Trip Highlights
Tehran
Kashan
Isfahan
Yazd
Shiraz
Why you'll love this trip ?
• See a different side of Iran as you travel with an all-women group and a local female leader, allowing you to forge connections with the women who call this country home.
• Enjoy a picnic in one of Iran’s women’s-only parks, one of the few places women can enjoy the sunshine without a hijab.
• Immerse yourself in rural nomadic life on a beautifully remote homestay with the Qashqai people. Enjoy a meal, sing songs, try on the local dress, and give bread-baking a go.
• Step inside the fascinating hidden world of an Iranian beauty salon. You’ll see that these are oases for many local women, providing a safe space for them to relax and (literally) let their hair down.
• Experience the wondrous remains of the ancient capital of Persepolis – the scale and grandeur will leave you in no doubt that this was once the centre of the known world.
• Take part in a hands-on cooking class where your local hosts will share age-old secret recipes and techniques before you feast on the fruits of your labour.
Is this trip right for you?
• Part of travelling with Inbound Persia Travel Agency means respecting local cultures and sensibilities. That way you get the most out of your interactions with local people and environments. It is very important that you adhere to a strict dress code regardless of the weather. Upon arrival in Iran, all women must wear a headscarf and must also have their arms and legs covered.
• Getting a visa for Iran can be time-consuming process. It may take a couple of weeks to get your authorization code, and then it can take up to 30 days to receive your visa back from the embassy or consulate. But our agency (Inbound Persia Travel Agency) can make it easy for you with less time process. Please read the visas information and entry requirements at the link below.
• The village homestay is a wonderful opportunity to witness everyday life outside the city. Facilities are simple and multi-share but comfortable. Please see Day 8 of the Itinerary for more details.
• In 2023, Ramadan will take place from 22 March to 02 April. Travelling during this holy month can be a rewarding cultural experience. However, some regular services may not be available during the daytime, such as restaurants or coffee bars, and occasionally travel can be disrupted by events. Your leader will adjust the itinerary accordingly, but please consider your travel arrangements carefully before booking travel for this period.
Trip Itinerary :
Day 01 : Tehran
Airport Transfer , Hotel Check in
Arrival at IKA International airport, we will meet you and transfer you to your hotel. You will have time to rest and relax before our morning tour of Tehran begins.
.jpg "Transfer to IKA. Inbound Persia Travel Agency")
Day 02 : Tehran
Sightseeing: Iran National Museum , Golestan Palace , Tajrish Bazaar and Darband
In the morning we take the subway and charter taxis so that we make most of the day and visit as many sites as possible. As a result, we will have a much better chance to get more acquainted with Iranian people. We leave the hotel at 9:30 for a trip to the Iran National Museum which ,here we will get a chance to see a variety of Persian Civilizations and cultures during different ages and become familiar with Iranian history. Then we pay a visit to Golestan Palace. Golestan Palace is a masterpiece of the Qajar era, embodying the successful integration of earlier Persian crafts and architecture with Western influences. This amazing Palace in 2003 was designated a UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE. Afterward we will visit Tajrish Bazaar and Darband, a cute village in the mountains north of Tehran. Overnight in Tehran.
Attention : The priority in sightseeing may be changed due to the time of your arrival, preference of your guide and also official and unofficial holidays of some museums.
Day 03 : Kashan , Isfahan
Sightseeing : Azadi Tower, Tabatabai and Boroojerdi Houses, Fin Gardens , Si-o-Seh Pol Bridge
We will leave Tehran and drive to Kashan, stopping to admire Azadi Tower as we depart Tehran. Kashan is a popular tourist destinations in Iran and attracts a large number of tourists each year. Kashan has a 7000 year history and we will visit the beautiful UNESCO REGISTERED SITE ( Fin Garden ) during our stay. Also we will visit both Tabatabai and Boroojerdi House, outstanding examples of upmarket historical houses typical of Kashan.Then we Leaving Kashan and your overland journey continues in Isfahan. As the 17th-century capital of the Safavid Empire, Isfahan was one of the world’s greatest cities– architecturally striking, wealthy beyond imagine, and politically powerful with Europeans, Ottomans, Indians, and Chinese coming to its court– the heart of a vast Persian Empire that stretched from the Euphrates River in present-day Iraq to the Oxus River in Afghanistan. Indeed, its grandeur inspired the rhyming proverb, Isfahan nesf e jahan (Isfahan is half of the World).
Together with your expert guide, you will begin your exploration of the city by visiting some of the centuries-old, still elegant bridges that span Zayandeh River. The 14th-century Shahrestan Bridge, for example, evokes the greatest aqueducts of ancient Rome and is the oldest bridge in Iran. Other famous bridges on Zayandeh River are Sio-ce-pol and Khaju. There are sluice gates below the bridge to let the water runoff Zayandeh River in the spring, and there are beautiful stone archways above each gate. These archways provide a great acoustic place for every man who wants to sing. You can always find a man or a group of men singing under the bridge. The songs are usually about betrayal or unrequited love. You have the chance to chat with these men and listen to their songs.Stay overnight in Isfahan.
Day 04 : Isfahan
Sightseeing : Vank Cathedral church , Masjed-e Jame , Hasht Behesht Palace and Garden
Continue your exploration in Isfahan at a UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE. Simple at first glance but wondrous in its rich detail and bold design, the Masjed-e Jamé is another masterpiece of Iranian architecture, covering nearly 5 acres in the heart of this historical city. This is one of the oldest congregational mosques of the country, and its construction and embellishment over the past twelve centuries illustrate a number of important periods in Islamic architecture. In the city’s Armenian quarter, you’ll delve more deeply into the region’s complex history as you will visit several churches including the 17th-century Vank Cathedral with its lavishly decorated interior and unique blend of Islamic and European architectural elements.
In the same quarter, we will also visit the Music Museum where you will find a collection of local and national Iranian instruments.
In the afternoon, we will visit Hasht Behesht Palace and Garden. At this octagonal palace, you can see gangs of retired men who pass their free time chatting with the visitors.
Day 05: Isfahan
Sightseeing : Imam Square (Naghshe Jahan Square) Ali Qapu Palace , Sheikh Lotf Allah Mosque , Shah Mosque and Isfahan Grand Bazaar and Chehel setoon Palace
As the 17th-century capital of the Safavid Empire, Isfahan was one of the world's greatest cities architecturally striking, wealthy beyond imagination, and politically powerful with Europeans, Ottomans, Indians, and Chinese coming to its court– the heart of a vast Persian Empire that stretched from the Euphrates River in present-day Iraq to the Oxus River in Afghanistan. Indeed, its grandeur inspired the rhyming proverb, Isfahan nesf e jahan (Isfahan is half of the World). Imam Square of Isfahan is one of the largest city squares in the world and Built by Shah Abbas I the Great at the beginning of the 17th century. This amazing site in 1979 was designated a UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE. Must see this place. Imam square is surrounded by important historical buildings from the Safavid era. The Shah Mosque is situated on the south side of this square. On the west side, you can find Ali Qapu Palace. Sheikh Lotf Allah Mosque is situated on the eastern side of this square and the northern side opens into the Isfahan Grand Bazaar. They are an impressive testimony to the level of social and cultural life in Persia during the Safavid era. Afterward we will visit Chehel Sotoun, literally meaning forty columns, is a royal pavilion that was built by Shah Abbas I as a place to receive ambassadors and international guests. The Chehel Sotun Palace, along with eight other gardens, is registered as a UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE under the name of the Persian Gulf. Overnight in Isfahan.
.jpg "Tour to shah Mosque , Isfahan Iran . Inbound Persia Travel Agency")
.jpg "Tour to shah Mosque , Isfahan Iran . Inbound Persia Travel Agency")
Day 06 : Yazd
Sightseeing : Zurkhaneh and Amir Chakhmagh Square
We take up our tour by travel to the historical and UNESCO REGISTERED CITY OF YAZD . In the evening we will visit zurkhaneh. It is a combination of martial arts, strength training and music. Way before bodybuilding, Persians used to practice weightlifting in Zoorkhaneh. We can see this tradition present in ancient Iranian stories too. Afterward we visit Amir chakhmagh square. Overnight in Yazd.
Day 07 : Visit Yazd
Sightseeing : Jame Mosque, Old City, Alexander’s Prison, Tomb of the 12 Imams, Dowlatabad Garden, Yazd Water Museum, confectionary and handicraft workshops
Yazd, the oldest adobe city in the world which 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 the Jame Mosque, the old city of Yazd, the 15th-century domed school known as Alexander’s Prison because of a reference to this apparently dastardly place in a Hafez poem. Whether the deep well in the middle of its courtyard was in fact built by Alexander the Great and used as a dungeon seems doubtful, no matter what the guide says. The building is worth a look for the small display on the old city of Yazd, but mostly the fee covers access to a warren of craft workshops.Then we continue with Dowlatabad Garden; an authentic Iranian garden that annually attracts thousands of domestic and foreign tourists. This is a complex built according to the original Iranian architectural style and consists of a large garden and some buildings. Afterwards we head for Yazd Water Museum. This 124- year-old Museum displays the tool, techniques used for the past 4000 years in Iran in creating underground waterways (called Qanats) and connectincting them to the city and field locations for agricultural and other uses. Yazd water museum was set up in 2000 in the wake of the first international conference on qanat in Yazd. The museum building has once been a merchant’s house built in 1929. Two qanats are running beneath the museum at different levels, which are reachable through a special stairway called Payab. This museum has put on display a variety of water objects from Qanat to water ownership documents. The museum is one of the best tourist destinations in Yazd, which receive hundreds of visitors every day. Finally we pay a visit to confectionery and handicraft workshops.Stay overnight in Yazd
Day 08: Shiraz
Sightseeing : Shah Cheragh Shrine
We move to the historical and beautiful city of Shiraz, a city from ancient times. On the first-day of Shiraz Tour, Shah Cheragh Shrine , one of the holiest sites in Shiraz. This glittering mosque and funerary monument is a popular pilgrimage site and impresses with its beauty and grandeur. Ladies will need to wear a Chador for visiting the shrine (provided). Tonight, perhaps ask your leader for tips on where to pick up the best street food. Stay overnight in Shiraz.
Day 09 : Shiraz
Sightseeing :Pink Mosque , Narangestan Garden , Vakil Mosque , Vakil Bath , Vakil Bazaar , Female Park , Eram Garden , Saadi Tomb , Hafez Tomb
This morning, take to the streets on a walking tour to visit Narangestan Garden and Pink Mosque and discover the alleys and lanes of the popular Vakil Bazaar, a great spot to sit and chat and enjoy a glass of orange blossom tea. Then, pop into a local bakery where you can pick up some lunch, which you’ll enjoy during a visit to one of the female-only parks that are popping up to allow women to exercise, picnic or just enjoy the sun without a hijab. After lunch, head out to the vast complex of Bagh-e Eram, known as the Garden of Paradise, where you’ll have the chance to wander through its beautifully manicured gardens. Then, pay a visit to the ornately decorated tomb dedicated to the poet Saadi, and the tomb built to commemorate the poet Hafez. Later in the day, spend time with some very talented local women at a carpet weaving workshop to learn about their craft.Overnight in Shiraz.
Day 10 : Shiraz
Sightseeing : Persepolis , Naghsh-e Rostam (Necropolis) ,Women beauty Salon and Cooking class
Today make the short journey to Persepolis a UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE , approximately 1 hour). Once the centre of the Achaemenid Empire and one of the great cities of the ancient world, Persepolis took more than 150 years to build. Designed as a centre for events of the kings and their empire, its grandiosity and architectural marvel is still on show today.
Afterwards, head back to Shiraz and step inside the hidden world of an Iranian hair salon. The hijab comes off, the conversation is lively, and the music is blaring. Treat yourself to a manicure, or perhaps a wash and blow wave. In post-revolution Iran, opening a beauty salon was one of the most conventional ways for Iranian women to have financial independence. Often the basement of a building, or an extra room in the house was used, and off limits to men, these salons have become oases for many. In the evening, take part in a hands-on cooking class where a local female cook will teach you how to create some of the most delectable Persian dishes. This class may include tahchin (Iranian savoury rice cake), morasa polo (jewelled rice), mirza qasemi (grilled eggplant), and the Iranian dessert of Sholeh Zard (saffron rice pudding). Take in the flavours and aromas of these delicious meals as the wafts fill the kitchen, then set the table and gather for a huge Persian feast as you chat and exchange stories.overnight in Shiraz.
Day 11: Shiraz or Tehran
Our representative will transfer you to Shiraz international airport or Imam Khomeini international airport according to your flight time and you will depart Iran, the land of warmth and hospitality with fond memories.
Some beautiful paths can’t be discovered without getting lost and women need real moments of solitude and self-reflection to balance out how much of ourselves we give away, and there is no better place than Iran to lost and become familiar with Iranian women.
.jpg "Iran Women Tour . Inbound Persia Travel Agency.")
'' IRAN IS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA''