Without a doubt, Iran is one of the most fascinating, friendly and exotic countries that you will ever visit. In this guide, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about backpacking Iran and even share some secrets that you won’t find in your guide-book.
Iran is officially an Islamic Republic, so women travelling here will have to cover their hair with a head scarf (as well as the rest of their bodies), but don’t worry ladies, these days the head scarf laws are pretty unwinded and you’ll get away with it being practically around your neck.
IMPORTANT: Since February 2014, the guidelines for Americans have been extended to include British and Canadian passport holders. This implies that Canadians, British and Americans need to be accompanied by a guide while they are in Iran. contact a trip operator to talk about an itinerary.
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How much will Iran Cost?
**WAŻNY**
You will need to bring cash (US dollars Only) with you into Iran to cover the full cost of your trip. ATM’s will not work for foreign debit or credit report cards.
Budget: $71/day for 2 people
Backpacking Iran is extremely inexpensive these days, with the street rate for the Iranian Rial being around 31,850 / $1 USD (Click here for official / street exchange rate history). Iran is a country that provides great value for money, even much more so these days.
The official rate of exchange is 26,827, so rather than exchanging your us dollars at an official bank, you’re much better off heading to a legal street stall and exchanging your money there (which is completely legitimate).
$71/day is a good budget for two people (around $40/day for a solo-traveller). This will afford a good double room in a budget hotel, good local meals, the occasional taxi and tour, and taking first class buses all over (1st class is only a couple of dollars much more than lower classes).
Budget Accommodation: (Average $36 / night with breakfast)
The hotels and guest houses we stayed at cost between $20 – $40 and many included breakfast, while some even included a delicious dinner. All were beautiful budget hotels and numerous were built out of old homes that have been standing for centuries. You won’t find too numerous dorms in Iran, but we were at one hotel in Yazd that provided single rates for solo-travellers. While we did stay in good double rooms, that’s the budget standard in Iran and you won’t find anything much cheaper.
Hotels We Stayed In
Mashoud
Garmeh
Yazd
Kerman
Shiraz
Esfahan
Tabriz
Teheran
Hotel Meraj
Ateshoonie G.H
Koshan Hotel
Akhavan Hotel
Niyayesh hotel
Stayed With Friends
Morvarind Hotel
Golestan Hotel
$33 2bedroom apartment, wi-fi, kitchen
$35 per person w/breakfast, dinner, wi-fi, shared
$20 w/ breakfast, private restroom & wi-fi
$36 w/ breakfast, dinner, private bathroom, wi-fi
$25 w/ breakfast, wi-fi, private bathroom
WOLNY
$24 w/ breakfast, wi-fi, private bathroom
$36 w/ breakfast, wi-fi, private bathroom
Eating: ($2-$7 / meal)
There are some cheap street meals to be had for backpackers in Iran and in some cases (especially during Ashura), you’ll find totally free meals all over the place! but eating a good meal in your hotel restaurant or at a restaurant in town will likely cost between $5 – $10. Food in Iran is delicious and well worth every penny! Don’t miss the date milkshakes!
Entrance Fees: (Free – $10/person)
The entrance fee to Persepolis (one of Iran’s premier historical sites) is around $10. many people join a trip from Shiraz for around $20 – $25. Some mosques and mausoleums will charge around $3 – $5 for entrance, while parks and some museums are free.
Alcohol: (GOOD LUCK)
No reason to really put a budget for this here because alcohol is illegal for all Muslim Iranians, and you won’t likely see too much of it, let alone be able to purchase it. If you’re really desperate for a drink, you can find red wine in Shiraz. expect to pay around $10 / plastic bottle, but keep it low-key and remember, it’s illegal!
Tipping:
Tipping
Tipping is not customary in Iran but services that accommodate tourists will expect a gratuity. If you’ve hired a guide, a porter or a driver, expect to give a suggestion at the end. A few dollars ought to be fine.
Some restaurants, particularly in larger hotels, will add a 10% service charge to the bill. In other places, away from traveler areas, servers will be pleasantly amazed by any change you leave.
If you stay with a local family in Iran (which you many likely will), it’s a good idea to leave a small gift. Something from your home country would be ideal, or you can purchase a good item from the market to thank your hosts (pottery, a vase, artwork, etc.) Stickers, pens and notepads from your home country are great to give to kids when odchodzisz.
Pieniądze:
Current exchange Rate:
$1 = 31,850 Rial
**WAŻNY**
You will need to bring cash (US dollars Only) with you into Iran to cover the full cost of your trip. ATM’s will not work for foreign debit or credit report cards.
The exchange rate in Iran is always changing rapidly and has gone through some pretty unstable moments in recent years. In July 2013, after the Rial plummeted to its all-time low of around 40,000 to 1 us dollar, the central bank of Iran upgraded its official exchange rate from 12,284 to a much more sensible 20,750, and again in August to 24,500 to the USD, but this is still well below the street exchange rate (which is 31,850 Rial to 1 USD)
Basically, if you go into a bank to exchange your American dollars into Rial, you will be paying a lot much more than if you went into one of the numerous (legal) street stalls. The most affordable time to backpack Iran was certainly July 2013, but it is still a very cost effective place to travel.
Click here For current exchange rates (Street vs. Bank)
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Must-See places in Iran
There are far too numerous “must-see places” to list here. We spent a lot of time in this country and we still have much to see. While we do love seeing sites, the true charm of Iran is in its people (more about them below).
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Mashhad & The Shrine of Imam Reza:
The city of Mashhad provides little for backpackers, but the immense labyrinth of the shrine complex including Imam Reza’s mausoleum, (read much more about Imam Reza on Wiki here), makes a trip to the city well worth while. It is the largest mosque in the world by dimension and the second largest by capacity (next to Mecca in Saudi Arabia).
Also contained within the complex are the Goharshad Mosque, a museum, a library, four seminaries, a cemetery, the Razavi university of Islamic Sciences, a dining hall for pilgrims, large prayer halls, and other buildings.
A visit here is an immensely powerful experience as numerous people sob and cry out to their lost hero, Imam Reza. Travellers are required to have a guide with them in purchase to enter this massive complex. We went two times, once by ourselves and once with a guide. It really just depends on how the people at the entrance gates are feeling on that particular day. Also, tourists are not implied to enter the shrine itself, but if you are respectful you may be invited in. women should wear a chador (which will be offered to you at the entrance) and no cameras are allowed. Entrance is free.
We recommend a late evening stroll, as the shrine is open 24/7. Seeing the numerous mosaics and elaborate carvings on archways and walls, dimly lit by the late evening moon, is a certain highlight.
Garmeh:
While you’re backpacking Iran, you’ll probably want to experience the desert, and there is no better place to do so than in Garmeh. stay at the Lonely planet recommended Ateshooni Guest house (they certainly got this one right), and meet Maxiar, a true desert man. explore this lush, palm shaded oasis with hikes up to lookouts, waterfalls and farmlands.
Maxiar can organize trips to the nearby salt flats, sand dunes and villages, but the true appeal to Garmeh is at Ateshooni itself, where Maxiar will play various unique instruments and treat you like a VIP family member.
The Lonely planet makes getting here sound a bit confusing, but call Ateshooni and they’ll clear everything up for you.
The phone number is: +98 324 443 2156 or +98 913 223 0874 and they have a website: www.ateshooni.com
For our experience, check out: Delightful Desert Days: We love Iran!
Yazd:
With a population of nearly a half a million people, Yazd is an average-sized city for Iran and it’s the center of the Zoroastrian religion. This labyrinth town of mud and brick is one of the most interesting places in the country. get lost in narrow alleyways, where the golden walls seem to close in on you, just before opening up into a beautiful park or mosque courtyard.
Head to the roofing system for an unforgettable sunset, when the entire city becomes illuminated and the rooftop bagdirs (ancient Iranian air conditioning towers) glow and change colour with the falling sun.Pamiętaj, aby wybrać się na jednodniową wycieczkę do otaczającego miejsca Chak-Chak, opuszczonej wioski błotnej Karnaq i miasta Meybod.
Niektóre z historycznych miejsc do zobaczenia w Yazd:
Fort Mosque
Fortyfikacje Yazd
Haj yousef zbiornik
Dom Arab’ha
Dom Larry’ego
Dom Malek Al Tojjar
Dom Mortaz
Dom Rasoulian
Szkoła Iran Shahr
Jame Mosque of Yazd (Grand Mosque of Yazd)
Khan Bazaar
Mauzoleum Sahl Ibn Ali
Mauzoleum Seyed Rokn al Din
Mauzoleum Seyed Shams Al Din
Meczet Mullah Ismail
Masoudi Reservoir
Meczet platformy
Szejk ahmad fahadan mauzoleum
Meczet Shah Tahmasb
Zargari Bazzar
Ziaiah School
Kerman:
To fantastyczne, mniej znane miasto ma sporo do zobaczenia. Sprawdź 1200-metrowy „kompleksowy bazar”, w którym można spróbować przypraw i kupować ceramikę, hakah i tekstylia. Chociaż Kerman jest dobrym miastem, głównym losowaniem przybycia tutaj jest pustynia Kalut (Dasht-e Lut), która jest około 100 km na północny wschód od Kerman (2 godziny jazdy samochodem).
Zatrzymaj się z panem Akhavanem w hotelu Akhavan, a on utworzy wszystko dla ciebie. Po zaledwie 36 USD / noc, w tym śniadanie i kolację, to miejsce to z pewnością dobra okazja!
Zatrudnij taksówkę i przewodnik (około 30 USD) i udaj się do wysokich formacji piasku pustyni Kalut na zachód słońca. Niektóre z tych wyprodukowanych przez wiatr zamki piasku mają 10 pięter, a ich postrzępione formacje nabierają kuszącego złotego odcienia o zachodzie słońca. Możesz także zorganizować, aby spędzić noc na pustyni.
Nie przyjeżdżaj tutaj latem lub w ciągu dnia, ponieważ tam najgorętsza temperatura była zawsze rejestrowana na Ziemi (70,7 ° C)
Uwaga kozła: sytuacja polityczna zawsze zmienia się we wschodnim i południowo -wschodnim Iranie. Sprawdź, czy jest stabilny przed planowaniem podróży tutaj.
Shiraz:
Piąte wielu zaludnionych miasta Iranu i stolicy prowincji Fars, Shiraz jest kolejnym z głównych miast w Iranie dla turystów. To miejsce było niezbędnym przystankiem handlowym od tysięcy lat i jest uważane za jedno z najstarszych miast w starożytnej Persji.
Tutaj możesz pozostać w prawdopodobnie najpiękniejszym starożytnym hotelu w kraju (hotelu Niyayesh) i zachwyceniu wszystkiego, co to nieco liberalne miasto ma do zaoferowania. Shiraz jest znany jako miasto poetów, literatura, czerwone wino i kwiaty. Istnieje kilka pięknych parków, Ogrody znane UNESCO i spektakularne meczety. Nie przegap świątyni Ali Ibn Hamza z wnętrzem lśniących lustrzanych ścian i sufitów.
Shiraz jest także miejscem, w którym pochowano Hafez (znany irański poeta), więc z pewnością sprawdź jego grobowiec i przeczytaj swoją przyszłość przez jedną z jego pięknych książek poezji.
Persepolis:
Te wybitne ruiny znajdują się w rozległym, miejskim kompleksie i zostały zbudowane ponad 2 500 lat temu. Znajdują się w pobliżu miasta Marvadasht, ale wiele osób odbywa jednodniowe wycieczki, aby odwiedzić je z Shiraz (20–25 USD). To starożytne miasto zostało kiedyś podpalone i zrabowane przez Aleksandra Wielkiego, a jeszcze bardziej zniszczone przez kolejnych arabskich najeźdźców, ale pomimo swojej skalistej przeszłości Persepolis pozostaje jednym z najbardziej sugestywnych miejsc w kraju i symbolem narodowości irańskiej.
Esfahan (Isfahan):
Esfahan to trzecie co do wielkości miasto w Iranie z wieloma interesującymi widokami do zobaczenia. Weź swój wybór między parkami, kwadrami, pałacami, mostami, mauzoleumami, kościołami, katedrami, grobowcami, meczetami, muzeami i bazarami!
Pamiętaj, aby zobaczyć most Khaju, XVII -wieczny bazar Shahi, meczet Shah i Shah Square. Zalecane jest również udanie się do dzielnicy armeńskiej (New Julfa). Istnieje kilka świetnych restauracji, piękna katedra Vank i ciekawe ulice, w których można się zgubić. Jest tak wiele miejsc do zobaczenia w Esfahan