Iran history and desert

• Shiraz – Persepolis – Bishapour – Pasargadae – Zeinoddin – Yazd – Meibod – Chak-Chak – Kharanagh -- Mesr – Farahzad – Naïne – Isfahan – Matin Abad – Kashan – Tehran (15 days / 14 nights)

This 15-day tour of Iran begins with an arrival in Shiraz, followed by visits to Persepolis, Naqsh-e Rostam, and key landmarks in Shiraz such as the Karim Khan Fortress and Hafez’s Tomb. The journey continues to Bishapur and Pasargadae before staying overnight at the historic Zeinoddin caravanserai. In Yazd, travelers explore Zoroastrian sites, ancient mosques, and old quarters. The route then passes through Meibod, Chak-Chak, and Kharanagh before heading into the Mesr Desert and staying in Farahzad. The tour continues through Nain to the cultural city of Isfahan, known for its bridges, mosques, and royal palaces. Afterward, it moves to Matin Abad for desert walks, then to Kashan to see Persian gardens and historic houses. The trip ends in Tehran with visits to museums, palaces, and city landmarks before departure.

• Hotel fees
• Entrance fees

• International flights
• Meals (lunch & dinner)
• Personal expenses (like shopping)
• Travel insurance
• Visa fee

• Shiraz or Tehran International Airports

• Reservations made up to 15 days before travel are free of charge.

• Day 1: Shiraz. In the evening, arrival at Shiraz International Airport, welcome by your guide and transfer to the hotel.
• Day 2: Persepolis – Shiraz (1490 m altitude). In the morning, visit Persepolis, the Spring Palace built by Darius I in 518 BC to celebrate the New Year (Nowruz) with his court. Then visit Naqsh-e Rostam: the necropolis of the first Achaemenid emperors: Darius the Great, Xerxes, Artaxerxes I and Darius II. In the afternoon, visit the city of Shiraz: the imposing fortress of Karim Khan, the mosque and bazaar of Vakil, the mausoleum of Shah Cheragh and that of the great poet Hafez. Overnight hotel in Shiraz
• Day 3: Shiraz – Bishapur. In the morning, continue your tour of Shiraz. First, visit the Nasir-ol Molk Mosque, known as the Pink Mosque, then the Narenjestan Garden. At noon, depart for Kazerun to discover the site of Bishapur, renowned for its bas-reliefs from the Sassanid era. Overnight hotel in Shiraz.
• Day 4: Shiraz - Pasargadae - Zeinoddin - Departure in the morning towards Zeinoddin. On the way, visit Pasargadae, the first capital of the Achaemenids. Short hike among the remains of some buildings that give an idea of ​​what the Palace of Audiences, the Private Palace of the monarch, and the remains of the fountains and water pipes of the Garden of Cyrus, called Paradise, were like. The highlight of the visit is the isolated, sober and imposing tomb of King Cyrus the Great. Night in the Zeinoddin caravanserai.
• Day 5: Zeinoddin – Yadz (1240 m altitude) - In the morning, stroll around the Zeinoddin caravanserai. Caravanserais were caravan "inns" that offered shelter, food, and protection to merchants traveling the country. At noon, departure for Yazd. On the way, visit the Cham village, a small Zoroastrian village with its sacred cypress tree, 3,500 years old. Visit a nearby tower of silence where Zoroastrians abandoned their dead to the vultures. Overnight stay at a hotel in Yazd.
• Day 6: Yazd Visit the city founded under the Sassanids. Morning dedicated to Zoroastrian worship, with, first, the cult center which houses the "sacred fire" maintained for 1500 years in the Temple of Fire called Atashkade, then the Dakhme, that is to say the "towers of silence" which stand in the desert. In the afternoon, visit the Jame Mosque, Mirchaqmaq Square, a beautiful medieval square, then visit the old quarters and the bazaar. Overnight hotel in Yazd.
• Day 7: Yazd – Meibod - Chak-Chak – Kharanagh caravanserai In the morning, departure for the village of Kharanagh. On the way, in Meibod, we will visit a Sassanid citadel and an icehouse that testifies to the daily genius of a people who were always forced to fight against a very hostile nature. At noon, we arrive in Kharanagh, where there is a caravanserai and a 3,000-year-old citadel. After lunch, departure for the Chakchak fire temple, nestled among impressive cliffs, where the Zoroastrians took refuge after the conquest of their oases by the Arabs. Night in the Kharanagh caravanserai
• Day 8: Kharanagh – Mesr – Farahzad In the morning, departure for the Mesr desert. On the way, excursion to the citadel of Beyazieh, then continuation towards the center of the Dasht e-Kavir desert and the small lost oasis of Mesr, surrounded by magnificent dunes. Long walk on the dunes. Overnight stay in a guesthouse located in the village of Farahzad, on the edge of the Mesr desert.
• Day 9: Farahzad - Nain (1560 m altitude) - Isfahan In the morning, continue your journey to central Iran, along the great central desert, Dasht e-Kavir. Stop in Nain to visit the ancient Friday Mosque from the Abbasid era. Overnight at a hotel in Isfahan.
• Day 10: Isfahan (1590 m altitude) Visit one of the most picturesque cities in the world. The Armenian Quarter with its churches and cathedrals. The famous Si-o seh Pol (Thirty-three Arch Bridge). The Khaju Bridge with its magnificent architecture. The Friday Mosque. The bazaar, always very lively. Return to the hotel in the late afternoon for dinner.
• Day 11: Isfahan Continue your tour of the city and its rich heritage. The Palace of Forty Columns. The magnificent Royal Square dominated by the old shops of the Grand Bazaar. The Imam Mosque and the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque: masterpieces testifying to Persian Islamic architecture, decoration, and art. The Ali Qapu Palace and various other monuments desired by Abbas Shah and his Safavid successors. At the end of the afternoon return to the hotel for dinner.
• Day 12: Isfahan – Morning Abad In the morning departure for Matin Abad, a village located 130 KM from the city of Isfahan. The morning and afternoon are dedicated to walks in the desert and the dunes which offer us magnificent landscapes. Night in the Matin Abad caravanserai.
• Day 13: Morning Abad – Kashan - Tehran In the morning, depart for the city of Kashan, famous for its 19th-century bioclimatic houses. Along the way, stop to stroll through Fin Garden, its pavilions and complex hydraulic system, reminiscent of the water temples of the Sassanid era. This garden is a perfect example of Persian gardens, which were intended to be a representation of earthly paradise. Then discover the Tabatabai house, the Grand Bazaar and finally the Agha Bozorg madrasa. Arrival in Tehran in the evening. Dinner and overnight stay at a hotel in Tehran.
• Day 14: Tehran The day is dedicated to visiting the city of Tehran (1150 m above sea level). The current administrative and political capital, the city has only a recent history. It was only in the 18th century that it became the capital of Persia. Tehran is today a chaotic and modern metropolis (15 million inhabitants) punctuated by majestic urban developments (Liberty Square), crossed by wide avenues, a sign of a megalopolis in continuous and rapid growth. In the morning, visit the Golestan palace complex, the Archaeological Museum, rich in exhibitions tracing the history of the country, and the small Museum of Glass and Ceramics, which, in a modern setting, presents an extraordinary collection of glassware and pottery. In the afternoon, visit the Saad Abad palace complex and the summer palaces of the Pahlavi royal family. Late in the day, in northern Tehran and the residential neighborhoods on the heights of the city, stroll through the ravines of Mount Alborz. Dinner on site. Overnight hotel in Tehran.
• Day 15: Tehran - Morning transfer to Tehran Imam Khomeini Airport for the return flight.