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March 15, 2017July 16, 2018

In Review: 24 Days of Backpacking in Iran

This post is part of a series called Iran 2016
Show More Posts
  • Mashhad, My First Destination in Exotic Iran
  • Riding The Night Train From Mashhad to Yazd in Iran
  • Exploring The Desert Town of Yazd
  • Day Trip to Kharanaq, Chak Chak, And Meybod
  • Mosques And Bazaars of Shiraz
  • Persepolis And The Tombs of Naqsh-e Rustam
  • Exploring The Ancient Castles and Temples of Firuzabad, Iran
  • Isfahan, The Most Beautiful City I Visited in Iran
  • Desert Oasis Town of Kashan
  • Ancient Town of Abyaneh, And Beautiful Fin Garden
  • Tehran, My Last Stop in Iran
  • In Review: 24 Days of Backpacking in Iran

Why I Went There?

Iran was always near the top of the list of countries I wanted to visit. It seemed like an exotic and prohibited place (as someone who lives in the US), in addition to having a lot of history.

Where Did I Go?

I landed in Masshad mainly to check out the Iman Reza Shrine. From there I took a night train to Yazd, from where I made a day trip to Kharanaq, Chak Chak, And Meybod. I then used Shiraz as a base for trips to historic Persepolis and Firuzabad. Heading north, I stopped at beautiful Isfahan, then Kashan (with day trip to Abyaneh and Fin) before finally arriving at Tehran, where I ended my trip.

My Other Blog Posts on Iran

Mashhad, My First Destination in Exotic Iran
Riding The Night Train From Mashhad to Yazd in Iran
Exploring The Desert Town of Yazd
Day Trip to Kharanaq, Chak Chak, And Meybod
Mosques And Bazaars of Shiraz
Persepolis And The Tombs of Naqsh-e Rustam
Exploring The Ancient Castles and Temples of Firuzabad, Iran
Isfahan, The Most Beautiful City I Visited in Iran
Ancient Town of Abyaneh, And Beautiful Fin Garden
Desert Oasis Town of Kashan
Tehran, My Last Stop in Iran

Expenses

Total Days: 24
Total Expenses: 1,220 USD
Average: 51 USD/day

I stayed only in private rooms. In general, things are cheap in Iran, although I must have saved some money by not eating lunch every day. It was Ramadan during my entire stay there, and it was very hard to find restaurants that were open during the day.

The black-market exchange rate when I was there was 1 USD to 34,000 rials.

Some sample prices:

Dinner: 4.50-7 USD
Decent hotel room: 20-30 USD a night
Taxi ride around town: 2-4 USD
Entrance fee to sites: 2-6 USD

How Is It Like to Backpack in Iran?

Logistically, it was easy. Many hotels/hostels that cater to tourists can help you book train or bus tickets, or arrange taxis for day trips. The buses and trains I took were modern and on time.

I was a little scared before going, expecting a police state where you are being watched everywhere. In reality, I didn’t see one single police officer in many of the smaller cities. Maybe they are undercover, but I felt pretty safe and relaxed overall.

Hostel dorm beds are not as prevalent as in some other countries, but you can still find them in the bigger cities. On the other hand, decent private rooms are not very expensive.

Because of embargoes, your foreign credit or debit cards will probably not work in the country. You’ll need to bring all of your spending money in cash when entering Iran.

Even in some of the more decent hotels, they only had squat toilets instead of western ones. Work on those leg muscles before going!

Conclusion

Iran now holds a special place in my heart. It’s exotic, beautiful, full of history. Its people are extremely welcoming and friendly, and it’s one of the countries I want to go back the most.

My Favorite Pictures

Iman Reza Shrine in Mashhad
Masjid-e Jame, Yazd, Iran
Amir Chakhmaq Complex, Yazd, Iran
Kharanaq, Iran
Zoroastrian shrine, Chak Chak, Iran
Shah Abbasi Caravanserai, Meybod, Iran
Weaver at Shah Abbasi Caravanserai, Meybod, Iran
Naqsh-e Rustam near Persepolis, Iran
People napping next to Karim Khan Citadel, Shiraz
Vakil Bazaar, Shiraz
Vakil Bazaar, Shiraz
Shahcheragh Holy Shrine, Shiraz
Nasir ol Molk Mosque, also known as the Pink Mosque, Shiraz
Bazaar of Isfahan
Bazaar of Isfahan
Shah Mosque, Isfahan
Two young Iranians working at a fruit shot in Kashan
Agha Bozorg Mosque in Kashan, Iran
Carpet Bazaar, Tehran
Posted in Travel, Round The World Trip, Iran, Middle East
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   Tehran, My Last Stop in Iran
Costs for 731 Days of Backpacking Around The World   

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Comments (1)

  • Alex June 6, 2017 at 2:02 pm Reply

    That was special to read. Thanks for the exhaustive posts!

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kevinstravel

Rough race and not the result I was looking for. W Rough race and not the result I was looking for. Was targeting a sub 2:55 but finished in 3:31. It felt hard from the start and had stomach issues later on. Still proud of the effort and finish.
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