14 Day Iran Tour Witness to the Grandeur

Upon your arrival, you will be cordially met and transferred to your hotel. You will have time to rest before our morning tour of Tehran starts. It includes Golestan Palace (an artistic masterpiece belonging to the Qajar era); National Museum of Iran (which shows relics from the sixth thousand years B.C. till the Islamic period); Glass and Ceramics Museum (a remarkable place with eye-catching decoration); and possibly Treasury of National Jewelry Museum (which holds one of the world’s most precious jewelry collection).

Our plan for today is driving from Tehran to Anzali (364 km) through the Caspian coastal cities to delight in the prospects of the mountains and the sea. (You will see the two distinctive appearances of nature: the semi-arid southern slopes and the humid northern slopes).

On the way, we are going to visit Gilan Rural Heritage Museum, an open air museum displaying the rural civilization and culture of people of the north of Iran. Next, we visit the authentic mountain village Masouleh (in which the tops of houses on lower levels are utilized as yards for houses on the levels above them).

In the morning we’ll start our full-day city tour of Hamadan which includes: Today will be: the Alavids Dome, (a post-Islamic masterpiece of architecture with exquisite brick panels and carved stucco); Tomb of Esther and Mordecai (the most significant pilgrimage site for Jewish community in Iran); and the Tomb of Avicenna (the well-known Persian philosopher and physician).

We’ll end our city tour with a visit to the marvelous Ganjnameh, (remarkable inscriptions carved in three different languages: Old Persian, Babylonian, and Elamite).

We are going to drive to Kermanshah (160km) aiming at visiting two major sites on the way. After visiting the Anahita Temple in Kangavar, we are going to visit the Behistun inscription, (one of the most remarkable sites of Iran situated 30km east of Kermanshah).

It is cut on a cliff at a height of 100m and dates back to the Achaemenid period. (This stunning inscription is a cuneiform text of 400 lines in three ancient languages: Old Persian, Elamite, and Babylonian). We then continue our trip arriving in Kermanshah in the afternoon.

Today we drive to Ahvaz via Khorramabad (550 km) to take a glance at the ancient Falak-ol-Aflak Castle, a magnificent over 1,800-year-old castle with 8 towers and 22.5 meters high walls constructed in the 3^rd century A.D. Due to its location on the top of a large hill, you are able to see scenic views of the city from the walls of this massive fortress. The castle used to have twelve towers, but only eight of which is surviving today. After visiting the castle we continue our journey arriving in Ahvaz in the late afternoon.

The highlights of today’s tour will be a visit to three World Cultural Heritages: Susa, one of the most astounding cities of the Mesopotamia where you have a chance to visit the remaining parts of monuments from 5000 years ago (Elamite kingdom), and the enigmatic Tomb of Daniel (the burial place of the biblical prophet); moving to Shushtar City, you will visit Choghazanbil ziggurat an ancient Elamite complex on the way; At the end, you will visit Shushtar historical Hydraulic System (an intricate irrigation system).

On this day we’ll start our trip through different climates and landscapes. Our journey starts from 60 meters above sea level and proceeds to an elevation of 1,600 meters! Driving from Ahvaz to Shiraz (563 km) we will visit, on the way, the Bishapur City (a well-known historical city which is famous for its significant bas-reliefs) and the Anahita Temple, the name of which comes from Anahita (goddess of water).

A short walk around Bishapur, the rocky walls here hold six astonishing bas-reliefs cut out of limestone. We arrive to Shiraz at night.

Today sightseeing of Shiraz will begin with a tour of the old town which includes the colorful Nasir Almolk Mosque with its unique stained-glass windows; Arg-e Karim Khan (a citadel built during the Zand dynasty as part of a complex); Vakil Mosque; and the eye-catching Narenjestan. Next, we are going to visit the Tomb of Hafez, one of the most famous Persian poets.

We then take a look at the Shah Cheragh Shrine (a highly respectable and peaceful place with a serene atmosphere to get a look at Iranian Shia holy shrines).

We are going to drive to Yazd visiting three outstanding attractions on the way. We have an opportunity to visit the UNESCO World Heritage site Persepolis.

It consists of a large number of monuments built on a massive terrace made by leveling a rough part of the mountain. Next we move to Naqsh-e Rustam, a necropolis which holds four tombs belonging to Achaemenid kings.

The last major site is Pasargadae, which is home to the Tomb of Cyrus the Great (the founder of Achaemenid Empire). We’ll arrive in Yazd in the evening.

In the morning, we stroll through the old town with its narrow streets where we aim at starting our full-day city tour of Yazd.

It includes: the Jameh Mosque with the highest minarets in Iran; magnificent Water Museum (where you have a chance to see the models of underground water channels through which water enters the city’s reservoirs); Dolat Abad Garden with its largest urban windcatcher; Zoroastrian Fire Temple which holds a 1500-year-old fire (Eternal Flame); and Towers of Silence (used for Zoroastrian funeral customs in the past).

Today, we will be on the way to Isfahan (350 km), having an opportunity to look at Jame Mosque in Nain, one of the oldest mosques of Persian Islamic architecture. Our city tour of Isfahan will start upon our arrival in the afternoon which includes: the Jame Mosque (a magnificent masterpiece of Iranian Architecture built step by step during 12 centuries), and the Vank Cathedral (where you have an opportunity to see the synthesis of Islamic architecture and Christian themes). In the evening we are going to walk through the historical bridges.

Our full-day tour in Isfahan includes visiting a number of UNESCO World Heritage sites: the enormous Naqshe-Jahan square; the especially delicate Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque; the Imam Mosque (one of the best examples of the colorful architecture); the elegantly decorated Ali Qapu Palace; and the well-known Bazaar where you see the arts & crafts products.

Next we’ll visit Chehel Sotoun Palace and Garden (the best sample of Islamic Persian painting). The Life-style delineated in these works of art is distinctive with the genuine state of society in that period.

In the morning we are going to drive to Tehran (520 km) aiming at visiting Abyaneh and Kashan on the way. Surrounded by mountains on four sides, Abyaneh is a village of living traditions and architectural styles.

Next, we make a few stops in Kashan to see some historical houses showing the characteristics of traditional Persian residential architecture (for example, Borujerdis House, Ameri House, and Abbasi House), followed by a visit to the glorious Agha Bozorg Mosque.

We then visit the well-known Fin Garden before leaving the city to Tehran.

The last day of our tour is devoted to some other major spots in Tehran. We’ll begin our day with a visit to the Sa’dabad Complex. Located in the scenic foothills of Darband and Tochal this historical and cultural Complex holds 18 palaces and palace museums.

Next, we’ll visit the awe-inspiring complex of Niavaran (the buildings of which belong to the Qajar and the Pahlavi periods). We’ll end our tour with a visit to the Carpet Museum (showing a number of carpet masterpieces of the world). You are then taken to the airport for departure.