Shiraz-Kerman-Yazd-Esfahan-Hamadan-Tehran Itinerary
15 Days & 14 Nights
Day 1(Shiraz):
Arrival in Shiraz Airport early morning. You will be met and transfer to the hotel. In the afternoon, visit some highlights of Shiraz, the city of flowers, gardens and literature, such as Afif Abad Garden, one of the largest and best planned historical gardens in Shiraz, dates back to the Safavid period (1501-1739),. Visiting Hafez and Saadi mausoleums, two great Iranian poets in Shiraz. Overnight in Shiraz.(Hotel)
Day 2(Persepolis-Pasargad-Shiraz):
After breakfast driving toward Persepolis (about 45 km away from Shiraz), one of the famous heritages in Iran which has been registered in UNESCO list, Persepolis is one of the most impressive sights surviving from antiquity back in to the 2500 years ago. After Persepolis visit Naqsh-e Rostam which is a burial place of four Achaemenid sovereigns .Then driving toward Pasargad, which is the burial place of the ancient Cyrus the Great of Persia who founded of the Persian Empire under the Achaemenid dynasty back in 2500 years ago.In the evening driving back to Shiraz. Overnight in Shiraz.(Hotel)
Day 3(Shiraz):
Full day city tour of Shiraz and visiting some highlights of this city such as, Zand Complex including Karimkhan Citadel, Pars Museum, Vakil Traditional Bath, Vakil Mosque and traditional bazaar which are related to the Zand dynasty (1750–79), a dynasty that ruled in Persia from Shiraz. Have a shopping in traditional bazaar and visit some Persian Carpet shops. (Iran is famous because of its Persian Carpets from 2500 years ago, a Persian Carpet has a wide variety designs and styles, and trying to organize them in to a category is a very difficult task.)
Then visit Naranjistan, a garden and pavilion located in the center of Shiraz that was once part of a larger residential complex. The residence belonged to the Qavam family, who built it between 1879 and 1886.
After that visit Zinat-Ol Mulk House, a beautiful edifice in the western side of Naranjestan-e Qavam, This house has been the residential house of the Qavam-Ol Mulk famialy. In the evening, visit Eram Garden, the garden traces its history from seljuk period (1040–1196) and much enlarged during the subsequent years, it’s building is one of the most impressive Qajar (1794-1925) structure in Shiraz.Visiting Jahan nama Garden, a large walled garden has existed since at least the 13th century CE. In a classic Persian garden arrangement, four broad avenues, bordered with orange trees, cypresses and roses converge on an octagonal stone pavilion at the centre. Then visit the graceful Koran Gate at night, which is the focal point of Shiraz and Khaju Kermani’s Tomb, one of the most famous poets of 14th-century Iran, a carved stone plate with a brief biography of Khaju and excerpts of his poems were added to the site in 1987.Overnight in Shiraz.(Hotel)
Shiraz souvenirs includes:
Metal working , Khatam (Marquetry mosaic) , Persian Carpet , Intarsia , Glyptic , Minai Ware , Pottery , Rug , Wood turning , Carving , Glassblowing , Date , Limejuice , Masghati , Kilim , Pickles , Distillates ,Spices.
Day 4(Shiraz-Kerman):
After breakfast driving toward Kerman early morning, after lunch and rest in Kerman a city which is Situated in the foothills of the Payeh mountains on the edge of the Dasht e Lut desert , visit some highlights of Kerman in the evening such as Ganjali Khan complex which is composed of a school, a square, a caravanseray, a public bath (located in the grand bazaar of Kerman serves as an anthropology museum today), a water reservoir, a mint house, a mosque and a bazaar, this complex has been built during the Safavid era (1499 – 1723 AD), enjoying a modern architectural style of the time. Have a leisure time for shopping some souvenirs in traditional bazaar. Overnight in Kerman.(Hotel)
Day 5(Kerman- Rayen- Mahan):
After breakfast visiting Yakhdan-e–Moayedi (traditional refrigerator), Gonbad-e-Jabaliyeh (Jabaliyeh Dom),a stone dome, which puzzles experts as to its origins but may date to the second century CE and be either a tomb or an observatory. After that driving toward Rayen which is about kmating from Kerman and visit Rayen Citedel, The medieval mudbrick city of Rayen is similar to the Arg-e Bam city which was destroyed in an earthquake in December 2003. Rayen displays all the architectural elements of a deserted citadel, this citadel back in to Sassanid era (224-651 CE).
Driving back to Kerman and eating lunch in Mahan en rout. Visiting some highlights of Kerman such as Shazdeh Garden which is 5.5 hectares with a rectangular shape and a wall around it and ornamented with water fountains that are engined by the natural incline of the land back in to the Qajar dynasty (1794 to 1925) and also visit the tomb of Shah Nur-eddin Nematollah Vali, poet, sage, Sufi and founder of an order of dervishes, has twin minarets covered with turquoise tiles from the bottom up to the cupola back in to Qajar dynasty as well. Overnight in Kerman.(Hotel)
Day 6 (Shahdad Desert-Kerman):
After breakfast have an excursion to Shahdad City and Lut Desert, visiting Sirch Village en rout, with its beautiful gardens and 800 years old cypress tree, in the height of 1550 above sea level. Shahadad is located at the edge of Lut desert, from some archaeological evidences of this city, its history back in to the 6000 years ago. There is too many date gardens around this city. Visit Shafi Abad Castle near Shahdad, back in to the Qajar dynasty with its special desert architecture. Then driving toward Lut Desert and enjoy the scene of Nebkas (the flower pots of the desert) en rout, one of the most important accumulations landforms in desert area. You have the chance to walk in Lut Desert, 25th largest desert in the world and one of the world’s driest places. Enjoy impressive land structures carved out of sand hills made by wind called Kalout. Visiting beautiful sunset from kalouts while driving back to Kerman. Overnight in Kerman. (Hotel)
Kerman souvenirs includes:
Persian Carpet, Pateh, Ghoutou (This is made of 40 plants including nigella seed, purslane, coffee, hemp, cotton seed…), Pistachios, Kolompe, Bereshtou (It is some delicious sweet. First flour fried in cooking oil is mixed with sugar or dates before being cut in rhomboid pieces.)
Day 7(Kerman-Yazd):
After breakfast driving toward Yazd and visit some parts of central desert of Iran en rout. In the evening visit the tallest Wind Tower of the world in Dolat Abaad Garden, a residence of Persian regent Karim Khan Zand, was built about 1750 and consists of a small pavilion set amid quiet gardens. And then visit Water Museum, for the lowdown on qanats, head for the impressive Yazd Water Museum , located in a restored mansion that happens to have a qanat or two underneath. Visiting Amir Chakhmagh Complex, including a spacious square ringed by a water well and an impressive mosque. Overnight in Yazd.(Hotel)
Day 8(Yazd):
In the morning, full day city tour of Yazd, visiting highlights of Yazd such as Congregational Mosque, Zoroastrian old Fire Temple which was founded with the financial helps of Yazdi and Indian-based Zoroastrians, the fire of Varahram is burning in a brass cup in a special chamber, and. Zeyaeyeh School (Aleksandra Prison), This 15th-century domed school is known as Alexander’s Prison because of a reference to this apparently dastardly place in a Hafez poem. Visit Silence Tower located on a hill where Zoroastrians throw down their dead ones, belongs to the Qajar period. Overnight in Yazd.(Hotel)
Yazd souvenirs includes:
Termeh or a type of woven cashmere, brocade and velvet weaving, a type of pile-less rug, blanket weaving, Jajeems (or a coarse kind of carpet), giveh making or (local foot ware), handkerchiefs, table cloths, bed-wrappers, felt making, earthenware, ceramics, glass ware, molded copper ware and other metals, tile and leather works , sweets (Pashmak (cotton candy), Baghlava and Ghotab).
Day 9(Esfahan):
After breakfast driving toward Esfahan, after rest, in the evening visiting historical bridges of Esfahan such as Si-o-Se Pole (33 bridges) and Khajoo are two of the eleven bridges of Esfahan. Si o Se Pol means, 33 Bridge, it is the place that almost every visitors of Isfahan had seen , or walked over it, this Historical Bridge was built in about 1600 and can show you best example of Safavid Bridge Design. Overnight in Esfahan.(Hotel)
Day 10(Esfahan):
Full day city tour of Esfahan including, Naghsh-e Jahaan Square, one of UNESCO‘s World Heritage Sites. The square is surrounded by buildings from the Safavid era (1501-1739). Such as Imaam and Sheikh Lotfo-Al-Lah Mosques are two of the architectural masterpieces of Safavid Iranian architecture , Ali Qapu and traditional Bazaar (leisure time for shopping some souvenirs such as inlaid work engravings, woodwork, filigree work, Persian Carpets and miniatures. Local sweets, especially gaz are very delicious and well known through Iran.) , ChehelSotoon (40 Pillars) palaces is a pavilion in the middle of a park at the far end of a long pool. Overnight in Esfahan.(Hotel)
Esfahan souvenirs includes:
Persian Carpet, brocade weaving, kilim (or a coarse carpet), enamel work, khatam (inlaid work), engraving on metal, silver work, jewelry making, ceramic and tiles and types of sweetmeats, such as ‘gaz’ and ‘souhan’.
Day 11(Abyaneh-Hamadan):
After breakfast driving toward Hamadan, visiting Abyaneh Village en rout, village of Abyaneh is one of the Iranian historical villages that contains some works from Sassanid period (224-651 CE) to the present time. It owns several unequal attributions just like the unique temple of “Herpak”, a Chief mosque with a unique mihrab from Seljukian period (1040–1196), houses harmonious with climate and mountainous land. Overnight in Hamadan. (Hotel)
Day 12(Hamadan):
Full day city tour of Hamadan, visiting the Avicenna and the Baba Taher monuments, Avicenna (980-1037) was a Persian philosopher, physician, and scientist and Baba Taher was a 11th-century famous poet in Iran. Visit Hegmataneh Hill, In the mud beneath this scraggy low hill lies Hamadan’s ancient Median (9-7centuries B.C) and Achaemenid (550-330 B.C) city site. Small sections of the total area have been fitfully excavated by several teams over the last century, most extensively in the 1990s.
Then visit Alaviyan Dome,The square building of the Gonbad-e Alavian dates back to the Seljuk period (1040–1196). It was originally built as a mosque by the Alavian family, complete with minarets and a green dome. In the evening visit Ganjnameh, set of cuneiform characters written in three languages (ancient Persian, Elamite, and Babylonian), set into a rock face on Mount Alvand with a beautiful water fall, about 5 kilometers from modern-day Hamadan which once served as the capital of the Medes (9-7centuries B.C) and Achaemenids (550-330 B.C). Overnight in Hamadan. (Hotel)
Day 13(Alisadr Cave-Lalejin-Tehran):
After breakfast driving toward Tehran, visit Alisadr Cave en rout, this cave has lots of water halls and wide variety of beautiful features such as stalactites, stalagmites deposits with various forms. This with about 2400 meter in cave boating is the biggest cave in the world from this respect.After Alisadr Cave visiting Lalejin city, this city is considered as the center of the bussiness and training of ceramic arts in Asia, every year many tourists visit this artistic and interesting city, you have a chance to make pottery in their workshops by yourself. Driving toward Tehran, overnight in Tehran. (Hotel)
Hamadan souvenirs includes:
Persian Carpet, Kilim, Jajeem, leather work, Geeveh, sweet-meats, grape syrup, ceramic, pottery.
Day 14(Tehran):
Full day city tour of Tehran. Visiting Golestan Palace which is among a set of Qajari & early Pahlawi royal palaces, located in a garden complex at center of Tehran. Visit National Museum of Iran, whose construction began in 1934 and which became operative in two sections in 1937, not only constitutes the largest museum of Iranian archeology and history, but also ranks among the few great museums of the world with regards to volume, quality and diversity of its collections.
After lunch visit Carpet Museum, In 1978, the founders of the Carpet Museum of Iran established this Museum with a limited number of Persian Carpets and kilims, in order to revive and develop the art of carpet-weaving in the country, and to provide a source to satisfy the need for research about the historical background and evolution of this art. In the evening visit Milad Tower, the main building of Milad Tower is 435 meters, which is the world’s fourth tallest telecommunications and television tower. Overnight in Tehran.(Hotel)
Please be informed that:
- Golestan Palace is closed on public holidays.
- National Museum of Iran is closed on Mondays and public holidays.
- Carpet Museum is closed on Mondays and public holidays.
Day 15:
End of the tour with hotel check out and transfer to the Immam Khomeini Airport.
- Services include :
- 08 nights accommodation in 3,4&5 star hotels with breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Daily refreshments
- Air conditioned transport
- English speaking guide
- Medical Insurance in Iran up to IRR 20000000.00(Iranian Rial) for medical cost
- All cost of the guide & driver (insurance, food, accommodation, fuel, parking charge, toll, etc.)
- All attraction entrance fees
- Visa arrangement
- Services Exclude:
- International air ticket
- Any expenses such as telephone calls, laundry, mini bar used in the room, tips etc.
- Tips and porter charges
- Any other services not specified above