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 - Mausoleum-Shrine of Imam Khomeini - Qom - Kashan.

Total Distance: 269 km

Note: Today we will visit traditional and religious places. It will be important for you to be respectful and dress with an appropriate attire.

08.00 hrs- Tehran- departure.
08.45 hrs- Mausoleum-Shrine of Imam Khomeini. We will stop on the outskirts of Tehran to visit the Mausoleum of Imam Khomeini, considered the founder of the Islamic Republic and whose construction began in 1989, after his death. The immense complex of over 20 square kilometers is a cultural and tourist center that also houses a seminary and a university of Islamic studies.

10.00 hrs- Mausoleum of Imam Khomeini- departure.
11.45 a.m. - Qom, arrival and time to visit 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.
16.45 hrs- Fin Garden, among arid landscapes, at the gates of Kashan, we will discover the wonderful Fin gardens dating back to the sixteenth century, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, in an area of thermal springs and surrounded by a wall. We´ll stroll through the gardens, the palace and the baths.

17.45 hrs- End Garden, departure.
18.00 hrs- Kashan, a pleasant city whose historic center, with numerous monuments and historic mud-brick houses, are very beautiful. Free time in the historic center, with a lively tourist life.

Kashan - Ardakan – Yazd.-

Total Distance: 397 km

In the morning we start the visit of Kashan with the Agha Bozorg mosque/madrasa, a beautiful and original construction. The ground floor is occupied by the madrasa and the upper floor by the great mosque that reminds us of the constructions made by the Persians in India. The center of Kashan has several ancient houses/palaces; We will visit one of them, the Boroujerdi house-museum, from the nineteenth century, where we will be surprised by its mural paintings, in which the rich merchant who built it wanted to show the places he had visited, and the ventilation system to give freshness to the palace in summer. We will also enter the hammam "soltan bath", with its blue tiles it is one of the most beautiful historical baths in Iran. Flower drinks are typical in Kashan, so to try them, we will visit one of the factories-shops of these unique flower drinks, see how they are made and have a delicious tasting.

11.00 hrs- Kashan- departure, we will continue south.
11.45 hrs- Abouzeydabad. Arrival and visit of an old restored caravanserai, very close to the desert dune area. Traditional lunch (included).

13.00 hrs- Abouzeydabad, departure. We will continue through arid regions and deserts on our way.
16.30 hrs- Ardakan- Stop and time to visit this historic adobe city, and the Citadel of Narin, whose origin dates back to 4000 years before Christ.

17.30 hrs- Ardakan departure.
18.30 hrs- Yazd, arrival in this beautiful city in the desert, with a historic center is a World Heritage Site, of its winding streets, its wind towers and its brick and adobe houses. The city, founded 5000 years ago, is inhabited by people from different cultures, where 10% of the population follows the ancient religion of Zoroaster. Free time for a stroll through its old town, which according to UNESCO is one of the oldest settlements in the world.

Yazd.-

After breakfast we will visit the city of Yazd, we will love its traditional atmosphere and the customs of its inhabitants. On the outskirts of the city, we will visit the Towers of Silence, where, according to Zoroastrian beliefs, corpses are deposited, considered impure, so that they do not contaminate the sacred elements: earth, water or fire. Later, in the historic center, we visit the Amir Chakhmaq compound, with its impressive three-story façade, which includes a caravanserai, cistern and public toilet. We also visit the Water Museum, to introduce us to the great construction works of underground canals, used for 2000 years, to preserve water from evaporation. Lunch included. In the afternoon, we visit the Fire Temple, a sacred place for the Zoroastrian community of fire worship, a fundamental symbol of their religion. It is said that the sacred fire of the temple has not stopped burning since 470 AD. We also visit the Dolat Abad garden, a World Heritage Site. Its 33.8-meter wind tower is the tallest adobe wind tower in the world.

Yazd – Chak Chak – Kharanagh – Garmeh – Khur.-

Total Distance: 377 km

08.00 hrs- Yazd- Departure.
09.30 hrs- Chak Chak, brief stop in this small mountain village with a sacred shrine for Zoroastrians. Every year, thousands of Zoroastrians from Iran, India, and other countries make a pilgrimage to this fire temple.

10.30 hrs- Chak Chak. On the way out, we pass through a volcanic and arid landscape.
11.00 hrs- Kharanagh, we are in a historic mud-brick city whose name means "birthplace of the sun". We will be able to visit its castle, its caravanserai and its old stone bridge.

12.00 hrs- Kharanagh- Departure, we continue through arid landscapes. Lunch included en route.
15.30 hrs- Garmeh, stop in what for many, is the most beautiful desert village in Iran. Surrounded by palm trees and with its spring of water, this adobe oasis village has been populated for more than 4,000 years and was a stop on the Silk Road.

17.00 hrs- Garmeh- Departure.
17.30 hrs- Khur, arrival in this small active town in the middle of the desert where we will stay for the night.

Khur – Tabas Golshan – Historic Village of Esfahak – Ferdows.-

Total Distance: 383 km

08.00 hrs- Khur- We will depart to the east of the country; we will cross the "dry salt lake" with its colors and polygonal crystal formations.
10.30 hrs- Tabas, time to enjoy in the pleasant city known as "the bride of the desert" where we will visit the Golshan Garden, one of the most beautiful gardens in Iran, with its permanent waters and important vegetation in the desert.

12.00 hrs- Tabas, departure.
12.45 hrs- Esfahak, we are in another historic village, an oasis that was destroyed by an earthquake in 1978, rebuilt as an adobe city and hiding many places of great charm. Lunch included.

14.45 hrs- Esfahak, departure.
16.45 hrs- Ferdows, arrival in this town on the edge of the desert, known for its excellent saffron and pomegranates and recently declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its "Qanat". Upon arrival we will head to Baghestan-e Olia to visit Baladeh Qanat and explore how the ancient Iranians used their technology to supply water in arid areas and desert regions centuries ago. Then, we will stroll through its tree-lined streets.

Ferdows- Gonabad Qasabeh – Torbat.-

Total Distance: 364 km.

08.00 hrs- Ferdows- We continue our route to the east.
09.00 hrs- Gonabad Qasabeh. Stop at this impressive new qanat that is part of the area´s network of qanats, built between 700 and 500 BC by the Achaemenid empire.

10.00 hrs- Gonabad Qasabeh departure.
14.00 hrs- Torbat Jam, arrival in the small provincial capital located near the border with Afghanistan, inhabited by the Baluchis, an ethnic group of Sunni religion, known for their unique dance and music as an important cultural expression. We will listen to their music and their stories of victories and failures throughout history. After that, we´ll visit the mausoleum of Ahmad Jami, the Underground Mosque, the Tombstone of Sadooghi, the Dome of Firoozshahi and the Caravanserai of Jam.

Torbat – Mashhad.-

Total Distance: 171 km

Note: Today we will spend the day in the city of Mashhad, arguably the holiest city in Iran. We recommend an attitude of respect and appropriate attire.

08.00 hrs- Torbat Jam, departure. We are approaching the borders of Turkmenistan and Afghanistan.
10.30 hrs- Mashhad, arrival. We are in a city full of strength, the holiest city in Iran, which, with its three million inhabitants, is also the second largest city in the country. The Haram, its massive shrine complex commemorating the martyrdom in 818 of the eighth Shiite imam, is a place of pilgrimage, attracting more than 20 million pilgrims a year. We will visit the shrine of Haram-e Razavi, with its dazzling blue domes and minarets that seem to transport us to the tales of the Arabian Nights. We must be respectful of our attire and surroundings (non-Muslims can access all outer courtyards, but they will not be allowed to enter the interior of holy buildings). We will also learn about the mausoleum of Nader Shah, who after his military campaigns returned with immense riches: the peacock throne, the Koh-i-Noor diamond and "700 elephants, 4,000 camels and 12,000 horses carrying chariots, all loaded with gold, silver and precious stones". Nader ordered that upon his return, Mughal craftsmen should build him a large tomb in the Mughal style: the Kakh-e-Khorshid, or "Palace of the Sun." Lunch included.
In the afternoon, we will also visit the Anthropological Museum located in the former public bath and the Darougheh House Palace. Free time.

Mashhad- Nishabur – Zafaraniyeh – Sabzevar.-

Total Distance: 253 km

08.30 hrs- Mashhad, departure after breakfast.
10.15 hrs- Nishabur, arrival and time to visit what was once one of the most prosperous cities in the country, on the ancient silk road, today its activity is focused on agriculture and turquoise mines. We will also visit the mausoleum and planetarium of Omar Khayam, a Persian mathematician and astronomer originally from this town, and the "wooden mosque" on the outskirts. Lunch included.

14.00 hrs- Nishabur, departure.
15.00 hrs- Zafaraniyeh, stop to visit a quiet village on the Silk Road that has maintained its old caravanserai, its old "ice house" and the remains of its great citadel.

16.00 hrs- Zafaraniyeh, departure.
16.45 hrs- Sabzevar, an active provincial capital whose history dates back to 1000BC, the city has several universities. Before going to the hotel, we will visit its main mosque. We suggest a stroll through its historic bazaar.

Sabzevar – Misty Florest– Damghan.-

Total Distance: 253 km
Landscapes: after a journey among so many deserts, today we will be surprised by the variety of landscapes in Iran; the Alborz mountain range separates us from the Caspian Sea, with its peaks of more than 5000 meters.

08.30 hrs- Sabzevar- departure. We find ourselves in a landscape of cloudy, green, humid and mountainous forest in the Alborz mountain range.
11.30 hrs- Abr, in the mountains, deviating from our path, we arrive at this village where its streams and the great humid forest take us to another world, we are in one of the most beautiful landscape in the country, frequently covered by fog and dense clouds, sometimes so thick that it seems that we could walk on them. Lunch included.

14.00 hrs- Abr, departure. On our route to Tehran there are numerous old caravanserai that offered accommodation for caravans, as we follow the Silk Road.
16.00 hrs- Damghan, we will visit the archaeological site of Tappeh Hessar which shows us that this small city has existed for 4000 years and was the capital of one of the areas conquered by Alexander the Great. They say Damghan pistachios are the best in the world, should we try them? We visit Tarikhaneh, the second oldest mosque in Iran with its tall minaret. Accommodation.

Damghan – Garmsar – Tehran.

Total Distance: 356 km

08.30 hrs-Damghan- Departure.
11.30 hrs- Garmsar, stop for a stroll in a small town inhabited mainly by the Tat, an ethnic minority that has its own language and customs. Lunch included.

13.00 hrs- Garmsar, departure.
13.15 hrs- Salt Mine (entrance included), Very close to Garmsar, we will stop to visit an impressive salt mine, with underground areas with immense rooms and columns and surprising colors.

15.15 hrs- Salt Mine departure.
18.00 hrs- Tehran, arrival

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