Today, we'll visit the residential palaces of Mohamad Reza Shah, his father and some members of the former Iranian royal family . Its huge garden occupying an area of 180 hectares , makes Sa'ad Abad the greatest cultural complex in modern Tehran consisting of 7 palaces. After this visit, a short stop at Tajrish local market will be a memorable experience.

- Afternoon flight to Ahvaz (Duration 01:20 h)

Visits:

- Sa'ad Abad Palace Complex

- Tajrish Local Market

- Azadi Tower

Susa is one of the oldest cities of Iran. Once official capital of Elamite kingdome and also Achamenian empire, Susa is famous for its Elamite Chogazanbil temple dating back to 1250 BC. Our visit today will continue with Daniel’s tomb, Apadana excavation site and watermills of Shushtar.

Visits:

- Chogazanbil Zigorat (UNESCO Site)

- Apadana excavation site (UNESCO Site)

- Shushtar Watermills (UNESCO Site)

Now it’s time to enjoy the nature through the long but very scenic road of Ahvaz - Shiraz passing the Zagros mountains. Near Shiraz there will be a sightseeing stop at Bishapur ancient site to be fascinated by some 1800 year old bas-reliefs and ruins.


Visits:

- Bishapur & Tang-e Chogan

- Sarab Bahram Carving

After breakfast, we will visit Nasir-al-Molk Mosque (or Pink Mosque) which was built by one of the princes of the Qajar Dynasty, in 1888. Its interior reveals a magnificent masterpiece of design with stunning pink color. We will then walk to continue the exploration in Shiraz old town at the beautiful orange-scented Narenjestan Garden, laid out in the 19th century. Today You’ll have free time to explore and shop in the Vakil Bazaar, home to hundreds of stores, and beautiful courtyards. We will end our sightseeing day in the lovely shrine of Ali bin Hamza, a shi'ite saint.

Visits:

- Narenjestan Garden

- Vakil Mosque

- Bazzar

- Nasir-ol-Molk Mosque

- Imamzadeh Ali bin Hamze shrine

We visit Persepolis in the morning when the site is relatively not crowded. A comprehensive tour is provided bringing to life the history of this magnificent ruin. Ruler of the largest empire the world had ever seen, Darius I started constructing the great metropolis capital to serve as a ceremonial capital in around 512 BC. Subsequent Achaemenian kings, including Xerxes, added their own palaces over the next 150 years. A good three hours is needed to explore Persepolis.

A short drive away is the four impressive burial tombs of Darius and his successors, Naghsh-e Rostam, which have been hewn from the rock. After the group arrives back in Shiraz, the time will permit a good visit to tomb of Hafiz.

Visits:

Half day tour of Persepolis Complex (UNESCO Site)
Rock tombs of Naqsh-e Rustam
Tomb of Hafiz

We embark on the 450 km lovely drive from Shiraz to Yazd which in some parts is very picturesque.
En-route, we will stop at Pasargadae the first capital of the Achaemenid Empire that lies in ruins. Pasargadae reveals the tomb of Cyrus the Great, the founder of the Persian Empire under the Achaemenid dynasty in 500 AD.

Visits:

- Pasargadae – Tomb of Cyrus The Great (UNESCO Site)

- Abarkuh old Cypress tree

Yazd is one of the oldest continuously inhabited towns of Iran. The old town of Yazd dominated by minarets, adobe structures, and the ingeniously-designed wind towers that served as cooling systems, would be a highlight of this trip. Yazd is also the center of Iran’s Zoroastrian community, which is where you’ll begin the day’s sightseeing.

Our visits start with Towers of Silence, where Zoroastrians used to leave dead bodies until the mid-1900s. According to Zoroastrian rules, dead should not be buried under ground. They were transported to these enclosures built on hill tops, where they were left to decompose.

The next site will be the Zoroastrian fire temple. At this still-active Zoroastrian Fire Temple, you’ll see a sacred flame that is said to have been burning for the past 1,500 years.

In Amir Chakhmaq Square, you’ll see a very impressive structure. Although more often described as the entrance to a now non-existent bazaar, the chief function of Amir-Chakhmaq structure is known as a Tekyeh (congregation place for rituals) and the square before it, was to host Ta'ziyeh ( a cycle of passion plays commemorating the martyrdom of the third Imam of Shiites, Imam Hossein) which takes place once a year during the mourning month of Moharram. The site dating from fifteenth century, is named after its builder, Amir Jalal Al-Din Chakhmagh, governor of Yard.

The next place to visit is the Friday Mosque of Yazd (Yazd Jamee Mosque) built in 1324, where you can gaze upon the tallest mosque minarets in the country.

Visits:

- Yazd Jameh Mosque

- Mir Chakhmaq Complex

- Zoroastrian Fire Temple

- Towers of Silence

We embark on the 300km desert drive from Yazd to Isfahan which in some parts is aligned with Pistachio fields. We break the road at Naein (Nain) where we can have lunch and a short visit to one of the oldest mosques of Iran.

Naein Jameh Mosque

Spend today discovering the wonders of Isfahan. You'll have plenty of time to soak up the atmosphere during a tour starting at Imam Square or Naqsh-e Jahan, which covers an area of 82,500 square metres. This 17th-century complex is the second largest square in the world (after Tiananmen in Beijing).

In the square, you’ll visit the 17th-century Imam Mosque, easily recognized by its magnificent blue tile-work and soaring dome and minarets. It is known as the most beautiful mosque of Iran and a masterpiece of Islamic architecture. We will also visit Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, also known as the Ladies Mosque due to its function believed to be the private mosque of the King's wives. It is renowned for a bright color domed, where and its amazing interior.

The next stop will be at Aali Qapu Palace, where you’ll marvel at its beautiful music hall ceiling and the balconies where Safavid kings would sit to enjoy the polo competitions taking place in the square. We'll finish our exploration of the square by visiting the Qeisarieh Bazaar with hundreds of local shops selling traditional handicrafts and art. It’s a wonderful market to shop your souvenirs.

Next up is Chehel Sotun Palace, set in the middle of a beautiful garden in front of a huge reflecting pool. This graceful pavilion was built under Shah Abbas II for entertainment and court receptions. Chehel Sotoun meaning the "Forty Column" is a long-standing relic of the Safavid rule in Iran, which fascinates visitors with its amazing and original architecture. The splendid mural paintings of Chehel sotoun are just one of its many attractions.

Visits:

- Naqsh-e Jahan Square (UNESCO Site)

- Aali Qapu Palace

- Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque

- Imam Mosque

- Chehel Sotun Palace (UNESCO Site

In the morning, we visit the astonishing Isfahan Grand Mosque (Jame Mosque) and the Armenian Vank Church before an afternoon stroll along the river and lovely ancient bridges.

Visits:

- Jameh Mosque

- Vank Cathedral Museum

- Isfahan famous Bridges (Si-o-seh & Khaju)

After about 5 hour drive we will arrive in Hamadan, the oldest capital city of Iran. Once called Ekbatana, the city was the capital of Medians. In Hamdan we will visit Shir-e Sangi (stone lion), Tomb of Avecina and if time pernits, Ganj-nameh.

Visits:

- Avecina Compolex
- Stone Lion

After breakfast, we start our interesting excursion to Kermanshah, 100 km far from Hamadan.

30 km from Kermanshah, we will reach one of the greatest symbols of the history and greatness of Iran, namely Bistoon or Behisotoun. This important ancient bas-relief is carved on a mountain of the same name, which brings to life the glory days of the Achaemenid Empire. This relief shows Darius the Great, the great king of Persia, and the description of his victory over his enemy "Gaumata".

At the northernmost point of Kermanshah, Taq Bostan is located, which is one of the important monuments of ancient Iranian civilization. The construction of this complex took a hundred years and narrates the history of three Sassanid kings. This collection was built in the 3rd century AD and has great artistic and historical value. Several historical scenes such as the coronation of king Khosrow Parviz, the coronation of Ardeshir II, the coronation of Shapur II and ShapurIII, as well as several inscriptions are engraved in cave-like arches.

In the afternoon we drive back to Hamadan.

- Bistoon
- Taq-e Bustan bas-reliefs (UNESCO Site)

After breakfast we start a fantastic day with some light adventure; boating and walk in Alisadr Cave.

As one of the biggest attractions of Hamadan province and the world's largest water cave, Alisadr is ranked among the most popular sites of Iran with thousands of visitors year-round, especially in spring and summer.
This cave is located in Kaboodar Ahang , a city 60 Km from Hamadan. The distance from Kabudarahang to Alisadr Village is 50 Km. Alisadr is one of the few water caves in the world. Its Jurassic period rocks from the second geological period, takes you back to 190 million years ago.

After a 2-hour visit of the cave, we will continue our drive to Zanjan.

- Boating in Alisadr Water Cave

Our Drive to Tehran (400 km) will get more interesting with a stop at Sultanieh Dome; The largest brick dome in the world. This monument dates from Il-khanid Era (Mongols) and was constructed following the order of famous converted mongol ruler called Uljaito. We also visit some historical monuments in Qazvin city such as Friday mosque, Imamzadeh Hossein holy shrine and Chehel Sotoun.

- Zanjan Sultanieh Dome
- Jame Mosque of Qazvin
- Imamzadeh Hosein
- Chehel Sotun Edifice and Museum