8 Days

Duration

Moderate

Activity Level

Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov

Best Months

Trekking & Hiking

Activities

Adventure Travel

Travel Styles

A desert trip to central Iran and explore the Iranian desert of Dasht-e Kavir alongside a desert trekking and camping

TOUR CODE

068-STN-TRK

START

Tehran

FINISH

Tehran or Yazd

REGION(S)

Dasht-e Kavir (Iran Central Desert)

INCLUDED

MEALS: 6 Breakfasts, 4 Lunches, 3 Dinners
ACCOMMODATIONS: Hotel: 1 Night, Camp: 2 Nights, Guesthouse: 2 Nights
TRANSPORTATION: 4WD, Private vehicle, Bus
All transportation according to the itinerary Accommodation as mentioned in the itinerary Meals as indicated in the itinerary English speaking tour guide Backpack handling by Mules/Horses (limited to 15kg per person)

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

3 days trekking more than 70 km, passing through many villages and oases
An epic passage through Iran’s Central Desert following part of the historical “silk road“
Visiting Naiin, Anarak and Meybod towns
Explore elegant historical villages such as Kharanagh, Anarak, Mesr
Passing many quintessential oases on the trek like Farahzad, Aroosan, Koreh gaz

Alfons Gabriel (1894 – 1976)

was an Austrian geographer and travel writer who made several trips to the deserts of Iran, during 1927-8, 1933, and 1937. Gabriel wrote five books about his trips and findings. His book Durch Persiens Wüsten (1935) is translated into Persian. On his second trip to Iran in 1933 he crossed Dasht-e Kavir and discovered the flagstones road belonged to the times of Shah Abbas, the Safavid King. He made the third trip to Iran in 1937 and crossed the southern part of Dasht-e Lut. There is not many pictures left from Gabriel but it is said that one of them taken with his wife in front of their tent belongs to the Aroosan village (this picture can be found on our website) in the Central Desert of Iran which you will visit in this tour. Gabriel has said lots of beautiful things about this village in his books.

We will visit some of the villages and small towns including the villages of Mesr, Farahzad, Aroosaan, Iraaj, Kharanagh, Anarak, Nain and Meybod each with something interesting to offer. If possible, it is worth stopping in these villages in order to taste some of their local food offerings. We will also visit a Zoroastrian fire temple in the historical town of Meybod.

We will have 3 days walking for more than 70 km covering a variety of terrains including oasis, mountain slopes, heavily weathered rock formations, sand dunes, salt dunes and other large scale crystalline formations.

This combination of desert trekking, local cuisine and open air desert camps combine to create an epic and unforgettable atmosphere that will help one imagine ancient travelers with their caravans of merchandise crossing the desert on the Silk Road. At the end of the trip we will explore Yazd city a sample of an ancient town on the Silk road.

This tour has been designed for people who like having a special desert trekking in the remote non-touristic areas of Iran Central desert. In this package we visit some oases and special landscapes which enables trekkers to escape modern life for a couple of days and disconnect with civilization. For 3 days we will have desert trekking tour staying one night in an oasis and two nights in the camp in the heart of Central Desert.

Alfons Gabriel (1894 – 1976)
was an Austrian geographer and travel writer who made several trips to the deserts of Iran, during 1927-8, 1933, and 1937. Gabriel wrote five books about his trips and findings. His book Durch Persiens Wüsten (1935) is translated into Persian. On his second trip to Iran in 1933 he crossed Dasht-e Kavir and discovered the flagstones road belonged to the times of Shah Abbas, the Safavid King. He made the third trip to Iran in 1937 and crossed the southern part of Dasht-e Lut. There is not many pictures left from Gabriel but it is said that one of them taken with his wife in front of their tent belongs to the Aroosan village (this picture can be found on our website) in the Central Desert of Iran which you will visit in this tour. Gabriel has said lots of beautiful things about this village in his books.
We will visit some of the villages and small towns including the villages of Mesr, Farahzad, Aroosaan, Iraaj, Kharanagh, Anarak, Nain and Meybod each with something interesting to offer. If possible, it is worth stopping in these villages in order to taste some of their local food offerings. We will also visit a Zoroastrian fire temple in the historical town of Meybod.
We will have 3 days walking for more than 70 km covering a variety of terrains including oasis, mountain slopes, heavily weathered rock formations, sand dunes, salt dunes and other large scale crystalline formations.
This combination of desert trekking, local cuisine and open air desert camps combine to create an epic and unforgettable atmosphere that will help one imagine ancient travelers with their caravans of merchandise crossing the desert on the Silk Road. At the end of the trip we will explore Yazd city a sample of an ancient town on the Silk road.

Day 1: Arrival in Tehran & check in

Depending on arrival time, you will check in to the hotel in Tehran. Overnight stay at your hotel.

Day 2: Free time in Tehran – Departure would be late in the evening by night bus to Na’in

The second day will be free. According to our experience, most travelers arrive late night with different airlines. Sometimes many of them arrive around midnight and would need to sleep well before starting the journey. You can relax in your hotel after your flight or if you have arrived earlier you have the option of leaving your luggage in our city center office and explore the capital city by yourself. Check out time would be at noon. In the evening we have a short briefing in order to give you the necessary information and having a chat about the journey. Around 11 pm you will be transferred to the bus terminal. The night VIP bus ticket to Na’in is prepared and the driver will drop you off at the bus terminal. The bus leaves Tehran around midnight (480 Km). Overnight stay in the comfortable night bus. (B)

Day 3: Drive to Central desert (Farahzad oasis) - Exploring Na’in and Anarak

You will arrive around 6-7 A.M to the historic city of Na’in. Our driver will pick you up from the bus terminal and will drive to a restaurant for breakfast. Your one day exploring starts from this old town towards the Central Desert. We will visit a historic mosque, anthropology museum and Narin castle. After Na’in, we will leave for Anarak town which is located at the starting point of Iran Central Desert. In Anarak there is a 120 years old caravanserai which has been renovated as a hotel/guest house which would be the place of our lunch. Then we will proceed in the late afternoon to Farahzad oasis where we will spend the night in a local house enjoying a friendly and family style hospitality for the evening. (B, L, D).

Day 4: The Sand dune & Mountain Formations

6.00 AM Rise, breakfast and off into the sand dune. After about 3-4 hours of hiking we will get to a stunning area of mountain and desert. The area is about 30 Km and is a superb subject for photography and just wandering through in all directions. We will give you plenty of time to wander around and enjoy this special place. We will continue heading east going through the rest of the trek and will camp in the area for the night. {Camp 2} (B, L, D)

Day 5: Aroosan oasis

Our usual 6.00 a.m. rise. Another hiking day towards the small and beautiful oasis of Aroosan. We will pass beautiful different landscapes. On the way we stop for the lunch. We will arrive in the afternoon and we will spend some time walking in the small village of Aroosaan. It is a small oasis village with old buildings, spring drinking water, garden and we will spend the night with the villagers and enjoy the silence of the oasis. {Camp 3} (B, L, D)

Day 6: Koreh Gaz oasis & 4×4 driving to Khur – Drive to Yazd (Chak Chak & Kharanagh)

Today we wake up at 8.00 A.M and after breakfast will continue our journey through the desert landscape. Today we are going to have half day walking (12 km). In the noon time we will arrive at an old and abandoned desert oasis by the name of Mohamad-Aabaad-e Kooreh gaz (Mohammad Aabaad the potter). Then 4×4 desert off-road through flat desert. The place is a flat area and you cannot recognize the direction. We arrive Khur around noon time and then will drive to Yazd. Lunch will be served on the road and before reaching to Yazd we will visit Kharanagh historic village and Chak Chak fire temple (the world’s Zoroastrian halidom) and the old city of Meybod. In Meybod we will visit the 16th Century Marian Qal-eh, the Narin castle complex, caravanserai, post house, water reservoir, ice house and storage center and also some old handicraft shops run by local people making fabrics and clays. Finally we will drive to Yazd historic city. We will be there around late afternoon. (B, L)

Day 7: Yazd city tour

At 8 AM, there will be a meeting between you and your tour guide after breakfast in the lobby. You will have a full day sightseeing tour in Yazd visiting most of touristic attractions such as Zoroastrian site of Dakhmeh (Old cemetery & tower of silence), the Fire temple, Amir Chakhmagh complex and the main grand mosque next to bazaar. Before leaving for Tehran by night bus or train we will visit Rokn-al Din Shrine and the old prison named after Alexander Prison. Overnight on the way to Tehran in bus or train (B).