Protected Areas and National Parks in Iran Iran with different wet and dry lands with a combination of high mountains, desert lands, forests, and seas has created a special ecosystem in the Middle East and the east of Asia. It is located in the southern part of the Caspian Sea and north of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. There are two long mountain ranges named Alborz (900 km) and Zagros (1400 km) located in the north and west of Iran. In addition, the two main deserts of Dasht-e Kavir (77,600 km2) and Kavir-e Lut (51,800 km2)- the first Natural UNESCO site in Iran- are other natural attractions of the country. Rivers and lakes, wildlife, and the Hyrcanian Forest (UNESCO Natural Site), besides the different types of birds, a wide range of medical and therapeutic plants, Islands, and lagoons create the protected areas and national parks all over Iran. Here, we have listed the ten most beautiful ones below: 1. Golestan National Park 2. Kavir National Park 3. Lar National Park 4. Turan National Park 5. Tandoureh National Park 6. Dena National Park, 7. Khar Touran National Park 8. Khojir National Park 9. Jahan Nama Protected Park 10. Alborz Markazi Protected Area
Protected Areas and National Parks in Iran Iran with different wet and dry lands with a combination of high mountains, desert lands, forests, and seas has created a special ecosystem in the Middle East and the east of Asia. It is located in the southern part of the Caspian Sea and north of the Persian
Cycling in Iran – Questions Iran is a perfect and unknown destination for cycling for a variety of reasons. Iran is a vast country, located in a special geographical region between the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf, with a diverse climate and four seasons of weather which made a special climatic condition in the country. In addition, the two long mountain ranges of Alborz and Zagros with numerous high mountains above 4000 meters have created a specific mountain route for cyclists. Embracing plenty of national parks and protected areas alongside the mountain regions with rich wildlife and flora and fauna has increased the attractions of Iran for nature-loving cyclists. In addition, the deserts of Iran are well known among desert lovers and travelers who are the world's desert fam. The Dasht-e Kavir and Kavir-e Lut are the two famous Iran vast deserts that are amazing destinations for cycling. Passing through the rural regions, the villages, historical regions, and caravanserais that used to be on the route of the ancient Silk Road make an authentic journey for cycling in Iran. Iran is absolutely one of the most popular destinations for cycling in West Asia and the Middle East. All the mentioned attractions, along with the culture, history, and civilization, with 26 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, have made Iran an amazing destination for cycling activities in tourism. Yet, there are common questions about cycling in Iran for most cyclists and travelers who wish to travel to Iran. There are some important points that all cyclists should know about cycling in Iran. They should know the main Iran attractions, Iran classic Route, the most popular Iran UNESCO sites, the best cycling routes in Iran, the best time of cycling in Iran, the rules and regulations of the country, the dress codes,
Cycling in Iran – Questions Iran is a perfect and unknown destination for cycling for a variety of reasons. Iran is a vast country, located in a special geographical region between the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf, with a diverse climate and four seasons of weather which made a special climatic condition in
Travel to Iran for Photography Iran offers plenty of unexplored regions which are perfect for photographers who would like to travel to Iran for photography, and Iranian Turkmen regions and especially Golestan province is one of them. The Turkmen region of Iran is a part of Golestan province which is located in northeastern Iran in the south of Turkmenistan country. Turkmens speak the Turkic language and they have different sub-branch tribes speaking different dialects. Turkmen people live in different countries of Turkmenistan, northeast Iran, northeastern and northwestern Afghanistan, and neighboring parts of Central Asia. Their population is about 6 million at the beginning of the 21st century and about one-third of the total population lives in Iran. Turkmen Sahra is the name of the Turkmen territory of Golestan province which is an ideal destination for those who travel to Iran for photography. The most important cities of Turkmen Sahra is Gonbad, Aqqala, Kalaleh, Maraveh Tappeh, Gomishan, and Bandar Torkaman. There are many important reasons that attract travel photographers to travel to this part of Iran. Here are some of the main ones. Climate and Weather of Golestan The territory of Turkmenistan reminds us of arid weather while the Turkmen region of Iran has a different climatic condition. The climate of this region is affected by the Caspian Sea weather system from the west, surrounded by the eastern part of the Alborz Mountain range from the south and east, and connected to the arid weather of Turkmenistan in the north. In addition, the dense Hyrcanian forests (UNESCO) in the southern part of Golestan, between the plain in the north and the Alborz Range in the south, have provided favorable weather for traveling to this strategic point in Iran. The pleasant weather of this region enables a longer travel season time
Travel to Iran for Photography Iran offers plenty of unexplored regions which are perfect for photographers who would like to travel to Iran for photography, and Iranian Turkmen regions and especially Golestan province is one of them. The Turkmen region of Iran is a part of Golestan province which is located in northeastern Iran in
Tehran Trekking Tours in Iran Tehran is the capital city of Iran and it is the first entry point for the majority of travelers who visit Iran. The IKA airport in Tehran is the most important Iran airport where the majority of international planes land. Moreover, access to other cities from Tehran with buses, domestic flights, and trains is more convenient compared to the other parts of the country. Tehran is also on the list of 5 Major Iran cities located on Iran’s most visited path of Classic Iran, and most travelers spend a few days in this metropolitan capital. For all mentioned reasons, many travelers pass Tehran but they do not have any idea about potential trekking regions near the capital. The majority of Iran’s visitors travel far away from the capital to experience trekking tours in Iran while Tehran is one of the most important mountain regions of the country for trekking activity giving you many choices in different seasons for various Levels of Difficulty. The reason is that most of Iran’s guide books didn’t attention to this important fact and they offer other mountain regions in different mountain regions of the country. In this post, we will explain the most important trekking regions and National Parks around Tehran to give you a better image of the possibility of short and long hiking in Tehran province. Alborz Mountains range, as you may know, is Iran’s major mountain range located in northern Iran with 900 km in length. It begins in the northwest of Iran and stretches to the northeast of the country. This range has made a massive wall between the Caspian Sea and Iran Plateau. This range is divided into three sessions of West, Central, and East range. The central part of the range is called
Tehran Trekking Tours in Iran Tehran is the capital city of Iran and it is the first entry point for the majority of travelers who visit Iran. The IKA airport in Tehran is the most important Iran airport where the majority of international planes land. Moreover, access to other cities from Tehran with buses, domestic
Iran Photography Photography in Iran can be one of the most important reasons for your trip to Iran if you have enough information about the biodiversity of the country and the various ethnic groups in Iran. Depending on the type of photography, the travel time, and the duration of your trip to Iran, you will have different choices. Most photographers have no idea about the opportunities Iran offers for photography compared with other neighboring countries in the Middle East and west of Asia. If you are interested in anthropology, a great variety of ethnicities living in Iran would provide you with amazing opportunities to capture various portraits for people photography. If you are interested in Nature and Landscape Photography, the huge size of the country and the variety of climates create multi-type landscapes for photography. Encircling numerous spectacular mountains above 4000 m with spectacular landscapes, vast two deserts of Dsht-e Kavir and Lut, thousands of kilometers of coastlines in the Persian Gulf, Oman Sea, and the Caspian Sea, Hyrcanian UNESCO Forests, Turkmen plain, and huge size of Iran plateau give an extraordinary example of the varied landscapes of Iran for your favorite type of photography. In this article, we explain the opportunities and the best regions for people and landscape photography in Iran. People/ Portraits Photography Iran has 7 various destinations for photography of people which is equal to traveling to 7 different counties for people photography. If you see the map below, you will understand this fact for your special travel photography. Iran is the only destination in the world that allows you to have different ethnicities and nations all together in one country. In western countries, many people immigrate from different countries to make cosmopolitan cities, but the people do not belong to those countries. Here in
Iran Photography Photography in Iran can be one of the most important reasons for your trip to Iran if you have enough information about the biodiversity of the country and the various ethnic groups in Iran. Depending on the type of photography, the travel time, and the duration of your trip to Iran, you will
How to Create a Successful Travel Itinerary for Iran? One of the main questions for many tourists, travel agencies, or tour operators is How to make an efficient travel itinerary to cover the most important Iran attractions on a short trip? Most travelers don’t have much information about the huge size of the country. The distance between main touristic cities, the number of UNESCO heritage sites, the diversity of Climate and Weather in Iran, or the types of activities they could have in Iran have variations too. Persian arts, type of transport, the best time for traveling in Iran for different regions, Persian cuisines and Iranian home foods, and off the beaten track destinations of Iran are important in this list too. Especially for those who are first-timers in Iran, having this information could be beneficial in creating a perfect travel holiday for Iran. Instead of proposing a couple of template travel itineraries to answer the above question, we try to explain a few essential topics to help you in finding the answer. 1. Huge Size of the Country and the Distances Iran is a very vast country that is much larger than most European counties. To have a better image of the country, Iran is around the size of Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Czech, Slovakia, Austria, Switzerland, Croatia, and Slovenia together. We give you another example for you to understand this better. There is a famous route from northwestern Iran to Southeastern Iran called the One-Month Classic Overland Route of Iran, which starts from the Turkish border and finishes at the Pakistani border in the southeast of the country. The direct distance of that route from Bazargan border “Iran border with Turkey” to Mijaveh “border with Pakistan” is about 2761 km. If you want to compare and
How to Create a Successful Travel Itinerary for Iran? One of the main questions for many tourists, travel agencies, or tour operators is How to make an efficient travel itinerary to cover the most important Iran attractions on a short trip? Most travelers don’t have much information about the huge size of the country. The
Sistan and Baluchestan Travel Guide If you wish to travel to Off the Beaten Track destinations in Iran, do NOT miss this Sistan and Baluchestan Travel Guide! Introduction Read this short article as Sistan and Baluchestan Travel Guide and see the photos and videos of this untraveled route of Iran to understand why you should travel to Sistan and Baluchestan and put it on your bucket list. Sistan and Baluchestan is one of Iran's provinces located in the southeastern corner of the country. Baluchestan, also spelled Balochistan or Baluchistan as well. Iran has 31 provinces, each one with its own special tourist attractions. The Main Tourist Cities, well-known among travelers, are located on the major traveling route of CLASSIC IRAN. There are also other tourist cities off the main route, which have also been mentioned in most travel guides to Iran like Lonely Plant, Bradt guide, and Petit Futé. Apart from the main tourist destinations, there are also Off the Beaten Track destinations with special attractions in Iran. Some of those are unknown to travelers, and they have not been mentioned in the guide books or popular traveling sites. Sistan and Baluchestan province is definitely on top of this list that could be considered an independent destination in Iran. According to the time of your travel to Sistan and Baluchestan, your interests, and the types of activities you would like to do during your holiday, you can stay from at least one week to one month in this region. General Information Sistan and Baluchestan province comprises two large sections, Sistan in the north and Baluchestan in the south. The Farsi name “Sistan” comes from Old Persian Sakastana, meaning "Land of the Saka". The name Baluchestan- also written “Baluchestan”- means "Land of the Baluch" in the Persian language and is
Sistan and Baluchestan Travel Guide If you wish to travel to Off the Beaten Track destinations in Iran, do NOT miss this Sistan and Baluchestan Travel Guide! Introduction Read this short article as Sistan and Baluchestan Travel Guide and see the photos and videos of this untraveled route of Iran to understand why you should
Golestan Province Tourist Highlights Turkmen Plain Golestan province is one of the untraveled routes of Iran offering a wide range of attractions, activities, and tourist highlights. It is located in the northeast of the country, southeast of the Caspian Sea, and southern part of Turkmenistan country. Golestan means the land of flowers. The rural parts of this province are rich in flora and fauna, and you will be amazed at its variety of animal and plant species. In fact, Golestan province is one of the greenest parts of Iran. Golestan Main Tourist Highlights Golestan National Park Golestan National Park is one of the tourist highlights of Golestan province which enjoys remarkable ecosystem diversity. There is a large variety of wildlife in the park, and a huge variety of birds live there. Golestan National Park is the largest and oldest national park in Iran. The park is a protected area managed by the Iranian Environmental Organization. Along with the natural attractions, there are many other historical and cultural attractions in Golestan province too. Gonbad-e Qabus (UNESCO) Gonbad-e Qabus also written Gonbad-e-Kavos is the tallest brick tower in the world registered on the list of Iranian UNESCO sites in 2012. It is a good example of historical highlights of Golestan province. This region used to be a part of the Ancient Silk Road many years ago, and there are still a few Iranian Caravanserais left in different parts of the province. Gorgan (the Provincial Capital) Gorgan, the capital of Golestan province, embraces charming historical attractions as well. The remains of the old part of the town, as well as a few historical houses back to a few hundred years ago, located downtown, are worth visiting. A couple of them were renovated as boutique hotels which are proper
Golestan Province Tourist Highlights Turkmen Plain Golestan province is one of the untraveled routes of Iran offering a wide range of attractions, activities, and tourist highlights. It is located in the northeast of the country, southeast of the Caspian Sea, and southern part of Turkmenistan country. Golestan means the land of flowers. The rural
Kurdish Festival of Pir Shaliar Iranian Kurdistan is one of the most active provinces with a lot of activities. The instruments of Daf and Tanbor (Tanbur) were born in the Kurdish regions of Iran and music and dance are the two major elements in the Kurdish culture. Every year, there are different celebrations and music festivals performed in the mountain region of Hawraman (Uraman) which is a huge valley located in Kurdistan and Kermanshah provinces. Nowrooz (Nowruz) celebration or “Persian New Year", Palangan Daf Music Festival, and the Kurdish Festival of Pir Shaliar in Uraman Takht are the most famous Kurdish ceremonies which annually attract tourists from different countries. Kurdish Dance and Music Festival of Pir Shaliar in Iranian Kurdistan is an old traditional ceremony that goes back to over 950 years ago. It is still alive in Oraman-e Takht village located in Uraman valley (UNESCO) which is 65 km (1.5 hours) from Marivan. It is held on two different dates; the 1st festival is held on the 40th day of winter and the 2nd held on the 40th day of spring. The festival is celebrated for three days in three consecutive weeks. The winter festival shows the social participation of people in the ceremony. It symbolizes getting rid of material attachments and salvation. The spring festival, named Komsai, is known as the ceremony of breaking the holy stone. The celebration is accompanied by more Daf drumming and ritual dances. People chip a small piece from a large stone at Pir Shaliar’s tomb. They believe the chip can heal the ill and it will grow back on the main stone until next year. In this ceremony, the villagers talk about the shortcomings of the village and consult for solutions as well. Who Is Pir Shalyar? According to the people of
Kurdish Festival of Pir Shaliar Iranian Kurdistan is one of the most active provinces with a lot of activities. The instruments of Daf and Tanbor (Tanbur) were born in the Kurdish regions of Iran and music and dance are the two major elements in the Kurdish culture. Every year, there are different celebrations and music
Best Persian Cookbooks Iranian dishes or Persian food have been increasingly popular around the globe compared to the past. In recent years, many travelers and tourists travel to Iran to have an authentic experience. Moreover, the number of visitors who are looking for Persian cookbooks or cooking classes in Iran has increased. We have many inquiries from people who are interested in a one-day Persian Food Tour in Iran during their trip to the country. They would like to taste Persia through its delicious and nutritious traditional food, especially via Iran gastronomy tours. Some of them are also curious to know what the best Persian cookbooks are. They sometimes ask us for the best Persian cookbooks as souvenirs so that they can repeat their delicious experience in their home country. Persian cooking has not been only about mixing ingredients and nutrition, but also about Persian traditional medication. Since Iran embraces various geographical regions, climatic conditions, and different groups of ethnicities with different cultures, it is an amazing destination for all foodies and gourmets. Regarding the popularity and complexity of Persian food around the world, some Iranian cooks and writers wrote Persian cookbooks for those who are interested in Persian cooking. They have tried to simplify the traditional Persian food, sometimes requiring a longer time to be prepared, as far as possible to make it suitable for the modern fast life and western kitchens. Below is the list of the top ten Persian Cookbooks in English. Nush-e Jan! (It is the Persian expression similar to the French "Bon Appetit", which you will hear commonly by Iranians at the dining table, during your travel to Iran). 1. Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies Food of Life: Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies By Najmeh Batmanglij This book,
Best Persian Cookbooks Iranian dishes or Persian food have been increasingly popular around the globe compared to the past. In recent years, many travelers and tourists travel to Iran to have an authentic experience. Moreover, the number of visitors who are looking for Persian cookbooks or cooking classes in Iran has increased. We have many
