12 Days Iran Classic Tour with a Taste of Persian Gulf

Start the day by visiting Golestan Palace*, a historical complex in Iran’s capital city, Tehran. This former royal Qajar complex has been inscribed in the list of the UNESCO World Heritage in June of 2013. Then we will continue our tour to the Grand Old Bazaar of Tehran. Also visit the Treasury of National Jewels Jewels (which is only open from Saturday to Tuesday and from 14 to 16:30. That means if times allows us, we visit this magnificent treasury) and National Museum of Iran. Depends on time, we will take a walk on 30 Tir Street. We will drive to Kashan in the evening.

O/N Kashan

Start the day by visiting the Underground City of Ouyi. Then we will have a city tour to historical parts of Kashan including Tabatabaie Historical House, Borujerdiha/Abbasian Historical House, and Aghabozorg Mosque. Don’t forget about the beautiful Sultan Amir Ahmad Bathhouse nearby namely houses. Then in the evening, we visit the beautiful Fin Persian Garden*.

If you are traveling in Spring, we would not miss the villages near Kashan for Festival of Rose and Rose Water in Qamsar and Niasar.

O/N Kashan

In the morning en-route to Isfahan, visit Madar Shah Caravanserai. After arriving in Isfahan and checking in the hotel, we will explore Half of the World! We start with Hasht Behesht*/Chehel Sotoun Palace*. Then, in the evening, we will take a walk alongside the Zayanderoud River, Siosepol, and Khajoo historical bridges.

Also, meantime, visiting some handicraft workshops can be managed.

In Isfahan, we visit workshops of Isfahan’s local handicrafts like Toreutics or carpet weaving.

O/N Isfahan

Today we have a full day city tour of Isfahan. Start the day by visiting the Jame Mosque of Isfahan*. Then the magnificent Naghsh-e Jahan Historical Square*, Shah (Imam) Mosque*, Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque*, and Aliqapoo Palace*. Then in the evening drive to Yazd.

O/N Yazd

In the morning, visit the Historical City of Yazd*. While exploring it, visit places like Amir Chakhmagh complex, and Jame Mosque of Yazd. Then we visit the Fire Temple of Zoroastrians and Tower of Silence. In the Tower of Silence or Dakhma, the bodies of the deceased are placed to avoid contaminating the earth as a Zoroastrian funerary tradition. Zoroastrians still make up a significant minority of the population, and the Atashkadeh of Yazd is the most important fire temple of Zoroastrians in Iran.

At the end of the day, we leave Yazd by train to go to Bandar Abbas.

O/N Night Train to Bandar Abbas

Day 7 is when our Persian Gulf Tour starts. In the morning you will be in Bandar Abbas. After walking around Bandar Abbas, we take a ferry to Qeshm Island and have excursions in Qeshm. Visit Qeshm Bazaar, Portuguese Castle, and Khorbas Cave.

O/N Qeshm

Today is one of the most exciting days of the Qeshm trip. In the morning before 9 o’clock, we go for a boat tour. Visit the famous dolphins of Qeshm, Natural Aquarium, and the beauties of Hengam island with its colored sands. For lunch, use island local foods like Falafel and Samosa.

Then visit Local Bazaar and doing a temporary Tattoo by Hana color. Afterward, we visit the Valley of the Stars and go to Hotel.

On this day, we try to listen to some local music if possible.

If we’re lucky, in late winter (March) and spring, we may have this chance to see the Hawksbill sea turtle and how they lay eggs and maybe even we get to see how the baby turtles to hatch eggs in Qeshm.

O/N Qeshm

Day 9 is all about Hormuz island. In the morning after breakfast, we go to the island’s quay. From there, our journey to the beautiful island of Hormuz begins. In this one-day tour, we visit Rainbow Mountains, The Valley of the Statues, Silver and Red Beaches of Hormuz, and the Red Clay mine of Hormuz. Depends on the time of flight, we leave for Shiraz.

O/N Shiraz

Your tour guide picks you up to visit ancient historical monuments like Persepolis*, Pasargadae*, and Naqsh-e Rostam*. Persepolis* (Takht-é Jamshid), the heart of the Persian Empire, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here, walk through a complex of palaces and temples that is said to be one of the architectural wonders of the world. Then visit Pasargadae*. Our explorations take us to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Pasargadae* to see the impressive, elevated Tomb of Cyrus and to walk through the different sections of the ancient city. the Presidential Palace, the Audience Hall, the Gatehouse, and the ruins Zendan-e Soleyman. Then we go to Shiraz and visit Shah Cherah Holy Shrine.

O/N Shiraz 

Explore lovely Shiraz Day! The City of Roses and Nightingales.

Our Shiraz journey begins with Narenjestan Garden, with the richly decorated pavilion featuring a mirrored porch set among graceful trees. Then will continue to Arg-e Karim Khan (is a citadel located in the downtown Shiraz, and in shape, it resembles a medieval fortress). Late this afternoon, spend some time in the Vakil Historical Complex (public bath, bazaar, mosque) and famous Shiraz Bazaar (Shiraz shopping paradise).

After that, we start in the tomb of two of Iran’s greatest poets, Hafez and Saadi. And continue to Eram Garden*, with its beautiful cypress-lined avenues leading to an elegant summer palace and Nasir-al Mulk Mosque (aka Pink Mosque).

O/N Shiraz

Transfer to airport from hotel for departure flight