Senast uppdaterad: 2009-12-15
Itinerary
Day 1
Departure from Stockholm to Tehran. You will arrive at the new airport Imam Khomeiny Airport situated 45 km south of the city centre.
Most of you will probably arrive by the same flight operated by Iran Air in the afternoon. The tour leader will receive those of you that arrive with this flight.
Day 2
By air at to Shiraz at lunchtime.
Day 3-6
This is the hometown of your tour-leader. She will take you around to visit the mosques and graves of famous poets who have central position in Persian culture. Under the trees, in a mosque, Mrs Yas will tell you old tales and discuss your questions regarding Iran today.
One of these days you go by hired bus to Persepolis, the best preserved of Persia’s ancient cities dating back to 500 BC. This is considered to be one of the most important ancient sites in the world. Nearby you find Naghshe Rostam with its magnificent tombs carved out of the cliff high above the ground. From here you continue to Esfahan.Hotel. .
One of these days you will be invited to visit a group of nomads in their tented settlement or at their permanent settlement and stay overnight with them. A hired minibus will take you there. You will be their guest and stay either in their tents or houses. Enjoy the beautiful landscapes and old villages of the tribal areas.There are more than 1.2 million nomad people in Iran. They maintain a different style of living, culture, and speak their own languages and keep their traditions, rituals and ceremonies. You can distinguish nomads by the style of their dress. This differs from tribe to tribe and this variation can be seen in the costumes of both men and women. Nomad women weave beautiful kilims, jajims and other types of rugs. They exchange these with the traders in villages, which they pass through on their annual migrations. The patterns they use to weave their rugs are transferred from generation to generation, and they still use the old method of processing the natural dyes. Plan for a cool night. Maybe down to + 5.
Day 7-9
By bus to Esfahan, one of Iran’s most enchanting cities and the cultural heartland of Iran. Your hotel is nicely situated in a back street, very close to the famous Chahar Bagh Avenue. Enormous mosques covered with blue tiles will fascinate you. The atmospheric bazaar captures the flavour of ancient Persia. It is easy to spend hours and hours lost in its lanes. The city has long attracted travellers from all over the world. Visit Imam Square - one of the largest and finest public spaces in Iran, majestic Imam and Sheikh Lotfullah mosques, built between 1612-1638 and Ali Qapu Palace with wonderfully decorated interiors. The best way to explore the city is to go on a walking tour and let yourself get lost in the vast bazaar. Esfahan has probably the widest selection of handicrafts in the country. Carpets from all over Iran, hand-painted miniatures, hand-printed tablecloths and bedspreads make a pleasurable choice of articles to bring home as presents. Time cannot be enough here.
Day 10
Bus to Yazd bordering on the great Kavir desert. It is hard to find your way to this hotel, but it is situated only 100 meters from a building called “Alexander’s Prison”(Alexander den “Store”). The hotel dates from 15th century and houses also a school.
Day 11-12
The ancient desert city of Yazd is the stronghold of Iranian Zoroastrians, followers of the ancient Persian religion that preceded Islam. You will be able to see their ceremonies. Zoroastrianism was the main religion across the Iranian plateau until the Arab conquest brought Islam. There are around 5500 Zoroastrians left in Yazd, but many temples and the famous Towers of Silence, Zoroastrian burial ground. It is possible to visit Artashkadeh, the fire temple, and see the flame that Zoroastrians claim has been burning for more than 1500 years. The Zoroastrian people of Iran live together with Muslim people - mosques and fire temples side by side.Yazd is also famous for its badgirs, the wind towers, designed to capture and circulate even the smallest of winds and direct them into the houses for cooling. They dominate the city seen over the roofs..
Day 13-14
After lunch by private bus through the Zagros mountains to the small town of Meymand.This town is beautifully situated in a green valley surrounded by barren mountains. In the old times people lived in caves and still some people do. During these days you will make excursions in groups of 2-4 people into the surrounding areas. You will be among the first westerners visiting this area. You will visit villages in the mountains in company of an interpreter. You stay overnight in one of the villages. Here you will enjoy the famous Persian hospitality, though you pay for accommodation and food.Choose a hike, which responds to your fitness level and your expectations for outdoor living. Whatever your choice is the experience is going to be unforgettable. You will be divided in small groups of 2-4 people and every group will be following a different route accompanied by a local guide. The routes could be rated as simple, moderate and adventurous depending on how strenuous they are. Most of the time there is a clearly defined path to walk along and on the first two options terrain hardly ever gets difficult, but some parts of the walk are tough. The landscape is broken and sometimes you go uphill which can be hard.The countryside is very beautiful and on a moderate and adventurous level involves 4-6 hours of hiking.You will visit traditional villages and stay overnight in local homes. You could and actually should bring with you some lunch food for short stops during the day, but as far as the evening meal is concerned you could buy it locally, in the village where you stay overnight. Last night you spend in the guesthouse in Meymand.
Day 15
By private bus to Kerman, Another of those famous cities which have lent their name to a carpet.
Day 16
A long but hopefully quite exciting train journey through the desert. Your train departs in the evening. Sleepers.
Day 17-18
Arrival in the morning to Mashad, the second biggest city in Iran with three miljon inhabitants. This is the holiest city for Shiite Muslims. It is sacred for Shiites as the place where descendant of the Prophet Mohammed Imam Reza, died in 817. The tomb stands in the centre of the city and has become Iran’s most important pilgrimage centre. The entirely blue Imam Reza Mosque is the gathering point for thousands of pilgrims coming to visit it every day. It is now open for non-Muslims too. Here you can meet mullahs and religious students at madrashas.
Day 19
Train to Tehran. We have deliberately chosen a day train to give you a chance to see the landscape and to socialise with fellow passengers. The train is scheduled to arrive in Tehran at early evening. In Tehran you will stay at the same hotel as before.Sightseeing in this metropolis with 12 million inhabitants. It is a heavily populated city and it does not have the poetic romance of ancient sites (established as capital just over 200 years ago), but it is where the country’s best museums, restaurants and shopping opportunities are.
Day 20-21
Mountains north of Tehran are popular with the people who like hiking. To escape the crowds in the city centre, many Tehranis, young people, families, seek refuge in villages and along numerous trails in the mountains above. The trails lead into the mountains and all along the trail there are fast moving streams and waterfalls created by thousands of years of melting snow, making its way down to the base of the mountains where Tehran lies. Picnicking in the mountains is extremely popular among Tehranis, also younger ones. Along the trail there are several chaikhanes (tea houses) where one can rest, sit on a rope bed, and sip some hot tea. If you go early and on a weekend, you will find that you are not alone. You will see hundreds of Tehranis taking a break from city life and will doubtless get a chance to meet and speak to many of them. People are cheerful and happy, you hear laughter and you experience traditional generosity all around. You will even be able to stay overnight in a small hostel high up in the Alborz (also called Elburz) mountains. But do bring some warm clothes with you. Extra expenses are not included. Last night at the hotel before the tour ends.
Day 22
In the morning you depart from Tehran to Stockholm.
