Iranian Turkmen Tribes and Golestan Photography Tour

Duration

9 Days

Activity Level

Moderate

Best Months

Mar, Apr, May, Sep, Oct, Nov

Activities

Photography, Multi-Activity

Travel Styles

Off the Beaten Track, Local Experience

Exclusive photography tour to cover the amazing landscape of Golestan province and People photography of Iranian Turkmen tribes in the south of Turkmenistan

TOUR CODE

158-STN-MLT

START

Tehran

FINISH

Tehran

REGION(S)

Gorgan Province (North East of Iran)

INCLUDED

MEALS: 8 Breakfasts, 5 Lunches, 5 Dinners
ACCOMMODATIONS: Hotel: 2 Nights, Train: 2, Local House: 2 Nights, Guesthouse: 2 Nights
TRANSPORTATION: Night train, 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

Turkmen Plain landscape photography
Khalid Nabi historical cemetery Scenery
Exploring the Off the Beaten Track of Golestan Province
Visting lifestyle of the remaining nomadic tribes of Iranian Turkmen
Portrait photography of different ethnics of people in the northeast of Iran
Experience of traveling by train north of the Trans-Iranian Railway (UNESCO)
Spectacular landscape view of Golestan National Park and the villages around
Visit Gonbad-e Qabus, the tallest brick tower in the world (UNESCO)
Experience of staying in Gareh Oee “the traditional Turkmen Yurt in central Asia”
Visiting Baluchis, Kazakh (Qazaq), Qizilbash, and Turkmen tribes

Turkmen Sahra “Turkmen plain” is a region in the Golestan province located between the northern part of Eastern Alborz Mountains and the southwestern part of Turkmenistan country. Turkmen Sahra is one of the unexplored regions of Iran with a lot of new experiences for adventurous travelers who would like to discover Off the Beaten Path of countries. As still it’s not a touristic destination, you could see authentic tribes living in a remote area of the northern part of Iran which is very interesting for those who travel to the remote area. The region was a part of the ancients Silk Road and there are a few caravanserais left at this destination. Every night, we have access to electricity for charging your camera’s battery and you only need to take a couple of extra batteries for your daily photography. The vehicle would be along with you during the trip and if you prefer to take a tripod for your landscape photographs, it’s easy to handle it. In a few areas, you have a short walk in the mountain, and it’s not a long-distance walk for this trip. For more information please check the Photographic journey to Turkmen regions of Iran in Golestan province post and our PHOTO GALLERY of this trip which is taken with different photographers.

This photo adventure tour is proper for any photographer who is interested in landscape and portrait photography in the non-touristy region of Iran. The trip is designed for travelers who have limited time and it’s a very intensive and short trip for this region. In total you will be 5 days in the region and the rest is spent to reach the destination. The region is Turkmen Sahra which is the Iranian Turkmen region in Golestan province which is located in the northeast of the country. You will start your trip from the capital and you travel to Gorgan city “the capital province” with a night train. You will explore 4 different tribal regions of Turkmen in the rural districted area which is very special for landscape, portrait, and lifestyle photography. The accommodation would be a combination of the Turkmen Yurt, traditional guest house, local homestay, and hotel in Tehran. You will also visit the Turkmen’s famous horses and the people who are involved in the horse industry in Turkmen Sahra. We marked the best photography spots in Golestan for this trip and the focus of this trip would be only on the subject for photographers. The best photography travel time is spring and autumn. For the rest of the year, the color of nature changes, and the temperature is not pleasant for traveling.

Day 1:Arrival in Tehran

An Adventure Iran representative pick you up from the IKA airport and transfer you to your hotel in Tehran downtown. (-,-,-)

Day 2: Night Train to Golestan

You will be free in the hotel and in the evening you will travel to Golestan by night train. Overnight stay in a private compartment. (B,-,-)

Day 3: Northern tribe

You will arrive early morning by train and we will transfer you towards the northern part of Golestan province to explore the very remote area and the tribes living in the plain. Today photography would be mostly landscape and in a couple of regions, we will stop for who would like to take portrait photography. Overnight stay in a traditional Turkmen Yurt. (B, L, D)

Day 4: Border villages

Our plan for today is to visit special remote villages around Turkmenistan borders and the rural area. In each village, we will spend a good time getting in touch with locals and it would be perfect for people and lifestyle photography. We also cover good spots for landscape on our amazing road towards the destination. Overnight stay in a local house in the touristic village of Ziarat. (B, L, D)

Day 5: Golestan National Park

We will have a long drive towards the villages around the Golestan National Park and you will pass through amazing landscape enabling you to take the best colorful landscape photos of your trip. The terrain would be a combination of the mountains, forest, and plain in different regions. In the end, we will reach the spectacular villages located in the highlands of the park, which would be perfect for getting in touch with locals and photography of different Turkmen tribes who live in the mountain. Overnight stay in a traditional guest house in the village. (B, L, D)

Day 6: Hyrcanian Forest (UNESCO)

Today we will explore the villages around the park and it would be the best time for walking in the villages and socializing with locals. Afterward, we will drive to low land and enter to Hyrcanian forest. Overnight stay in a traditional guest house in a small town. (B, L, D)

Day 7: Gonbad Kavus (UNESCO) - Train to Tehran

We will visit one of the oldest cities of Golestan and Gonbad-e Qabus Tower in the town which is registered on the UNESCO list in 2012. Afterward, we continue our trip through the detour to visit other tribes of Turkmen in the central part of the province. In the evening we will drive to Gorgan to take the night train to travel back to Tehran. Overnight stay in a private compartment on the train. (B, L, D)

Day 8: Tehran city tour

You will arrive in Tehran in the morning. Check in to the hotel and after a short rest, you will have an optional city tour of Tehran. Overnight stay in a hotel in Tehran. (B, -, -)

Note: On this day, will book your hotel from the night before to be able to check in the early morning of day 10

Day 9: Departure

According to the flight time, we will transfer you to the IKA airport to fly back home. (B, -, -)

For a full detailed itinerary, please contact us.

This trip in not include historical and touristic parts of this region in Golestan province. If you would like to explore the other attractions of the Turkmen region along with photography, we have to customize your trip according to the duration of your trip and the travel time. Please get in touch.
If you would like to extend your photography trip to discover another region, North Khorasan province would be the best extension which is attached to Golestan on the eastern side.
If you are interested in this trip you have to book your trip in advance as we have to buy your train tickets in advance.