Join YPT into a complete foray of the Caucasus! Allow our tour to take you from the centres of Shia culture and progressively into Soviet memorabilia.
Your journey with us begins in Azerbaijan, in the capital of Baku before boarding a chartered flight to the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic! Whilst Nakhchivan is an exclave of Azerbaijan, this bizarre republic is geographically separated from the rest of Azerbaijan by its mortal enemy, Armenia, with whom they have been at war with since the 1990s.
Nakhchivan was one of the first regions of the former USSR to claim independence, shortly after this the Nagorno-Karabakh War between Azerbaijan and Armenia erupted and killed tens of thousands of people. During this war, Nakhchivan was blockaded and in order to survive, this isolated exclave was forced to become very self-reliant. Inside this little known, landlocked republic has many incredible sights from ancient mosques, Madrassas and Soviet relics to awe-inspiring natural scenery and the tomb of Noah.
From Nakhchivan, we’ll be taking a very seldom done road-trip from the exclave to the neighbouring country of Iran, going all the way to its capital – Tehran.
Arriving in the thriving capital of Tehran, you will visit the mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini and revolutionary martyrs cemetery before you see the famous anti-US propaganda adjoining the facades of buildings and the former US embassy. You then hit the road for Esfahan and see royal palaces and mosques, local bazaars and hang out with locals at the gym watching ancient Persian workouts. In Yazd you will see ancient Zoroastrian temples and the famed towers of silence before we stroll around the UNESCO site of Persepolis outside of Shiraz.
We will then cross the border overland as we head into Armenia to begin exploring the unrecognised countries. This part of the tour takes you to Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh and the place they call “Europe’s Hiroshima” before finishing in Tbilisi, Georgia. The extended group moves on to Stalin’s hometown of Gori, before entering the war-torn republic of Abkhazia, formerly the pearl in the Soviet summer calendar.
YPT has truly pioneered travel to the Caucasus and the “other NK”; the frozen conflict zone that is Nagorno-Karabakh. This region suffered a horrific war after the fall of the Soviet Union, and despite being de jure part of Azerbaijan, is in fact a de facto unrecognised independent nation state (1 of 4 in post-Soviet Europe).
Please note that since Iran will be entered overland, visas must be acquired in advance to partake in this combo as visa on arrival for Iran cannot be obtained at land borders. YPT provides full visa support to get the Iranian visa.
Thursday March 17th – Baku
Friday March 18th – Baku
Saturday March 19th – Baku-Nakhchivan
Sunday March 20th – Nakhchivan-Ordubad
Monday 21st March – Nakhchivan
Tuesday 22nd March– Nakhchivan/Tehran
Wednesday 23rd March – Tehran
Thursday 24th March – Tehran-Esfahan
Friday 25th March – Esfahan
Saturday 26th March – Esfahan-Yazd
Sunday 27th March – Yazd-Shiraz
Monday 28th March – Persepolis-Shiraz
Tuesday 29th March – Shiraz
Wednesday 30th March – Goris
Thursday 31st March – Goris/Stepanakert
Friday 1st April– Stepanakert surroundings
Saturday 2nd April– Stepanakert-Yerevan
Sunday 3rd April – Yerevan
Monday 4th April – Yerevan
Tuesday 5th April – Tbilisi
Wednesday 6th April – Gori-Tbilisi
Thursday 7th April– Stepansminda-Tbilisi
Friday 8th April – Zugdidi-Sukhum
Saturday 9th April – Sukhum surroundings
Sunday 10th April – Sukhum
Monday 11th April – Tbilisi
Want to extend your YPT adventure? Join one of our great tour extensions
• Nagorno-Karabakh & Abkhazia visas/permits
• Letters of invitation for Iran
• Accommodation in twin-share / dorm rooms as per itinerary
• All transport to complete the tour
• YPT tour leader throughout and local guides in each place
• Entrance fees unless specified
•Visa fees for Iran (and Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan if need)
• Single supplement (€580)
• Flights
• Meals
We have expert guides ready to help answer any questions you may have.
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