The journey
Empires of Persia
tehran · kashan · isfahan · yazd · persepolis · shiraz · ahvaz · susa shush · chogha zanbil · shushtar · kermanshah · takht e soleyman · tabriz · ardabil · qazvin
No deposit, no card — you pay when you're in Iran and everything is agreed.
Nineteen days across Iran, extended east into Khuzestan and north to Takht-e Soleyman for five UNESCO sites the classic loop skips.
Nineteen days that go well past the standard loop. The Achaemenid ruins of Persepolis and Naqsh-e Rostam, then east into Khuzestan for the Elamite ziggurat at Chogha Zanbil, the ancient city of Susa, and the Shushtar hydraulic system; north again to the Bisotun inscription and the Sassanid fire temple at Takht-e Soleyman; then Tabriz, the rock village of Kandovan, and a run down the Caspian coast through Gilan before returning to Tehran. Five UNESCO sites on this route appear on no other package we offer.
Highlights
- Chogha Zanbil, Susa & Shushtar (Khuzestan's UNESCO cluster)
- Bisotun inscription & Takht-e Soleyman fire temple (both UNESCO)
- Persepolis, Naqsh-e Rostam & the Isfahan-Yazd-Shiraz loop
- Kandovan rock village & Tabriz's UNESCO bazaar
Day by day
Days 1-2
Tehran & Kashan
Former U.S. Embassy, Azadi Square, Darband valley; Nushabad underground city, Sultan Amir Ahmad bathhouse, the Borujerdi and Tabatabaei houses, Kashan bazaar.
Days 3-5
Abyaneh & Isfahan
Fin Garden and the red village of Abyaneh en route; Naqsh-e Jahan square, Chehel Sotoun, the Grand Bazaar, Vank Cathedral, Si-o-se-pol and Khaju bridges, a traditional hammam.
Days 6-7
Nain to Yazd
Narin Castle at Meybod, Chak Chak, the mud-brick village of Kharanaq; Yazd's fire temple, Towers of Silence, Dowlat Abad garden and old town on foot.
Days 8-9
Persepolis & Shiraz
Persepolis and Naqsh-e Rostam; Hafez's tomb, the Nasir al-Mulk mosque, Eram Garden, Vakil bathhouse and bazaar.
Days 10-11
Khuzestan
Bishapur's Sasanian reliefs and Shapur cave; Susa's Apadana castle and museum, the Chogha Zanbil ziggurat, and Shushtar's hydraulic system, Salasel castle and bazaar.
Days 12-13
Kermanshah & Kurdistan
Taq-e Bostan and the Bisotun inscription; Sanandaj's Moshir Divan and Khosro Abad mansions, then the Azargoshnasp and Anahita temples at Takht-e Soleyman.
Days 14-15
Azerbaijan
The Mehr temple at Maragheh, the rock village of Kandovan; Tabriz's Grand Bazaar, Azerbaijan and Qajar museums, El Goli park.
Days 16-17
Ardabil & Gilan
The Sheikh Safi al-Din shrine, the Astara mountain coaster and the Caspian coast; Masal's cloud-meadows, Masuleh and Rudkhan castle.
Days 18-19
Qazvin & Tehran
The Sa'd al-Saltaneh caravanserai; Tehran's National Museum, Golestan Palace, Grand Bazaar and Tochal telecabin before departure.
Best season
- Apr
- May
- Sep
- Oct
What's included
- private guide
- intercity transfers/flights
- hotels
- visa support
Make this journey yours
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