8-Day Classic Iran Tour with Varzaneh Desert and Persepolis

Arrival at Imam Khomeini International Airport. Receive a warm welcome and transfer with a Shokouh Iranian agent. Capture the greatness and dignity of Golestan Palace, a royal palace dating back to the Qajar dynasty. Get amazed by Azadi Tower, one of the symbols of the great city of Tehran. Overnight stay in Kashan.

Drive to Kashan, an old merchant town, on the way to Isfahan. Tread through Fin Garden, the epitome of Persian gardens, including a pavilion, turquoise pools, a Hammam complex, and the modest Kashan National Museum. Catch a glimpse of the elaborate Tabatabaei mansion, built in the 1840s for the affluent Tabatabaei family, containing features such as a Biruni, where visitors and guests are entertained, and an Andaruni, the private part open only to family members. Drive to Abyaneh, the living anthropological museum with red mud bricks, and wonder how people have adjusted to the environment. Continue to Esfahan. Overnight stay in Isfahan.

Capture the marvels of the Safavid dynasty, all in a single square, Naghsh-e-Jahan Square, the second biggest square in the world. Once used as a polo field, Naghsh-e-Jahan Square is now a lively traditional bazaar. Marvel at Ali Qapu Palace with its unique features and mesmerizing view of the square from the top. Soak up Islamic architecture in the magnificent Imam Mosque on one side and the small but impressive Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque on the other side of the square. Sip some tea and indulge in an ethnic dish in a memorable place. Stroll through the splendid Chehel Sotoun Palace and the gardens surrounding it. Overnight stay in Isfahan.

Plunge into the Varzaneh Desert, one of the most accessible deserts in the world. Mark the combination of wilderness and civilization sitting beside each other. The many adventurous activities in this area raise your heart rate and induce adrenaline to run through your veins. Activities include 4*4 riding, camel riding, zip line, camping, sitting around a bonfire and drinking tea, and many other pleasures, such as watching the starry desert nights. Unique to Varzaneh are the local women's costumes. While women in the rest of Iran wear black chadors, here they wear completely white ones. Visit a Camel-Mill and Camel-Well that has been working for years to extract water from the ground. Overnight stay in Varzaneh Desert.

Drive to Yazd, the living museum of Iran. Discover the mud-brick mazes and buildings that stay cool in scorching hot summers with windcatchers, the first air-conditioning systems ever. Enjoy Amir Chakhmaq Complex, a prominent structure in Yazd noted for its symmetrical sunken alcoves. It is a mosque located on a square of the same name and also contains a caravanserai, a Tekyeh, a bathhouse, a cold water well, and a confectionery. Catch a glimpse of a Zoroastrian temple where a sacred fire has been burning for hundreds of years. Walk through the old Fahadan quarter. Overnight stay in Yazd.

Head off to Shiraz, the city of flowers and nightingales. Drive to wonder at Persepolis, the glamorous capital of ancient Persia. Treat your eyes to the dazzling rock reliefs of Naghsh-e-Rostam. Tread through Pasargadae's simple but impressive site, the tomb of Cyrus the Great, "the Founder of the Persian Empire," and the remains of his several palaces. Arrive in Shiraz and check in at the hotel. Overnight stay in Shiraz.

Delight in Narenjestan-e-Qavam, an elaborate mansion built in the middle of sour orange trees. Capture the colourful beauty of Nasir-ol-Molk Mosque, where rays of sunlight crossing through the windows fill the interior with kaleidoscopic colours. Tour the awe-inspiring Vakil complex and the incredible Vakil Bath and Bazaar. Become astonished by the glory of Karim Khan Citadel, dating back three centuries. Visit Shahcheragh Shrine, the tomb of Ahmed bin Musa in the center of Shiraz. It is the third most important shrine in Shia Islam in Iran, after the Imam Reza Shrine and Fatima Masumeh Shrine. Get mesmerized at the tombs of the widely known Persian poet Hafez.

Early morning transfer to Shiraz International Airport.