"19 Fascinating days in Iran" Top 5 Page for this destination Iran by suvanki

Iran Travel Guide: 2,855 reviews and 10,181 photos

Rice paddies near Manjil, Gilan Province Iran

Thinking of all my Friends, their families and Friends in Iran at this difficult time-

Iran had been near the top of my list of 'Must Sees' for a long time.
In 2006 I had booked a tour through Exodus travel, but got 'cold feet' due to George Dubbya spouting off about Iran, and 'financial embarrassment'!- I transferred my deposit to a trip to Morocco instead.

2007- Iran was still calling!!! - I'd checked out travel companies, and found a tour that suited me (far better than my earlier itinerary) This was to be a 19 day trip in May/ June 08, including camping with different nomad tribes.

I booked my trip through 'Persian Voyages' and found them to be excellent- Nasrin was so helpful in organising my trip, and offering reassurance when I had any concerns. It was like arranging a trip with a friend, rather than a travel company!

As my departure date arrived, I was pleased to learn that I was the only member of the tour- so I had a guide/driver all to myself.

This suited me as I had the flexibility of individual travel, with all the hassle of arranging transport, hotels, restaurants and sightseeing being taken care of - giving me the chance to cram in as much as possible during my visit.

Also, there wasn't the dread of 'group travel' where there's often 1 or 2 self appointed leaders, who 'take over the trip' as I've experienced previously.

Please click here for Nomadic and Sightseeing Tour details My trip was slightly different from the listed itinerary and didn't include Yazd.

Mount Sabalan, Iran

I think that my Iran trip will be a long VT Project! I've made a start though!

I'm intending to write my Iran Things to do tips in date and time order. (so it might be quite a while before I get to my Shiraz and Esfahan tips)

I'm enjoying writing my tips, as memories keep flooding back, while I sort through my photos and hastily scribbled notes.

I hope you enjoy reading about my trip, and that it either brings back memories (for those who've visited some of the same places), or inspires you to want to visit this fascinating and unique country.

I'm afraid that some of my tips might be a bit inaccurate, either because I've misheard my guide, or his translation/ info was incorrect.

Some place names etc have alternative spellings, where possible I have listed these.

Please feel free to e-mail me if you spot any big bloopers, or where I've asked for info about places .

Oh, and feel free to rate any tips you find useful!

I've added these links for those who want to skip to a certain place quickly, but if you start at the beginning, it's a time order account of my trip.

Page 1 Tehran, Qazvin, Manjil, Bandar-e-Anzali to Masuleh
Page 2 Masuleh, Bandar-e-Anzali, Ardebil, Fakhrabad, Mount Sabalan
Page 3 Lahrood, Mount Sabalan, Shabil, Tabriz
Page 4 Tabriz, Osku, Ispanjan Village, Kandovan, Maraqeh
Page 5 Maraqeh Takab Zendan-e-Soleiman Takht-e-Soleiman Bijar Ali Sadr Caves Hamadan

Below are links to some of the Pages of places I've visited, with more info and photos.
Tehran

Qazvin

Masuleh

Bandar-e-Anzali (under construction)

Pros and Cons

Pros:Fascinating Country, Friendly locals, low key tourism, No Mc Donalds!!!
Cons:Traffic in the cities-the unleaded petrol fumes had me choking and my eyes stinging
In a nutshell:It exceeded my expectations-so many unexpected pleasant surprises!

Last visit to Iran: Jun 2008
Intro Updated Feb 26, 2011
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Reviews (60)

Day 7 - Hamadan Things to Do (47)

After visiting the Ali Sadr Caves, we set off for Hamadan, where I was to stay for the next night. I was feeling a bit... more travel advice

Day 7 Ali Sadr or Alisadr Caves Things to Do (47)

Before my trip, my work mate, who's parents are Iranian, told me that her mother had said that I HAD to visit these... more travel advice

Day 7 Takht-e - Suleyman to Bijar and... Things to Do (47)

Our journey to Bijar took us past an old caravanserai. These places of rest were introduced by Shah Abbas the Great in... more travel advice

3* Boutique style Room in Hamadan Hotels (6)

I was quite stunned by my room in this hotel! Although the other hotels I'd stayed in had been acceptable, this was the... more travel advice

Restaurants (3)
See All Masuleh - rooftop restaurant
Transportation (1)
London Heathrow to Tehran Imam Khomeini
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Comments (18)

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fkompani Apr 3, 2011 at 3:16 PM

Oh no, what about Shiraz? You cannot just stop writing. :(
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toonsarah Jul 31, 2010 at 11:53 AM

Back to read the rest of this wonderful page :-) Like you I love the photo of the man cracking walnuts, but there are so many other excellent ones too. So enjoyed reading your engrossing tips too. Please tell me when you add more!
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diageva Jun 10, 2010 at 1:32 PM

Super Sue... you did Iran... I have just seen your page... so good...
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xaver Oct 21, 2009 at 4:37 PM

This is a very detailed interesting description of iran. thanks.
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bijo69 Aug 6, 2009 at 11:48 AM

Absolutely fascinating write-up Sue! Really must have been an amazing trip!
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Britannia2 Mar 16, 2009 at 1:38 PM

Have spent a pleasant evening reading these pages - really interesting. Colin
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Arkeolog Feb 20, 2009 at 7:24 AM

Great infos n photos. thanks for sharing. Best wishes from Istanbul. Bora
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hunterV Feb 7, 2009 at 11:34 AM

Hello, Sue! Thanks for your interesting stories! They are wonderful! Nice experience!
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joiwatani Nov 4, 2008 at 6:18 AM

Your tips in Iran are great! I wanted to go there someday!
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yumyum Sep 29, 2008 at 12:19 PM

Outstanding page about a once in a lifetime trip! I've only seen very little in 1985 across the country on a London-Kathmandu trip.