Upon your pre-dawn arrival in Tehran airport, you will be cordially received by our representative carrying our logo show card (transfer information) who will direct you for transfer to your hotel. You will have time to rest and relax before our morning tour of Tehran commences.
Tehran, a modern megalopolis,
prides itself in having unique museums with immense and unrivaled
collections and artifacts dating from the earliest onset of history to the
present era.
our tour begins with a trip to
the Archeological Museum, one of the rare places in the world where we will
have the special opportunity of visiting and experiencing the �evolution of
mankind� through the marvelous display of historical relics.
Next on the agenda is our very
much-awaited chance to savor the distinctive flavor of Iranian cuisine.
Lunch will be set in an exquisite traditional Iranian restaurant where we
will sample a wide range of delightful Persian dishes and desserts.
Afterwards, we will visit
a world of jewels in a priceless Crown Jewels Museum one of which is one of
the two greatest diamonds, Darya-e-Noor (sea of light).
At the end of the day, we will
get a chance to see a variety of Persian hand-woven carpets and rugs in the
Carpet Museum which houses more than 100 spectacular pieces from all over
Iran. On top of that, we will also be given an insight into the history of
these carpets. Stay overnight in Tehran.
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Day 2: Tehran, Fly To Shiraz
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A morning visit to Sa'ad Abad
Complex with an immense 1,100,000 square meters and 18 magnificent historical palaces
(2 of which we will visit)
will undoubtedly leave a lasting impression on us.
Subsequently, we will be
acquainted with the world of Iranian arts with a trip to the Reza Abasi
Museum which boasts a diverse collection of different art forms.
our Tehran excursion will end at the Ceramic
Museum where we will be able to witness its construction with glorious
ancient archaeology. Afterwards, we will be transported to the airport for
an hour flight to Shiraz. This is followed by a transfer to our hotel in
Shiraz and en route we will be able to see the Shah-Cheragh (King of the
Light) shrine from outside. Stay overnight in Shiraz.
Shiraz
is crowned as the heartland of Persian culture and this city of
sophistication will never fail to conjure up images of roses and
nightingales, gardens and poetry. This gorgeous city in the province of Fars
is home to famous poets such as Hafez and Sa'adi and historical sites from
different eras stretching back 6,000 years ago can be found there.
Early in the morning, relish in
the highlights of Shiraz when it was the capital of Iran during the Zand
Dynasty. Be inspired by the glorious Karim Khan palace, the splendid Vakil
mosque, Vakil Bazaar and Saray-e-moshir with its splendid architecture and
interesting ethnic souvenir shops, Nasir Almolk mosque.
Next, we will stop for a
mouth-watering Iranian lunch at one of the traditional restaurants of Shiraz.
In the evening, we will visit
Ali-Ebn-e-Hamzeh and be prepared to marvel at its beauties. Take a stroll
through Jahan Nama Garden and witness its tall and proud cedars.
Not forgetting the two famous
Persian poets, hafez and Sa'adi, whose mysterious poems are everlasting in
the Persian language we will get a chance to pay homage to their tombs.
Finally visit Delgosha Garden
and Khajoy-e-Kermani tomb from where the perspective of the mysterious city
of Shiraz will perpetuate in our mind.At night have dinner in a restaurant with specific atmosphere in the north of Shiraz. Stay overnight in shiraz.
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Day 4: An Excursion To Persepolis
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Be
prepared to be inspired by the magnificence of Persepolis. This gem of
ancient Persia which dates back 2530 years ago is the result of the
exquisite works of a conglomeration of fine artists and architects from
various nations under the Archaemenid Empire.
Next, we will visit Koh-e-Rahmat
which is sided east of Persepolis and considered as a sacred mountain in
ancient Persia.
Followed by Necropolis where we
will marvel at the massive tombs of Old Persian kings. Necropolis is a
collection of a variety of awe-inspiring historical relics from different
pre-Islamic eras. Be free at leisure in the evening. Stay overnight in Shiraz.
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Day 5: Drive To Zeinoddin
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Depart by surface to Zeinoddin. On the way we will have short stops in Pasargadae
to visit the most important monument there which is undoubtedly the tomb of
Cyrus the Great, the originator of the greatest emperorship 500 years AD.
Also we will visit the bas relief of the Winged Man and get familiar with its
historical elucidations.
Then head to Abarqu to visit its traditional cisterns, ice-stories and 4500
year old cypress tree. Old trees in Iran are symbol of eternity, so people consider them as mediums between God and themselves. People aspire in their heart and fasten pieces to its branches. Then drive to Zeinoddin, a Safavid Caravanserai that is restored in the best way possible
and got 2 awards from UNESCO in 2005 and 2006. we will enjoy its calming
atmosphere in the middle of the desert with its shining stars blinking.
Stay overnight in Zeinoddin.
Drive to yazd for 65 Kms.
Yazd, the oldest adobe city in the world, is surrounded by the 4000m
summit of Shirkooh and two majestic deserts of Iran, Dasht-e-Kavir and
Kavir-e-Loot. This ancient city is furnished with mosques of stunning
beauty. The co-existence of the splendid fire temples and the holy sites of
different religions astonish every visitor.
Today�s tour includes visiting Dakhmeh (tower of silence, where
Zoroastrians leave the dead corpse to be eaten by vultures), fire temple
of the Zoroastrians, henna pounding work shops and Amir Chakhmagh
complex. From the minarets of this complex, we will get a breath-taking
perspective of the oldest adobe city.
Lunch will be served at a traditional restaurant.
Towards the end of the day, we will visit the marvelous Water museum, Jame'
mosque and Doulat Abad Garden. Stay overnight in Yazd.
On this day, we will drive
300km from Yazd to Isfahan which is in the vicinity of Dasht-e-Kavir
and the attractive city of Nain. Nain is known as the city of cisterns
and possesses around 80 cisterns. we will get a chance to visit one of
the oldest and most important mosques of Persian Islamic architecture.
Stay overnight in Isfahan.
Isfahan,
the legendary city which never fails to enchant its visitors, is the pearl
of traditional Islamic archeology. This city is revived by the works of
contemporary artists.
Isfahan prides itself in having fascinating garden palaces.
Legend has it that the city was founded at the time of tahmoures or
Keykavous and because of its glories has been entitled �Half the World�.
our full day tour includes the famed Imam Square (Naqsh-e-Jahan), a huge
square second in the world to Beijing's Tiananmen Square. Tour the
architectural marvels of Sheikh Lotfollah and Imam Mosques, Aliqapu Palace,
Chehel Sutoon and Hasht Behesht Palaces, and also visit one of the most
famous bazaars in Iran, where we can purchase the arts & crafts for which
Isfahan is so well renowned. Stay overnight in Isfahan.
Isfahan�s Jame' mosque holds in itself the passage of several centuries of
Islamic evolution. This mosque is a gallery of Islamic
architecture in which the progress of the architecture from the outset of
Islam till recent times is evident. Then we will visit Vank Church which is
one of the most beautiful Armenian churches in the world and will
undoubtedly capture the attention of every Christian.
our day will conclude with a visit to Monar Jomban,
the tomb of a Sufi with its shaking minarets and some historical bridges.
Stay overnight in Isfahan.
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Day 10: Drive To Golpaygan
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Today, we will depart for Golpaygan. En route we
will have the opportunity of visiting Khansar which is well-known for its
excellent honey. In Golpaygan we will stay at the Arg-e-Googad hotel which
was once a historical palace and it�s a unique chance for us to marvel at
its ancient architecture.
If you are interested, we can visit the city of
Mahalat, near Golpaygan, which is also known as the city of flowers.
Rejuvenate our senses by visiting a variety of gardens and pristine springs
in this region of pleasant climate. A visit to the natural spas should not
be missed and we could benefit from their curative properties. Stay
overnight in Golpaygan.
Drive to Hamadan. Hamadan is
believed to be amongst the oldest Iranian cities and one of the oldest in
the world. Hamadan is a green mountainous area on the foothills of the
3574-meter Alvand Mountain, in the mid west of Iran.
Tour the tombs
of Ibn Sina and Baba Taher.
Ibn Sina
often referred to by his Latinized name Avicenna
was a Persian
physician, philosopher, and scientist who was born in 980. Baba Taher is known as one of the most revered and
respectable early poets in Persian literature. Most of his life is clouded
in mystery.
Also, visit the Shir-e Sangi (the Stone Lion) resting in the central
square. When first built, this statue had a twin counterpart which both constituted the old gate of the city. The Dervish Monastery of
Gonbad-e-Alavian dates from the twelfth century and is noted for its
brilliant stucco designs. Stay overnight in Hamadan.
Visit one of
the unique phenomena in the world, Alisadr Cave, which is one of the
biggest water caves. The cave was originally discovered during the reign
of Darius I (521-485 BC) which can be verified by an old inscription at
the entrance of the tunnel. However, the knowledge of the existence of
the tunnel was lost, and only rediscovered in 1978 when a local shepherd
followed the tunnel searching for water or a lost goat. Later, tour
the shrine of Esther & Mordecai, the most important Jewish pilgrimage site
in Iran. A Jewish presence in Hamadan remains today. At the end we can
visit two inscriptions from Achaemenid time in a place called Hegmataneh. Stay overnight in Hamadan.
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Day
13: An Excursion To Kermanshah
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Drive westward to
Kermanshah. In an old town called Kangavar we will visit the Anahita
Temple-the mother goddess of abundance and guardian of water in ancient
Persia. Carry on the old caravan route to Bistoon dating
back to the Middle Paleolithic. The Achaemenian inscriptions offer details
in 1,200 lines about the battles of Darius the Great who fought against the
governors trying to dismantle the Empire originally founded by Cyrus. This
was the site where the decisive battle took place, leaving the famous
Tablets of Darius. Nearby in the village of Sahneh we can visit the tomb of Ostad Khalil Alinejad the best
player of Tanboor in the world.
In Kermanshah
visit the Sassanian rock carvings of
Tagh-e-Bostan. These bas-reliefs, cut from the stone cliff, depict royal
scenes of battles and hunts reflecting the glorious history of the
Sassanid Kings. Drive back to Hamadan and stay overnight there.
Move toward Qazvin. En route, we will visit Gonbad-e
Soltaniyeh near the city of Zanjan which is one of the most magnificent
monuments used to be the capital of Ilkhanid rulers of Persia in the 14th
century. Its name translates as "the Imperial". In 2005, UNESCO listed
Soltaniyeh as one of the World Heritage Sites. Stay overnight in Qazvin.
Today we will have a full day tour of Alamut castle. The fortress was
built in 840 at an elevation of 2,100 m. It was built in a way that had
only one passable artificial entrance that wound its way around the
cliff face (the one natural approach, a steep gravel slope, was too
dangerous to use); thus making conquering the fortress extremely
difficult. The fort has an unusual system of water supply. The top was
extremely narrow and long�perhaps 400 meters long, and no more than 30
meters wide in any place, and usually less. In 1090 the fortress was
invaded and occupied by the powerful Hashshashin (Assassins), and was
then fabled for its gardens and libraries. The ruins of 23 other
fortresses remain in the vicinity. The fortress was destroyed on
December 15, 1256 by Hulagu Khan as part of the Mongol offensive on
Islamic southwest Asia. The fortress itself was impregnable, but
Ruknuddin Khor-shah surrendered it without a real fight, in the vain
hope that Hulagu would be merciful. In the evening
we will depart Qazvin to Tehran. Stay overnight in Tehran.
Last but not least, depart Iran � the land of warmth and hospitality
with fond memories.
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1. Iran visa
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2. 14 nights stay in middle class hotels
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3. Transportation vehicle for 15 days all across Iran during the trip
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4. Experienced English speaking guide for 15 days
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5. Breakfast and lunch
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6. Domestic flights
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7. All the entrance fees
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8. Special offers
9.Transfer by guide
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Visits: Tehran, Shiraz,
Persepolis, Zeinoddin, Yazd, Nain, Isfahan, Golpaygan, Mahalat, Khansar, Hamadan, Kermanshah, Soltanyeh,
Qazvin.
