction to this ancient country. After lunch we will enter the well guarded bank vaults that hold the famous Persian crown jewels – including the glorious Peacock Throne – and visit some more of Tehran’s sites. Overnight: Hotel (B, L, D). |
| Day 3: | Tehran – Kashan - Abyaneh: This morning we drive south into Iran’s mountainous and desert interior. We stop in Kashan for lunch where we visit the Royal Gardens of Fin, Sialk Mounds, and the Agha Bozorg Mosque, which was built in the 19th century. The mosque is famous for its imposing dome, and large sunken courtyard, and the large wooden door that guards the entrance is said to have as many studs as there are verses of the Quran. Continue on to Abyaneh, said to be one of the most fascinating villages in the country with some magnificent views across the valley. Overnight: Guesthouse (B, L, D). |
| Day 4: | Abyaneh – Yazd: On arrival into Yazd we will visit two Zoroastrian sites, a fire temple and the hilltop burial Towers of Silence. Spend night at the 4* Moshir Gardens Hotel. Overnight: Hotel (B, L, D). |
| Day 5: | Yazd: Our first port of call is the Bagh-e-Doulat Abad Garden. These gardens, which were once a residence of the former ruler Karim Khan Zand, consist of small pavilions set in peaceful gardens and the tallest Badgir (wind tower) in town. Then on to the magnificent Jameh (Friday) Mosque, the informative water Museum, climb the Amir Chakhmaq Complex giving us views over the adobe city and then time to wander the winding old city streets and bazaar. In the evening we will try and visit a Zurkhaneh (House of Strength), which mixes Sufism, nationalism, music and sport into this ancient spectacular. Dinner will be in a local restaurant and a second night at the 4* Moshir Gardens Hotel. Overnight: Hotel (B, L, D). |
| Day 6: | Yazd – Bazm: Today we will pass through Marvest, Tutak and Sarvestan before reaching Bazm. Here we will wander around the old adobe town, nestled in a dramatic green valley before spending the night in a local guesthouse run by a charming family. Overnight: Guesthouse (B, L, D). |
| Day 7: | Bazm: Today will be spent visiting nomadic families in their summer hand-made tents and exploring the surroundings of the lovely peaceful Bavant Valley. Overnight: Guesthouse (B, L, D) |
| Day 8: | Bazm – Persepolis: Drive to Bavanat before climbing over a high mountain pass and passing through picturesque valleys to Pasargadae where we will visit the six-tiered Tomb of Cyrus. This impressive tomb stands on a windswept plain, and is still the best preserved of the Pasargadae ruins. Before arriving in Persepolis, we visit the tombs of Naqsh-e Rajab and Nagsh-e Rostam, the second of which is magnificently cut into a cliff high above the ground. Then the highlight of any visit to Iran - Darius the Greats’ fabulous Persepolis. After a few hours at the site we make our way to our hotel in Shiraz. Overnight: Hotel (B, L, D). |
| Day 9: | Shiraz: A morning walking tour visiting the Arg-e Karim Khani. This imposing fortress, with 14m high circular towers dominates the city centre, then time to explore the bazaar and teahouses. After a free afternoon we meet up again to visit the Tombs and Gardens of the poets Sa`adi & Hafez. Overnight: Hotel (B, L, D). |
| Day 10: | Shiraz – Yasuj: Today we drive north out of Shiraz visiting the village of Sepidan before stopping for a short walk into the pretty Murgon waterfalls, before making our way to our Yasuj with plenty of time for a short walk on the way. Overnight: Hotel (B, L, D). |
| Day 11: | Yasuj: Today we will drive to Sisakht. From here we will then trek to the Golkuh Lake region (1hr), passing through a wonderful acorn-forested area, up to an altitude of 2200m, before trekking back to Sisakht (whole trip about 5-6hrs). Once back at Sisakht, we will drive back to Yasuj. Overnight: Hotel (B, L, D). |
| Day 12: | Yasuj –Esfahan: Depart Yasuj for Esfahan. Once we have arrived, we will check into our hotel, relax and have a walk to orientate ourselves with this fascinating city. Overnight at Abbasi Hotel. Overnight: Hotel (B, L, D). |
| Day 13: | Esfahan: A full day’s sightseeing today - visit the Chehel Sotun Palace Museum, Nasqh Jahan Square, Imam Mosque, one of the world’s most beautiful mosques, Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque and the Ali Qapu Palace. This is a magnificent six-storey palace that was built in the 16th century to serve as a gateway to the royal palaces that are situated in the parklands beyond. Overnight: Hotel (B, L, D). |
| Day 14: | Esfahan: Another day to explore this fascinating city. Visit the Jameh Mosque, the Armenian Quarter and the many bridges that cross the Zayandeh River that flows through the heart of Esfahan. Plenty of time to explore and shop in the famous bazaar, or just to chill out and people watch. Overnight: Hotel (B, L, D). |
| Day 15: | Esfahan to Tehran: Depart Esfahan late morning giving us a chance for some last minute shopping. We stop for a picnic lunch at the 13th century mosque in the small town of Natanz before continuing to Tehran. We’ll arrive late evening into southern Tehran and into our restaurant that started life in the 17th century as a mosque for a final night dinner. overnight: Hotel (B, L, D) |
| Day 16: | Tehran: The tour ends after breakfast. (B) |
how this holiday makes a difference
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Environment
We have a strict environmental policy to make sure that the environments we visit are not damaged or spoilt in any way. All our guides are trained to uphold this policy and all clients are fully briefed on appropriate/responsible behaviour whilst in wilderness areas. Our “Leave No Trace” ethic is applied to all trips in all regions and, as tour operators, is something we are careful to promote. When you take one of our trips, we make a contribution to “Carbon Clear” – an organisation who work with hundreds of organisations to measure their carbon footprint and reduce their carbon emissions. Community In Iran we use local ground handlers - this means that all the operational costs go directly into the local economy and helps to improve employment opportunities in remote regions. By incorporating home-stays, locally owned hotels, restaurants and the services of guides and drivers into our itineraries, we ensure that money you spend on your trip goes directly into the local economy and local communities benefit from tourism. Our company also supports emergency relief efforts in the areas we travel to, such as the Pakistan Earthquake Fund set up in 2005 and a variety of other community benefiting NGOs around the world. We also support several other NGOs around the world such as the Hope Foundation, Tibetan schools trust and Adopt-A-Minefield, which are all carefully selected to improve the standard of living for the communities we visit. There are full details of these on the Responsible Tourism page on our website. |
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. |