Duration

14 Days

Activity Level

Moderate

Best Months

Mar, Apr, May, Sep, Oct, Nov

Activities

Cultural & Heritage, Trekking & Hiking

Travel Styles

Soft Adventure

Special custom-made Iran’s cultural tour to visit the most popular touristic sites as well as explore and desert adventures

TOUR CODE

163-STN-TRK

START

Tehran

FINISH

Tehran

REGION(S)

Iran Central Desert

INCLUDED

MEALS: 12 Breakfasts, 10 Lunches, 11 Dinners
ACCOMMODATIONS: Hotel: 4 Nights, Camp: 1 Night, Guesthouse: 6 Nights, Caravanserai: 1 Night, Cave: 1 Night
TRANSPORTATION: Private vehicle
All transportation according to the itinerary Accommodation as mentioned in the itinerary Meals as indicated in the itinerary English speaking tour guide

NOT INCLUDED

Entry fee for the sites not mentioned in the itinerary
Travel insurance
International airfare
Excess baggage charges
Airport and departure taxes
Any extra hotel costs such as early check in or late checkout
Laundry
Mini bar used in the room
Meals not stipulated in the itinerary
Tips (optional)
Cost of medical immunizations
Bottled water
Phone calls
Any other service not mentioned in the itinerary

An attractive journey through the ancient Persia and exploring its very old civilization.
A trip to historical places and cultural events of the old Persia.
Visiting major cities of Tehran, Esfahan, Yazd and Shiraz together with smaller towns of Naiin, Anarak and Meybod.
Visiting historical villages of: Mesr, Farahzad, Garmeh, Meymand hand made cave, Bavanat & Nomads
An opportunity to taste different local foods of Iran.
Staying in different villages with indigenous people, an opportunity for knowing them, their culture, handicrafts and beautiful costumes.
Two days and one night camping and trekking in the heart of the Iran Central Desert.
4WD driving on the sandy dunes

The ideas of Iran Ancient Trail and Alongside Ancient Persia tours was created when we thought that most of the tours designed for travelers visiting Iran are for major touristic cities of Tehran, Esfahan, Shiraz, Yazd and Kashan. In such tours, tourists have only the opportunity to see and visit some very well-known historic places and stay in well-known hotels. During these routine tours travelers miss out the opportunity of visiting people, associating with them and knowing their divers culture and civilization left from thousands of years ago which is the main attraction of Iran.
We have decided to offer a journey completely different to those of regular ones. In this trip not only you will see the main touristic cities of Iran, but also you will have the chance to visit the historic villages and stay with local people and enjoy their homemade food, become familiar with their customs and way of life.
The trip is a memorable journey through Iran’s central desert, a 2 day trek into the desert and exploring Iran’s desert town of Yazd, one of the world’s most important historical desert cities in terms of architecture and elegant desert living.
Also the unforgettable experience is visiting and accommodates at the Zinoladdin old caravanserai and stay one night hand-made cave at the historical village Meymand. And Also you stay one night around Nomad villages and see the Nomad’s life.
Visiting Perspolis , Naghsh-e Rostam & Rajab and Pasargadae, Iran’s old Capital.
The planned itinerary will start from the international IKA airport and end in the Shiraz city. The trip will take 14 days. The total route travelled on the ground in 14 days will add up to 2500 Km but the distance would be divided in such a way not to be tiresome for the travelers. The longest distance travelled during the trip will be on the 9th(last day) day for 600 Km and the shortest will be on the 8th for 35 Km which will be in the city. The type of vehicle used in this trip depends on the number of tourists. The journey can be performed from two people by a private vehicle and a guide up to 30 people by a V.I.P bus. We have designed the itinerary in a way that you will visit the most possible places in 14 days.
The difficulty range of the trip is easy; only one part of the tour is moderate (Trekking on the desert) but we can transfer those who wish to skip trekking by a 4WD car to the camp. The trip also can be tailor made to suit your needs or desires. Accommodation on this trip are Hotel in urban destination and guest houses in village and country side, and also we stay one night in Zino-o-din caravansary and one night in tent, and one night in hand made cave. all accommodations in villages are clean local lodgings renovated for the purpose of hosting national and international tourists.
The tour guides are all experienced individuals with a very good knowledge of the villages and visiting places. The tour is performed in English but can be also performed in Italian, French, German, Spanish and Russian.
During the trip, there are clean hygiene services available in all staying places in the villages.

Day 1: Arrival Tehran – check in

Travelers arrive with different airlines and check-in to the hotel in Tehran. The first day will be free and depending on your time of arrival, you’ll likely have free time to relax, get adjusted and explore in the town. Overnight stay at a hotel.

Day 2: Transfer to Esfahan

After checking out from hotel you will be transferred to bus terminal. At the terminal, A.I representative will provide bus tickets and you will travel to Esfahan where another A.I representative will greet you at Esfahan bus terminal and transfer you to a hotel for overnight stay. Next day morning at 8 a.m. you will meet your tour guide. After the meeting you will have a free day for walking & shopping around the old town of Esfahan.(B)

Day 3: Esfahan exploring

City tour of Esfahan will start after breakfast, it will be a tight day today as we will visit Naghshe Jahan Sq., Imam and Sheikhlotfolah masques, Alighapou palace, old Bazar, Chehel Soton palace and Sioseh Pol Bridge. (B, L, D)

Day 4: Na’in & Anarak towns & transfer to Garmeh

The desert journey will start from Esfahan. After breakfast at the hotel we will drive to the historic city of Na’in for visiting its historic mosque, anthropology museum and Narin castle. Following Naiin, we will leave for Anarak town which is located at the starting point of Iran central desert. In Anarak there is a 120 year old caravanserai that has been renovated as a hotel and guest house. We will have lunch there. After having lunch, we will proceed in the afternoon towards the village of Garmeh. We will arrive Garmeh around late afternoon, check in to the Guest House, take a rest and prepare to have a traditional dinner. The night time would be a great opportunity to watch the stars of the desert. We will spend the night in a local house with a friendly family to experience Iranian hospitality (L, D).

Day 5: Desert Trekking Tour

The early morning rise up and drive from Garmeh towards Mesr oasis (100 km). We will have breakfast there. Trekking will start after breakfast. The length of trekking is between10 to 20 km which would take about 4-8 hours depending on the fitness level of the group. On the trekking route we will stop every now and then to rest and take photographs from spectacular and amazing sand dunes. After a light lunch on the route the journey will continue until evening. We will set up our camp in the desert and after a short rest; we would go to watch the sunset in the heart of the desert. In the early night darkness, we will have dinner and would have some time to watch the stars and enjoy the silence. (B, L, D).

Day 6: Trekking & drive to Meybod and Yazd

We will wake up at the crack of dawn (optional), walking about 10-15 minutes to watch the sunrise view of desert and will walk back to our camp for having breakfast. Next, the camp will be collected and trekking will continue till noon time. Then our vehicle will arrive to pick us up and drive to Yazd. We have lunch on the road and we will drive toward the old city of Meybod to visit the 16th Century “Naarin Qal-eh“, the Narin castle complex, Caravanserai, Post House, Water Reservoir, Ice House, Storage center and also some old handicraft shops run by local people making fabrics and clays. Later we will drive towards Yazd Historic city. We will be there around late afternoon. (B, L).

Day 7: Yazd city tour-Drive to Zein-o-din

At 8 AM, there will be a meeting between you and your tour guide after breakfast at the lobby. You will have a full day sightseeing tour in Yazd visiting most of the touristic attractions, important Zoroastrian sites of Dakhmeh (Old cemetery & tower of silence) and the Fire temple, Amir Chakhmagh complex and the main grand mosque next to the bazaar. Next comes Rokn-al Din Shrine and the old prison named after Alexander Prison, for the afternoon drive to the old caravanserai “Zeio-o-din”(60 km), we will stay at one the best renovated caravanserai in Iran and experience the traditional food (B).

Day 8: Zino-o-din to Meymand

Aafter the breakfast we drive to Meymand historical village “Handmade cave with more than 4000 years old”, After check in we will go to see the village and old museum and then cooperate with local people to make a traditional bread and maybe the handicrafts. In the afternoon trekking to the Eshkaft cave and coming back village and drive to Marj castle. Drive back to Meymand. Overnight at historical handmade cave (B,L, D).

Day 9: Meymand to Bavanat

After breakfast, we will leave Meymand to Nomad’s villages. We will see the original local nomad and the agricultural of local people, we have traditional food there. Overnight stay in the village. (B, L, D)

Day 10: Pasargadae & Saadat Shahr

We have a traditional breakfast on the village of Bavanat and drive to the Pasargadae “the tombs of Persia Empire”. We have a half day tour there and transfer to the Saadat Shahr city. After that we will go to the village and check into the guest house and then walking around the village and we have rural sightseeing there. We have traditional food and overnight stay at the guest house.(B,-)

Day 11: Persepolis & Shiraz

Early Morning wake up and after breakfast we drive to Persepolis, we have one full day tour and we will visit Perspolis, Naghshe Rostam and Naghshe Rajab. After sightseeing tour drive to Shiraz and check in at hotel. For the night we have night walking in downtown (B).

Day 12: Shiraz sightseeing tour

Full day exploring Shiraz including visiting Vakil bazaar, Tomb of Hafez. Lunch at local restaurant after lunch, visiting Nasir-Al-Molk Mosque, Naarenjestan Garden, Ali Hamzeh Shrine. Overnight at the same Hotel. (B)

Day 13: Fly Tehran

we will fly to Tehran and transfer to the hotel. Half day Tehran city tour and for the night we will go to the traditional restaurant. Overnight at hotel in Tehran.(B, D)