Duration

13 Days

Activity Level

Moderate

Best Months

Apr, May, Oct, Nov

Travel Styles

Adventure Travel

Iran biking holidays to visit the main highlights of Iran and crossing Dasht-e Kavir desert in central Iran

TOUR CODE

093-STN-BIK

START

Tehran

FINISH

Tehran

REGION(S)

Central Iran & desert (Dasht-e Kavir)

INCLUDED

MEALS: 12 Breakfasts, 12 Lunches, 12 Dinners
ACCOMMODATIONS: Hotel: 5 Nights, Camp: 2 Nights, Guesthouse: 3 Nights, Caravanserai: 2 Nights
TRANSPORTATION: Private vehicle, Support 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

7 Days Biking in central Iran and the desert (350 km)
passing through many villages and oases with mountain bike and connecting with the locals
An epic passage through Iran’s Central Desert following part of the historical “silk road”
Tehran city tour
Exploring elegant historic villages such as Garmeh, Iraaj, Bayazeh
Passing many oases on the route like Mesr, Farahzad, Aroosan and Koreh gaz,
One day Yazd sightseeing tour
Isfahan city tour

The tour package is covers 350 km biking in central Iran mostly in desert regions plus visiting the three main touristic cities of Tehran, Yazd and Isfahan which is located in Iran classic route. There are two UNESCO world heritage sites in Isfahan, a lot of interesting places in Yazd and on the road as well. The biking route is part of Silk Road which designed to disconnect you from normal life and takes you to the remote areas in heart of Iran desert with different landscapes. We will come across various mountain slopes, dried-up rivers as well as the magical desert with its different colors and formations put together will make this journey that much more enjoyable. This biking route is designed to take you to the remote area via back roads, by connecting different villages and small towns. The terrain is a mixture of paved roads and dirt roads. The most parts of the biking route are flat but sometimes for having the best view and visibility we will go on the sand dunes in the desert. Also, we will cross a few villages and oases on the way. There are some semi wild like camels, rabbits, foxes and goat living in the desert and sometimes we will encounter them.
The crew of professional desert driver with vehicle will support us and an expert English speaking MTB guide would be with the group during your biking tour in the field.
The journey will start from Tehran IKA airport and from there you will be transferred to Mehr Abad domestic airport to fly to Yazd. There will be 7 days of biking between two cities of Yazd and Isfahan in central Iran. After visiting Isfahan, we will fly to Tehran and finishing the tour with visiting the Capital.

Day 1: Arrival to Tehran IKA airport - Flight to Yazd

Upon arrival in IKA international airport in Tehran, you will be met at the airport and a representative will greet you and transfer to Mehr Abad airport to catch the domestic flight to Yazd at 18:55 with Aseman airline. In Yazd airport an Adventure Iran representative pick you up and send you to a comfortable hotel. Check-in to your hotel. After having traditional dinner, in the evening you have a session with your mountain bike guide to discuss the tour ahead, with a short briefing to give you the necessary information, checking your equipment and having a chat about the journey. Overnight stay at hotel. (L, D)

Day 2: Yazd city tour

After breakfast you will have a full day sightseeing tour in Yazd visiting most touristic attractions such as important Zoroastrian sites of Dakhmeh (Old cemetery & tower of silence), the Fire temple, Amir Chakhmagh complex and the main Grand Mosque next to bazaar. Next comes Rokn-o- din Shrine and the old prison named after Alexander Prison. We stay one more night in the traditional hotel in Yazd. (B, L, D)

Day 3: Drive to Yazd - Biking Tut to Zarrin - (1st day biking)

After having breakfast in early morning we will drive to Tut which is starting point of the first day biking. En route we will stop to see the historical village of Kharanaq and Chak Chak Zoroastrian fire temple between two mountains. The biking will start immediately after arriving. We will commence from Tut village to the small village of Zarrin. That is the first day of our one week biking in central Iran and desert. The road is paved mainly descending and we will be passing through beautiful sharp and rocky mountains which have magically grown from the ground. We will have our picnic lunch with us and will stop in a good place for lunch, photography and rest. We will finish our biking in Zarrin village. We will make a camp somewhere around the village and the crew will prepare the dinner for us. Overnight stay in tent. (B, L, D)

Day 4: From Zarrin to Haji Abad - (2nd day biking)

After breakfast in the camp we will prepare the bike to start second biking day. Today’s road is paved and it’s mainly flat. We will cross through mountains and flat desert with a lot of sand in both sides of the road. Like yesterday. it’s a remote back road and they are a limited local cars passing from this road and we have amazing biking there. We will stop in some places for photography and rest and also for our picnic lunch as well. We will reach to another village called Haji Abaad by the late afternoon. We will make another camp nearby the village and preparing picnic dinner for amazing night in the desert. Overnight we will stay at the tent. (B, L, D)

Day 5: From Haji Abad to Bayazeh -(3rd day biking)

We will wake up at 6 AM and after breakfast in the camp we will fix the bikes to start biking towards Bayazeh village. The terrain is a paved road with very little cars passing through. Recently they made the pavement to connect villages in the desert. The beginning of the road we will cross through flat desert and later we will ascend from 900m for 1350m of altitude. Afterwards we will see many mountains with different colors which we will cross through it. We will continue from the pass with descending (1350 m) to 900 m towards Bayazeh village. Bayazeh is another historical village surrounded by palm trees Inside of the village. There is a huge historical castle of Bayazeh which goes back to thousand years ago during the Sasanian period. The ancient castle has 700 rooms with different floors and its one of the main attractions of the region. There is a traditional hotel near by the town which is a good place of accommodation after three days biking. After check in to the hotel we will have walking tour in the village as well as visiting the Castle of Bayazeh. Afterward back to the hotel for dinner. Overnight we will stay in the private rooms in hotel. (B, L, D)

Day 6: Village cycling –Bayaaze, Mehre-Jaan, Garmeh, Iraaj - Arousan- (4th day biking)

After three days tight biking in heart of the desert today we will wake up at 8.00 A.M. After breakfast in the restaurant of the hotel we have one day village exploring with bikes to see the life style of the locals and their customs. We will be on a paved road in the back roads though the villages. These local desert roads are isolated with little traffic. The cycling will continue toward another small village in the vast desert called Mehre-Jaan. From there continue cycling towards Garmeh village and we will explore the village and water spring where you can still find fish in it. Then continue biking towards another historical village of Iraaj. The village has kept its old style architecture and characteristic. Depending on the month and the season you are visiting, there are different kinds of fruits grown such as Pistachio, Almond, Hazelnut, Pomegranate, Fig, Date, Apple, Potato, Orange, Cherry, Sunflower, Plums, Peaches, Turnip and so on. It’s a little hard to believe that in a village inside the desert has a large source of water that feeds the garden through underwater Qanat (Underground channel or tunnel constructed to lead the water). Another attraction of this village is the remainders of an old castle on top of the village which is an 800 years old Cypress tree in the center of the village. After visiting this village we will continue biking towards Bayazeh and we will stay one more night there.

Day 7: Drive to Salt lake and Khur- biking to Koreh Gaz - (5th day biking)

6.00 A.M wake up and breakfast, our vehicle will give us a ride to the dry Salt lake. The drive will consist of 85 km, to see different shapes and forms of the desert. Then drive to Khur town which is the starting point of the second part of our biking through dirt road in heart of the desert. Today we will see a different type of flat desert with a different formation “white & milky salt lake”. The place is a flat area and you cannot recognize the direction. On the way we stop in some interesting place to rest and take do some photography. We will hit the road biking towards Koreh Gaz oasis in north direction which is a small and hidden oasis in middle of the mountains and deserts. In the oasis there are a couple of local houses and we will stay in one of them that renovated by local and would be our sojourn of this night. We will have traditional dinner prepared by locals. We will make fire spending some time around it. Overnight we stay the house. (B, L, D)

Day 8: Koreh Gaz to Aroosan and Farahzad oases - (6th day biking)

You will start biking after early breakfast. Today continue biking through the mountains and sand dunes which is totally off the beaten path towards Farahzad oasis. Also we will pass by a couple of oases on the way. The beginning half of the road is dirt. The first stop is Arossan oasis. The oasis is surrounded by palm trees and there are some agriculture and spring water located in the vicinity. There are couples of old people living there and a good place to stop and take some photography. Then continue biking towards Mesr. This path will take you to foothills of a desert mountain range and will cross a few dried rivers that might still have some water flow. We will see more desert flora in the form of small trees and bushes on mountain slopes. There are also seasonal flowing rivers, occasionally quite vigorous. We will stop by an old underground water reservoir for our picnic lunch and continue paddling to the paved road and from there continue biking to Mesr and finally we will reach Farahzad oasis by the late afternoon. In the oasis there is a traditional guest house and we will check-in when we arrived and we have facility for shower and rest. After a short rest, we will watch the sunset in the heart of the desert. Local dinner will be served in the guest house while enjoying the beauty of the desert sky. Overnight stay in guest house.(B, L, D)

Day 9: Farahzad to Jandagh - (7th day biking)

We have breakfast and we will start the last day of biking from Farahzad to Jandag town. The most part of the road is dirt road and we have ascending in the beginning around 300 m of altitude. The remainder of the way we will descend around 200m. We will have our pre-packed lunch on the way. The paddling will continue till the late afternoon which is we arrive to Jandag old town. We will stay in a traditional house and the crew will help to collect and unload the bikes after check in to the guest house. The dinner will be served by a local in the house and we will accommodate the night in private room in the guest house. (B, L, D).

Day 10: Drive to Isfahan via the spots

You will have breakfast in the traditional guest house. Then we will drive to Isfahan (Kuhpa caravanserai) which is 290 km. Today we have one sightseeing tour en route to Isfahan. There are a couple of sites to visit. First we will visit the city of Anarak. We will have walking sightseeing in the town to see the old houses and the museum. Then we will hike up to the tower (viewpoint) and from there we have wonderful view of the town takes photos and back to the town. Then we will drive to historical city of Nain. We will have lunch in traditional restaurant and then we will visit one the oldest mosque of Iran. Also there is a museum of Anthropology which we spend time for visit. Afterward we will go to visit local handicraft shops and workshop. After finishing the sightseeing we will drive to Kuhpayeh town which is situated about 70 Km away from east Isfahan. In Kuhpayeh you will stay in a 400 years old historic caravanserai (Kuhpa) that is belonging to Safavi period. The caravanserai has been renovated beautifully as lodging for tourist and we arrange to have unforgettable staying with the warm local hospitality of the locals. Check in to the caravanserai and having rest. In the afternoon we considered an exploring activity to visit the neighboring villages of Kuhpayeh as well as Qehi’s historical village, which will start at 14:00. On this short trip, we will provide you a local guide that will lead you for the excursion. You will visit the historic villages of Qehi and beyond. The castle (Kheir Abad) is in a picturesque location ideal for taking photos. We will also spend some time for roaming in the village of Qehi. The houses, mosque and its underground water “Qanat“ are the highlights of the village. You will be back to the caravanserai in the late afternoon. Afterwards you will have dinner in the restaurant of the caravanserai which is serving local fresh meals. Overnight you will stay in the private room with the traditional Persian style sleeping arrangement in the caravanserai. (B, L ,D)

Day 11: Esfahan exploring

After breakfast in early morning, we will drive to Esfahan which takes one hour (90 km). We are going to start our city tour visiting Naqshe Jahan Square, Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, Imam Mosque and Aali Qapu Building. All these sites are in the UNESCO’s world heritage area. Around the Naqshe Jahan Square there are many shops selling Esfahan’s beautiful handicrafts so it would be a great opportunity for those who wish to buy some of them. We will have lunch in a traditional restaurant and then continue towards south of the city to visit Chehel Sotun (Forty Pillar) and Hasht Behest (Eight Heaven) building. Later we will go to visit Zayandeh Roud (Zayandeh River) where we will also visit two of Iran’s historic bridges Siose Pol (33 Bridge) and Pole Khajoo (Khajoo Bridge). Zayandeh Roud is an ideal place to take some photos in the river’s sunset along with the two bridges. We will be back in the caravanserai. Overnight stay at Kuhpa Caravanserai. (B)

Day 12: Fly to Tehran

We will leave the caravanserai early in the morning before breakfast. And get transported to the ISF Isfahan airport. Your flight departure is at 07:15 AM to Tehran IKA airport. We will have Tehran sightseeing and city tour. We spend all day visiting the capital attractions. Before noon we will visit the Golestan Palace and Grand Bazar. For the lunch we will go to a traditional restaurant and afterward we will visit National Museum of Iran. In the late afternoon we will go to Artists Park (Park-e Honar Mandan), Which is attractions depending on your interest. We will spend a couple of hours there. Most of the times there is painting and photography Show/exhibition inside the park as well as a theatre and cinema hall. Also, there are a few good coffee shops for refreshment. You will be able to spend some time walking around the park and we have dinner in the restaurant. In the Evening we will back to the hotel. Overnight in Tehran. (B)