North and Northwest Iran Tour

Arrive in Tehran, the capital of Iran in the morning, transfer to your hotel and meet your guide. Today you will visit some of the cultural attractions in this city. First view the Iranian handwoven carpets in the Carpet Museum of Tehran, then visit Saad Abad Palace. This palace has a unique garden and 18 palaces dating back to the 19th century, that once were the Summer houses of the Qajar and Pahlavi kings. After that, browse throughTajrish Bazaar. Then take a walk on the Tabiat Bridge (Nature Bridge) to have a view over the city.

Leave in the morning and drive along the scenic Chalus Road to arrive in Ramsar, the charming city which lies on the coast of the Caspian Sea. In the evening enjoy a walk on the beach and relax in the hotel.

In the morning join your guide for a trekking experience in Javaher Deh village. This village is hidden high in the foggy Alborz mountains, where local people live far from city chaos and sell their home-made pickles, honey and handicrafts. Then drive to Rasht (113 km) and visit the city’s traditional bazaar and enjoy its thriving atmosphere with locals selling colorful and aromatic vegetables and other fresh products. You will also visit the famous Rasht Municipality Square. Rasht has been identified as a city of creative gastronomy. Do some shopping with your host and join a cooking class to learn some traditional cuisine.

Drive for 40 kilometers towards Bandar-e Anzali. This port is a crucial spot in trading and tourism, especially bird watching. Here you’ll visit a most beautiful lagoon with lotus flowers and watch birds flying in the sky. You will also visit the old lighthouse and then taste local sea food for lunch and wander in the Bazaar. Enjoy an unforgettable sunset in the beach and drive back to Rasht for the night.

Continue towards Fuman and enjoy another trekking experience to reach the Rudkhan Castle, a medieval brick and stone castle which once was a military complex. Then visit Masouleh village and explore its unique architecture. The buildings are interconnected and have been built into the mountain. The yards and roofs both serve as pedestrian areas similar to streets. No vehicle is permitted to enter the city. Then drive towards the high altitude city of Masal. Arrive and relax in a wooden cottage eco-lodge and enjoy a local dinner.

Surprise! When you rise in the morning you will find yourself up in the clouds. Enjoy your breakfast among the clouds. Masal is famous for its waterfalls and today you’ll experience interesting sightseeing and trekking for some hours. Then depart to Ardabil (219 km) and enjoy this charming road. Arrive in Ardebil in the evening and check in to your hotel.

Ardabil is a historical city in the north west of Iran, from where the noble Safavid Dynasty originated in the 15th century and Shiekh Safi al-Din (the ancestor of the Safavid Dynasty) raised the importance of this area. In the morning, visit the Sheikh Safi Al-Din Khanegah and Shrine Ensemble in Ardabil, which is protected as a world heritage by UNESCO. Ardabil was built as a microcosmic city with bazaars, public baths, squares, religious buildings, houses, and offices. After lunch move to Sarein city. The Sarein springs are near an inactive volcano in Mount Sabalan. Its water contains sulphur particles and it is known for its therapeutic properties and positive effects on bone and joint pains. The word Sarein in Persian means “Spring’s Outlet”. You can enjoy bathing there. Spend the night at an ecolodge in Sarein and treat yourself to a local dinner.

Continue your road trip to Tabriz (225 km). Visit the Kaboud Mosque (literally meaning the blue mosque). This magnificent landmark was once damaged by an earthquake during the 18th century but it is still standing and you can enjoy its original and brilliant blue tilework and calligraphies. Near the mosque you can visit the Tabriz Museum. In the afternoon, walk through the Tabriz Grand Bazaar, the only bazaar on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, which includes a vast maze of bricked lanes and arches and vaulted passageways, still evoking the spirit of its earliest days when Tabriz was one of the most important commercial centers along the ancient Silk Road. End your day by visiting Shah Goli (El-Goli), a large park with an artificial lake and a charming mansion.

In the morning, take a 50-minute trip to the Kandovan Village. This village exemplifies manmade cliff dwellings which are still inhabited. Houses here are carved from rocks and some of them are 700 years old. The Kandovan village is said to have been partially formed by volcanic remains from strong Mount Sahand eruptions hundreds of years ago. If your departure flight is from Tehran you can take a domestic flight to Tehran today and have an overnight stay in this city, but if you are departing Iran from Tabriz, enjoy a free afternoon here and prepare for your flight back home.

Check out from your hotel in Tehran or Tabriz, get transferred to the airport and say goodbye to Iran.