Authentic + Classic

● Golestan Palace
● Grand Bazaar
● National Museum of Iran
● Walking in Si-e Tir Street
Tehran is steeped in various cultures with its ancient monuments dating back to hundreds of years ago. Highlights of the city include Golestan Palace, the old Bazaar of Tehran & the museums. The old downtown alleys are also perfect to explore.
First, we will go to a spectacular gem in the heart of Tehran, Golestan Palace. One of the top experiences in Tehran is a visit to the historical Grand Bazaar where you will find yourself among traditional architecture & local people. We will have a very famous dish in IRANomad House; a 130-year-old Persian house. In the evening, we will go to Si-e Tir Street where a synagogue, a mosque, 2 Christian churches, and a Zoroastrian fire temple are all gathered together.

● Karoon River
● Shush
● Haft Tappeh
● Tchogha-Zanbil
● Mostofi House
● Shushtar’s historical watermills
We will go to Ahvaz on an early morning flight to Ahvaz. We will pay a short visit to the Karoon River, Shush, and Tchogha-Zanbil (a ziggurat of the Elamite era). In the afternoon, we’ll shortly visit Shushtar’s historical watermills. Lunch will be served in the traditional Mostofi Museum and Restaurant and the night’s stay will be in Shushtar.

● Mighty Zagros Ranges
● Bakhtiari Nomads
● Scenic Nomadic pathways
Today, after a few hours of driving, we are going to start our nomadic adventure in the Zagros mountains. We will also go shopping. This is our last chance to buy the things we need before going to the mountains. When we reach the mountains, we will get our backpacks and leave the other stuff in the car, and head to the mountains. After some hours of hiking, we will reach the pasture where the nomads are waiting for us. Depending on the nomad family and their kooch route, we will have around 1-5 hours of hiking.

● People of the Mountain
● Scenic Zagros Mountains
● Experiencing the Nomads’ Epic Migration
The morning introduces the spectacular view of the flock wandering in the green pastures. It’s the day of kooch: An important day for the Nomads. For some days, we’ll accompany them in their epic migration in the Zagros mountain ranges. During these Kooch days, we’ll have around 40-80 km of hiking depending on the nomad family we join & the difficulty level of their migration. Moving behind the flock in the Zagros mountains, we’ll be immersed in the scenic beauty of the area – an unforgettable view. We’ll be all surrounded by imposing mountains and oak trees with the sound of the sheep’s bell ringing in your ears. In the afternoon, when the Nomads stop the move, we’ll have plenty of quiet time to enjoy the spectacular surrounding. At nights, we’ll rest under the cool, starry sky or in our tents.
* Flexibility is key in kooch. Migration‘s starting date and its length are both tentative due to weather conditions, kooch & family issues, or similar matters. The day-by-day itinerary is subject to minor alterations as well, which inevitably affects the city tour plan.

● Khoye Village
● Sar Agha Seyed Village
● Nomadic handicrafts
Today, we’ll say goodbye to the Nomads to continue our expedition to an amazing green village: Khoye. After some days of migration with the nomads, a comfortable cozy village house would be the perfect lodge. We’ll explore vast fruit orchards and wonderful old houses and see the nomadic handicrafts. Then, we’ll visit the historic stepped village of Sar Agha Seyed with amazing architecture where the yard of one house is the roof of the other. For more than thousands of years, Nomads have crossed through this village on the way to their summer or winter pastures. We’ll hike for about 15 minutes and visit the salt mines near the village. For the night, we will be in a nomadic village.
* Depending on the Kooch route, we will see different nomadic villages.

● Sar Agha Seyyed Village
● Isfahan
● Persian Hammam
Today, after breakfast we’ll leave Khoye to go to the historic stepped village of Sar Agha Seyed with amazing architecture where the yard of one house is the roof of the other. For more than thousands of years, Nomads have crossed through this village on the way to their summer or winter pastures. We’ll hike for about 15 minutes and visit the salt mines near the village. Then, in 5 hours, we will reach Isfahan. Experiencing Persian Hammam (bath) and Persian massage after days of hiking will put the most refreshing end to our Kooch.

● Naghshe Jahan Square
● Ali Qapu Palace
● Imam Mosque
● Jame’a Mosque of Isfahan
● Chehel Sotoon Palace
● Si-o-se-pol & Khaju Traditional Bridge
Today, we visit some must-see, UNESCO-registered sites & places in Isfahan. Here, we have the chance to see unique Persian architecture. There is a Persian proverb saying ‘Isfahan is half of the world’, referring to its so many palaces, mosques, gardens, bridges, etc. We will visit some famous places in Isfahan like Naghshe Jahan Square which holds Ali Qapu Palace, Imam Mosque, Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, and the Imperial Bazaar. The afternoon is yours to have some rest. Sunset is the best time to go to Si-O-Se Pol Bridge, Khaju Bridge, or the other bridges. For dinner the amazing Isfahani cuisine Beryan & Khoresht-e Mast awaits us.

● Vank Cathedral
● Jolfa Neighbourhood
● Varzaneh Desert
In the morning, we will visit the Jolfa neighborhood and Vank church. After lunch, we go to Varzaneh desert. Sunset in the desert, over the sandhills, would be one of the highlights of the trip. For the night, you can either stay in the guesthouse or camp under the starry sky. The next day, you can try making Persian cuisine in a local house (the guesthouse can arrange an optional Persian cooking class).

● Lari House
● Jāmeh Mosque of Yazd
● Traditional Gym (Zoorkhaneh) (Maybe)
● Taft Neighbpourhood
With its forts of bādgirs (wind catchers), Qanāts, and mud-brick old town, Yazd is one of the highlights of any trip to Iran. Wedged between the northern Dasht-e-Kavir and southern Dasht-e-Lut, it may not have the big-ticket sights of Isfahan or Shiraz, but with its fire temples, silent deserts, and ancient vibe, is equally enchanting. It’s a place to wander in the maze of historic streets and winding lanes. Yazd has been known for its tiles, silk, and other fabrics. It’s home to Iran’s second-largest population of Zoroastrians, followers of Zoroastrianism, the religion of Persians before Islam.
Today, we will visit the 150-year-old Lari house, a good example of a luxurious house of the 13th century. Then we’ll enjoy Yazd’s glorious sunset in a rooftop café and then we might have the chance to go to Zoorkhane to watch one of Iran’s ancient sports. For the night, we’ll go to the Taft neighborhood to stay with a Zoroastrian family. The evening will be ours to spend with our host family & to explore Taft village by bike. The village has beautiful fruit orchards, especially pomegranates.

● Amir Chakhmaq Complex
● Dolat Abad Garden
● Tower of Silence
● Zein-o-Din Caravanserai
Today, we’ll go to see a large impressive historical square in the center of Yazd; Amir Chakhmaq Complex. Dolat Abad Garden, which is registered in UNESCO World Heritage Sites, has the tallest wind catcher in the world. After lunch, we’ll visit the Zoroastrian Towers of Silence (Dakhme) which used to be an open burial pit in which Zoroastrians used to do their burial rituals. Our experience of silence reaches its peak when we stay in a caravanserai situated on the ancient Silk Road for the night: Zein-o-Din Caravanserai. The clear starry night sky and the tranquility of the surrounding desert are the most noticeable qualities of its ambiance.

● Borujerdiha Historical House
● Bazaar of Kashan
● Agha Bozorg Mosque
Around noon we reach Kashan. After having a traditional dish, and a short rest, we go around the city in the afternoon. There are some historic houses in Kashan. We will see Borujerdiha House and its unique architecture. We also go to the Bazaar of Kashan called Timche to know more about the Persian carpet. At night, Agha Bozorg Mosque, a symmetric architectural masterpiece built in the 18th century, is a must-see place in Kashan.

Today, we will leave Kashan for the airport. Our trip ends in IKA.