Bakhtiari Nomad Tour

Upon arrival at IKA, meet your guide. After having a Persian meal for lunch, spend the afternoon exploring the labyrinthine alleys of the Tehran Grand Bazaar, the economic heart of Iran. The National Jewelry Treasury (open from Saturday to Tuesday) houses the priceless and most unique jewelry collection in the world. Then take a guided walk through the extraordinary Golestan Palace (a UNESCO World Heritage Site dating back to the 16th century). Hear the story of Tehran’s settlement from a small village to a metropolis while visiting the main stunning palaces merging Persian art with European architecture. Transfer to the hotel and rest. O/N in Tehran.

This morning, drive south to Kashan. Get to know the traditional Persian residential architecture of Borujerdi and Tabatabaei Houses. Visit Sultan Amir Ahmad Bathhouse next to them to learn about the philosophy of Persian Hammam.If time permits, visit the pottery workshop in Kashan. Last but not least, visit Agha Bozorg Mosque and the theological school known as Madrasa, which is still running. O/N in Kashan.

On this day, you leave Iran’s classic route to enjoy a three-day Bakhtiari Nomad tour. The Bakhtiari Nomad tour takes you to Bakhtiari land, where you can see the Bakhtiari lifestyle. In the morning, drive toward the waterfall of Absefid in Aligudarz, Lorestan Province. Continue your off-the-beaten track from Ghalikouh Mountain to Baznavid. Enjoy the unprecedented sight of Fritillaria persica spreading over the rippling hills. Continue your journey off the beaten path to an ancient cemetery with lion tombstones depicting the Bakhtiari Nomads. Then we meet a Bakhtiari nomad family, hosting us for the night. On this Iran experimental tour, you touch on the nomad lifestyle on your own. You experience the daily routine of a Bakhtiari Nomad family, such as shepherding, gathering and cutting wood, baking local bread, milking fluffy sheep and goats, and making fire for baking delicious Bakhtiari bread. You will spend the night in a Bakhtiari family home. You might be lucky enough to participate in a family get-together! O/N in Bakhtiari Local House.

The early bird catches the worms! Get up early like Nomad and experience shepherding before the hearty breakfast. Continue your journey with Bakhtiari nomad to the Poshte-kuh protected area, which is home to thousands of oak trees.You might get the feeling that this is the dreamland of Scrat, the cut squirrel in the Ice Age Series. Continue your adventure with your Bakhtiari tour guide to an old settlement of Bakhtiari people in a remote village of Chin. The experience you get in this far-off, exotic village is quite rare and unforgettable. Resume your trip to Khouyeh village, another exotic village in the Zagros Range where nomad people dwell. Taste 100% organic food especially delicious peach and apricot. Visit the village watermill and get to know how the water system is still used by villagers. Besides that, you will see handicrafts like Nomad rugs, made by women and girls. Spend some time with Bakhtiari women to learn how they make these Persian rugs only with an abstract idea in their mind! Mind-blowing, it is! You will be hosted by another Bakhtiari family to hear Bakhtiari’s folklore love story. O/N at a homestay

Wake up early to begin your last day with the Bakhtiari people as the sun rises behind the Zagros mountains. Feel the sunrays on your skin while getting ready for an organic breakfast with hot local bread. Say goodbye to the family and begin your hike to Sar Aqa Seyyed Village. Visit one of the world’s most awe-inspiring villages in Iran. A terraced-like village, perfect for taking pictures. Follow the trace of the migratory path of nomadic families to reach the salt mine, used for centuries. After lunch, pass through Sar Aqa Seyyed Village to resume the journey to Isfahan. Visit Koohrang Waterfall en route to Isfahan. Enjoy a leisurely walk in Koohrang. Drive to Shahrekord. After dinner, drive to Isfahan, the capital of Shah Abbas I, Safavid. Transfer to the hotel and rest O/N in Isfahan.

Enjoy the full day exploring Isfahan, the capital of the Safavid Dynasty in the 16th century. Explore Naqsh-e Jahan Square (UNESCO World Heritage Site), the second largest historical square in the world registered as a World Heritage Site. The sightseeing includes Ali Qapu, Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, Shah Mosque, and Gheysarieh Bazaar. The next must-visit place is Chehel Sotoun Palace (UNESCO World Heritage Site), with its magnificent exterior golden muqarnas and interior fresco paintings. In the afternoon, drive to Jolfa, an Armenian district south of the Zayanderud River, to see Vank Cathedral, Iran’s most beautiful cathedral. Finish your day by taking a musical tour at the Isfahan Music Museum that includes a mini-concert performed on Persian musical instruments (Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity). O/N in Isfahan

Transfer to Tehran IKA airport. The end of the tour