Starting on March 21st, Nowrouz celebration is one of the most ancient Iranian celebrations and is said to be the moment the sun passes through the Earth's equator and heads north to the sky; this moment called Vernal Equinox is the first day in the solar calendar.
Nowruz is officially celebrated in 9 countries of Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kirgizstan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan and Albania, on March 21st or 22nd, and in some other countries such as in India and Zanzibar, minorities with Persian background still celebrate the beginning of spring season.
Poets and writers such as Ferdowsi, Aboureihan Bourouni, Tabari and others consider the mythical King Jamshid the main founder of Nowrouz.

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Starting on March 21st, Nowruz also spelled Nowrouz celebration is one of the most ancient Iranian celebrations and is said to be the moment the sun passes through the Earth's equator and heads north to the sky; this moment called Vernal Equinox is the first day in the solar calendar.
Nowruz is officially celebrated in 9 countries of Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kirgizstan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan and Albania, on March 21st or 22nd, and in some other countries such as in India and Zanzibar, minorities with Persian background still celebrate the beginning of spring season.
Poets and writers such as Ferdowsi, Aboureihan Bourouni, Tabari and others consider the mythical King Jamshid the main founder of Nowrouz.

Old Nowruz Traditions

1Spring House-cleaning

Shortly before Nowruz, Iranians start to clean their homes and dust off the furniture, and this cleanliness is a symbol of the immaculateness of people's hearts and their closeness to one another.

2Haft-Sin table and year delivery moment

Haft-sin or Haft-Seen is one of the long-standing Iranian customs; a colorful table arranged with seven symbolic items whose names start with the Persian Alphabet letter "س" pronounced "S".
Items usually are as of coins, garlic, sumac, Samanu a sweet pudding made of wheat, Sabzeh meaning wheat, barley, or lentil sprouts grown in a dish, apples, clock, and vinegar.
Side elements used to adorn the setting include mirrors, candles, colored eggs, hyacinths, and clocks. But the most controversial are gold-fish in bowls! Which originally does not have any connection with Iranian old-fashion Haft-sin but it has been adapted from Asian cultures.

In fact, Haft-Sin table is a gathering spot for family members to come together at the moment of the year delivery.

Each Haft-Seen item is a symbol for an ancient Persian holy spirit, 5 of which are spirits of 5 months in the Persian calendar.

3Charshanbeh Suri

On the last Tuesday of year, Iranians celebrate the Fire Festival in their own districts, streets or parks. Chaar-Shanbeh means Wednesday and Suri means both ‘Red’ and ‘Celebration’. On Tuesday evening, people go out and set bush fires and jump over them shouting at fire: My Yellowness, be yours … and give me your redness!
Yellowness signifies sickness and poverty and red face is a symbol of prosperity and health.
They keep fire burning till the next morning, which symbolizes burning all unhappiness of the past year, looking forward to a very happy new year.
Chahar shanbeh Suri, considered Iranian Halloween, bears several traditions which make the festival a richer perspective. 

4Nowruz Visits

Gatherings and Nowrouz visits are among other ancient Iranian Nowruz customs; the younger ones go to visit the elderly relatives and receive gifts, and the older ones respond in kindness to the younger ones at home.

5Amu Nowruz & Haji Firuz 

In Iran, the traditional heralds of Nowruz are Amu Nowruz and Haji Firuz, who appear in the streets before the holiday starts.
Amu Nowruz is depicted as an elderly man with a long white beard much like his western equivalent Santa Claus. He carries a walking stick, wearing a traditional cloak and hat.

Haji Firuz, a character with his face and hands covered in soot, covered in red clothes and a hat, is the companion of Amu Nowruz. He sings and dances in the streets while singing and playing the tambourine. In the traditional songs, he introduces himself as a serf trying to cheer people whom he refers to as his lords.

6Sizdah-Be-dar

Every year, On the thirteenth day of month "Farvardin", Iranians provide the traveler to go to the plain on the thirteenth day and to dispose of the thirteen thunder because they consider it a bad day.
In the evening, Iranian girls knit a vegetable to open their fortunes and flush the vegetation on the way back, or drop in the wild.
“Sizdah bedar” is another Nowruz costom that takes place on the thirteenth day of the New Year - the last day of Nowruz holiday. “Bedar” means getting rid of something and therefore “Sizdah bedar” gives the meaning of “Getting Rid of Thirteen” which is locally known as an unlucky number.
On this reputedly “unlucky” day, Iranians leave their homes and spend their time outdoors, picnicking with families and friends. Since this is the last day of New Year holiday, Iranians love to enjoy themselves by dancing, singing, playing around and enjoying the specially prepared food together. These fun makings and laughter is believed as a way of repelling “evil” for the whole New Year.

Most Popular Traditions on Sizdah-Bedar

Going out | taking refuge in nature

It is believed that anyone who stays at home on the thirteenth day of Nowruz, will face infelicity and one must leave home at least for a few minutes. Among the ancient Iranians, no day was known as the day of evil. They believed only a few numbers as sacred numbers, such as seven, but historical books indicate that in 52 AD Greeks introduced the unlucky 13 to the Iranian culture.
In the old days when cities had multiple gates, on the thirteenth day everyone would go out of the gate and enter through another gate so that the evil demon with him left the gate waiting for the rest of the year behind the city wall.

Throw Sabzeh in running water

In the past, it was common in the old days that farmers planted twelve crops of twelve types of grain – The same number of months of solar year. At the beginning of the new year, any better-growing grain would be taken as a lucky one and planted more than other kinds for the whole year round. This tradition is actually the origin of Sabzeh which appeared in Haft-sin table in modern days.
At the end of the thirteenth day of Nowruz, people throw the Sabzeh in streams or in rivers. Some believe that this would wash away old memories of the previous year and also the freshness of spring will move across the river and bring fertility to the land.

Knotting the Sabzeh

Another of Sizdah-Bedar traditions is to knot the Sabzeh in order to fulfill the wishes, which may be more appealing to the youth, especially for young single girls to fulfill their wishes. They knot the leaves of the Sabzeh before discarding it, expressing a wish to find a partner or a husband.

Adventure tours have recently expanded as a new step in the Iranian tourism industry, with the necessary facilities and improving safety as well as developing knowledge. Nowadays, Canyoning tours in Iran are performed with higher quality than previously known, and are ranked among the most popular Nature Activities in Iran. Iran is a vast country with many surprises that most Iranians themselves are not fully aware of. The canyons of Iran are of these unknown areas.

Iransafar Tours is seeking to introduce you one of the most important and spectacular canyons in Iran. So if you are into nature and adventure, place this in your "To Do" list.

Raghaz | Iran's most beautiful canyon

According to Iranian canyoneering experts, Raghaz is considered the best choice to embrace the challenge and excitement. There are many canyons in Iran but they are not as easy as Raghaz to traverse. It is one of the best canyoneering adventure experiences that you can have in your life. Canyoneering challenges many skills such as keeping balance, physical and mental fitness, swimming, rock climbing and more.

Several years ago when I first set foot in Raghaz Canyon, and rappelled the cascade path with ropes and experienced beautiful jumps in the clear, sometimes fish-full basins, I never thought this place would be one day a top destination for Adventurers.

Located 30 kilometers northeast of Darab city, surrounded by high cliffs on both sides, the four kilometer long Raghaz canyon lies peacefully in the middle of mountains. The word Raghaz means slippery, and locals know this beautiful valley as "Rud Khiz" Canyon.
Raghaz is a pristine and spectacular place, but keep in mind that going deep into this canyon is not easy for beginners. Traversers need to have at least a basic familiarity with swimming, rock climbing, and canyoneering techniques; professional equipment is needed as well.

✔️ When to go to Raghaz Canyon? 

To feel the best and most fulfilling enjoyment of being in this canyon, it is best to choose the rainy months of the year, such as May or early October, to visit.
Also, due to the relatively warm weather in May and October, diving in the cool water of the ponds would be joyful and refreshing.

✔️ How to get to Raghaz Canyon?

There are two ways to get to the spring source of the Raghaz area - one is about four hours walk and the other takes two hours with a 4×4.

The first route requires 4 hours of hiking from the village which is not recommended.
The second route is through the Darraguyeh Pass, which requires a guide or local help to get there because you need a 4×4 or a pick-up. This route takes less than 2 hours.

Either of the two routes you choose, you will be welcomed in any form by Raghaz Canyon with a clear and beautiful spring; here will be the start of the adventure.
Up to this point, no special equipment is needed, and anyone with any level of ability can reach this point. But in order to continue the first 23 meter high cascade you would definitely need equipment and a bit of expertise.

From the source you can start the traverse through the canyon and enjoy tens of beautiful cascades and basins creating wonderful sceneries. Due to abundance of spring water in the region, there are numerous cascades, 12 of which require rappelling, and others can be jumped or traversed by holding the rocks. The basins are usually deep enough to dive in.
The whole traverse takes about 6 hours and after a day of unrivaled experience you will reach "VEDA" waterfall –Veda means Goodbye- 46 meters high. After rappelling Veda there is a short climb at the end of the trail.

Raghaz Traverse 

To reach the pristine parts, we must first take a short walk and then climb up and down the cliffs to reach the spring source. Along the trail we come across several small cascades and springs that lie in the heart of the canyon. This place is so pristine and the water is so clear that you can easily see the soles of your feet in the water.
In the calcareous cliffs of the gorge, many birds have nests and in the water many fish gather around your legs. The route to the waterfall will take you a lot of energy, so be sure to bring enough water and energy-boosting snacks.
Short cascades of Raghz have been called by some climbers under various names such as Negin, Boom Rang, Massoud, Gulab, Fat'h and Hekmat.
Negin is 16 meters high, Boom Rang is about 7 meters; Masoud is about 8 meters and Gulab is 11 meters high.
The tallest waterfall in this canyon is Azarakhsh which is 65 meters high. The other tall ones are called Kaboutar (25 m) and Veda (46 m).

Passing through this exciting canyon you will reach the last cascade, which is 46 meters high. At the bottom of this cascade there is a basin called "Heart Pool" because of its shape. Here's the end of this adventure. So take a breath and enjoy the pure nature of the gorge because you have still a long way to go back!

The heart pond (Hoz-cheh Ghalb in Farsi) is located in the south of the canyon, and now we have to go back home through a slightly more difficult route. To traverse this path you would need to cross narrow tracks, to swim occasionally and to be familiar with rock climbing techniques. In this route, the provincial authorities have installed a few facilities and equipment, including rope that will make you’re your life a bit easier!

✔️ What equipment is needed for Raghaz Canyon?

Day bag, flashlight, hat, strapped sunglasses, drinking water, flask, snack, sunscreen, garbage bag, insect repellent, extra clothes and a first aid kit.
You also need technical equipment such as climbing harness, rappelling gear, rope, a helmet, a life jacket, rock climbing rope, proper shoes and a pair of toe closed sandal. If you plan to stay in the canyon overnight, take bivouac equipment.

✔️ Things to know before you go to Raghaz Canyon

1. It is best to have a waterproof backpack or seal it. Put your cell phone and other stuff separately in zip bags and then in two, three plastic bags, then put them all in a big bag and finally in your backpack. Make sure the air inside the bags is expelled.
2. Don't go to the waterfalls without a guide.
3. If you are afraid of altitude or water, it is best to stay at the source and not continue inside the canyon.
4. If it rains, postpone the trip to another time.
5. Traveling to Raghaz is not an easy task and requires energy, time, expertise and equipment, so get enough rest before traveling and get all your equipment ready.
6. Be sure to have water, nuts, dates, and chocolates.
7. There is no type of accommodation in the canyon area and renting a local village house is not possible.

According to most visitors, Iran and its beauties are said to be so charming and unique that they encourage visitors from all over the world to travel to this land. A four-season country where you walk around every corner, its wonders would fascinate you; From architectural masterpieces to strolling in the lush forests of Caspian Region and even the pleasure of sleeping under the starry desert sky, all sorts of landscapes have emerged that are nowhere to be seen.

Amidst all these surprises, Iranians are known for their hospitality and this has led to the creation of hospitable resorts and outstanding hotels to welcome travelers everywhere in Iran, hotels that each reflects the unique art and architecture of this unique land.

Hospitality in Iran is as old as its civilization, but the hospitality industry in Iran is a relatively new industry. In this article we have tried to introduce 10 best choice hotels of Iran according to the reviews of our clients and visitors in 2019:

1Tehran Espinas Palace Hotel ★★★★★   

The five-Star Espinas Palace Hotel is the most stylish and largest Tehran hotel with modern and unique architecture that was built on the elevated lands of Saadat Abad district of Tehran in November 2015. The hotel has 20 floors with 400 rooms and luxurious Suites with wonderful interior design and all modern facilities. Espinas Palace luxurious hotel is ready to welcome you with its unique facilities and services of its kind

Espinas Palace Hotel - Tehran 

2Abbasi Hotel - Isfahan  ★★★★★ 

Staying at a traditional historic caravanserai in the heart of Isfahan can be experienced at the Abbasi Hotel. This hotel is considered to be the best hotel of Isfahan and also the oldest and most luxurious hotel with magnificent Persian architecture of the Safavid era. The first construction of the hotel was in 18^th century following the order of King Sultan Hossein Safavi as a gift to his mother. In 1966 it was renovated and converted into the present Abbasi Hotel which has 231 rooms, suites and apartments. Some hotel rooms are located around the main courtyard and face the garden through, balconies or windows. Each hotel room has its own unique architecture. The hotel is not far from the main historic attractions of Isfahan. 

Abbasi Hotel - Isfahan

3Parsian Azadi Hotel - Tehran ★★★★★ 

The five-star, long-standing hotel in accordance with international standards, is undoubtedly the best, most popular and most prestigious hotel in the country and Tehran. Parsian Azadi Hotel has a special position due to its location in a pleasant climate and a spectacular view of the city of Tehran and has many fans. Azadi Hotel or Hyatt Ex has been operating under the supervision of Parsian Hotels Group since 1991. The hotel has 475 bungalows with 26 beautifully decorated and decorated floors overlooking the Alborz Mountains and the beautiful city of Tehran, providing a relaxing and enjoyable atmosphere for your dear guests. Easy access to the main arteries of the busy city of Tehran is the biggest advantage of this hotel that cannot be overlooked.

Parsian Azadi Hotel - Tehran 

4Shiraz Grand Hotel - Shiraz ★★★★★ 

If you want a luxurious and pleasant stay in the land of Cyrus, in the ancient city of Shiraz, Shiraz Grand Hotel is the best option.

The beautiful view of this outstanding hotel at the entrance to Shiraz and the passage through the Quran gates attracts every viewer. Shiraz Grand Hotel has the best amenities and services such as luxurious and well-equipped international restaurants, the best recreational centers and a unique waterfront complex. It is interesting to know that this hotel has the largest restaurant in Iran.

All of the hotel's rooms are very luxurious, well-equipped and comfortable. The hotel has its own Quran Gate, Shiraz Gardens as well as its proximity to monuments and amusement areas.

Shiraz Grand hotel - Shiraz 

5Salar Darreh Hotel - Sari ★★★★

For travelers who wish to get into the nature and relax in the woods of Caspian region, Salar-Darreh Hotel in Sari is the best choice. A very relaxing hotel in the heart of the forest, built near a river of the same name.

The location of the hotel is unique. The superb climate and the rooms overlooking the forest, give the guest an unparalleled tranquility. Salar-Darreh Hotel has a large and beautiful green courtyard with facilities such as a tennis court, a traditional restaurant with stunning view, and a souvenir shop.

Salar Dareh Hotel - Sari

6Toranj Marine Hotel - Kish ★★★★★

Kish Island is very popular among Iranians and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Iran. For this reason, it has its own unique facilities, both in terms of accommodation and recreation. Toranj Hotel is one of the most beautiful hotels in Iran and Kish Island and the first hotel built on the water in the Middle East. Its bold design is inspired by Maldives and Caribbean hotels.

Built in two phases, this beautiful hotel has one phase with suites, with glass floors over the Persian Gulf, and you can see the amazing underwater world through your room. Another appealing feature of these suites is their own private balconies that offer a beautiful sunset on the island of Kish to their guests.

The second phase is a 4-storey hotel, built on the beautiful seaside of Kish, with beautiful rooms and unique amenities. A swimming pool on top of the building's roof is another attraction of the hotel, giving you an unforgettable swimming experience

Toranj Marine Hotel - Kish

7Ameri Hotel - Kashan ★★★★

The Kashan Ameri Hotel is a memorial to the magnificent Zandiyah era, which was renovated in 2014 and started as a hotel. This magnificent building is the largest and oldest house in Kashan. The traditional and varied style of the hotel gives you the experience of living in the magnificent homes of ancient Iran.

The hotel building consists of two separate houses with two central courtyards, There are also a cellar, a banquet house, summer and winter porches, and two long wind towers in this residence, showing the splendid architecture of ancient Iran. 

Other attractions of the hotel is rooms with authentic Iranian atmosphere, while also equipped, Iranian baths, restaurants and coffee shops, all of which bring you a memorable journey in the heart of the desert city of KashanAmeri traditional Hotel - Kashan

8Kaya Hotel - Tabriz ★★★★★

Kaya Hotel Tabriz is the newest hotel in Tabriz and is part of the Turkish Kaya Hotel chain.
With 220 rooms, the 17-storey Kaya Hotel's building is very stylish and specially designed to make it unique.
The hotel's famous restaurant called "A LA CARD" has recently become popular due to its nice international and Iranian cuisine.

Kaya shopping center, with 126 shops, featuring the world's top brands, exquisite gym and stylish restaurants and cafes is among the most luxurious hotels in Tabriz and Iran

9 Darvishi Hotel – Mashad ★★★★★

This five-star hotel is one of the most renowned luxury and modern hotels in Mashhad because of its unique architecture, high quality standards and proximity to the shrine of Imam Reza.

Inaugurated in 2011, the 20-storey Dervishi Hotel is one of the tallest residential buildings in Mashhad and the country's largest glass atrium hotel. The hotel has 223 rooms with varied accommodation models such as Royal, Season, Penthouse, Nations Room and VIP Rooms. The well-being and security of guests, the ease of access to their facilities, the variety of services and accommodations at the luxurious and stylish Dervishi Hotel in Mashhad are considered to be a memorable stay.

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10 Daad Hotel – Yazd ★★★★

Daad Hotel of Yazd, with its traditional architecture, Yazdi atmosphere, and its proximity to the historical context of this 3,000-year-old city, brings the atmosphere of an ancient city to life. This hotel is very close to Yazd's historical and tourist centers such as Amirchakhmaq Complex and Zoroastrian Fire Temple. The finest amenities and well-trained and hospitable staff in this renovated historic mansion will forever be remembered for a pleasant trip to Yazd. After a tour in the old town, you can relax in the roof restaurant of the hotel, enjoying the nice view. 

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  ... Book a Hotel in Iran

Birding is a growing branch of ecotourism and is one of the most popular types of "specific purpose tourism". Surveys in different countries show that usually the educated part of society interested in this particular type of tourism. Unlike other nature hiking branches, such as trekking or climbing, people with less physical abilities can also easily participate in bird watching programs and closely follow the flow of life in nature.
Birding is one of those leisure activities that requires peace and silence. Consequently, it is also useful for concentrating and even relaxing the saul. Many psychologists recommend bird watching in nature for mental relaxation and spirituality.

Watching the birds and listening to their life's songs, photography, recording all the beauty and effort of accurately identifying the species of birds you see is a unique scientific and recreational tourism that, if it ever happens, keeps people away from repeating everyday boring city life.
If you enjoy the beauty of seeing colorful feathers of a red chestnut or hearing the marvelous song of the nightingale or the singing of a woodpecker in the heart of nature, you can easily be a birdwatcher!

People interested in nature, can easily start bird watching in Iran. In fact, many people in the world practice this profession with different specialties for many years, a healthy recreation that requires no specialty, Just love nature and birds.
Birding is one of the unknown tourism potentials in Iran. With more than 5 important birding areas, Iran has high potential to become one of the most important birding destinations. Also in Iranian desert attractions such as the Mesr Desert, very beautiful desert birds such as Pleskes Ground Jay can easily be seen.
Fortunately, there has been a growing interest recently in organizing and participating in nature programs (such as bird watching) in Iran. However, Iran's share of the billions of dollars from this field is almost zero, while US revenue from the industry last year was just over $ 5 billion.
Promising signs such as naming the first Thursday of every December as National Bird watching Day, expanding the activity of birding institutes and the availability of magazines such as Podoces and Balaban herald a growing future. Bird hunting in most areas has been banned and bird protection groups have been established to protect some endangered bird species which are in the red list.
Totally 523 bird species exist in Iran.

The best season for bird watching in Iran 

The best time for bird watching programs in Iran is spring and autumn. The first half of spring, especially in May, is when birds begin mating, nesting, and caring for chicks, resulting in abundance. In the fall, not only migratory birds enter Iran, but the population of birds also increases. Offspring born in the spring are now grown and joined.

It is noteworthy that most of the known species in Iran are migratory birds (approximately 70%) and do not come to Iran during their breeding season in Iran. But in the fall, many of them travel to Iran to avoid the cold season in their homelands. Of course, the observation of migratory birds in Iran presents some challenge:
First, due to the harsh weather conditions, most of the birds hide themselves in their refuges, and secondly, many of the birds enjoy their winter camouflage and look far away from their beautiful summer coats - This makes them harder to spot.
Therefore, the distinction between autumn and spring is due to the arrival of migratory and winter migratory birds and, consequently, the possibility of seeing more species of birds. Wading birds, such as sandpipers are also best seen during this season.
If you are interested in watching chickens that hatch from eggs, sign up for bird watching tours in Iran in the spring. Even migratory birds sometimes lay eggs in Iranian wetlands. If you are interested in watching birds grow and their life cycle, spring is a good start for you. The atmosphere of lagoons and lakes is also very pleasant and refreshing.

Areas suitable for bird watching in Iran

In Iran, most birdwatchers go to West Azerbaijan province to see more birds. Other provinces still need to do more work and more birding tours. As more people become familiar with this field of nature hiking, the number of birdwatchers is increasing and our collective information on bird species in our environment is growing.

• Mian Kaleh Peninsula

  This wetland is in the east of Mazandaran and is more than 68 kilometers wide. The reflection of pomegranate, azalea and wild raspberry bushes in the water, along with the presence of thousands of migratory birds in this  magnificent wildlife refuge, creates an unparalleled and vibrant landscape.
  Hundreds of thousands of migratory birds, such as flamingos, cormorants, swans, pelicans, ducks and white-tailed eagles, fall each year to the wetland in the fall and stay there until late winter.

• Fereydoon Kenar lagoon

• Miqan Wetland

• Qazvin Abbeyek

• Kani Brazan

  Situated south of Lake Urmia on the Miandoab-Naghadeh Route, its 907-hectare is one of the most beautiful wetlands in western Iran and has doubled its attractiveness to native and migratory birds. Kani Brazan welcomes the largest population of migratory and wading birds including endangered  White-headed Duck and protected species of marbled ducks, pelicans, swans, flamingos, Spotted Eagle as well as other birds such as goose, duck, Ruddy shelduck. 

• Birding Site of Ghar Ghashlagh Wetland of East Azarbaijan

• Qeshm Island

  Set of lush green coastal, mangrove or shore forests, located near Qeshm Island, Bandar Pol, Hormoz Island and Khamir Port in Hormozgan Province, with beautiful waterways and pristine wildlife, is one of iran's most popular tourist attractions. More than one hundred species of aquatic and wading birds are found in the area annually. Varieties of swallows, red-winged flamingos, white and gray herons are migratory bird species that migrate to this place with a multi generational, sometimes millennial population.

• Zaribar Lagoon in Marivan, Kurdistan 

• Anzali lagoon