Tuesday 22nd March– Tehran

• Morning or afternoon arrival by flight. Those coming from our Kuwait Tour arrive at 14:30 where we are picked up and taken to our hotel.
• Meet up with the group at 5pm in the hotel lobby
• Visit to the heart of Old Tehran to soak up the night time atmosphere, drink some local tea and people watch.
• Traditional Iranian dinner of kebabs at famous restaurant Ayaran restaurant, near Ferdosi square.
• Overnight in New Naderi Hotel or similar

Wednesday 23rd March – Tehran

Morning

• Head out on our day tour of the main sights of Tehran with first stop being a visit the Mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini.
• Head on to the Revolutionary Martyrs Cemetery, expect to see a lot of locals around paying their respects
• Stop at the Shah’s Monument AKA Revolution Monument for photos
• Drive through Tehran past anti-US propaganda and the US embassy (possibility of actually seeing inside the embassy, something which was considered impossible only a couple of years ago!).
• Lunch of local Iranian dishes

Afternoon

• Explore the Erbat Museum with its heavy doses of brutality and propaganda, not for the fiant-hearted!
• Shopping in the Tajrish Bazaar of Tehran and visit a nearby mosque.
• Dinner at the Armenian Club. Armenians are the main ethnic Christian minority in Iran.
• Overnight in New Naderi Hotel or similar

Thursday 24th April – Tehran-Esfahan

Morning

• Drive to Esfahan (4-5 hours) with plenty of stops for breaks and photos
• Lunch in a restaurant in one of the smaller cities on the way.

Afternoon

• Go to the famous old Khaju bridge.
• Walk across bridge and mingle with locals.
• Visit one of the oldest carpet shops. Explanation on a variety of Persian carpets and opportunity for a purchase. The presentation involves a show how carpets are made and explanation of 30 different styles of carpets.
• Dinner in a local restaurant of the local speciality of chelo kebab
• Evening visit to the 300-year-old Abbasi Hotel for traditional Iranian tea.
• Overnight at the centrally located Esfahan tourist Hotel.

Friday 25th March – Esfahan

Morning

• After breakfast we head straight to the beautiful Ali Qapu Royal Palace dating from the early 17th century
• Sheikh Lotfollah mosque and Ali-qapoo palace.
• Explore the Naqsh-e Jahan Sqaure, the second largest public square in the world after Tian’anmen Square in Beijing!
• Lunch in a traditional restaurant at the square.

Afternoon

• Visit the Imam Mosque, famed for its traditional architecture, previously called the Shah Mosque before the revolution
• Chance to change money for small crisp rial denominations. There is an official change place with good rates but they also have a stack of small denominations that they hold. (They remembered us from last time and changed some money for the group).
• Visit Zurkhane gym to watch an ancient Persian sport workout, a strength building exercises done with traditional drum and bell music.
• Dinner in a local restaurant
• Overnight at the Tourist Hotel.

Saturday 26th March– Esfahan-Yazd

Morning

• Check out of hotel for the drive to Yazd (4 hours)
• We have lunch on arrival before diving straight into the amazing city of Yazd – 5000 years old and a centre of Zoroastrian culture

Afternoon

• Visit the must-see Amir Chakhmaq complex and nearby mosque
• Explore the old city and the Jame Mosque and head to Rafieian’s Old House, over 250 years old and a great example of traditional architecture in the region
• Dinner of the local kebab in one of the old-fashioned Persian restaurants in the city
• Overnight in Yazd

Sunday 27th March – Yazd-Shiraz

Morning

• After breakfast we head to the beautiful Dolat Abad Garden and the Zoroastrian Fire Temple as well as the famous Yazd Tower of Silence
• Lunch in Yazd before we hit the road for the drive to Shiraz (5 hours)

Afternoon

• On arrival we visit the citadel in the centre of the city and mingle with locals.
• Free walk around or relax with tea and shisha at a tea house.
• Dinner in Saray E Mehr restaurant in the middle of bazaar for traditional Di Zi dish
• Overnight in Parsian hotel.

Monday 28th March – Persepolis-Shiraz

Morning

• Up bright and early to visit the colour stained mosque when the morning light shines through spectacularly.
• Drive to Persepolis, the ancient capital of the Persian Empire during the Achemaenian era and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, burned to the ground by Alexander the Great but the ruins are one of the top sights in the whole of Iran
• Lunch at traditional restaurant called “Paradise” on the way to Necropolis tombs.

Afternoon

• Persepolis covers a vast area and we will explore the palaces, forts and treasury
• Drive back to Shiraz where we will visit the botanic gardens of Shiraz.
• Stop for traditional Shiraz ice cream at a famous local shop.
• Visit a famous Hafeizieh Iranian poet’s park and tomb. Great opportunity to mingle with locals and take photos.
• Dinner at hotel or out to a fast food joint for burgers, falafel, and sambusas
• Overnight in Parsian hotel.

Tuesday 29th March – Shiraz

• End of tour with YPT able to arrange your onward travel back to Tehran (if required) or airport transfer to Shiraz International Airport where you can catch a flight to Doha, Dubai or Istanbul to connect back home.
• Alternatively, you can push the adventure forward and continue on our Caucasus Unrecognized Countries Tour.

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