Iran Tours

Iran Tours, Everythings you need to know about Iran before booking Iran tours

Tour Packages    |    Services    |    Why Iran Tours?    |    Why Alibabatrek?    |    Reviews    |    Need to Know

Iran Tours & Holidays

Make the best out of your Iran travel by booking one of our unique Iran tour packages before your Iran visit and trip to Iran; rather you are traveling with your family and looking for a cultural Iran tour for your Iran visit, or maybe a group of friends interested in Iran adventure tours for your next trip to Iran and forthcoming Iran travel; you are at the right place; Alibabatrek has handcrafted the right Iran tours for you, our team of experts have put together the best Iran destinations and landmarks representing the peak of Iran adventures and cultures and created a fascinating list of Iran tours and grouped them into our best-selling Iran tours.

 In Alibabatrek we emphatically put our customers and their Iran travel experience at the center of all our activities; your journey starts before clicking our website link and evidently ends with your safe return home; we want you to bring back exquisite memories from your trip to Iran and exotic experiences of a life time; enabling us to materialize such a vision, is the experience of our Iran tour guides; we have gathered a team of experienced travel enthusiasts striving to make your experience as fascinating as it gets. They are quite knowledgeable about local culture as well as the landmarks you visit; our office staff are also very responsive and attentive to your requirements; they are an important part of creating a seamless experience. As a testament to the quality of service that is awaiting you in Alibabatrek, please see the reviews of our some of our previous guests.

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Alibabatrek Iran tour best iran tours mio iran

Iran Tour Packages

Iran Essentials Tours

Book Iran Essential Tours with Albabatrek, You can book these tours private or with groups. These Iran tour packages are suggested for those who want to visit Iran’s main touristic destinations. You can book these Iran tours for your preferred dates. The details of these tours designed based on our experiences in operating Iran tours during these years and also our previous customers feedback. If you want you could customize your trip based on your preferences and needs.

  • Culture
  • 5 Days
  • 4 Seasons
  • Phys. Rating: 1 out of 5

From

649 €

549 €

  • Culture
  • 11 Days
  • 4 Seasons
  • Phys.Rating: 1 out of 5

From

1449 €

1279 €

  • Culture
  • 14 Days
  • 4 Seasons
  • Phys. Rating: 1 out of 5

From

1699 €

1529 €

  • Culture
  • 13 Days
  • 4 Seasons
  • Phys. Rating: 1 out of 5

From

1649 €

  • Adventure & Culture
  • 14 Days
  • Jun. to Oct.
  • Phys. Rating: 4 out of 5

From

1799 €

1699 €

  • Culture
  • 21 Days
  • 4 Seasons
  • Phys. Rating: 1 out of 5

From

2599 €

2349 €

  • Adventure & Culture
Alibabatrek iran deserts and culture tour

Desert Path to Ancient Persia

A culture and adventure mixed tour including both sightseeing in the historical cities of Iran and surfing in the deserts. This comprehensive Iran tour includes visiting cities such as Tehran, Kashan, Isfahan, Yazd, and Shiraz. Also, we will pay a visit to deserts such as Maranjab, Ring-e Jenn, and Mesr. So, don’t miss this tour if you have an interest in both sightseeing and desert trekking.

  • 14 Days
  • Oct. to May
  • Phys. Rating: 2 out of 5

From

1599 €

1399 €

Iran Unique Tours

Pearls of The Persian Gulf

5 Days Iran Tour

Qeshm & Hormuz

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Damavand Ski Touring

7 Days Iran Tour

Backcountry Skiing

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Iran Top Ski Resorts

7 Days Iran Tour

Skiing in Iran Ski Resorts

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Khuzestan & Shushtar

4 Days Iran Tour

Explore Khuzestan & Shushtar

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Damavand Expedition

6 Days Iran Tour

Damavand + Tehran Sightseeing

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Alamkuh, The Alps of Iran

4 Days Iran Tour

Climb Alamkuh (4810m)

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Shahdad Kalouts Desert

6 Days Iran Tour

Explor Kerman Deserts

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Kashan Desert Tour

4 Days Iran Tour

Iran Safari in Kashan

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Iran's Northern Green Nature

4 Days Iran Tour

Iran Northern Jungle Tour

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Our Iran Tours Services

Alibabatrek-iran-tours-tour-iran-best-iran-tours-services qualified accommodations

High Quality Accommodation

Alibabatrek-iran-tours-tour-iran-best-iran-tours-services qualified transportaions

Qualified Transportation Vehicles

Alibabatrek-iran-tours-tour-iran-best-iran-tours-services expert tour guides

Expert Tour Guides

Alibabatrek-iran-tours-tour-iran-best-iran-tours-services iran visa

Visa Services

Alibabatrek-iran-tours-tour-iran-best-iran-tours-services travel insurance

Travel Insurance

Alibabatrek-iran-tours-tour-iran-best-iran-tours-services online payment

Online Payment

Alibabatrek-iran-tours-tour-iran-best-iran-tours-services book flight tickets

Book Flight Ticket

Alibabatrek-iran-tours-tour-iran-best-iran-tours-services iran debit card

Local Iranian Debit Card

Alibabatrek-iran-tours-tour-iran-best-iran-tours-services wifi internet dusring tours

Phone & Internet

Why Iran Tours?

Alibabatrek-iran-tours-tour-iran-best-iran-tours-why iran tours desert tours

Four Seasons in One Country

Iran is one of the countries located in western Asia. It is a mountainous country having various climates from the north to the south. Due to its location, Iran has four complete seasons. There are lush jungles in the north, deserts in its middle and continental climate in its south. Also, it has two mountain ranges. Alborz mountain range covers the north and Zagros mountains cover the west. Mount Damavand is the highest peak in Iran and the Middle East. It is located in the Alborz mountain range. Climbing mount Damavand is also one of the popular Iran tours among the tourists.

With the Caspian Sea in the north, Iran has a subtropical climate on the Caspian coast. The Caspian coast is a popular place for Iran holidays. Therefore, Iran tours visiting the Caspian Sea are popular among Iranians. On the other hand, in the middle parts of Iran, there are two great deserts called Dasht- Kavir and Dasht-e Lut. The scientists have found that Lut desert is the hottest place on earth. A lot of tourists look for desert tours in Iran to see these breathtaking deserts. The Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman are in the southern borders of Iran. There is almost no winter in southern regions and it is warm for most of the year. Qeshm, Kish, Hormuz, and Hendorabi are the southern islands of Iran. These islands are the destination of many Iran tours due to their pristine nature.

You can visit all these natural attractions with our Iran Tours. Alibabatrek offers adventure tours such as Iran ski tours, Iran desert tours and Iran mountain tours.

Iran Tours Take You Deep into History

Iran is one of the countries with ancient civilization. One of the world’s oldest civilizations, Elam, took place in Iran. Two thousand B.C. Aryan clans entered the Persian plateau. Dynasties of Aryans such as Maads and Achamenians used to rule the Persian empire. At that time, Persian people were mostly Zoroastrian. The remains of Persepolis, the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire is now near Shiraz. Persepolis is one of the most popular and amazing Iran tour destinations. It has a high historical value. Furthermore, the first emperor of Achaemenid, Cyrus the Great, is one of the most famous historical figures in the world.

Muslim conquest of Persia happened in the 7th century A.D. This conquest caused the decline of the Zoroastrian religion. Thereafter, Iran was counted as a part of the Muslim empire. It was ruled by the Caliphs. Many dynasties in Iran tried to defeat the domination of Caliphs but couldn’t succeed. Also, throughout the years Turkish dynasties managed to rule over parts of Iran. In the 12th century, Mongols invaded Iran. Consequently, they ruined many affluent cities of Iran. Thereafter, many different dynasties ruled over Iran. In 1925 Reza Shah from Pahlavi dynasty became the king of Iran. His son, Mohammadreza Pahlavi was the last Shah (king) in Iran. In 1979 the Islamic revolution happened and since then Iran’s political system is an Islamic republic.

The ancient monuments left from different historical eras have turned Iran to an open-air museum. Many tourists travel with Iran tours just to visit the historical sites in Iran. By traveling to Iran, one can learn a lot about a country with a long history and a rich culture. Alibabatrek has many Iran tours for visiting historical monuments.

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Why Iran Tours with Alibabatrek?

Competent Tour Guides

Passionate, local tour guides with different proficiencies (Cultures, mountaineering and…) and fluency in various languages.

Expert in Cultural Tours

Visit the ancient cultural cities of Iran like Shiraz, Isfahan, Yazd and … with a team of expert and passionate local tour guides.

Expert in Adventure Tours

Doing fascinating adventurous activities such as desert trekking, mountain climbing and skiing with a team of expert guides.

Flexibility

Customize your travel to Iran by choosing the dates of your travel and the Iran tours you want to join based on your preferences.

Uniqueness

We try our best to make memorable experiences for our customers; experiencing nightlife, amazing food and train tours.

100% Satisfaction

Had the honor of making all of our clients satisfied with our Iran tour services and managed to gain 5 stars in TripAdvisor.

Safety & Comfort

We try to provide all the most qualified services based on the needs of our customers to guarantee their safety and comfort.

Easy Booking & Payment

Our bank accounts in different countries and the online booking option makes the payment and booking process super easy.

Responsiveness

Contact us and ask all the questions you might have about our Iran tours to receive proper answers in a very short time.

Special Services

We offer debit cards, internet modem, cellphones and... for the customers of our Iran tours to make the trip easier for them.

Best Prices

Our fair prices compete with other agencies and fits the especial services we provide for the customers of our Iran tours.

Great Trip Consultation

​Use the professional advice from our experts for customizing your trip to Iran even if you don’t want to join our Iran tours.

Our Iran Tours Reviews

Here you can see our previous customers reviews about their Iran tour with us

Alibabatrek was the most responsive, flexible and cost effective of the four agents I contacted. Within a few days, we agreed an itinerary based on my requirements and their advice on possibilities and practicality. They also convinced me to apply for my visa ahead of time to give me added comfort on arrival.
Alibabatrek-iran-tours-tour-iran-best-iran-tours-reviews from united kingdom
Suzanne Lampow-Bernard

United Kingdom

We had very accomplished and experienced mountain guides and climbed both summits successfully and without any difficulty. The acclimatization program and the food were very good. In the second part we made a train journey from Tehran to Sari and then visited Isfahan and Kashan - the guides were exemplary and well informed.
Alibabatrek-iran-tours-tour-iran-best-iran-tours-reviews from switzerland
Judith Schuler

Switzerland

I would never found to the little coffee bars and restaurants we went to drink coffee or eat a delicious lunch/ diner, without my guide Ali. Thanks to Alibabatrek I was able to do it on a good and fun way. So this was a very unique experience.. They know their business really well and you will be in good hands!
Alibabatrek-iran-tours-tour-iran-best-iran-tours-reviews from belgium
Simon Poisquet

Belgium

Knowledge of the guide was incredible and we had a lot of good laughs. Before the trip I was a bit concerned about my gluten allergy but Alibaba did everything to make sure the food was arranged. To conclude, I can definitely recommend Alibabatrek for adventure seekers and those who would like to go on a cultural trip.
Alibabatrek-iran-tours-tour-iran-best-iran-tours-reviews from netherlands
Erik in ´t Zand

Netherlands

The accommodations provided by Alibabetrek were beyond thoughtful and considerate. They were flexible to our needs and wants and still managed to get us everywhere we wanted to go. Our experience with Alibabetrek far exceeded even our highest expectations. As a family, we travel quite a bit, and we have to say, this was our best tour experience yet.
Alibabatrek-iran-tours-tour-iran-best-iran-tours-reviews from united states
Anousha Rouhanian

United States

We spent one week in Iran with Alibabatrek. We visited the Persian Gulf and Yazd... Unique experience Everything was pefect,our guide has been irreplaceable ,prepared,and a good traveling companion. Great professionalism, kindness and availability. Surely for the next trip to Iran we will entrust ourselves to them.
Alibabatrek-iran-tours-tour-iran-best-iran-tours-reviews from italy
Albert Gandin

Italy

Read before Booking Iran Tour

Best time for traveling to Iran

Many believe that spring is the best time for traveling to Iran. Many are interested in visiting Iran during Nowruz. Therefore, although the weather is very pleasant, all the touristic cities will be very crowded. Also, the prices might be higher at this time.

Iran has four complete seasons and has various climates in different regions. So, for example, you might be able to experience warm weather during winter in southern regions of Iran. Our Hormuz and Qeshm island tours are available from Oct. to May. Also, different Iran tours require different timing and weather. Best time for booking tours is mentioned in Iran tour packages web page and in each tour’s web page.

 So, depending on the tour you have chosen, the best time for traveling to Iran can be different. Furthermore, you can join our cultural tours in all the four seasons. But, attending some of the tours needs specific timing. For example, the Damavand tours are only available from June to December.

The best timing for your travel might be different if you are traveling with a child. In these cases, we offer you to travel to Iran in the spring or fall. At these times of the year, the weather is mild. Winters might get very cold in Iran. So, it’s better not to underestimate the chance of getting a cold for the children.

Getting Visa for Travelling to Iran

Tourists and visitors need a visa for visiting Iran. However, getting a visa for visitors from different countries is not the same. Visitors from some the countries do not need visa for entering Iran. Armenia, Malaysia, and Lebanon are among them. The number of days the visitors from each of these countries can stay in Iran is different. You can find the full list of countries that do not need visa on our Iran Visa Information page. Also, the number of days they can stay in Iran is mentioned.

Citizens of Israel are banned from entering Iran. Furthermore, visitors from Canada, United States, and the United Kingdom need to apply for a visa. The visitors from these countries are not allowed to travel independently. They have to travel with Iran tour of official travel agencies. Also, they have to have a tour guide with them. Their tour guide should be with them during their trip. Furthermore, visitors from the US have to travel with private tours. We provide tour and visa services for visitors from these three countries.

Visitors from the rest of the countries can get a visa on arrival. This visa normally covers 30 days. The visitors can get their 30 days tourist visa on any international airport in Iran. You can find the full list of these countries on our Iran visa information page. You can also apply for Iran visa online in Alibabatrek website.

Best Iran tours you can join

Iran has different types of tourist attractions. There are so many historical places and natural attractions you don’t want to miss when visiting Iran. It can be a little bit challenging to find a suitable Iran tour that covers all your interests. Alibabatrek offers both cultural and adventure Iran tours.

Iran Adventure Tours

Some tourists travel to Iran for trekking. Normally, they want to join mount climbing, skiing and desert tours. We offer special mount climbing Iran tours with competent proficient tour guides. We also offer tours for conquering mount Damavand. Also, we offer trekking Alamkuh mount and Sabalan mount. Desert tours are also very popular among tourists. Visiting the deserts in Iran is a unique experience. Furthermore, we offer Iran tours that include visiting lush jungles and the Caspian Sea in northern regions. Exploring the mysterious Dez island in Dezful is also very interesting for the tourists. Joining the nomads’ tour is a great chance for you to escape the routine life.

Iran Cultural Tours

We also have a number of cultural tours. These Iran tours cover visiting different cities. Western Iran travel tour takes you to the wonderful cities like Susa, Isfahan, and Lorestan. You will visit unforgettable natural and historical attractions during this visit. The Exclusive culture of Persia tour is another Iran tour that you shouldn’t miss. This tour takes you to the most famous historical cities of Iran including Shiraz, Isfahan, Yazd, and Kashan. In this tour, you will have enough time for visiting these cities thoroughly. Optimized Persia tour is also available for those who stay a short time in Iran. In these tours, you will be visiting the most important must-sees of Tehran, Kashan and, Isfahan.

We try to offer the best Iran tours to our clients. Therefore, we have local and competent tour leaders in our Iran tours. Most importantly, you can customize your own trip. You can customize your travel to Iran based on your budget on the date you want. This can be a great chance to visit the cities of Iran based on your priorities.

Traveling solo to Iran

Some of the tourists might prefer traveling alone. Sometimes they get worried about facing troubles during their trip. Our Iran tours include private tours for solo travelers. In our private tours, you can have a local tour guide with you everywhere you go. This way, you don’t have to be worried about any troubles.

 Also, women who want to travel alone might be more worried than the others. In that case, we need to mention Iran is a very safe country, especially for women. Women who have previously traveled Iran alone, have shared their experience in many websites. What they say is that they have never experienced being harassed in Iran. Actually, they mention that Iranians have tried to help them and support them during their travel. You might recognize that a lot of people might want to start a conversation with you. This is only because Iranians want to be friendly with visitors from other countries. So, don’t worry about such encounters. The separate zones for women in public transportation made them feel even safer.

Of course, you need to be careful to avoid any trouble. But, Iran is completely safe for solo travelers. We recommend you to read the reviews of the women who have joined our private tours before.

We do all needs to be done for our clients to feel safe and happy during their travel. So, don’t worry about solo traveling when joining our Iran tours.

Should I join an Iran tour or travel alone?

Planning your trip to a country you haven’t been to can be pretty tough. Especially, Iran has so many attractions to offer. Choosing which places to go can be a hard decision. Also, transportation is a key element in traveling. By having a transportation vehicle at your hotel door, you are one step ahead in your plans. Travelers who are traveling alone find it much more convenient to travel with tours. Therefore, they will have someone by their side and won’t be worried. Having information about the places you visit is really important as well. Visiting a monument without having any information about it can be pretty drab. Also, trekking without having an experienced companion can be dangerous.

We have many experiences with Iran tours. Many tourists have joined our tours before. Having so much experience with tourists, helps us provide the best schedule for our Iran tours. Based on the places you want to visit we can arrange the best Iran tours for you. Remember, that you can contact us and ask for free advice. We will be happy to help you to plan your travel to Iran. The tour guides of our Iran tours are very knowledgeable and experienced. They are normally local and have all the necessary information about the historical monuments. Also, our adventure tour guides are very competent and experienced. Tours can handle all the hard parts of traveling for you. Therefore, it is always easier to travel with a tour than traveling alone.

How should I pay for the Iran tours?

As you might know, Iran is not connected with the world bank system. Therefore, paying for Iran tours can be difficult. But, Alibabtrek has bank accounts in Switzerland, England and, Azerbaijan. So, you should not worry about paying for your booked tour. We receive part of the payment online and the other part of it in cash.

Iran Travel Insurance

Having travel insurance when traveling Iran is optional. If you don’t provide travel insurance before your arrival, you have to buy it at the airport. Many of the insurance companies do not work with Iran because of the sanctions. Luckily, providing travel insurance is included in our Iran tours.

Is it possible to add trek to cultural tours?

Yes, it is possible. You can customize your Iran tour the way you want. You can choose the places you want to visit and your activities based on your priorities. For customizing your Iran tour based on the time you have, you should contact us. We will tell you what is the best schedule for you. This way, you can join both trekking and cultural tours. Our Iran mountains and monuments tour includes visiting cultural monuments and mountain climbing.

Is Iran’s weather appropriate for tourists?

Different regions of Iran can have different weathers. Also, depending on the season the weather can be very warm to very cold. Normally, tourists visit Iran in spring and fall to avoid too hot or too cold weather. However, Americans and Canadians shouldn’t be worried about winter in Iran. Cold weather won’t be bothering for Europeans who normally have rainy and cold weather in their country. Some days in winter it can be very cold and snowy. On the other hand, summers can be too hot and some of the tourists might not be used to it. If you worry about the too hot/cold weather in Iran, visit Iran in spring or fall.

How much time do we need for Iran tours?

Different tours require a different period of time. The time you need for visiting Iran depends on the cities you want to visit. Some of the Iran tours need about two weeks and some need less. Also, we have shorter tours (1 to 7 days) that you can book them during your Iran trip.

Alibabatrek offers one day tours as well. Also, we offer tours that take only a few days. Therefore, you don’t have to spend your whole trip with our tours. We offer one day Tehran toursthree day Damavand toursfive day Kashan desert toursseven-day ski tours, and…

We recommend the tourists to stay at least two weeks in Iran. This way, they can see all the must-sees easily. Normally, cultural tours require more time than adventure tours. It is important to check all the Iran tours before traveling to Iran. So, you can decide better how many days you need in Iran. Also, the transportation vehicles you use in very important in timing. You can save more time by traveling with planes.

Some of the tourists might be short in time. Our Iran tours also include optimized cultural and adventure tours. Also, the optimized tours are better for tourists with limited budgets.

Places in Iran you shouldn’t miss

There is no doubt that Iran has countless natural and historical attractions. But some of them are very special. They are the places you should definitely visit. Here are some places you shouldn’t miss when traveling to Iran:

Persepolis 

Located in the north of Shiraz, Persepolis used to be capital of Achaemenians in Iran. Dariush the great founded Persepolis in 512 B.C. and Alexander the Great burnt it down. The remaining of this monument is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Iran. You can visit Persepolis by joining our Optimized Persia tour and Exclusive culture of Persia tour.

Naghshe Jahan Square

This square is at the center of Isfahan. Shah Abbas (from Safavid dynasty) moved the capital of Iran to Isfahan. It was built between 1598 and 1629 A.D. by the order of Shah Abbas. Visit this square with Alibabatrek’s Exclusive culture of Persia, Western Iran travel and Optimized Persia tour.

Nasir al-Mulk Mosque

is a traditional mosque in Shiraz. It has magnificent and colorful glasses and tiles all over it. This mosque’s delicate design is breathtaking. Our Exclusive culture of Persia and Comprehensive Culture Tour in Iran include visiting this mosque.

Shushtar Historical Hydraulic System

is a marvelous irrigation system in Khuzestan. This irrigation system dates back to Sassanid era in 5th century B.C. You can visit this amazing place with our Khuzestan and Shushtar tour.

Vank Cathedral

is in Jolfa street in Isfahan. This cathedral is in the Armenian neighborhood of Isfahan. This cathedral is popular among the tourists due to its gorgeous architecture. Our Exclusive culture of Persia, Western Iran travel, Comprehensive Culture Tour in Iran and Optimized Persia tours include visiting this cathedral.

Naqsh-e Rostam

is an ancient necropolis near Persepolis in Shiraz. This necropolis consists of rock-cut tombs of Iranian kings from Achaemenid and Sassanid dynasties.  Our Exclusive culture of Persia, Western Iran travel, Comprehensive Culture Tour in Iran and Optimized Persia tours include visiting this monument.

Si-o-se-pol

is a historical bridge in Isfahan. Its name means “the bridge of 33 arches”.  This bridge is on Zayanderud, the largest river in Iran plateau. This bridge has an amazing view, especially at nights. Our Exclusive culture of Persia, Western Iran travel, Comprehensive Culture Tour in Iran and Optimized Persia tours include visiting this bridge as well.

Damavand Mount

is the highest peak in the Middle East. This mount is in the Alborz mountain range. Many of the adventurous tourists want to conquer this Mount’s peak. Alibabatrek offers different tours of climbing  mount Damavand.

Iran Deserts

Maranjab desert near Kashan and Shahdad Kalouts desert near Kerman are marvelous. The unique experience of exploring these deserts has been an attraction for many tourists. Join our Iran desert tours to enjoy this unique experience.

Iran Islands

Qeshm and Hormuz islands are in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. The pristine nature of these islands is amazing. You can visit these wonderful islands by joining the Pearls of the Persian Gulf tour.

Abyaneh

is a historical village near Kashan. The houses in this village are made with red hue. When visiting this village, you can see many elements related to the Sassanid era. You can visit this amazing village by joining our Exclusive culture of Persia and Optimized Persia tours.

Fahadan neighborhood

in Yazd is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Yazd. It has so many historical monuments with a beautiful traditional hotel. By joining Alibabatrek’s Comprehensive Culture Tour in Iran , you can enjoy visiting this place.

Are your Iran tour schedules fixed?

The Iran tours of Alibabatrek are not necessarily fixed.  We offer different tours previously scheduled on our website. But, you can customize your Iran tour on our website as well. You can choose which places you want to visit. Also, you can pick the date you want to visit Iran. We can also prepare a suitable Iran tour for you based on your budget. So, you can plan your own travel to Iran. We will just offer you the best choices and prepare everything you need.

IRAN GROUP TOURS

Of course, traveling with groups can be a lot of fun. You will find a chance of knowing more people. Can do group activities with the others. You can find new friends and people to share your moments with. Also, you are safer when you are traveling with a group. On the other hand, traveling in groups can have some disadvantages as well. Some might find it hard to get along with new people. Keeping up with the group and being on time, can be difficult. Choosing whether you want to travel with a private tour or a group tour, depends on your personality.

Our Iran tours include both private and group tours. Normally, the maximum number of tourists joining a group tour is 10.  You can join our group tours with your family or group of friends. We offer private small group tours for those who want to travel with a group of friends and family. Private group tours should include at least 2 people. Also, if a tour is booked by other tourists on the same date, you can join their group tour. try our best to provide what our clients want in our Iran tours.

Iran Tours for Lower Budgets

As said before, our Iran tours include different tours for different need. Our Iran tours include optimized tours. Optimized Damavand tour and optimized Persia tour are among them. Optimized tours need less time and less money. Our cultural optimized tours include visiting only the must-sees. Also, the hotel prices and the quality of transportation vehicles are important in your tour price setting. Obviously, full board Iran tours are more expensive. Prices mentioned in our website are based on a 4-star hotel and a good transportation vehicle. If you want to join tours with lower budgets, you can contact us. So, we can inform you about the choices you have depending on your budget. Also, you can tell us your budget to customize your trip page. This way, we can prepare a tour that suits your budget.

Furthermore, we have seasonal promotions in which you can book our tours cheaper than they normally are.

Traveling to Iran with kids

Remember that every person traveling to Iran needs a visa and insurance. There is no exception made for the kids. So, please make sure your kid has a visa. If your child needs any kind of pills, make sure you bring enough supply with you. Although the pharmacies probably have all kinds of medication, it is safer to bring your own. In addition, you can find baby diapers in every pharmacy and most of the supermarkets. Also, you can buy cereal and milk for children in the pharmacies and supermarkets.

Restaurants in Iran are normally very hygienic. Food poisoning doesn’t normally happen. Of course, we will only take our Iran tour clients to the cleanest restaurants. Some of the restaurants offer special food for kids on their menus. Air pollution in cities in Tehran can be problematic for your child. We offer you to use masks in polluted days and drink milk.

One of the troubles your children might have in Iran is using the squat toilets. Most of the restrooms in shopping centers and restaurants have at least one normal toilet. But, in other places like on the road you might find only squat toilets. So, it is good to teach your children how to use squat toilets to avoid any confusion.

Girls younger than 10 years old, will not have to wear hijab. Also, you don’t have to make a fuss about your children’s hijab. It’s not as serious as it is for the grownups!

Some of the places we visit in our Iran tours might be very interesting for the children. Bird parks and museums are among them. Also, most of our Iran tours don’t require strong physical ability and are suitable for children as well. Our Qeshm & Hormuz island tours are also appropriate for children.

Traveling to Iran by sea

With the Persian Gulf in the south of Iran, tourists can also travel Iran by sea. For coming to Iran on a ferry, you need to travel from Dubai, Kuwait or Sharjah. Valfajr Shipping company ferries travel to Bandar Abbas and Bandar Lengeh twice a week. Also, the timing and the schedule of the ferries might be different in different seasons. So, you should check the accurate timings in Valfajr website. Remember that there are no ferries working during the Iranian new year holidays (16th March- 4th April). Please do not hesitate to contact Alibabatrek for more information.

Physical Rating of Different Tours

Some of our Iran tours, especially adventure tours might need a high physical ability. In order to know if a tour is appropriate or not, you can visit our Iran tour page. Every tour has a physical rating sign beside it Therefore, you won’t be confused about having enough stamina for the tours you have chosen.

Need to Know Before Traveling to Iran

Traveling to other countries with different cultures and rules can be confusing. There are always points you need to know before traveling to a country. Of course, tour guides of the Iran tours share all the important information with their clients. But, it is good to point out some of the most important ones. Therefore, we have prepared some information for you about Iran. Hopefully, reading this passage helps you to be more comfortable in Iran.

Many tourists are worried about the safety in Iran. Iran is one of the safest countries in the Middle East. Iranian people love visitors from other countries. Also, they are very self-conscious about treating the tourists well. The national security services have been keeping the country safe. Actually, Iran as safe as other countries in Europe such as Denmark and UK. The safety in the borders is as strong as possible. Still, we would only not recommend you to travel along the borders with Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. This recommendation is just to make sure that you are completely safe.

Also, the political relations between Iran and some other countries like US might not be warm. But tourists from US should not be worried. All the tourists are welcome in Iran.

The tourists visiting Iran should adhere to the dress code. In other words, women in Iran should wear Hijab (wearing a shawl and covering legs and arms). The tourists should be aware of “no photos” signs. No one is allowed to take photos of government buildings, police and military zones. Anyway, the tourists should be careful about their money and passports. Iran tours highly recommend keeping your valuables safe when using public transportation. You should also be aware of the pickpockets when visiting Grand Bazaar or crowded places.

One of the important things you need to know about Iran is driving. You must have heard that Iranians do not drive safely. Actually, some people might even call it crazy. But is it really that bad? Recently, the police have stricter supervision over driving offences. Also, the police have increased the price of driving fines. Therefore, Iranians are driving safer than before. So, you should be careful but not worried. Also, you could rent a car yourself. We recommend you to go on Iran tours that have car drivers. Our Iran tours also offer cars with drivers. Our drivers always drive safe. We use very experienced and competent drivers to provide safety for our clients.

Also, you shouldn’t be worried when you are on foot. By using the sidewalks, footbridges and, crosswalks you will be safe. Of course, you should be careful when you are crossing the streets. Always be aware of the motorbikes to avoid any problem.

The guides in our Iran tours will explain the things you should do to have a safe travel. By listening to them, there will not be any problem.

It is very important to be aware of water and food safety of the country you are traveling to. If you are traveling to Iran, you can be sure that the food and water are safe. Restaurants and fast food places are normally very clean. The related authorities have strict supervision over food safety. However, it is probably safer to avoid the restaurants that do not seem clean. Of course, every person has personal food habits. So, you can judge better than anyone if the appropriate for you.

Tap water is drinkable in almost every region of Iran. Only you should be more careful about drinking tap water in some of the deprived regions. Anyhow, you can find mineral water in almost every supermarket. In every region of Iran big and small sizes of mineral water are available. Fortunately, the mineral water is very cheap in Iran. You can also find public water stations in the streets and by public transportation. So, you can also have a bottle with you and fill it in public water stations.

Obviously, in our Iran tours we will take you to the restaurants which are definitely trusted. Also, hotels provide mineral water for their guests. So, you shouldn’t worry about food and water when you are traveling with an Iran tour.

Most of the toilets you find in Iran are squat toilets. People from other countries might not be used to it, but it is actually more hygienic. You can also find throne toilets in some hotels and public restrooms. Normally, Iranians use water pumps and toilet paper. Toilet papers are available in all the supermarkets. Although, if a restroom doesn’t have toilet paper you can always ask for it. It is forbidden to throw anything in the toilets. You can always find bins in the restrooms.

Iranians care about cleanness so most of the public toilets have a toilet attendant. Normally, the public restrooms are free to use. You can find free restrooms in the airport, train station, petrol stations, parks, and mosques. Also, if you are traveling on the road you shouldn’t be about finding toilets. There are always restaurants on the road with clean toilets.

Traveling to Iran can be very cheap for the tourists. The national currency is called Rial. One dollar used to be equal to 30000 Rials. After the sanctions, due to inflation the value of Rial has been decreasing. At one point one dollar was equal to 200000 Rials. In conclusion, the economy in Iran is highly volatile. So, visiting Iran is a really good chance for the tourists. You won’t have to spend a lot of money for visiting Iran.  For example, a bottle of water is almost 0.20$.

The most important thing you should know is that Iran is not connected to the world banking system. As a result, your credit card in Iran will be useless. So, the tourists should estimate how much money they are going to need. There are no limits on how much money you can bring with. You can exchange your money to Rial in currency exchange centers. Of course, you can get help from Iran tours you are traveling with to exchange money. You can also ask the Iran tour you are joining for how much money is you are going to need.

Alibabatrek has bank accounts in Switzerland, UK and Azerbaijan. So, the payments for booking our tours can be done easily. Please do not hesitate to contact us for more information.

Fast Internet is available in most of the places in Iran. You can have access to Wi-Fi in your hotel rooms. We have a portable internet modem service in our Iran tours. So, you can always have access to the internet even when you are on tours.

Unfortunately, many websites and applications such as Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube are filtered. Normally, Iranians have VPNs on their phones. By using a VPN, you can have access to all the websites and applications that are filtered. Tour guides of our Iran tours can guide you about the VPNs that work the best. Also, we can help you with installing VPN on your phone. You can always ask the guides in our Iran tours to help you with the internet. Remember there is always a way to circumvent the limitations!

Having a phone is essential and important. Your phone is your tool for keeping in touch with your tour guide. Of course, it will be very helpful during emergency times as well. On our Iran tours we will give you Iranian sim cards during your stay in Iran. We also can provide cell phones for the tourists of our Iran tours.

Emergency telephone numbers in Iran might be different than other countries.

  • 110 for calling the police
  • 115 for medical helps and ambulance
  • 125 for fire brigade

Also, there are applications like Snapp (Iranian Uber) that could be useful for you. Snapp taxis are trustable and very cheap.

Iran is an Islamic country. Therefore, Iranian restaurants do not offer alcoholic drinks. Also, you cannot find alcoholic drinks in stores. Drinking alcohol in Iran is a taboo. So, tourists cannot find it easily. Anyhow, Iran tours still can provide alcoholic drinks for the tourists. If the tourists would like to have alcoholic drinks they can ask their tour guides for it. We can provide alcoholic drinks in our Iran tours for the tourists who are interested.

Smoking is free in outdoor areas and most of the cafes. Also, some of the cafes have smoking zones. Buying and using any kind of drugs is illegal in Iran.

Unfortunately, Iran is not connected to the world bank system. So, tourists can’t use non-Iranian credit cards in Iran. Tourists can bring money for their trip only in cash. But, Alibabatrek has services to make it easier for you. In our Iran tours, we will change your money into Iranian currency. Then, we will give you an Iranian debit card. So, you don’t have to take cash with you everywhere you go. You can do all your purchases with your Iranian debit card.

Also, you can always withdraw cash at cash machines (ATMs). Every bank has at least one ATM in front of it. Different banks in Iran are connected. So, you can withdraw cash at any bank’s ATM. You can select the language on the ATM. Therefore, tourists won’t get confused with it. You can do other financial actions such as transferring funds with ATMs.

All the countries have specific traditions and behavioral codes. Iran is no exception. Of course, Iranians are really friendly and they will not take it hard on the tourists. But, it’s better to know some acts of politeness as well as illegal things you shouldn’t do. Here are some points about ethical codes in Iran:

Iranian people like the tourists very much. So, it is normal to hear people saying hello to you and want to chat with you. The Persian word for Hello is “Salaam”. It is polite to say Salaam when you enter shops. Normally, people of the same gender can shake hands when greeting. But, that doesn’t usually happen when greeting someone of the opposite gender. In addition, Iranians kiss each other’s chicks when greeting (three times!).

Normally, Iranians take off their shoes before entering their houses. So, when you are invited to someone’s house you probably should take off your shoes. Also, you should remove your shoes when entering the mosques.

Iranians respect elders the most. So, if you are on a bus it’s better to give your seat to the elders. You should let the elders enter a place first. Furthermore, when greeting, you should start by greeting the elder ones.

In addition, some of the behaviors are not legal. For instance, do not try to bring any alcohol or drugs into Iran. Using and carrying drugs is illegal in Iran. Also, take the “No Photos” signs seriously. If a police officer comes to you and asks you to delete the photos you have taken, just do it. The guides of the Iran tours mention all the necessary things the tourists should know about behaving. Therefore, there will be no need to worry about them.

Ta’arof

One of the most confusing politeness etiquettes in Iran is called “Ta’arof”. When a salesman is offering you to take what you are buying as a gift, he doesn’t really mean it. It’s just an act of politeness. And you shouldn’t accept it. Another example for Ta’arof is when a strangers invite you to their homes. They don’t necessarily mean it. They are just trying to be polite.

Iran is an Islamic country with Islamic rules. Therefore, women should cover their hair, arms and legs when going outside. Of course, it might seem hard for some the tourists to wear Hijab. But, female tourists should know that they do not need to wear Hijab strictly. Just wearing a scarf /shawl, and a manteau or coat is enough. This dress code might seem uncomfortable, but most of the tourists get used to Iran dress code easily. The tour guides of the Iran tour you are traveling with can help you find more comfortable clothes.

  • A scarf and a manteau for women: women should start wearing their hijab since getting off the plane. So, make sure your scarf and coat are accessible in the plane. Also, if you are traveling Iran in summer, try to pick lousy and light manteaus.
  • Photocopy of your passport and your visa page: police officers might request to check your passport and visa. So, have a photocopy of your passport and visa page. This way you won’t need to have your passport everywhere you go.
  • An Electrical Adaptor: The power plugs in Iran are types C, F and E. Therefore, we recommend you to bring an adaptor.
  • Comfortable shoes: Walking is a part of sightseeing and trekking. So, make sure to bring comfortable shoes for long distance walks.
  • Sunglasses and hat: Summers in Iran can be very hot. Wearing sunglasses and a hat might be necessary.
  • Warm clothes: winters can be very cold in Iran.
  • The tools you are going to need in our trekking tours is mentioned in their tour pages. For example, the necessary equipment for climbing Damavand mount, is mentioned in our Damavand tour page

Tipping is common in Iran but it is a little different than other places. For example, it is not very common to tip the waiters in restaurants and cafes in Iran. Anyhow, you can tip them if you want. Also, some of the cafes and restaurants have tip boxes beside the cash. Furthermore, you are expected to tip in some other places. For example, if someone is carrying your luggage for you, you should tip them. In the hotels, it is good to tip the hotel maids as well.

Also, if a traffic warden is helping you to park your car, you should tip them. Some of the traffic wardens wear uniforms and some don’t. It might be an obligatory to pay the parking wardens with uniforms. Remember it’s better to pay more than 10000 Toman if you are tipping. Less than 10000 Toman is not much valuable and some might take it as offensive.

There are some restrictions about bringing some special types of medicines. If you have specific medical needs, make sure to talk to your doctor before traveling. Remember to have your prescriptions with you. Also, try to bring the medicines you need in the original packaging. It is possible not to find the equivalent drugs you are using. Therefore, we highly recommend you to bring your medications with yourself. Don’t forget to bring extra medicine in case of experiencing travel delays. You need to make sure that your medicines are not in the Opium act list. If it is so, you will need a medical certificate. We also recommend you to bring diarrhea medicines and medicines for pain and fever with you.

Most of the hospitals in Iran have reasonable medical facilities. Also, the doctors are very well-trained. You can find international hospitals in big cities like Tehran, Isfahan, and Shiraz. In case any emergency happens, you will be taken to the nearest hospital. Your travel insurance might be covering the costs for health emergencies. Furthermore, health services are affordable in Iran. Normally, the doctors can speak English. Also, some vaccinations are recommended by the World Health organization to avoid illnesses such as hepatitis.

Normally, offices and banks work from 8 a.m. to 16 p.m. in Iran. Most of the museums are open from 9 a.m. to 17 p.m. The majority of our Iran tours begin at 9 a.m. Depending on the program, it may start even sooner (6 a.m.). Also, cultural and adventure tours have different timings. You can find the accurate timings in the detailed itinerary section of our Iran tour page.

Unlike many of the other countries, the stores are normally open till 10 p.m. Nightlife is an important feature of Iranian life. Therefore, you can still see many people in the streets and shops at nights.  the restaurants are open till 11 p.m. Also, some of the cinemas stay open till after midnight. Therefore, there are even more places you can visit at nights.

Like any other country, Iran has public holidays and ceremonies. It’s better to consider these celebrations before setting the date for joining an Iran tour. Here are some of the most important ceremonies and holidays in Iran.

Iranians celebrate Nowruz, the Persian new year every March. New year holiday in Iran is 13 days. Normally, Iranians go on a trip to other cities or countries during this holiday. Therefore, touristic cities like Isfahan and Shiraz can be very crowded. Also, many Iranians travel to the northern regions of Iran during this holiday.

The anniversary of the Islamic revolution in Iran is on the 11th of February. Islamic republic day is a political celebration and holiday in Iran.

Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar. Hussein son of Ali, prophet Mohammad’s grandson was killed in this month. A mourning ceremonial is held during this month. Tasu’a and Ashura are the most important days in this month. Muharram mourning ceremonies can be a great chance for the tourists to know about the traditions in Iran. Cities like Yazd hold very magnificent ceremonies during this month. Therefore, we recommend our tourists to visit Iran during this ceremony. Muharram is in September.

Iran is an Islamic country and celebrates Ramadan like other Muslim countries. In this month, people fast from dawn till sunset. During this month, you cannot eat and drink in public places. Therefore, restaurants are closed during the days. Of course, there is no obligation for the tourists to fast. But, because of the restrictions for eating and drinking it’s better not to visit Iran during this month. Ramadan begins on the 5th of May and ends on the 4th of June.

Use Public Transportation During Your Iran Travel

Big cities of Iran have developed wide transportation networks. Taxi and buses are available in every province. Also, Subway is available in most of the big cities of Iran. Tehran, Isfahan, Mashhad, and Tabriz are among them. Our transportation services include private cars or middle buses depending on the number of tourists. Anyway, our tour guides will give you the necessary information about transportation systems in Iran just in case.

Taxis Are Available Everywhere

Different types of taxis are available in Iran. They include private taxis, shared/shuffle taxis, telephone taxis, and Snapp. You can have a taxi anywhere you are.

Many cars in Iran are private cars. They are unofficial taxis. By just hailing beside a street, you can hire one. Of course, we recommend you to travel with official taxis for your safety. But, these taxis might sometimes be a good help! You should have cash with yourself to pay for these taxis. Also, know that these taxis can pick up other passengers as well. So, if you want to hire a taxi just for yourself, you should tell the driver. The world used for hiring an unofficial taxi just for yourself is “Darbast”. Of course, the price you have to pay for hiring a private taxi is more expensive. We recommend you to ask the driver about the price before getting on. Perhaps, some haggling could be useful!

Shuffle Taxis

Shuffle taxi cars are usually colored in yellow and green. These taxis go to designated destinations. There are taxi stations in different parts of the cities where you can find these taxis. Sometimes, you should get on two different taxis for getting to your destination. Anyway, the price for shuffle taxis is very cheap and specified. So, there is no need to haggle. Again, you should pay these taxis by cash. Recently, you can pay them by specified applications such as PhonePay and Toman as well.

Private Taxis

One of the other ways of hiring a taxi is by telephoning taxi agencies. You can telephone them, tell them where you are and where you want to go. You can also ask the attendants in cafes and restaurants to hire a taxi for you. These taxis are the most expensive ones. But, they are much more trustable than unofficial cars.

Snapp is an application for hiring cars. We don’t have Uber in Iran but Snapp is very similar to it. You just have to confirm the beginning and the destination of your trip on the map. Using Snapp is relatively cheap. Also, it is normally very trusted. These taxis can be paid by cash or online. Normally, tourists cannot pay online because they don’t have an account in Iran. Our Iran tours include providing transportation for our clients. But, if you are interested in commuting by yourself, our tour guides will offer you the best ways.

Use the Buses to Avoid Traffic

BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) are fast buses with designated paths. They are a great help for ditching the traffic. Also they are very cheap. For using them you should have a metro card. Normally, BRTs are crowded. So, you should be aware of the pickpockets in them. Information about the stations are available in English. You can also find your destination on BRT station map in the buses. The color of BRTs is red.

Also, other types of buses are available in the big cities of Iran. Tourists might have a problem with the limited information in English on the buses. So, you should definitely ask for help from other passengers. They can tell you which station is the one you are looking for. You can pay for the ride on these buses by cash or a metro card.

Furthermore, women and men have separated zones on the buses. So, you should pay attention to the signs. Normally, the front part of the BRTs is for women. On normal buses, women usually sit in the back part of the bus. For paying the driver, women should get off the bus and pay at the front door.

In addition, you can travel by bus between different cities. The buses that can take you to other cities are found at specific bus stations. If you are interested in traveling with a bus, make sure to tell use when booking the tours.

Subway; Fast and Easy

Biggest and most crowded cities of Tehran have subway lines. For getting on the subway, you need to buy a ticket or have a metro card. The map of the subway stations is normally available in every station and wagon. You can also ask the attendants or passengers for help if you are confused. Also, in the women and men have different sections in the subway. Some the wagons are for both men and women. You can find you section by paying attention to the signs. Sometimes, you need to change your train for getting to your destination. Travelling with the subway is a fast and cheap way of getting to your destination. At specific days and times, the subway gets too crowded. You should be careful about the pickpockets. Especially at the rush hours in the subway.

Having a Memorable Trip with Trains

rains are among the best vehicles for transportation between the cities. The trains normally have cabins and beds. The cabins can contain 4-6 people. Also, women who are traveling alone can use the female only cabins. There are different types of trains that can take you to your destination. Trains that have cabins with 6 beds are normally cheaper. Also, 5-star trains are available as well. Normally, trains have a restaurant/cafe where you can have food. But, free dinner and breakfast are normally brought to your cabin on the train. Traveling by trains can be so much fun. Especially, because they have beds you can rest whenever you want. They are good places for socializing with other passengers as well.

Iran tours that include traveling by train, are available. One of our Iran train tours is a one day tour to Northern regions of Iran with a train. So, when you are traveling with an Iran tour, you can choose trains to be part of your trip.

Traveling Faster with Planes

Using domestic flights for traveling to other cities is the fastest choice. Of course, traveling by train can be more joyful and fun. But, if you are short in time, using domestic flights is the best choice for you. Unfortunately, domestic flights still cannot be booked online. But, you don’t need to be worried if you are traveling with an Iran tour. Agencies that offer Iran tours, will do all the bookings. Depending on which Iran tour you have chosen, you can decide whether you want to travel by plane or train.

Comfortable Accommodation in Fascinating Hotels

There are various types of hotels and hostels in Iran. Depending on your budget, you can find suitable hotels. Also, you can find luxurious and family-friendly hotels as well. Some of the hotels have traditional buildings which can be very interesting for the tourists. Normally, the hotels and hostels are at city centers where you can have access to all main streets and public transportation stations.

The price of the Tehran hotels is ranged between 65 to 790 Euros. Hotels in other big cities such as Isfahan, Yazd, and Kashan are cheaper. You can find hotel rooms with prices ranged between 15 to 240 Euros per night.

Your travel agency makes the arrangements for your accommodation in Iran tours. You can find more information about the hotels and their prices at Alibabtrek Iran hotel page. Also, you can make reservations on this page.

Know More ABout Iran

Iran’s system of government is the Islamic Republic which means it is ruled by the laws of Islam. This system includes having a supreme leader, a president, and a parliament.

Supreme leader: Ayatollah Khamenei

President: Hassan Rouhani

Iran is the 18th largest country in the world. The estimated population of Iran is almost 80 million. The capital of Iran is Tehran. The current population of Tehran is nearly 9 million. This enormous country includes people with different cultures and religions. The majority of Iranians are Muslims. 89 % are Shia Muslims and 10% are Sunni Muslims. Only 1% of the population includes people with other religions such as Christianity, Zoroastrianism, and Baha’i. Christians have the largest religious minority community in Iran.

Also, Iran is home to diverse groups of ethnicities such as Persians (61%), Azerbaijanis (16%), Kurds (10%), Lurs (6%). Moreover, other ethnicities like Balochs (2%), Arabs (2%) and Turkmens (2%) live in Iran. Persians are the biggest ethnic group in Iran. Also, Iran is home to other ethnicities such as Armenians, Assyrians, and Georgians. All these ethnics have unique cultures, customs, and beliefs. The largest ethnic minority in Iran are Azerbaijanis. The Azerbaijani minority speak Turkish. They are resided alongside the borders of Azerbaijan, in the northwest. The Kurds reside in the northwestern parts of Iran and are mostly Sunni. Arabs are resided in the southwest of Iran, along with the Iran-Iraq borders. Also, the Balochs live in the southeastern regions, In Baluchistan.

Seeing people with different cultures and languages is one of the features of Iran tours. Many people trip to Iran just to see these different cultures in one frame. Our Iran tours could be a brilliant chance for the tourists to learn about all these ethnicities. Alibabatrek Nomad tour is one of such tours.

Languages in Iran

The official language in Iran is Persian (Farsi) and different ethnics speak different languages. Anyway, most of the people in Iran and all the tour guides know English. Also, in our Iran tours, we have tour guides that can speak French, Spanish and, German. We also have special Iran tours for Christians during the Christmas holidays.

The best place for getting a sense of modern-day Iran is Tehran. Tehran is the capital city. Iranians from different regions might end up living in Tehran for working. Tehran, the most crowded city in Iran, is a modern city with modern architecture and lifestyles.  Tehran has open-minded and progressive people which makes it a bit different from other cities of Iran. Therefore, Tehran is a good place for Iran tours wanting to focus on modern Iran. Normally, the tourists arrive at Imam Khomeini airport in Tehran. Therefore, Tehran is almost always included in our tours. Our Tehran day tour is one of our most popular tours.

Places to see in Tehran

The modern architecture of places like Tabiat Bridge could surprise you. Also, Milad tower is the tallest tower in Iran with a height of 435 meters. Moreover, it has fabulous cafeterias and observation decks. You can visit the most interesting towers in Tehran including Milad tower with our Tehran towers tour. Tehran Museum of contemporary art shows the connection between Iran and modern art. This museum has a unique collection of paintings from international famous modern painters. Therefore, we highly recommend you to join Iran tours that include visiting modern places of Tehran. Our Tehran museum tour includes visiting Tehran museum of contemporary art as well.

Tehran is a city with a unique nightlife. As a result, most of the restaurants and coffee shops are open till almost midnight. Wooden Road international food court near the Tabiat Bridge offers amazing food. 30-Tir street is a place where you can enjoy street food in a historical street. The livelihood and the smell of homemade food are mesmerizing in this street. Also, you can enjoy the food in the restaurants and street food in our Persian food tour. So, if you are looking for Iran tours showing you the modern side of Iran, do not miss Tehran tours!

Previously, we mentioned that Iran is home to various ethnicities. Although each ethnic holds a unique culture, they have so much in common as well. Most of the Iranian ceremonies is related to ancient Zoroastrian rituals.

Nowruz

 Iranians celebrate Nowruz the first day of spring and consider it as the start of the year. Iran is one of the few nations that use a solar calendar. Nowruz means New day and happens on 21st of March.  Iranian families celebrate this day at the Haft Seen table. The haft-seen table includes seven symbolical items starting with “S” in Persian. The ceremonial food for this day is normally fish along with rice. Also, a fictional character called Haji Firooz appears on this day. Furthermore, Nowruz includes other ceremonies as well. The last Tuesday of the year celebration is called Chaharshanbeh Suri. People celebrate this night by jumping over a bonfire. Moreover, on the 13th day of Nowruz Iranians go out of their houses to avoid bad omen. Normally they picnic in parks on this day.

Yalda Night

 Iranians also celebrate the last day of autumn. This night is the longest night of the year. Iranians celebrate this night by eating nuts and fruits such as pomegranate and watermelon. Also, they read poetries from Hafez on this night. They make a wish, open the book of Hafez and read the first poem they see. That poet indicates whether their wish comes true or not. Yalda night’s date is very close to the Christmas day. Therefore, tourists who want to spend their Christmas holidays in Iran, can celebrate Yalda night with Iranians.

These celebrations are normally very interesting for tourists. Many tourists join Iran tours to see these celebrations. Alibabatrek also offers Iran tours in which you can celebrate these ceremonies with Iranians.

Many tourists want to know if Iran is an Arab country. We mentioned above that Muslims conquered Iran in the 7th century A.D. This conquest had an impact on religion, culture, and language of the Persian people. However, the Persian language and culture were stronger. People in Iran do not speak Arabic. You could find Arabic and Turkish words in modern Persian. However, Modern Persian is a completely different language from Arabic. In addition, the majority of Muslim Iranians are Shia. Other Arabic countries in the Middle East are normally Sunni Muslims. Also, Arabs are one of the ethnic minorities in Iran. Persian ethnic includes 60% of the Iranian population.

In conclusion, although Iran was conquered by the Muslims centuries ago, it is not an Arabic country. Iranians have a completely different language and culture than other countries in the Middle East. Iran is counted as one of the non-Arab countries of the Middle East, like Turkey and Israel.

So, if you are planning to travel to Iran, you should expect a different culture than Arabic.

Many tourists evaluate Iranian food as very good. Iranians make a range of different foods. Lamb meat, chicken, fish, fruits and vegetables are normal parts of Iranian cuisine. Furthermore, as a Muslim country eating pork and drinking alcohol is a taboo. Normally, the food includes a plate of rice and a type of stew. Ghormeh Sabzi, Gheime, and Fesenjan are some of the Iranian stews we recommend you to try. Also, one of the most popular foods in Iran is Kebab. It is lamb meat served with rice. Normally, Iranians have yogurt, a plate of herbs and cheese as a side dish.

Of course, each region of Iran has its own traditional food based on their culture. Northern and southern regions of Iran use fish more than other regions. One of the most delicious Iranian cuisines is Mirza Ghasemi. It is a northern appetizer made with eggplants. Local food from different regions is something you should not miss!

Iranians drink soft drinks with their food. Doogh is a traditional Iranian drink. It is very popular among Iranians and tourists. Furthermore, many know black tea as the national Iranian drink. People normally drink tea with their breakfast and afternoon meals.

Iran has some of the most delicious sweets. For example, Halva is a sweet pastry that Iranians make with flour, rosewater, and saffron. Gaz is an Iranian nougat with pistachio and rosewater. Another popular Iranian desert is Faloodeh which includes frozen noodles, rosewater and lime juice. Also, Iranian ice cream made with saffron, pistachio, and rosewater is a lovely dessert!

Many Iranians have gained honors in different fields. Professor Mahmoud Hesabi and Maryam Mirzakhai are some of the most famous Iranian mathematicians. Maryam Mirzakhani was the first woman to win Fields Medal on mathematics. Scientists and engineers like Firooz Naderi and Anousheh Ansari are famous globally.

Also, Iranian human right activists have received recognition for their activities. Shirin Ebadi, an Iranian lawyer, won the peace Nobel prize in 2003. The Peace Nobel Prize was awarded to her due to her human rights activities.

 Iran has also gained many honors in sports. Furthermore, Iranian athletes in weightlifting and wrestling have received many medals and awards. Hossein Rezazadeh is one of the greatest weightlifters of all times. He is a two-time Olympic champion and four-time World weightlifting champion. Ali Daei, Iranian footballer has the most international goals scored. Karim Ansarifard, Alireza Jahanbakhsh, and Alireza Beiranvand are some of the most famous Iranian football players.

Lonely Planet Iran book is a very useful book for the tourists. We recommend you to have it during your stay in Iran. Also, there are books about Iran that can help you understand Iran better. Some of these books are about modern Iran. “The Iranians” by Sandra Mackey is one of them. “Mirrors of the Unseen” is another book about modern Iran.  It was written by Jason Elliot. This book can teach you a lot about the contemporary society of Iran.

Iranian literature is as old as its culture. “Shahnameh” is a historical and long epic poem book by Ferdowsi. It was written in the 10th century A.D. Also, “The Essential Rumi” by Rumi is another persian poem book. Furthermore, Iranian novels written by Iranian authors can also be very helpful. “My Uncle Napoleon” is one of the most famous Iranian novel. This novel tells the story of a family in Iran during the second world war. Also, “The Blind Owl” written by Sadegh Hedayat is another famous Iranian novel.

Finally, one of the best podcasts about Iran is “The History of Iran Podcast”. It can be very helpful for learning more about the history of Iran. “Toranj” is another podcast about Iranians. You can learn a lot about the Iranian culture and language by listening to it.

We said so much about the ancient Iranian culture. Now it’s time to point out the highlights from the modern aspects of culture like cinema. Iranian cinema has been making many great movies for a long time. Many international film festivals such as Oscars, Cannes and Berlinale have awarded Iranian movies. Also, Iran has globally known filmmakers.

Asghar Farhadi is one of the most honorable filmmakers of the Iranian cinema. Cinema lovers from all over the world know his movies. He has won Oscar for the best foreign language film two times. He also has won many other important cinematic prizes. Cannes award for best screenplay, Golden Globe, Cesar, and Golden Bear award for the best foreign film are among his awards. He also has made movies in Spain and France. A Separation, The Salesman, Everybody Knows and The Past are some of his most famous movies.

One of the other globally recognized faces of the Iranian cinema was Abbas Kiarostami. He made more than forty movies during his career. He won Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival for the movie Taste of Cherry. Certified Copy and Like Someone in Love are the movies he made outside of Iran.

Bahram Beyzai is also another star of the Iranian cinema. Many know him as “the Shakespeare of Persia” for his amazing playwrights written in Persian. His “Bashu, The Little Stranger” is one of the best Iranian movies of all time.

 Jafar Panahi, Bahman Ghobadi, Majid Majidi, Rakhshan Banietemad and Amir Naderi are other famous Iranian filmmakers. Cinema Museum of Iran is a great place for understanding the history of cinema in Iran. By joining Iran tours such as Tehran Museum tour you can visit this museum.

Persian traditional music has a long history, dating back to thousands of years ago. Also, the musical instruments used by traditional musicians are unique. Tar, Santur, Kamancheh and Tanbur are some the Iranian musical instruments. Keyhan Kalhor, is an Iranian Kamancheh player with a global reputation. He is also a composer and a master in traditional music. Iran has many famous traditional musicians and singers. Mohammadreza Shajarian, Homayoon Shajarian, Shahram Nazeri and Hossein Alizadeh are among them.

Iranian music is not just limited to traditional music. There are many international musicians with Iranian background. Ramin Djawadi is one of them. He is famous score composer. He has made soundtrack for many series and movies like Game of Thrones and Prison Break. Also, Shahrdad Rouhani is another famous Iranian composer.

Every city of Iran has unique handicrafts and souvenirs. Normally, tourists find the diversity of Iranian artworks amazing. The guide of your Iran tour can help you with choosing a souvenir. Anyway, here are some of the best souvenirs you can find in Iran.

Minakari is one of the most popular souvenirs from Iran. Minakari is a type of painting that includes little birds and floral patterns. It is the best souvenir you can buy from Isfahan. Miankari is drawn on pieces of copper. Normally, it is painted in blue and has an ancient history.

Khatam is another popular souvenir you can find in Iran. It is the art of matching polygons made of wood and bones. Matching the polygons needs a lot of accuracies. Hence, it could be a lovely and valuable souvenir for your family and friends.

Persian carpets have worldwide fame. They have very high quality and are very beautiful. Therefore, they can be expensive as well. They come in different sizes and types. So, you do not need to really worry about affording to buy one. You can definitely find a carpet that suits your budget.

Miniatures are another type of artwork you can find in Isfahan. Miniature paintings have a long history in Iran. The Iranian miniature is different than European miniatures. Depending on their size, these miniatures can be cheap or expensive. You can find these types of paintings in most of the cities on Iran.

Termeh is a piece of cloth made with silk. They can be handmade or made with machines. Handmade Termeh is more expensive, more beautiful and more valuable. Again, they are accessible almost in every city of Iran. Anyhow, you can find the best Termeh in Yazd.

Many tourists who traveled Iran were interested in educating the others about places they have been to. Also, they have shared their experiences and observations in Iran. You can find the videos they made in websites like YouTube. Links for some of the most interesting videos about Iran can be found below:

Iran: Is it Really That Bad?

Alibabatrek-iran-tours-tour-iran-best-iran-tours-iran videos is iran really that bad

 

People of Iran

Alibabatrek iran tours iran tour packages iran videos people of iran

Don’t Go to Iran

Geography Now! Iran

Nowruz Mood