Day by Day Itinerary

November 2 DEPART U.S.A.
Friday
Meet your traveling companions today at New York’s JFK airport for our Turkish Airlines flight (TK002) departing at 5:45 PM. Meals aloft. Alternate departure available from Chicago, Washington, DC and Los Angeles. See Airfare and Upgrades for more information.

November 3 ISTANBUL
Saturday
Arrive in Istanbul at 9:25 AM. Day rooms will be provided at the Istanbul Airport Hotel for those flying from New York on TK2. Continue our Turkish Airlines flight TK874 to Tehran departing at 9:30 PM.

November 4 ARRIVE TEHRAN
Sunday
We arrive at 2:00 AM. Khosh amadid (welcome) to Iran! We’ll be greeted at the airport, proceed through entrance formalities, and transfer to the sparkling new 5-star Espinas Hotel, named after a mountain in the Alborz. We have a rest and a late breakfast before heading out for a tour of Tehran. This sprawling city became Iran’s capital in the 18th century under Agha Mohammad Khan, the founder of the Qajar Dynasty. Tehran (meaning warm slope) is located south of the impressive snow-capped Alborz Mountains and the city is known for its large museums, art centers and palaces.

We begin with the National Archaeological Museum, the country’s foremost museum established in 1937. A good introduction to Iran, the museum is divided into two parts: Prehistoric and Pre-Islamic periods. See a stone capital of a winged lion from Susa and the sixth century B.C. audience hall relief of Darius the Great from the Treasury at Persepolis. We are then guided through the Glass and Ceramics Museum, which was once an extraordinarily beautiful private residence during the Qajar period, and later was used as the Egyptian Embassy. Here you can find glass and ceramic artifacts dating back to the second and first millennia B.C. We return to the hotel for dinner. (B-L-D)

*****Espinas/Laleh Hotel

November 5 TEHRAN - HAMADAN
Monday
We’ll get an early start today for the drive to Hamadan (236 miles - 5 hrs). Hamadan is one of the oldest continually inhabited towns in the world. At one time it was the summer capital of the Achaemenians when Susa (Shush) was their winter capital. The afternoon sightseeing in Hamadan will include Tepe Ecbatana (an archaeological site dating back to 700-500 B.C.), Avicenna tomb, Stone Lion, the Tombs of Esther and Mordecai, a major Jewish pilgrimage center; the 12th-century Alavyan Tomb Tower, Treasure Valley and the Ganj-Nameh inscriptions by Darius and his son Xerxes. (B-L-D)

***Azadi/Bu-Ali Hotel

November 6 HAMADAN - KERMANSHAH
Tuesday
Drive to Kermanshah (111 miles – 2.5 hrs). See the Temple of Anahita, built in 200 B.C. during the Hellenistic occupation of western Iran, at Kangavar. Anahita, the goddess of water and fertility, was worshipped in ancient Persia along with Zoroastrian Ahura-Mazda; also visit the site of the relief and inscriptions of Darius the Great at Bisotoun, which depicts Darius facing the nine rebel kings whom the Achaemenid ruler suppressed when he came to power. On to Kermanshah to visit the several important Sassanian reliefs at Tagh-e-Bostan (some inside a grotto), depicting royal hunting scenes and the investiture of the Sassanian kings, including the gigantic equestrian statue of Khosrow II (AD 591-628), mounted on this favorite charger Shabdiz. (B-L-D)

*** Jamshid/Azadegan Hotel

November 7 KERMANSHAH - AHWAZ
Wednesday
Drive to Ahwaz (341 miles) via Pol-e-Dokhtar, and visit remains of Sassanian Bridge over Kashkan River; continue to Ahwaz. In the afternoon we may enjoy a visit to an Arabic bazaar. (B-L-D)

**** Fajr Hotel

November 8 AHWAZ - CHOGHA-ZANBIL
Thursday SUSA EXCURSION
Full day excursion to Chogha-Zanbil UNESCO World Heritage site, to see the ziggurat built around 1250 B.C. by the Elamite king Untash-Gal. Also visit Haft-Tappeh (Elamite Necropolis), Susa and the remains of the Achaemenian palaces (plus the nearby Tomb of Biblical Prophet Daniel). The Apadana Palace at Susa dates to Achaemenian time, and Shushtar to the 3rd century AD.

Susa (Soush or Shush) is one of the oldest cities in the world. Excavations have established that people were living at the Acropolis in 5000 B.C., and have shown the existence of urban structures about the year 4000 B.C. It is reasonable that the town, situated on a strip of land between the rivers Karkheh (Choaspes) and Dez (Eulaeus), was already the political center of Elam in the fourth millennium B.C.. Susa was the favorite residence of the Persian king Darius. The scene of the Biblical book of Esther is set in Susa, where king Ahasuerus (Xerxes) resided.

We also visit water mills and a suspension bridge over the Karun River. Merian Cooper’s 1925 silent film, “Grass: A Nation’s Battle for Life”, documents the Bakhtiera tribe’s annual migration crossing of this river. (B-L-D)

**** Fajr Hotel

November 9 AHWAZ
Friday Bishapour-SHIRAZ
Drive to Shiraz (348 miles), en-route visit the single Sassanian Relief at Sarab-e-Bahram above a spring, and on to Bishapour (built in honor of “Ardevisur Anahita,” the female guardian angel of waters and fertility). See remains of the Sassanian city built by Shapur 1st (241-273 A.D.), the second Sassanian king. The building complex includes a central chamber, a large courtyard which had been covered with impressive mosaics, plus the remains of a temple also dedicated to Anahita. On either side of a narrow gorge, there are also six Sassanian rock-reliefs at Tang-e-Chogan, commemorating Shapur’s victories over the Romans and other adversaries. Picnic lunch. Continue to Shiraz for dinner at Homa Hotel. (B-L-D)

*****Homa/Pars Hotel

November 10 SHIRAZ
Saturday
Full day city tour of Shiraz, the present-day capital of the Fars Province, the heartland of Iran which gave its name to the Persian language: Farsi. Shiraz is a city of historic monuments, poets and philosophers, warriors, kings and orchards. It was capital of the Zand Dynasty (1747-1779) and one of the most important cities of the medieval Islamic world. Shiraz is situated on a plain surrounded by two mountain ranges. The city is well known for its mild climate and friendly people. We visit some of the famous gardens of this city of “roses and nightingales”, including the residential citadel of Karim Khan of the Zand Dynasty in the heart of the city, the Eram Garden, the tomb of Iran’s greatest lyric poets, Hafez and Sa’adi, the Pars Museum; the pink tiled 19th-century Nasir-ol-Molk Mosque, the Arg-e-Karim Khan (18th-century citadel). We also have the opportunity to visit the Madrassa Khan (Theological School), to have interaction with teachers and students. You’ll thoroughly enjoy the Qajar period Narenjestan Garden/House, the Vakil Complex (Bathhouse & Mosque), and the Vakil Bazaar of Shiraz with its blue tiled dome roof. It is considered by many to be the most beautiful bazaar in the world. The bazaars take travelers completely away from the outside world and immerse them in an age-old rhythm of life. Here the atmosphere is full of the market cries of vendors, the hammering of the coppersmiths, the activities of carpet weavers, silversmiths and cloth printers, the grilling of kabobs and the preparation of spices. (B-L-D)

*****Homa/Pars Hotel

November 11 SHIRAZ - PERSEPOLIS
Sunday NAGHSH-É-ROSTAM
Get ready for a truly wonderful day! After breakfast, we drive about 35 miles to Takht-e Jamshid or as the Greeks called it, Persepolis, for a full day excursion to see the ruined capital of ancient Iran. It is one of the greatest artistic legacies of the ancient world and perhaps one of the most beautiful and spectacular archaeological sites surviving today. In the 6th century B.C., the Achaemenian King Darius I, created Persepolis as a palatial precinct for an empire which eventually became larger and more efficiently ruled than any other in the ancient world. He erected the monument on a mountain slope called Rahmat above a plain he considered holy. Persepolis was reserved only for ritual celebrations. In the spring of each new year, the dynamic ruler and his court gathered at Persepolis to receive the tribute of subject nations and to reestablish universal order for the coming year. Step back in time as we enter through the Gate of All Nations. The arrival of the erstwhile delegations was announced by trumpeters who stood at the top of the staircase in front of the Gate of Nations. They were then led to the Hundred Column Palace to the presence of the king. Superb bas reliefs depict the flow of ritual processions that once passed through the palaces and audience halls of the Achaemenian Kings. We’ll explore the Gate of Xerxes, the Apadana Palace, the Treasury, the Harem and the private palaces of the different rulers. Persepolis was completed by Xerxes and Artaxerxes I who ruled Persia in the 5th century B.C.. The palaces were used by the Achaemenid kings up until they were destroyed by Alexander the Great in 330 B.C. as revenge for the sacking of Athens during the Persian Wars with the Greeks. After lunch at the pleasant and nearby Laneh Tavous Restaurant, visit Naghsh-é-Rostam, which contains the rock carved chambers of four Achaemenian tombs, believed to be those of Darius the Great, Xerxes, Artaxerxes and Darius II. See Ka’be-Zardosht (fire temple/sanctuary), and Royal Tombs (also Achaemenid); plus seven magnificent Sassanian rock-reliefs (including Shapur the First’s famous victory over Roman Emperor Valerian); and Naghsh-e-Rajab, a nearby grotto with several more Sassanid reliefs. The ornamental facades are rock reliefs from the Sassanian dynasty depicting various scenes of imperial conquests as well as a probable fire temple from Achaemenian times. Return to Shiraz (62 miles). (B-L-D)

*****Homa/Pars Hotel

November 12 SHIRAZ - PASARGADAE
Monday ABARQUH - YAZD
Following breakfast, we drive to Yazd (280 miles) via Pasargadae to see the tomb of Cyrus the Great, the remains of the First Persian Empire Capital, site of his simple but imposing tomb and the remains of three of his palaces. After a picnic lunch, drive through Abarquh to see a 4000-year-old Cyprus tree, a 1000-year-old mosque and a 19th century ice reservoir.
Arrive in Yazd in time to see Alexander Prison and the Mausoleum dedicated to the Twelve Imams. Have a walk through the old streets where we should find workshops still open.

Dinner at Moshir Garden/Laleh Golshan Hotel. (B-L-D)

***Moshir Garden/Laleh Golshan/Dad Hotel

November 13 YAZD - NA’IN
Tuesday ISFAHAN
Spend the morning in Yazd, the second oldest city in the world according to UNESCO, from the architectural viewpoint. First we visit the Zoroastrian Towers of Silence (where the bodies of the deceased were placed, according to their religious beliefs). While a majority of the population is Muslim, there is a large minority of both Jews and Zoroastrians. Our guide will explain the Zoroastrian religion, which at one time was the state creed but faded away after the Arab conquest. Zoroastrians are followers of the prophet Zarathushtra (Zoroaster in Greek), who was born in the 7th century B.C. in what is now a part of Afghanistan. The religion is monotheistic and dualistic, and it influenced Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The Magi, or three wise men, who visited Jesus at his birth, are considered to be Zoroastrians. Zoroastrians revere fire as a symbol of God and keep eternal flames burning at their temples. Today there are 400,000 Zoroastrians left in the world of which about 60,000 live in and around Yazd. Others have established a prosperous life in the Bombay (Mumbai) area of India, where they are known as Parsees (Persians).

Next we see the Fire Temple, and Amir Chakhmagh Square. We won’t want to miss the Water Museum and learn about Qanats, an advanced technology system first developed about 1000 B.C. to bring mountain water through underground conduits to the plains. It rivals the Roman system of Aqueducts. Today there are about 22,000 qanats that provide 75% of Iran’s fresh water. Masters of power technology, in the 7th century B.C., Persian engineers also developed an advanced wind-power machine, the windmill, invented by the Babylonians.

After lunch at the hotel, enroute to Isfahan, we visit the early Islamic period Friday Mosque and a private house at Na’in (also Naeen) and Jameh Mosque. Na’in, a desert city famous for its special carpet and textile called ABA (special costume worn by religious people). Here you will first visit the 1000-year-old Mosque, then to an old traditional workshop where aba is made, and finally see the museum of a famous family who makes magnificent carpets with the desert oriented colors always reminding us of the hot dunes. Continue to Isfahan (186 miles) for dinner at the exotic Abbasi Hotel, which was built in the 1960s on the site of a 17th century caravanserai. (B-L-D)

*****Abbasi/Kowsar Hotel

November 14 ISFAHAN
Wednesday
We have two full days in the Pearl of Iran. Isfahan was the 17th century capital of the Safavids, referred to as Nesf-e-Jahan (Half of the World) in Safavid sources.

Isfahan is perhaps the most beautiful of all Iranian cities. It is located 250 miles south of Tehran at an elevation of nearly a mile. With historical buildings, bridges and eye-catching sites, Isfahan is one of the most significant tourist attractions in Iran. It dates back 2500 years and was the capital of Iran during three historical periods. The golden age of Isfahan was in the Safavid era from 1505 to 1736 and much of the art and architecture you will be seeing will be from this period. Shah Abbas I mastered one of the world’s grandest experiments in city planning in 1598. Mosques, palaces, bazaars and public parks were built over the next thirty years.

We visit the famous bridges of Shahrestan/Khaju/Sio-seh-pol, constructed by Shah Abbas II in 1650. Sio-seh-pol is essentially a bridge superimposed upon a dam, 436 feet long and supported by thirty-three stone arches. You’ll enjoy visiting with local people who meet there.

Our groups have the distinction of visiting a famous artist at his home for a reception. Mr. Mostafa Fotowat has produced works for museums around the world. One of his pieces is pictured below.

The final stop of the day is at the Hasht Behesht pavilion built in 1670 by Shah Solayman and known as the Pavilion of Eight Paradises or the Palace of Nightingales. This small but intricate building is set amongst tree-lined alleys, a reflecting pool and water rills. If there is interest, we can also visit a synagogue. (B-L-D)

*****Abbasi/Kowsar Hotel

November 15 ISFAHAN
Thursday
We have another full day of sightseeing in Isfahan. First we visit Chehel Sotun Palace, built by Shah Abbas II in the 17th century; its wooden columns reflected in the surface of the pool give rise to its name ‘The Palace of Forty Columns’.

Next we visit the magnificent Friday Mosque, with the famous Uljaitu Mihrab (Prayer Niche) of the Il-Khanid period. The Friday Mosque is considered a museum of a thousand years of Persian religious architecture and is truly one of the world’s greatest mosques.

Continue to the Armenian Quarter containing several churches, including the important Cathedral of Vank. Begun in 1606 at the time of arrival of Armenian immigrants to Isfahan, it was completed between 1655 and 1664 under the supervision of Arch-bishop David, with the encouragement of the Safavid rulers. It is the historic focal point of the Armenian Christian Church in Iran. The dome and walls have colorful paintings representing the story of Creation. We pause for lunch at a popular Armenian restaurant.

Following lunch we visit one of the world’s grandest squares - the Meidan-e Naghsh-e Jahan - to see the Ali Qapu Palace (with its enchanting music rooms and balcony overlooking the Maidan, from where the Safavid Kings watched polo games), Sheikh Lotfollah and Imam Mosques. Naghsh-e Jahan complex, central focus of Isfahan is a royal square, 1674 feet by 540 feet and enclosed by double-storied arcades. The square drew merchants and ambassadors to the Safavid court for centuries. It’s unmatched in elegance and spaciousness anywhere in the world! It is seven times the size of the Piazza San Marco in Venice, and puts the grandeur of the surrounding palaces and mosques into appropriate proportions. On the north side is the entrance to the Royal Qaysariyyeh Bazaar. Two of the Islamic world’s greatest mosques are the Sheikh Lotfollah and the Shah – with magnificent architecture and tile work. On the east side is the Lotfollah Mosque. Constructed between 1603 and 1617, it served as a private chapel for the Imperial family. You’ll see exquisite 17th century Persian tile work on the domed ceiling. On the west side is the Ali Qapu Palace. To the south is the Shah Mosque, dedicated to Shah Abbas the Great. To many it is also considered to be the most beautiful mosque in the world. We finish with free time in the Square to enjoy the Qaysariyyeh Bazaar with hundreds of shops displaying the arts and handicrafts for which Isfahan is world-famous. (B-L-D)

*****Abbasi/Kowsar Hotel

November 16 ISFAHAN - NATANZ
Friday ABYANEH - TEHRAN
Today we enjoy a leisurely coach ride to Tehran with an en route stop at the charming town of Natanz to visit a beautiful Islamic Complex of Friday Mosque, Monastery and Tomb of Sheikh Abdol Samad Isfahani. We will also enjoy a tea break under the shade of a beautiful and old plane tree just outside the complex.

On a lovely country drive we continue to the historical village of Abyaneh, one of the oldest in Iran. The town is set on a steep hillside and has a distinctive reddish hue. The narrow lanes show a reverence for nature, and the roofs of some houses serve as a courtyard for houses higher up the slope. The friendly people of the village are committed to honoring their traditions, and they are on hand to welcome you in their distinctive dress – ladies in their floral scarves and colorful full skirts which reach only to the knees. They speak a particular form of Parthian Pavlavi. During the Safavid Dynasty, this town as well as many others were forced to convert from Zoroastrian to Shi’ite Islam.

We continue our drive to Tehran (289 miles) and, stop by the Mausoleum of Imam Khomeini for a photo opportunity. (B-L-D)

*****Espinas/Laleh Hotel

November 17 TEHRAN - ISTANBUL
Saturday U.S.A.
We rise early this morning and are transferred to the airport for our 6:50 AM flight to Istanbul (TK879) arriving at 8:55 AM. Connect with our flight to JFK (TK001) departing at 10:50 AM. Arrive in New York at 2:45 PM with time for flights to your home city. Welcome home!

Note: Flight schedules always subject to change.

Caspian Extension

November 17 - 21, 2012
$2190 per person double occupancy from Tehran
Single Supplement $440

November 17 TEHRAN - ZANJAN
Saturday
Today the main group leaves for the U.S. and we leave for Zanjan (4-hour drive), and en route visit the magnificent 14th century Gonbad-e-Soltaniyeh, the tomb/tower of Oljaytu, the last Mongol/Il-Khanid Ruler of Iran (1304-1330). The monument is remarkable in many different architectural aspects, including its huge dome, which is about 167 feet high and ranks amongst the largest domes in the world. Gonbad-e-Soltaniyeh is one of 13 UNESCO World Heritage sites in Iran; we then continue to the city of Zanjan to visit the unique ‘Rakhtshur-Khaneh’ (old public laundry now turned into an ethnographic museum) and the old Public Bath House. (B-L-D)

****Grand Zanjan Hotel

November 18 ZANJAN - TABRIZ
Sunday
Today after breakfast we leave for Tabriz (4-hour drive). We are heading in the direction of Armenia and Azerbaijan to the third largest city in Iran after Tehran and Mashad. According to Herodotus, even in ancient times, this area had a turbulent history. In the 13th century it was the Mongol capital. Upon arrival have lunch. On our tour of Tabriz, we’ll see the Blue Mosque built by Shah Jahan in 1465, the small exquisite Azerbaijan Museum, and the Citadel.

Our guide will lead us through the wonderfully constructed Tabriz Bazaar, second oldest in the world after the one in Aleppo, Syria another UNESCO World Heritages Site. The Silk Road passed through Tabriz; today silk, wool and cotton Tabriz carpets with figures on a pink background, are a well known export to France and Germany.

We’ll also see the El Goli Safavid site and park with beautifully renovated old building surrounded by a large pool. Dinner and overnight in Tabriz. (B-L-D)

*****Tabriz Pars Hotel

November 19 TABRIZ - ARDABIL
Monday ANZALI
Today after breakfast we drive east towards the Caspian Sea, en route stopping at the city of Ardebil to visit one of Iran’s great gems, the Mausoleum Complex of Sheikh Safii-eddinn Ardebil, the great Sufi Leader of the 14th century and the forefather of the Sufi inspired Safavid kings, and another UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visits include the tomb of the Sheikh, the tomb of Shah Isma’ail, the Founder of the Safavid Dynasty, and the ‘Chini-Khaneh’ (China House), where the famous collection of Chinese blue and white porcelain, ordered by Shah Abbas for his ancestor’s tomb, is on display.

With 14,000 ft Mt. Savalan, a stunning snow capped extinct volcano to our left, we pass orchards, grazing lands and fishing lakes. Descend from the Alborz mountain heights through tunnels and along green terraced landscapes. Continue along the northern Iran border with Azerbaijan, and stop for a taste of delicious local honey. It is perhaps one of the secrets of longevity for people of this area. We arrive at a modest beach resort, which fortunately is not crowded at this time of year. Enjoy a dinner of fish caught in the warm waters of Caspian Sea, and perhaps some caviar; and then have a stroll under the stars by the Sea. (B-L-D)

***Hotel Sepid Kenar

November 20 ANZALI - RASHT - MASULEH
Tuesday FUMAN - TEHRAN
Today after breakfast, drive to Rasht and go on a short excursion to the picturesque 1,000-year-old village of Masuleh, protected by the Iranian Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization. Have a leisurely walk through the multi layered paths of the village, with its quaint shops, and perhaps enjoy some tea. Return to Rasht, via the lovely town of Fuman, with its rice paddies and neatly manicured tea plantations, where we will have lunch.

Cuttings to start the plants came from India and produce healthy tea, full of antioxidants. There are many nature reserves in this area where birds winter near poplar lined freshwater pools. Indulge in a taste of kuliches, a delicious local pastry filled with walnuts, cinnamon and cardamom.

Drive back to Tehran via Rasht scenic freeway. Upon arrival transfer to Tehran Espinas hotel for dinner and overnight. (B-L-D)

*****Espinas/Laleh Hotel

November 21 TEHRAN - ISTANBUL
Wednesday U.S.A.
We rise early this morning and are transferred to the airport for our 6:50 AM flight to Istanbul (TK879) arriving at 8:55 AM. Connect with our flight to JFK (TK001) departing at 10:50 AM. Arrive in New York at 2:45 PM with time for flights to your home city. Welcome home!

Note: Flight schedules always subject to change.