Iran between cities and deserts

We start our day at the National Museum, which traces the rich history of the country from ancient Persia to the Islamic era. Ancient objects are numerous and testify to a flourishing past. The Golestan Palace, former Qajar royal palace, is located in the citadel of Tehran, in the heart of the old city. Its magnificent architectural ensembles are arranged around a garden composed of pools and overflow with rich collections of Iranian craftsmanship. Our morning ends at the Grand Bazaar of Tehran. Bazaars (from old Persian vāzār) are genuine institutions here: people come to stroll, exchange, haggle, chat…

In the afternoon, if train schedules to Shiraz permit, our last stop in the capital takes us to the National Museum of Crown Jewels, an absolutely stunning place that houses one of the greatest treasures in the world: jewels, precious stones, diamonds, … an absolutely unique collection of wonders gathered by the shahs.

After our visits we head to the station for our night train to Shiraz.

An hour's drive takes us this morning to a mythical place: the city of Persepolis, capital of the Achaemenid empire, founded 2500 years ago by the "King of Kings" Darius I. The ruins of buildings, partly carved into the rock, are remarkably well preserved and show architecture influenced by Mesopotamian models. It is likely that the city served both as a center of government and as a sumptuous venue for spectacles and royal receptions.

A short distance to the north, the site of Nécropolis is where the Achaemenid kings were buried.

We continue our journey towards the northeast and reach another exceptional relic of the Achaemenid civilization: the ancient city of Pasargades, created by Cyrus the Great in the 6th century BC and the first capital of the Achaemenid Empire.

Finally we return a few kilometers back to drop our luggage in Saadat Shahr where we spend the night.

Today we head due east towards the Dasht-e Lut desert, one of the driest and hottest on the planet, in Kerman Province.

We make several stops along the way to admire Lake Bakhtegan, the village of Dehmurd, as well as the cities of Herat and Rafsanjan, the birthplace of former Iranian president Rafsanjani and the pistachio capital.

Past Kerman, one last mountain range separates us from the desert, which we explore in wonder until Shahdad. The strong seasonal winds here cause colossal erosion that produces spectacular landscapes alternating between rocky massifs and undulating ridges.

Night with a local family in a small village.

Early morning departure to the small town of Mahan, located in an oasis and featuring two particularly interesting sites: the mausoleum of the Sufi leader Ne'mat Ollah-e-Vali with its minarets and turquoise dome, and the paradisiacal Shahzadeh Garden, a magnificent green oasis between desert and mountains inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Our next stop, an hour to the south, is the village of Rayen, where an extraordinary citadel built during the Sassanid period and remarkably well preserved stands. This immense construction made of rammed earth and its location at the foot of Mount Hezar (4500 m) make it a spectacular site.

Transfer to Kerman and hotel check-in.

We leave Kerman this morning and head northwest toward the province of Yazd. Along the way we make a detour to the troglodytic village of Meymand. Meymand is a very old village (10,000-year-old engraved stones and 6,000-year-old pottery fragments have been found there), one of the oldest settlements on the Iranian plateau. Nowadays the inhabitants still live in houses carved into the rock.

The word caravan comes from Persian kârvân, which designates a procession of camels and travelers. Since a caravan was generally a merchant convoy, it is not surprising that Persia, at the heart of the Silk Road, invented the term! To ensure accommodation and other needs for these convoys, the desert was dotted with caravanserais (the Persian sarây designating a large house), fortified places consisting of stables, stores and rooms.

Our destination for the day is one of the oldest caravanserais in the region: Zeinoddin, built during the Safavid era and beautifully restored.

This evening we experience an unforgettable moment and settle for the night in the caravanserai. What an atmosphere in this ancient stone building in the middle of the desert!

(Depending on availability, it is possible that the Zeinoddin caravanserai may be replaced by that of Fahraj.)

On the way to Yazd, we pass by two other very ancient caravanserais: Saryazd (Seljuk and Safavid periods, and its impregnable Sassanid citadel where harvests and precious objects were stored) and Mehriz (Sassanid period).

Upon arriving at Yazd, we visit two major Zoroastrian sites: the Towers of Silence, where corpses were exposed to be eaten by carnivorous birds, and the Fire Temple, one of the most important Zoroastrian places of worship in the world.

Finally, at the beginning of the evening we head to the Amir Chakhmaq complex. It is a square gathering a mosque, a caravanserai, a tekyeh, a hammam, a well and a confectionery. When night falls, the lighting gives the place a magical appearance.

We continue our journey today and make our first stop in Meybod, an ancient city that was also the capital of the Mozaffarid kingdom in the 14th century. The Narin Citadel, from the Sassanid era, is one of the oldest in Iran and an important historical remnant.

Continuing our journey north, we enter the province of Isfahan and arrive at the city of Nain. An ancient city, Nain is home to one of the oldest mosques in Iran, the Jameh Mosque. It is also an ideal place to observe the qanats, which still function today and convey water from the mountains to the city.

A largely desert country, it is in Varzaneh that it is easiest to observe magnificent sand dunes at the gates of the city. What a spectacle! In town, we will not miss visiting the Jameh Mosque as well as the ancient Ghoortan citadel.

Evening arrival in Isfahan, jewel of the Middle East and most beautiful city in the world in the hearts of many Iranians. Perched at 1500m altitude in the middle of the arid Iranian plateau, it appears as an oasis of greenery thanks to its irrigation systems. Isfahan was the capital of the Persian Empire under the Safavid dynasty between the 16th and 18th centuries.

Check-in at the hotel.

On the northern route, we devote a good part of the day to the Natanz region, rich in historical heritage and also renowned for its climate and food crops. Among the local sacred sites, we can mention the sanctuary of Sufi Sheikh Abd al-Samad dating from the 14th century.

A short distance away, the Tarq Castle is a very beautiful remnant of the Sassanid era, which from the 3rd to the 6th century preceded the arrival of Islam.

About forty kilometers west of Natanz, tucked at over 2000m altitude in the Karkas Mountains, lies one of the oldest and most beautiful villages in Iran, Abyaneh. Witnesses of the Sassanid era are clearly visible here: ruins of an old fort, traditional clothing and local dialect infused with remnants of the Pahlavi language from that era.

Arrival in Kachan in late afternoon and check-in at the hotel.

The beginning of the day is dedicated to visiting Kachan. This city with rich architecture is also one of the great oases of the deserts in central Iran, and traces of human habitation date back to the 6th millennium BC. The remarkable buildings of the city are relatively recent, notably the magnificent traditional residences of the Tabatabaei and Boroudjerdi, which date from the Qajar era (19th century). The Fin Garden is the oldest garden in Iran.

We then head towards Tehran. Along the way we stop in Qom, a sacred Shi'a city, where we visit the sanctuary of Fatima Masoumeh, daughter of the seventh Shi'a imam Musa al-Kazim.
Arrival at Tehran airport and end of services.

(If desired, possibility to visit the Maranjab caravanserai instead of Qom).