Email address: [email protected]
© SAIGA Tours
Start
Mar 26, 2026
Tehran
Tehran
2026-03-26
End
Apr 2, 2026
Shiraz
Shiraz
2026-04-02
Duration
8 days
Price
US$1295.00
TOUR OVERVIEW
Beginning in Tehran we’ll visit the former US Embassy, the Holy Defence Museum, Nature Bridge, and experience the night-life and the hipster café culture. We’ll then stop at the famous red village of Abyaneh before seeing all that Isfahan, Meybod, Yazd and Shiraz have to offer, including gardens, mosques, ruins, stunning views, Persepolis and much more.
In there you’ll get a chance for a really unique desert experience where we’ll go dune bashing and ride buggies, before staying with locals in a small village where we’ll spend the night cooking shashlik, smoking shisha, and perhaps even having a little drink.
If you'd like to see some more of the region, this tour also joins up to our Turkmenistan Easter Tour, which can be done as a 4-day tour , an 8-day tour , or a 12-day tour . Check out our combo tours here .
If you like the look of this tour but the dates don't work for you, or you'd like to do part of the tour, please get in touch and let us know. All our tours are able to be split into smaller sections, we're always scheduling new tours and your dates might work for one of them, or we can always organise an independent tour.
| Start | End | Days | Price | Single Sup. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Iran Spring Tour |
Mar 26
|
Apr 2
|
8 | $1295 | $250 |
|
Apr 4
|
Apr 7
|
4 | $995 | $150 | |
|
Apr 4
Ashgabat |
Apr 11
|
8 | $1595 | $350 | |
|
Apr 4
Ashgabat |
Apr 15
|
12 | $2195 | $600 | |
|
Mar 26
|
Apr 7
Ashgabat |
13 | $2290 | $500 | |
| Iran and Turkmenistan Easter Combo Tour |
Mar 26
|
Apr 11
Ashgabat |
17 | $2890 | $700 |
| Iran and Turkmenistan Easter Comprehensive Combo Tour |
Mar 26
|
Apr 15
Ashgabat |
21 | $3490 | $950 |
INCLUSIONS:
|
✓ |
Visa support as per immigration requirements |
|
✓ |
Accommodation in twin share at roughly 3 star hotels (except when mentioned in itinerary), breakfast included |
|
✓ |
Transport as per itinerary |
|
✓ |
Entrance fees to all sites mentioned in itinerary |
|
✓ |
Western and local guides |
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: $250
What is the single supplement? This is paid to guarantee a single room. If you are travelling alone and would like to be roomed with another single traveller, you do not need to pay this.
EXCLUSIONS:
|
⨯ |
Visa fees (paid directly at airport or embassy) |
|
⨯ |
Meals other than breakfast at accommodation |
|
⨯ |
Transport to and from the start and end of tour |
|
⨯ |
Personal expenses such as souvenirs or any optional activities |
|
⨯ |
Any other expenses that arise due to unforeseen circumstances |
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
Step back in time with visits to the ancient cities of Yazd and Meybod
Explore the ruins of UNESCO listed Persepolis
Enjoy shashlik in the desert with locals
Itinerary
Day 1Thu Mar 26
Tehran
-
Arrive in Tehran for a quick tour briefing, then head straight out to explore the amazing city that is Tehran. You’ll be shocked at how cosmopolitan Tehran is, so don’t worry you’ll be able to get a flat white! We’ll make sure you can change some money as
well at the black market rate.
- We’ll first head to the former US embassy that was taken over by protestors in November 1979. Today the former embassy is known locally as the US Den of Spies and is home to a wonderful museum.
-
We’ll then head to the Grand Bazaar, one of the largest markets in the entire world with over 10km of walkways. The Bazaar is like
a city within a city, with banks, mosques and hotels. We’ll pick up some lunch here.
- In the afternoon we’ll head to the Holy Defence Museum which tells the story of the Islamic revolution and the Iran-Iraq war. Right next to the museum is the Tabiat Bridge, known as Nature Bridge, the beautiful modern structure connecting two of the post popular parks in Tehran. Here we’ll see Iranians doing what they do best, picnicking and relaxing.
Day 2Fri Mar 27
Tehran, Abyaneh, Isfahan
-
Today we’ll hit the road, with our first stop being just south of Iran at the Mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini, the man who led the 1979 revolution to overthrow the Shah and establish the modern Islamic Republic of Iran.
-
We’ll then continue to the town of Abyaneh, known as the red village as all the buildings are built using the local red soil. Like an oasis in the desert, this small cool paradise is atypical of the surrounding areas and inhabitants live in a very traditional manner. Local rules mean any new construction must continue to be built using the red clay of the area.
-
Finally, we’ll continue on to Isfahan, where you’ll have the evening free to wander around possibly the most beautiful city in Iran.
Day 3Sat Mar 28
Isfahan
-
Today we’re exploring Isfahan which has a lot to offer. We’ll start off by visiting the UNESCO listed Imam Square which was previously used as a polo field! We’ll visit Square Sheikh Lotfallah Mosque which was completed in 1619 after nearly 20 years of work. Today, the mosque stands
as a magnificent and detailed public work. However, when it was originally built it was a private and luxurious place of worship for Shah Abbas I and the women of his court.
- Surrounding Imam square is the bazaar of Isfahan where you’ll get a chance to walk around and if you’re so inclined try some Iranian ice cream! We’ll have lunch at one of the coolest restaurants in Iran, Azadegan Teahouse, with every centimetre of wall space displaying an eclectic array of nostalgia and memorabilia.
-
After lunch we’ll head to the
Armenian Vank Cathederal. Yes you read that right, a church in Iran!
- We’ll then finish the day by taking a walk along the river to get a look at the two most famous sites in Isfahan, the Khaju Bridge and the Si o Se Bridge. You’ll get a chance here to wander around and mingle with locals, who, you guessed it, are picnicking and relaxing.
Day 4Sun Mar 29
Isfahan, Varzane Desert, Khoramdasht
-
Today we’re going to say goodbye to Isfahan and have some fun doing something a bit different. We’ll head out to the Varzane Desert for some dune bashing, quad biking and other exciting activities.
-
We’ll then stay in the small village of Khoramdasht where we’ll throw a little party with some of our Iranian friends.
-
There might even be some intoxicating beverages!
Day 5Mon Mar 30
Khoramdasht, Meybod, Yazd
-
On the way to Yazd we’ll stop in Meybod, a lovely little desert town, parts of which are millennia old, some of which are abandoned which gives us the opportunity to do a little exploring. Urb-ex, but ancient. Much
of it is left in its original state rather than being reconstructed so we’ll get a real idea of life past.
-
Continuing on to Yazd which is the centre of the original religion of Iran – Zoroastrianism. Here we’ll learn about this unique ancient religion by spending the afternoon firstly visiting the Eternal Flame.
This brick Zoroastrian temple holds a fire that has burned for more than 1,500 years. The ancient flame has been kept alive throughout various centuries and relocations and continues to burn today.
-
Next we’ll head to the Dowlatabad Garden which is a classic example of Persian gardens. Its 33.8 meter tall windcatcher is the tallest adobe-made windcatcher in the world. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2011, as part of the Persian gardens.
- Lastly we’ll head to the Tower of Silence. Until 40 years ago, corpses could still be found on top of the Towers of Silence in Yazd, Iran, slowly disintegrating or being picked apart by desert vultures.
-
In the Zoroastrian tradition, once someone has died, their body can immediately be contaminated by demons and made impure. To prevent this infiltration, Zoroastrians purified the dead body by exposing it to the elements and local fowl on top of flat-topped towers called
dakhmas
in the desert.
- Although the towers are no longer used in ceremony, they can be visited along with a number of the ossuaries in the area.
-
Yazd has an extreme and arid climate. It can get very hot in the daytime and cool down considerably at night. Long before electricity and air
conditioning were invented, back when Iran was called Persia, staying cool in these conditions required ingenuity; that’s how windcatchers were born.
-
Windcatchers are a traditional Persian architectural design that creates natural ventilation in buildings. The basic design consists of a tower that rises from a building below, with openings at the top. Yazd, one of the largest cities in Iran, is known as the “City of Windcatchers”.
- Yazd is also known for having a large network of qanats , which are underground channels that transfer water from a well to the surface. The windcatchers and qanats often worked together to create an amplified cooling effect.
- Yazd is also amazing for its sunset views, so make sure you’ve got plenty of space left on your memory card.
Day 6Tue Mar 31
Yazd, Persepolis, Shiraz
-
Today we’ll drive to Persepolis, one of the great ancient sites of
the world, and spend the afternoon there. Persepolis was once the richest city on earth – the glittering capital of the Achaemenid Empire. At the heart of the city lay the royal palace – a wonder of gold and silver, ivory, and precious stones. From there, Xerxes planned his war against Greece –
and the treasure of a vast empire piled up in the store-rooms.
-
In 330 BCE, Persepolis was captured by Alexander the Great. Before he left the city, he ordered the palace be burned to the ground – whether through drunken malice or sober calculation, it is impossible to be sure.
Today the haunting, spectacular ruins of Persepolis reveal both the glory of the Achaemenid Empire, and the abruptness of its passing. The palace is still marked by Alexander’s fire: three feet of ash covered the floor in some places when it was first excavated – and many of the columns are still visibly scarred by those flames which burned over two thousand years ago.
- There are plenty of places to sit down and have a cold drink meaning that those who want extra time to explore are able to do so while others who feel they have gotten the most out of it can relax.
- In the evening we'll make the short drive to Shiraz, where we'll spend the night.
Day 7Wed Apr 1
Shiraz
-
Today we’ll visit Nasir al-Mulk mosque, also know as the Pink Mosque. There’s a chance you will have seen pictures of this online as it has possibly the most beautiful stained glass window display in the world, making the interior dazzle with colour.
- As if that wasn’t beautiful enough, next we head to the Shah Cheragh mosque, which is completely covered in mirrors. Rather than being inside a religious building, it feels like you’re inside a disco ball.
- Despite being damaged by human hands and natural disasters over the centuries, the mosque has been maintained and repaired and shines brightly even today. The increasingly sprawling site is still an extremely important pilgrimage location for Shia Muslims, however visitors of any faith are likely to marvel at the sheer beauty of this glassy wonder.
-
Lastly we’ll head to the Eram Gardens. Another example of
a classical Persian garden, it’s possibly the most famous in all of Iran. With their beautiful flowers, refreshing air, aromatic myrtles and towering cypress trees, including one tree which is said to date back to 3000 years ago, the Eram Gardens are a major tourist destination, especially during the spring. Locals flock here and no doubt you’ll end up striking up a conversation with some and being asked to join in photos.
- In the evening we’ll head to the main square to enjoy some alfresco dining at one of the popular hip cafes.
Day 8Thu Apr 2
Shiraz, End of Tour
- Today brings us to the end of this tour. If you would like us to help arrange transport to Tehran or elsewhere in Iran for your departure flight please let us know. Alternatively, if you'd like to take the opportunity to cross the land border into Turkmenistan, you can join us on the Iran and Turkmenistan Easter Tour.
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