Iran

We spend our last days in Iran in the province of Gilan on the Caspian Sea. A region where the locals always get bright eyes as soon as we told them about our travel plans and one of the most popular destinations over the summer months. Iran’s northern crescent is home to some of the world’s most pristine temperate rain forests and the cool mountain air and the frequent rain showers between lush mountains and the Caspian Sea are often described as “paradise in Iran” by the locals.

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When you hear about Kurdistan, then the political oppression of Kurds in Turkey, the autonomy of Kurds in Northern Iraq or the self-government in Rojava (Syria) are often in the foreground, but little is known about Kurdistan in Iran. We are therefore even more interested in visiting this remote mountain region with its terraced villages.

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After a month filled with the most beautiful sights and most magnificent mosques of Iran, we longed for a change. We were looking forward to be back on our bikes and cycling along remote landscapes. Our planned route was to take us through Lorestan into Khuzestan province and then on into Kurdistan.

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After a week in Isfahan with many nice encounters we move on. Our next destination is the city of Kashan and we ask in our hostel about the best travel route. Because we have a problem: On our way there is the nuclear facility Natanz and you are only allowed to drive on the highway in this area and not on side roads, otherwise you run the risk that the police stops you and takes you to the police station

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With our 4-month visa for Iran in our pocket, we’re ready for the onward journey from Yazd to Isfahan and according to other travelers, it should be one of the best cycling routes in the country. And they’re right. The first few kilometers were a bit dull, but then we left the tarmac road and cycled on bumpy desert track. There is no infrastructure for 80 kilometers between Nodushan and Varzaneh and you feel completely alone here in the geographical heart of the country

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Hardly any trip to Iran would be complete without visiting Yazd (approx. 530’000 inhabitants), as the desert city is a dream out straight of 1001 nights with narrow, winding lanes, fairytale-like courtyards, mud-brick houses and a skyline of windcatchers. Located in the heart of the country, it’s one of the oldest cities in Iran, dating back over 3,000 years. Yazd is situated on a flat plain ringed by mountains and lies between the northern Dasht-e Kavir and the southern Dasht-e Lut

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It’s still early in the morning when we stroll half-asleep through the empty alleys of Shiraz. We arrived here only yesterday after a 10-hour bus ride from Kerman, finally putting us on the main tourist route of a classic Iran trip. Shiraz (population about 1.6 million) is the capital of Fars province and arguably one of the most beautiful cities in the country, along with Yazd and Isfahan, and known as the city of poetry, nightingales and orange trees

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After two weeks in the Persian Gulf region we wanted to explore another part of Iran. But where to go next? The country is huge and the sights are so widely scattered that it seems impossible to plan an ideal cycling route. We therefore decide to take a new approach: We travel by bus or train and visit those places that fascinate us

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Your usual Iran trip starts at Tehran airport or for overland travelers in the north of the country with the city of Tabriz. However, since we arrived in Iran in the middle of February, it was clear to us that we would like to travel the country from south to north and visit the islands in the Persian Gulf as our first destination. This was a logical continuation of our trip through Oman before, as we could find many similarities

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You would like to visit Iran as well and wonder what it’s like to travel in this fascinating country? Maybe you’re asking yourself if you’d survive as a vegetarian (spoiler alert – you’ll survive and you’ll even find some really tasty options) or how you can dress according to Islamic law and still be fashionable and how to navigate Ta’arof? Don’t despair as we have written a blog exactly about this and many other topics and we hope you can benefit from our personal travel tips for Iran

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«Khoja hastin (where are you from)?»

«Aks, aks (photo)!»

«Your husband?»

«How do you like Iran?»

The questions just seem to come from all sides while I stand next to our fully loaded bicycles at the ferry port of Bandar Lengeh and wait for Dario, who tries to register our cell phones with the officials with the help of some friendly locals. It’s already dark outside and the whole day is already taking way too long

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