Iran in March 2025 | NOT the classic route: in the west of the country

Zanjan - Mahneshan

Zanjan Province is located in northwestern Iran. The history of human habitation in the province of Zanjan goes back several thousand years and several historical texts and archaeological finds from different eras have been found in this province.

The ancient Zanjan bazaar is one of the main attractions of this city. According to historical documents and texts, the construction of this bazaar began in 1205, during the reign of Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar. However, the expansion of the market continued in the following years and now the Zanjan market is divided into different sections. Zanjan Bazaar is a good place to buy crafts and souvenirs from this city.

In the morning we will take a walk through the historical bazaar of Zanjan, and then go by car to Mahneshan (100 km).

The city of Mahneshan is located at a distance of approximately 110 kilometers from Zanjan and to the west of this city. Behestan Castle, located next to the Gezel Ozan River, is the most important tourist attraction of this city, which is also listed as a national monument of Iran. Some trace the history of this castle to the times of the Medes.

Dudkesh-e Jen (Fairy Chimney) are the attractions that tourists visit during their trip to Mahneshan.

Rainbow Mountains of Mahneshan These mountains occupy about 70 square meters. km, and extend from Zanjan to Mian. Colorful mineral deposits transform these mountains into an impressionist fantasy. I can't even believe they are real. Walk through the historical bazaar of Zanjan. Trip to the village of Makhneshan (100 km). Rainbow Mountains. Ancient fortress Behestan.

Return to Zanjan. Night in Zanjan.

Ali Sadr Cave - Hamadan

Departure to the Ali-Sadr cave (250 km) excursion. Next we will take a walk around the city of potters Laleji. We reach Hamadan (70 km). Night in Hamadan.

1. Ali Sadr Cave This huge cave is located at a distance of 70 km. from the city of Hamadan. Ali Sadr Cave has many water chambers and a variety of beautiful objects such as stalactites, stalagmites and karst deposits of various shapes. A boat can travel approximately 2.4 km inside the cave, making it the largest cave in the world with this capability. Excursions for tourists are held every day. The cave tour lasts between 45 and 90 minutes. A local guide talks about the structural features of the cave. 2. Lalejin - the capital of ceramics The city of Lalejin in Hamadan province is famous throughout the world for its ceramics. On every street in Lalejin you can find a pottery workshop, and in every house a ceramic product, even damaged ones, since clay is a valuable material here.

Hamadan

Hamadan, in ancient times Ecbatana, is a city in Iran, the capital of the Hamadan province.

One of the oldest cities in Iran and in the world.

The city is surrounded by green mountains and is located at the foot of the 3574-meter high Alvand Mountain. 1.The Stone Lion is a historical monument of Hamadan, whose antiquity dates back to the Median period.

2.Tomb of Ibn-e Sina
Ibn-e Sina (Avicenna) is a significant Persian polymath, especially famous in medicine and philosophy. He was born in 980 AD. There is also an interesting museum of his books. His most important book is called The Canon of Medicine, a five-volume medical encyclopedia. The tomb is located in the center of the city of Hamedan. The building is surrounded by a beautiful garden and pond.

3.Hegmatane Hills
It is an ancient site and the site of the first capital of Iran and one of the oldest cities in the world. Herodotus stated that Ecbatana or Hegmatane was the capital of Media (c. 700 BC), which was founded by Deios, the first king of Media. There is also a museum with many truly ancient objects.

4.Tomb of Esther and Mordechai
This is the traditional burial place of Esther, the Jewish heroine who was the wife of Xerscus I and her uncle Mordechai. It is a well-maintained sacred pilgrimage site for Iranian Jews. The "Tomb of Eser and Mordechai" is one of the most important Jewish shrines in Iran and even in the World, and this place is also historically significant.

Tour of Hamadan: Avicenna Memorial, Mausoleum of Esther and Mordechai, Hegmatan Archaeological Zone, Stone Lion, Alawite Dome.

Night in Hamadan.

Mount Alvand - Khorramabad

We are going to the Alvand mountains. Tourist area with the ancient cuneiform monument of Ganj Name.

We go up the mountain by funicular (you can also walk on foot if you wish).

Transfer to the city of Khorramabad. 240 km. Night in Khorramabad.

1. Ganjname is a historical as well as recreational place with many amenities and pleasant weather, as well as beautiful scenery including a beautiful waterfall and three ancient inscriptions from the Achaemenid Empire (circa 500 BC) that were carved into the rocks of the mountain Alvand. These historical inscriptions are in three languages, Old Persian, Elamite, Babylonian.

2.Mount Alvand, a single mountain of the eastern branches of the Central Zagros with an area of 1375 square kilometers, is the largest granite phenomenon remaining from the fourth period of geology. Its height is 3574 meters above sea level and divides the Hamadan province into two halves, northern and southern.

Khorramabad

Visit to the ancient fortress Falak-ol-Aflak.

A trip out of town to the Bisheh waterfall.

Night in Khorramabad.

Khorramabad is one of the first human settlements in Iran.

Many researchers believe that the founders of Khorramabad were the Elamites (3200-2700 BC).

1. Falyak-ol-Aflaq fortress or Shapur Khast fortress is a fortress located on top of a large hill in the city of Khorramabad. The fortress was built during the reign of the Sassanid dynasty (224-651). 2. One of the most picturesque waterfalls in Iran is the Bishe Falls, located in the Zagros mountain complex, in the Lurestan province, near the city of Khorramabad.

The height of this majestic waterfall is 47 meters, and the width of its “crown”, the place where the water falls, is twenty meters.

The water flow is fed from numerous sources and subsequently flows into the river.

The waterfall has long been one of the favorite tourist attractions, attracting attention with its numerous ledges along which the water flows picturesquely.

Shush (ancient Susa)

Transfer to the city of Shush (ancient Susa) 220 km.

Visit to the ruins of the ancient capital of the Achamenids Apadana. The French fortress of Morgana. Apadana Museum.

Mausoleum of the biblical prophet Daniel.

Night in Shusha.

The city of Shush is the biblical city of Susa. More than one historical event was associated with this great ancient city. Formed back in the 3rd millennium BC, located at the intersection of trade routes, Susa was the religious, commercial and political center of ancient Elam, and later the Persian Empire and the entire Ancient East.

1.Tomb of the Prophet Daniel
“In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar, a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after the one that appeared to me before. And I saw in a vision, and when I saw, I was in Susa, the capital city in the region of Elam, and I saw in a vision, as if I were at the river Ulai.” - Daniel chapter 8 – Bible. This vision, recorded in the holy book of the Bible - the Old Testament, according to one of the legends, took place near a river in Iran, which is currently called Karun. Now the tomb of the prophet Daniel is located on this site.

2.Palace of Darius I in Susa
At the end of the 19th century, French archaeologists - the Delafort family - excavated the ruins of the palace of Artaxerxes II in Susa. They discovered the ruins of a monumental palace with magnificent sculptures and bas-reliefs depicting a lion. In the same period, only a little later, the French archaeologist Jacques de Morgan and his colleague Roland de Mekenema discovered the ruins of the luxurious palace of Darius I. Today, ruins remain on this site, the shapes of which can only imagine the former beauty of this structure.

3. Morgan's Fortress.
During the period of archaeological excavations on the territory of Susa, there was a difficult time in Iran. The local authorities of the country could not guarantee safety for the researchers from local warlike tribes that did not obey the Persian authorities. In 1897, in order to protect themselves, French archaeologists decided to build a fortress. The highest place in the city was chosen for construction. The material used was brick from the palace of Darius I, as well as unused original bricks from the Chogha Zanbil ziggurat.

Shush

Ancient hydraulic system of Shushtar "Royal Mills". Ancient ziggurat from the times of the state of Elam, Dur-Untash.

Night in Shusha.

Shushtar is a city in southwest Iran that was founded more than 2000 years ago. The city served as a fortress on the Royal Road in ancient Persia, connecting the capital of Elam, Susa, with the capital of the Achaemenid Empire, Persepolis.

1.The hydraulic systems of the city of Shushtar are a complex irrigation system that dates back to the time of the Achaemenid Persian king Darius the Great, who lived in the 5th century BC. Described by UNESCO as “a masterpiece of creative genius,” the Shushtar Hydraulic System involved the creation of a diversion channel on the Karun River in the form of a ditch around the city, over which bridges and gates were built to simultaneously serve as a protective barrier against enemies.

2. Ziggurat Choga-Zanbil
The complex was built around 1250 BC. e. King of Elam Untash-Napirisha in honor of the great god Inshushinak. Initially the city was called Dur-Untash (city of Untasha). The modern name Choga-Zanbil is translated from Persian as “hill” or “basket hill,” which corresponds to the shape of a ziggurat.

Shush

Trip to the mountains "Dezh Mamad Ali Khan". This is what this place looks like in the video:

Holidays on Kish Island

Flight to Kish Island. Rest in the tourist area of the island - three days of beach rest and relaxation.

In the evening of the 13th day, transfer to the airport and flight to Tehran. Night in Tehran.

Tehran

Excursion to the city of Ray - a suburb of Tehran. Togrul Tower. Memorial complex Shah Shablul Azim. Bas-reliefs of Ray.

After all excursions, transfer to the airport and check-in at a hotel near the airport. Overnight at the hotel.

Home!

At 6:15 am departure to your homeland on a Mohan Air flight.

In March it is late spring in Iran)) We need light, but mostly closed, hiking-type clothing, since we will be exposed to direct sunlight. Additionally, Iran has strict religious rules regarding clothing, especially for women. Shorts and T-shirts with open shoulders and décolleté are excluded - for both women and men. Women must always wear a scarf on their heads, as well as a long skirt or long (not shortened) pants, shirts (jackets, sweaters, fleeces) with long sleeves. It is strictly forbidden to transport any alcohol into the country or consume any alcohol in the country! Violation of these rules can have very serious consequences, including imprisonment. However, by prior arrangement, alcohol can be purchased on site.

You will also need sneakers for short walks in nature, sunglasses and sunscreen. Don't forget to take warm clothes with you: a jacket, a sweater - it can be chilly in the evenings.

It is possible to sign up for a tour only until February 10, 2025, since air tickets for domestic flights in Iran are purchased in advance and there will be no opportunity to buy them later! Please, if you are interested in a tour, do not put off booking it!

Depending on flight arrivals and weather, the program may be slightly adjusted.

During travel, delays and unforeseen circumstances are possible - car breakdown, road repairs, cancellation of planned excursions, route adjustments depending on the current situation, etc. The tour organizer will make every effort to minimize costs and implement everything planned by the program, but, in extreme cases, the program may be reduced or changed based on circumstances. Changes are discussed with the participants, but the final decision is up to the guide, since he is responsible for the program and the safety of the group.

Flights to Kish Island are unstable and are often cancelled. In case of cancellation of our flights, a vacation on the island of Kish can be replaced by a vacation of similar level and duration in the nearest city on the Persian Gulf coast.

The tour is a group tour, the tour program is not flexible and cannot be adjusted to your wishes!

1. If you are interested in this tour, leave a request using the form below or call the indicated numbers, we will contact you and answer all your questions.
2. To reserve a place on THIS tour, you must make a prepayment before 02/10/2025 (later applications will not be accepted!) in the amount of 30% of the tour cost - invitations for a visa and the purchase of air tickets for domestic flights are made in advance. Prepayment is refundable (minus expenses paid and commissions of banks and payment systems) 45 or more days before the start of the tour and non-refundable, unfortunately, less than 45 days before the start of the tour if the refund is related to your refusal to participate (for any reason ). If the tour does not take place due to our fault, due to the group not being formed or due to force majeure, the advance payment will be guaranteed to be returned to you in any case and in full.
3. Prepayment is made in rubles at the exchange rate of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation on the day of payment.
4. Final payment is made seven to three working days before the start of the tour, also at the current rate, or upon arrival in Iran in cash dollars or euros to the guide.