Travellers' reviews about Iran

4.5
14 reviews
PETER from Australia
3
Iran
Solo
Particularly liked Shi raz, Yazd and Isfahan Abyaneh Tomb of Cyress Perseopolis was not as impressive
The best parts:
HOTELS ,HISTORICAL SITES,SCENERY
The worst parts:
Lack of details of itinerary
Axel
4
Iran
Solo
On the whole a well organised
The best parts:
Tashkent: V good hotel, close to airport but too far from action, nothing close by. Guide was excellent! Samarkand: Hotel good, guide very good Driver to Bukhara very good Bukhara: Hotel ok, great position, owners not that friendly. Khiva: Hotel ok, good position, very friendly and helpful staff. Norman did a great job organising on very short notice, I kept making changes right up until the last day, sorry!!, and he was always able to sort out for me.
The worst parts:
Border crossing UZB-TURK I had done plenty of research but I believe tour company should have provided extensive information on overland border crossings. 1. Small change for the three bus fares 2. Turkmenistan customs declaration form IN ENGLISH! None available, took 30 minutes to find someone to help. 3. GUIDES NAME, FLIGHT NUMBER, HOTEL NAME IN TURKMENISTAN. I had no information after repeated requests to office. Was detained for 60 minutes until Turkmenistan guide convinced border officers to come find me. This whole process could have taken 15 minutes max with the correct info. 4 COST of visa and admin fee at border. An inconvenient unnecessary experience that could easily be fixed. TURKMENISTAN-UZBEKISTAN border. Whole process took 15 minutes. Unfortunately then had to wait 60 mins at border crossing (40 degrees!!) for transfer to Khiva due to poor communications between Uzbek office and Turkmen office.
NECHOII
5
Iran
Solo
All sites were interesting - in particular King Cyrus's tomb lit up at night, NOWRUZ, the fire jumping tradition, Necropolis, Bam, the PERSEPOLIS SOUND & LIGHT show itself, the bazaars of Shiraz and Kerman, Sarvestan Castle, tour of Kerman and the beautiful mosques.
The best parts:
My third trip to Iran was superbly organized by Elmira, my Persian local agent in Tehran, Iran, my travel agent in Toronto, Canada by Angie M and the best guide in the business, Arash. The tour was a splendid success.
The worst parts:
I did not like being discriminated by the Islamic Republic of Iran government because English is my Mother tongue. I am Canadian. To elaborate - if one wishes to see the PERSEPOLIS SOUND & LIGHT SHOW in English, then the entire seats in the stadium located on the edge of the Persian ruins, must be bought ! The stadium holds a capacity of 450 seats ! So, that meant I had to pay $ 189.00 USD for a 30 minute show ! And the night time show will only be broadcast in English for two weeks during the Persian New Year, ( NOWRUZ ) which runs from March 21 to April 3 every year. The rest of the year no one can see the show in English ! Also it is virtually impossible to buy a copy of the show in English ! But you can easily buy a copy of the PERSEPOLIS SOUND AND LIGHT show in Farsi ! This discrimination must stop !
Morgan
5
Iran
Friends
Iran is amazing and confounds its media generated image. There is just so much to see and it is all beautiful. The people are the loveliest I have ever met and could not have been more welcoming. The sights are so varied and impressive. Infrastructure excellent . The trip completely exceeded all expectations. I will go back.
The best parts:
The itinerary was amazing. The agent , Elmira, was very efficient and responsive with great attention to detail. Every time I thought Iran could not get better it did! From playing foot ball in a mosque with local children, wonderful sights and local music. The standard and attitude of guide and driver was excellent. I loved everything about it and will recommend to anyone who asks.
The worst parts:
Down to our own commitments back home we had lack of time but with benefit of hindsight and more time I would have extra free days at some cities to absorb , revisit sights and reflect. My only downs were that lunch was sometimes in restaurants that were too touristy but that may have all that was available of sufficient standard to be fair.
Moebius
4
Iran
Solo
I arrived in Shiraz first to avoid the extra flight back to Tehran. But, the guide said that arriving in Tehran first would make more sense in terms of history. Basically, a lot of the in the information given to me in Shiraz wouid have made more sense had I arrived in Tehran first. Then, I went to Ishfahan, followed by Tehran. It was a total of 6 days/5 nights. This tour mostly concentrated on mosques and ancient sites. I also got to experience walking through bazaars to see what the locals have to offer. Some of the mosques are very ornate. The people in general are very welcoming. The young kids are curious about the tourists and want to practice their English with you.
The best parts:
The guide, Banefshah, is very knowledgeable, helpful, and approachable. Bekradi house in Ishfahan is very beautiful, complemented by wonderful home cooked dishes and hospitable staff. Iranian food is delicious, fragrant, and full of flavor.
The worst parts:
The days where the trip was going from one city to another was really packed itinerary. But, I guess that is the only way to see the best sites in between the cities. I wish the driver would look at his cell phone less often, as this is a safety issue. However, the driver is skilled enough that I have less qualms about it than other drivers that I know.
Bob H
5
Iran
Couple
Everything fine
The best parts:
Everything
The worst parts:
Didn't allow enough time to see eveything
Anna
4
Iran
Friends
Favourite moments? When people came up to us to welcome us to their country, chatting to us in English and being so friendly. We travelled from Tehran to Shiraz by air, then drove back north through the countryside, visiting the main cities on the way.
The best parts:
was returning to places which I already knew and wanted to revisit. Iran is a wonderful country with very friendly people and amazing things to see.
Mike
5
Iran
Friends
Iran lived up to and exceeded our expectations.. Highlights Included Shiraz Tangerine flower garden and Persepolis.
The best parts:
good logistics , guide Ali was very knowledgeable and helpful. Sightseeing was excellent Hotel Dad in Yazd was excellent Rimma our pardisan contact was very helpful our first guide for Teheran was good too.
The worst parts:
too much driving between locations hotel in Esfahan Zanderood was not good
Sarah and Colin
4
Iran
Couple
We found the history and the people fascinating. Isfahan was especially beautiful, we also loved Kashan and the carpet merchant's houses which are gradually being renovated to their former glory.
The best parts:
We loved the people, the history, the culture and some of the boutique hotels. Our guide was very knowledgeable, helpful and kind and looked after us beautifully.
The worst parts:
I think some of the 4 star hotels chosen should have been better, especially in Shiraz and Isfahan. Our guides car could be more comfortable for the length of journey from Shiraz to Tehran We were not very keen on mass produced Persian Food in the restaurants and hotels. It is always delicious in private homes..
MNStudio
5
Iran
Couple
We visited Teh'ran, Kashan, Esfahan, Yazd, Abyaneh, Shiraz, Rasht, Massouleh - and travelled overall 1600 miles by car, with a total of 80 miles walked in 14 days. We also travelled by plane from Shiraz to Rasht and we found that was very well organised felt very secure throughout the flight. Our guide was a superb driver and quite knowledgeable, he was very organised and prepared a basket of fruits and food we shared during longer drives between the main cities. He was very attentive so we do not miss anything, and provided us regularly with water and we all had a great time and became good friends. We wanted to see a couple of different sites that were not on the schedule - overall the agency/guide may be tempted to fit in the itinerary mostly museums and mosques, but we were interested to also see some smaller sites, like unusual pigeon towers in Esfahan and the fantastic view from the Fire Temple on the outskirts of the town. We were very happy to be allowed this flexibility - the drivers can find any such site using Google-maps and it was a doddle to get there. We ate really good food in some restaurants that we could not have found without local knowledge and overall we were very happy with the food. We also picked food up from small villages and tried the basil seed juice that is sold on the street and enjoyed it - fresh cakes and bread were amazing. For a vegetarian there would be rice and salads to eat, as the menus are mostly meat - even the stews are cooked with some meat - however, this is a small price to pay to see this amazing country. Accommodation was adequate, western standard, whilst public toilets may have a French style squatting loo, we had no problem with that. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip and felt welcomed and secure throughout. The agency we used, and in particular Fatemeh, Hesam and Mehdi, are in our hearts forever for providing us such a great holiday in Iran. We recommend this trip to anyone interested in this part of the world.
The best parts:
People were friendly and we felt at home and happy throughout our stay. In particular, the conversations we had were on a range of subjects, and we enjoyed seeing such interest in us and our background. We showed equal interest throughout the trip, but the lovely lady that took a picture with me and then embraced me like a long lost daughter was the highlight of my trip. In this case no English word was spoken, but the eyes did the work... human spirit is the same everywhere.
The worst parts:
I think a good idea would have been to be given a short historical preview of Iran throughout the ages (main dynasties) and how this will link to our itinerary (site or city visited) - this could be printed, so we could reflect upon it and get a better understanding of the overall importance in historical context.
Lilyblue
5
Iran
Couple
First of all I should say that we had to curtail our trip after only 4 days due to a family tragedy. On arrival we were met at the airport by Fatemeh and taken to a hostel to rest before our flight to Shiraz in the evening where we were met by our guide Hesam with 2 beautiful bouquets of flowers. Our first day in Shiraz was spent visiting the Arg - Karim Khan Zand in the morning. Relaxed and had lunch in a square near the Bazaar then wandered round the Bazaar. We spent the afternoon in the magnificent Bagh-e Eram gardens and in the evening visited the Tomb of the poet Hafez in the moonlight. Hesam provided us with a detailed history of the enlightened reign of Karim Khan and the restoration involved in the citadel, plus the importance of poetry in Iranian culture. The following day Hesam suggested we go to Persepolis rather than go on the final day en route to Yazd - a wise decision as it merited more than a couple of hours. Magnificent carvings and an impressive site, a fascinating history too. Lunch at a lovely off the road restaurant then on to Naqsh-e Rostam, 4 tombs from the Archaemenid Empire including that of Darius 11 and Darius the Great, all carved into the mountains. Also a Zoastrian shrine Kaba-e Zardosht. In the evening we dined at the Haft Khan restaurant, a sumptious complex with 5 stories we chose the basement with it's traditional Persian cuisine. We wanted a chance to meet Iranians so Hesam introduced us to a delightful couple who joined us for dinner, a very jolly evening. Drove to Yazd - wonderful journey through the mountains. After checking into our hotel we went to the Artisan Cafe, a rooftop cafe in the old part of Yazd and watched the sun go down. A spectacular view of the vernacular buildings and the Badgirs ( wind towers ). Later over dinner we had a phone call from the UK to say my husbands sister in New Zealand had been involved in a terrible accident and they weren't sure whether or not she would recover. The following day was Friday so little could be done until the following day. The problems for getting back and then to NZ were enormous not helped by sanctions ensuring we couldn't use our bank cards to book our flights. Fatemeh was absolutely marvellous as was Hasem and between them they managed to get us flights from Esfahan, saving us a 12 hr drive to Tehran and sorting out our cash problems.
The best parts:
Having an accomplished, knowledgeable guide who understood exactly what we wanted, providing us with a detailed history of places we went to and time to enjoy it without rushing to the next place.
The worst parts:
Really cant think of anything negative it was all perfect. If/When we go again I would choose to stay longer in some places e.g Shiraz
Cecilia
4
Iran
Family
One of the most welcoming people we ever met. Very interesting historical sites. Good confortable/clean hotels. Very easy to work with Evaneos site and very helpfull
The best parts:
The iranian people
The worst parts:
Some lack of organization with the times
Tiina
5
Iran
Couple
We really liked Isfahan, Shiraz and Tehran, all locations were great!
The best parts:
Iran is beautiful and people extremely friendly!
The worst parts:
Some hotels were a bit unclean, not four star level on international standards. we did expect a bit different quality.
Tourist from Sweden
5
Iran
Solo
The trip was for 6 nights where I visited Shiraz, Persepolis, Esfahan, Yazd and Kashan. The trip was organised by a local travel agency (Parisian) which helped me organise my stay and made sure I get what I want. I had a private guide and a private car with driver. The driver was very nice and I felt safe throughout the way. The agency were very accommodative, flexible and responsive, which made me feel safe and satisfied. My visit included, historical, cultural and religious sights which was my choice. I had a full program from day to night, it was exhausting but amazing. The weather was perfect. Hotels were in total OK, but it didn't matter much as I was only sleeping there. I recommend Iran to all as it is a great country with great food and very nice and honest people.
The best parts:
The sight- seeing and the mazing historical and cultural places.
The worst parts:
One hotel was really bad in Isfahan.