The Mysterious West

Welcome to the western part of Iran. The land of history and old culture. After your arrival in Dezful or Ahvaz by a flight in the morning, we start to have a full day sightseeing in Khuzestan. Visiting 3 UNESCO world heritage sites in a single day makes your first day a memorable one. Visiting one of the oldest civilizations and a huge ziggurat as well as the Shushtar hydraulic system would be a big surprise for everyone who is interested in historical wonders.

You will see:
Susa ancient hill and museum, Choqa-Zanbil ziggurat, Shushtar hydraulic system, Dezful ancient bridge

You will Experience:
Walking around a ziggurat from 2000 BC and some very old sites in Susa. Being amazed by how the hydraulic system works for 2000 years in Shushtar

You will know:
How the ancient watermills work
More about the first civilized area in Iran

Distances:
The duration of the flight from Tehran is 1 hour.
Ahvaz to Dezful is 140km (about 2 hours)

Accommodation:
A 3star hotel in Dezful.

in Kermanshah

After leaving Dezful, a driving through Zagros mountains with spectacular sceneries is waiting for you. On the way to Kermanshah, we will visit a castle and the Anthropology Museum in Khorram-Abad in Lorestan province. Then we continue to Kermanshah and just before there, we will visit a UNESCO world heritage site which consists of an inscription from Darius the Great’s era.

You will see:
Falak-al-Aflak castle, Bisotoun inscription, Anthropology Museum

You will Experience:
Standing in awe at the spectacular landscape of Zagros mountains and meeting the Lurs, the ethnics of the western part of Iran

Distances:
Dezful to Kermanshah is 370km (about 5 hours)

Accommodation:
A 4star hotel in Kermanshah

Before leaving Kermanshah, we will have a look at a couple of huge bas-reliefs from the Sassanid era (300-700 AD) there and after a couple of hours on the road, we will arrive in Hamedan and in the afternoon, we will have an excursion to visit an old stony village where all the houses and allies are made of original stones.

You will see:
Taq-Bostan bas-reliefs, Varkaneh stony village

You will Experience:
Walking in narrow stone-made allies in a village.

You will know:
How proficient the Sassanians were in carving bas-reliefs.

Distances:
Kermanshah to Hamedan is 200km (about 2 hours and a half)
Hamedan to Varkaneh: 25 km

Accommodation:
A 4star hotel in Hamedan

A full day sightseeing in Hamedan brings you more information about the ancient face of Iran. We start in the morning by visiting an ancient hill and having a look at the recently discovered parts of the ancient city of Hegmataneh. Also, we will see a museum with precious heritages from different periods of the history of Iran. The tomb of Ester, who saved the Jewish people of Iran in 500 BC is, according to stories, is another unique place to see as well as the tomb of Avicenna, the famous scientist, and philosopher from the 11th century. Some more cultural and ancient sights in Hamedan would complete the day.

You will see:
Hegmataneh hill, Alavian tomb, Avicenna Mausoleum, Imam square, Ester tomb, Ganjnameh inscriptions, and waterfall

You will Experience:
Touching the culture of inhabitants of Hamedan and walking in the beautiful street of Avicenna.

You will know:
The story of Ester, the Jewish savior, and the Xerxes’s wife

Accommodation:
A 4star hotel in Hamedan

in Zanjan

After leaving Hamedan and spending one hour on the road, we will arrive in one of the most beautiful and largest water cave on the earth. The two hours of spending in the cave, with walking and riding boats, will make you amazed by the size of the stalactites; so will do the depth of the water with a fantastic reflection on it. Also, on the way to Zanjan, we will stop to visit the largest brick-made dome in the world, which is a UNESCO world heritage site with a turquoise color on it and magnificent stucco from the Mongols era.

You will see:
Alisadr cave, Soltanieh dome

You will Experience:
Marveling at the features of Alisadr cave and the peaceful space of the cave with its mysterious paths

You will know:
More about how the Mongols continued their rule in Iran and their artistic contributions

Distances:
Hamedan to Zanjan is 270km (about 4 hours)

Accommodation:
A 4star hotel in Zanjan

After checking out of your hotel in Zanjan, we will have a long drive to get to Tabriz and the beautiful scenery on the way would stun you. After a couple of hours, we will stop to visit another UNESCO world heritage site, an old important place in Iran’s history: a holy place for Zoroastrians and the kings, a complex of temples and where they were keeping one of the most important holy fires. Next to the ancient complex, is a mountain called Zendan-Soleyman which means Solomon’s prison.

You will see:
Takht-Soleyman, Zendan-Soleyman

You will Experience:
A stunning view at the top of the mount Zendan-Soleyman; touching Zoroastrianism and witnessing their rituals

Distances:
Zanjan to Takht-Soleyman is 150km (about 2 hours and a half)
Takht-Soleyman to Tabriz 320km (about 4 hours and a half)

Accommodation:
A 4star hotel in Tabriz

On your last day in the west, you will have a full-day experience in Tabriz. After visiting an old mosque with turquoise tiles and a museum full of ancient heritages, we will start walking in the largest Bazaar in Iran, which is a UNESCO world heritage site and full of interesting shops and goods. Tabriz is famous for its leather and carpet industry, so you can find some souvenirs from this fantastic Bazaar. In the afternoon, it could be your flight to Tehran and your departure flight to your home country or continuing your journey on the other side of Iran.

You will see:
Blue Mosque, Azerbaijan Museum, Tabriz Bazaar

You will experience:
Walking in the largest Bazaar in Iran. Shopping Iranian souvenirs

Distances:
The duration of the flight from Tabriz to Tehran is 1 hour.