Tehran.-

Welcome to Iran! Transfer to the hotel. In the afternoon (variable schedule based on arrival flights), we will begin the visit to TEHRAN, the capital of the country, a modern city with almost ten million inhabitants. We enter the Tajrish Bazar, a small and active bazaar full of activity and life. Inside we visit the Imamzadeh Saleh Sanctuary, one of the most popular Shiite shrines in Iran, magnificent blue architecture, dedicated to a descendant of the prophet. Tehran is on the slope of the Alborz Mountain range, some peaks exceed 5000 meters, and at its foot - on the edge of Tehran - is DARBAND VILLAGE, with its mountain atmosphere, its waterfalls, its green paths, its numerous Tea houses and its restaurants. Dinner included.

Tehran.-

We include a visit (with guide and tickets included) to the great metropolis. We begin by going to the 437 meters high MILAD TOWER, its views are impressive (if it´s a foggy day with low visibility, instead of the Milad Tower we will go to the Azadi Tower). We visit the National Museum, the largest historical and archaeological museum in the country, where we can learn more about this land, the cradle of civilizations. Afterwards, we visit the Golestan Palace, declared a world heritage site by UNESCO, a site of palaces and gardens which construction began in the 16th century. Lunch included.

14.00 hrs.- In the afternoon, we will visit the National Jewelry Museum, property of the central bank, an amazing collection of precious stones and metals, highlighting the “peacock throne” and the “earth globe”. Free time; we will drop you off in the Grand Bazaar area, with its many covered streets, alleys and hundreds of shops.


Note: Sometimes the jewelry museum is not open, in that case, we would visit the carpet museum that shows Persian carpets, some from the 16th century.

Tehran - Tabriz.-

Free time in Tehran until transfer to the airport for a flight to Tabriz (included). Schedules are subject to frequent modification so you will be informed at the time of the booking. Arrival in TABRIZ after a little over an hour´s flight and transfer to the hotel. Our guide will normally arrive in the middle of the afternoon. We are in the most important city of eastern Iran, capital of the region of Eastern Azerbaijan, located in a fertile valley. Given its location, Tabriz has historically been an important crossroads of cultures and has been inhabited by people from all over the Middle East (Armenians, Azerbaijanis, Georgians, Kurds, Persians, Turks, Arabs, etc.). Today, its population is mostly Azeri-speaking. In the evening, we will walk through El-Goli Park, a pleasant park with a large lagoon in the center surrounded by small restaurants. Dinner included.

Tabriz.-

08.30 hrs- We visit TABRIZ, a city with just over one and a half million inhabitants. We will visit the blue mosque, built in the 15th century but badly damaged in an earthquake; we will visit the Azerbaijan museum where we will learn about its collections from different periods. We will also pass in front of the mausoleum of the poets, where we learn about the rich cultural heritage in poetry that Iran and Arg-e-Alishah have - remains of the great fortress and walls that the city had.

At the end of the morning we will leave the city, a little less than an hour away KANDOVAN, a very picturesque mountain town, for more than 800 years its inhabitants have resided in troglodyte homes, it reminds us of the Cappadocia region in Turkey. Lunch included.

In the afternoon we return to TABRIZ, you will have plenty of free time to visit the BAZAAR, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the largest covered bazaar in the world, important for centuries because it is located on the Silk Road (cited by Marco Polo and Ibn Batuta), the carpet area stands out.

Tabriz - Jolfa.-

Total Distance: 133 km.

08.30 hrs- Tabriz, departure.
10.30 hrs- Jolfa, arrival to this small city on the border with Azerbaijan, historically inhabited by Armenians. We will visit the SAINT STEPANOS MONASTERY, an Armenian monastery declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, built in the 9th century (rebuilt after an earthquake in the 17th century). We also visit the Choopan chapel, walled under ocher mountains, and also a world heritage site, the Khaje Nazar Caravanserai, lunch included. A time for a walk next to the very pleasant Ruined Mill waterfalls. Free time.

Jolfa - Khoy - Urmia

Total Distance: 224 km

08.00 hrs- Jofa, departure- We travel south through Iranian Azerbaijan.
09.30 hrs- Khoy, stop in this city that houses the tomb of Shams Tabrizi, a 13th century Persian mystic, poet and philosopher.

10.30 hrs- Khoy, departure. We continue our trip.
12.30 hrs- Urmia, Arrival. This city inhabited over 4000 years ago, legend says that Zoroaster was born here and that one of the wise men was buried here. The city located near the largest lake in Iran, with salt water and presenting vivid contrasts in its colors. We visit Urmia, a city known for its religious and ethnic diversity, home to a significant population of Christians, Orthodox, Chaldeans and the Assyrian community. We will visit some of its churches: Naneh Maryam Church was built in the 3rd century, being the oldest Christian temple in Asia. We also visit Maserkis church and Seh Gombad, a cylindrical tower from the 12th century and the Friday mosque.

Urmia - Tepe Hasanlu - Saholan Cave - Sanandaj

Total distance: 418 km

Note: Bring a jacket for the cave, the temperature is between 10 and 15 ºC.

08.00hrs- Urmia, departure. We continue our route south.
09.15 hrs- Tepe Hasanlu- stop to visit (entrance included) this archaeological site declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The remains of this ancient citadel date back to 7000 BC. The fabulous gold vase with reliefs of chariots and soldiers, dating back almost 3000 years, which is in a museum in Tehran, comes from this town.

10.15 hrs- Tepe Hasanlu. departure.
11.45 hrs- Saholan Cave. Stop to visit this amazing cave, on the list of natural monuments of Iran, located at 1751m altitude, which consists of several inland lakes connected by water corridors that we visit by boat. In Kurdish, Saholan means "ice." Lunch included.

13.15 hrs- Saholan Cave, departure. We travel through the Iranian Kurdistan Region.
17.30 hrs- Sanandaj, Mid-afternoon arrival in the capital of the region. Free time to wander around the city. Dinner included.

Sanandaj - Hamadan

Total Distance: 175 km

08.30 hrs- Sanandaj- After breakfast, we continue our journey.
11.00 hrs- Hamadan- Arrival in one of the oldest cities in the world, today a pleasant provincial capital of more than half a million inhabitants, located at almost two thousand meters above sea level. With a climate, usually cooler than in other regions, we start our visit in GANJNAMEH, a historical place five kilometers from Hamadan, at the foot of a large mountain, in a beautiful landscape between trees where we can see the ancient cuneiform inscriptions of the fifth century BC engraved in the rock. Time for a walk next to the waterfall. We include (sometimes closed due to weather conditions or other reasons) the cable car that takes us up the mountain, where we have a magnificent view, in winter, it is often snowy. Lunch included.

After lunch, we visit the museum of the war with Iraq, a monumental and magnificent museum that exhibits the Iranian vision of the war with Iraq that took place in the 80s and that makes us reflect and wish for peace on our planet. After that, we visit the archaeological site of Hegmataneh, and the museum about the city that existed at this point 2800 years ago. In the center of the city, we visit the Mausoleum-Museum of Avicenna, Persian genius, doctor, philosopher, astronomer and scientist who wrote almost 300 books. We will also pass by the place where the tomb of Baba Taher (poet of the 11th century) is located and the garden square where there is a large statue of a lion made in the time of Alexander the Great. During the visit, if possible, we will visit one of the places where Pahlevani/zoorkhaneh rituals are celebrated, a tradition of martial arts and athletics with which Persian warriors trained physically and spiritually. These rituals have been declared intangible world heritage, many of the instruments that appear are similar to those existing in today´s gymnasiums. Free time to stroll around the bazaar.

Hamadan - Qom - Mausoleum of Imam Khomeini - Tehran-.

Total distance: 436 km

Note: Today we will visit traditional and religious places. It will be important for you to show respect in the manner and dress code.

08.00 hrs- Hamadan- departure.
11.45 a.m. - Qom, arrival in the provincial capital and one of the holiest Shiite religious centers in the Islamic world that houses the Mausoleum of Fatima Masuma, sister of the eighth Shiite Imam, Imam Reza. Tens of thousands of pilgrims visit Qom every year. Qom is known for being a major center of Shia Islamic studies and is home to numerous religious schools and seminaries, as well as Al-Mustafa Islamic University, which attracts students from all over the world. Accompanied by an Islamic scholar we will visit the sacred mausoleum (courtyards and outdoor areas) and he will introduce us to Islam in its Shiite branch, enveloping us in the atmosphere of this holy place. After that, we´ll visit Imam Khomeini´s house. Free time in the city´s bazaar, with its many shops specializing in prayer and religious objects. Lunch included.

15.15 hrs- Qom, departure, we continue to the capital of Iran.
17.00 hrs- Mausoleum-Shrine of Imam Khomeini, before entering Tehran, we make a stop to remember and visit the mausoleum of Khomeini, considered the founder of the Islamic Republic and whose construction began in 1989 after his death. The immense complex of more than 20 square kilometers is a cultural and tourist center that also houses a seminary and a university of Islamic studies.

18.15 hrs- Imam Khomeini Mausoleum, departure.
19.30 hrs- Tehran- arrival at the end of the day.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport and end of our services.