12 Days Iran Classical Tour
Flight to Iran.
Pre-reserve in Tehran
Arrival and meeting with the guide. Transfer to hotel in Tehran and some rest.
Tehran is sharply divided between north and south. It is bisected north-south by Valiasr (ex-Pahlavi) Ave., which runs for more than 20Km from Tajrish to the train station. In Tehran you will visit National Museum the Iran Bastan and the Golestan Palace from Qajar era. (Main palace and marble throne). After that you can stroll in the Grand Bazar of Tehran. (Closed on Fridays and national holidays).
O/N in Tehran (breakfast)
Morning drive toward Kashan. In Kashan we visit the large Persian Fin Garden with numerous ponds and canals, which is on the UNESCO cultural heritage list, and the historical bath of Sultan Amir Ahmad, one of the most beautiful and well-preserved historical baths in Iran, deserve special attention, whose internal architecture impresses with vaulted ceilings and charming mosaic. Next we visit the typical ancient Persian house Borojerdi with beautiful interior decoration.
O/N in Kashan (breakfast)
Drive to Isfahan, but first stop in village Abyaneh for a short visit. The ancient village is frozen in time. Its vibrant red architecture earned it the title “Red Village.” Explore the labyrinthine alleys of Abyaneh, a living museum where tradition reigns supreme.
Drive to Isfahan and visit the Vank Cathedral.
O/N in Isfahan (breakfast)
Today, is dedicated to this beautiful city, capital of the province Isfahan, in 600 was one of the most brilliant capitals of the East and was known by the nickname of “the other half of the world”. We’ll visit the Great Central Square of the city (now Imam Square), which is really impressive with its backdrop of minarets and domes, columns and arches which over four centuries came together in a unified framework. In the square stands the Mosque of Imam. On another side of the square, however, it overlooks the elegant and slender Loftollah Mosque. Opposite of this mosque is the Ali Qapu Palace (high port) that once represented the monumental access to the royal palaces. The large terrace was once used by the royal box and from this point of view, Shah with his guests watched the shows that took place in the square. The music room inside the palace, impresses with extraordinary decoration of the walls and ceiling with bottles of scale they represent, and musical instruments that had not only ornamental value, but surely should serve to improve the acoustics.
You can find the best handmade Souvenir in the Bazar of Isfahan.
O/N in Isfahan (breakfast)
Drive to Yazd. Full day visits in Yazd, the center for Iran’s small Zoroastrian community, to include the active Fire Temple, the fire of which has been burning for more than a thousand year; the tower of silence, the Friday Mosque (1324 A.D.) with the highest portal and minarets in Iran, and walk through the old Fahadan area. At last we visit the Dowlat abad garden.
O/N in Yazd (breakfast)
Today we drive to Kerman, taking about 4 hours. Upon arrival we will go to the Ganjali Khan Complex, which covers a total area of 11,000 square meters and includes a square, a bazaar, a bathhouse, a caravanserai and a mosque (closed Mondays). We will check in the hotel after the visit.
O/N in Kerman (breakfast)
In the morning we will first visit the Mahan Shazdeh Persian Garden and Shah Nematollah Vali Holy Tomb. Then we will head to the hottest place on the earth, Iran’s only natural heritage site, the Lut Desert. Here you can admire the unique wind-eroded Yardang landform, as well as the spectacular natural “dune-castle”. After the tour we will return to Kerman.
O/N in Kerman (breakfast)
Drive to Shiraz. On the way we visit Bahram Palace, located 9 km southwest of Sarvestan, it is a large monument made of stone and gypsum. This monument dates back to the Sassanian period and to the time of Bahram-Gour (420-438 AD).
O/N in Shiraz (breakfast)
Full day city tour of Shiraz to visit some of the famous gardens of this city of “roses and nightingales”, including the Eram Garden, the tomb of Iran’s greatest lyric poets, Hafez, the pink tiled 19th-century Nasir-ol-Molk Mosque, Vakil Mosque ,Vakil Bazar and karim khan citadel.
(Bazar of Shiraz is closed on Fridays and holidays)
O/N in Shiraz (breakfast)
To the we will visit Persepolis, one of the most important sites of the Ancient World, the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid kings with remains of the palaces of Darius the Great, Xerxes and Artaxerxes, and its famous bas-reliefs, depicting kings and courtiers and gift-bearing representatives of tributary nations of the Persian Empire; also visit Naghsh-e-Rostam to see Ka’be-Zardosht (fire temple/sanctuary), and Royal Tombs (also Achaemenid); plus seven magnificent Sassanian rock-reliefs (including Shapur the First’s famous victory over Roman Emperor Valerian). From here we drive to Pasargadae, the site of the simple, but impressive, tomb and remains of the palaces of Cyrus the Great (the Founder of the Persian Empire). Drive back to Shiraz.
O/N in Shiraz (breakfast)
Depends on the time of flight, transfer to the airport and departure
Included Services
- 11 nights in the mentioned hotel rooms
- B/B services (bed & breakfast)
- All transfer fees to the airport – hotel – airport
- English/German/Italian or French speaking guide for the whole trip (depends on the customer’s request)
- All admission fees according to the itinerary
- Comfortable A/C vehicle
- Coffee and tea during cross-country drives and two bottle (½ Litter) mineral water per day and person.
- Iranian visa support
- A map of Iran for each person
Not Included Services
- Guide & driver’s & Luggage porter tips
- All taxes and visa fees
- All domestic & international flight
Shiraz stole my heart — not just with its poetry and gardens, but with its flavors. I joined a cooking session arranged by PITO and learned to make Fesenjan, which was a dream come true! Wandering through Vakil Bazaar and sipping tea in traditional cafés was such a sensory delight.
The whole 12-day journey was incredibly well-curated. Shiraz was where I felt the soul of Iran — warm, generous, and deeply artistic.
Kerman was a surprise — raw, vast, and utterly photogenic. The Lut Desert at sunrise was one of the most hauntingly beautiful scenes I’ve ever captured. And the old caravanserais? A dream for any visual storyteller.
I booked the 12-day Iran adventure with PITO, and I couldn’t have asked for a better way to explore the country. They balanced city life with nature, and Kerman gave me the stillness and texture I crave in my photography
As an architect, I’m always on the lookout for hidden gems of design and culture — and Kashan completely blew me away. The historical houses like Tabatabaei and Abbasian were architectural poetry: intricate stucco work, stained glass, and quiet courtyards that whispered stories of the past. Fin Garden was the perfect blend of nature and geometry.
I’m so glad I joined the 12-day tour with PITO — their itinerary was thoughtful and immersive, and Kashan was definitely the highlight for me.
I had read about Isfahan being ‘half the world,’ but nothing compares to standing in Naqsh-e Jahan Square as the sun sets. The scale, the artistry, the atmosphere — it’s all breathtaking. Walking through the bazaars and crossing the Si-o-se-pol bridge at night was surreal.
PITO’s 12-day Iran tour gave me a perfect balance of cultural depth and relaxation. Their guides were knowledgeable and genuinely passionate. I’d go again in a heartbeat
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