IRAN: TREKS and
TREASURES
This information should answer some of your questions about the trip and give you a better idea of
what we do day to day. It doesn’t hope to answer everything however, if you have any questions,
please get in touch.
Nomads making bread Photo Harry McQuillan
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Trekking in the Zagros Mountains – the ‘Iranian Alps!’
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Combining mountains, trekking, sightseeing and culture
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Meeting with the traditional nomads
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Sightseeing in Isfahan and Shiraz
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Visiting two of the ‘World’ sites – Persepolis and Imam Square.
Iran
Iran (formerly Persia) can fairly be called the very cradle of civilisation itself – its culture, history
and traditions have permeated the European landscape at every level. Persian carpets, exquisite
cuisine, classical music and dance, literature and art all reflect the great breadth of the Persian
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Empire. Its architecture is spellbinding - Persepolis, its palaces and mausoleums, great squares,
blue tiled domes and minarets.
And then there is modern Iran - a country nearly 3 times the area of France, a population of close
to 70 million and with over 10% of the world's oil reserves.
Attitudes in the West over recent decades have been largely negative and have effectively ignored
contemporary life and society in Iran.
High Places and Iran
This is an extraordinary trip which has evolved from a personal connection with a specialist Iran
tour company ‘Zagros Tours’ run by New Zealand based Harry McQuillan, a near neighbour of
High Places director Bob Lancaster, who has developed the itinerary. Check out ‘Zagros Tours’
website:
www.tourpersia.co.nz
Harry has spent a lifetime in Iran working for much of the time as an exploratory geologist in the
Zagros mountains. For 5 years he was associate Professor of Geology at Shiraz University. He
has been an enormous help to us in designing this trip.
Trip summary
Over half of Iran is covered by
mountains. To the North is the
Elburz range, with Demavand
its highest peak at 5671m.
Along the western side of the
country and the focus of our
visit however lie the Zagros
mountains, with 75 summits
exceeding 4000m. The Zagros
range, composed mainly of
limestone and shales, broadly
form parallel ridges with fertile
valleys in between. The
summers are dry and hot but
winter provides enough
precipitation to encourage
farms and settlement in the
valleys. Springtime flowers are
a feature and with a variety of
crops and fruit trees and a
backcloth of snow capped
mountains, it is an attractive
landscape
Zagros Mountains photo Harry McQuillan
This trip has three aspects:
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Trekking in two contrasting areas of the Zagros mountains.
Camping near and hoping to meet with traditional nomads.
Sightseeing and cultural opportunities in Shiraz and Isfahan.
Walking
We walk 4-7 hours on most trek days on a wide variety of terrain that demands good outdoor
clothing and strong boots. Much of the walking is on good tracks in the higher valleys. A highlight
will be passing through small settlements and making contact with the traditional nomads on their
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annual migration from the summer heat of the plains. Remnants of winter snow may still be lying
on higher portions of the Dena Mountains trek but late April/May and end of October are the best
times to visit the Zagros Mountains, while the weather in the cities remains pleasant.
Accommodation
Comfortable hotels in the main towns. Camping on trek. Mid trek we stay at a fine rural hotel at
Kuhrang. We may also stay in one or two of the villages we pass through where fairly simple
sleeping bag accommodation can sometimes be provided.
Transport
Between the treks and transferring in the cities we travel in a private bus.
Luggage
Whilst trekking, the main luggage will travel by 4WD truck. While walking, all you need to carry is a
small daypack/rucksack with what you need for the day. Donkey or mule support may assist at
times.
Customs and Clothes
It is important in Iran that we, as visitors, appreciate and adhere to certain codes of conduct and
also to dress appropriately. More advice will be provided later but here is some key information.
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Women need to dress in the traditional
Islamic way, covering everything but
their face.
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Shorts of any description are not
acceptable for either sex.
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Handshaking is fine but not for
women.
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Alcohol is strictly forbidden.
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Don’t blow noses in public!
Visas
Iranian dress photo Harry McQuillan
It is necessary to hold a tourist visa to visit
Iran and for UK residents this must be obtained beforehand, approx £80. For most other countries,
including New Zealand, although it is possible to get a tourist visa on arrival at Shiraz Airport, it is
recommended that you acquire visas beforehand. We will send details of how to obtain visas with
our trip information approx.10 weeks before departure.
Money
Travellers cheques are not accepted and credit cards rarely. It is best to carry cash in either US$
or Euros.
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DAY BY DAY ITINERARY
This itinerary is flexible and should be seen as a guide only. Local conditions, weather or fitness
could lead to changes in our daily plans. All times and distances are approximate. ‘B,L,D’ refers to
meals included in the trip cost, i.e. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
This trip is 13 days ex-Tehran.
DAY 1
Arrive Tehran. Transfer to morning flight to Shiraz, the first Persian capital and still
recognised as the very heart
of Persian culture. By mid
afternoon we should be
ready for the sights and the
great citadel, Arg e Karim
Khan has to be the place to
start before venturing into
the nearby bazaars. Hotel.
(L,D)
DAY 2
What a start to our trip! Just
60 km from Shiraz lies the
ruins of Persepolis, the
capital of the Achimenian
empire and probably the
finest example of ancient
middle-eastern
Archway remains at Persepolis photo Harry McQuillan
civilisation to be found
anywhere. We aim for an early start and will have unhurried time for a walking and
guided circuit of the main highlights of the ancient city. On our return to Shiraz, we
can see more sights and especially the renowned Gardens, Iram and Narenjestan.
Hotel. (B,L,D)
DAY 3
Shiraz was once the capital of Iran and has been synonymous with learning,
nightingales, poetry and roses. Today we visit Vakil citadel and Mosque and Vakil
Bazaar before driving out of the city towards the mountains. We make for Sapidan,
a winter ski resort and our gateway to the Zagros! Green valleys with snow on the
higher peaks will provide some great views. Not far from the town is Shesh Pir lake
where we stay the night in the village. Village lodge. (B,L,D)
DAY 4
A day spent beyond any settlements as we head up the valley. Many of the highest
peaks of the Zagros range found in the Dena massif are visible today as we follow
a good trail to a pass at 3000m where there might still be winter snow. We drop
down on the far side to camp by a lake at 2400m. 6-7 hours. Camp (B,L,D)
DAY 5
We stay high and aim towards the peak, Barm Farooz 3400m. Camp (B,L,D)
DAY 6
We continue the traverse of the Dena range. As the track descends to settlement
level we hope to meet the nomadic people of the Qashqai tribes who are moving
up from the plains. We reach picturesque settlements, with orchards and irrigated
agriculture nestling beneath the surrounding forested and rocky hillsides. We may
stay in a village or camp outside at 1800m. 6 hours. (B,L,D)
DAY 7
A fascinating drive northwards as we move to an area beneath the dominant
mountain of Zard Koh, one of the highest in the Zagros range at 4548m. 6-7 hours
drive. We also move into a new Province. The Kuhrang valley is the summer home
of the other main group of nomads, the Bhaktyari. Hotel. (B,L,D)
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DAY 8
A flexible trekking day depending on the whereabouts of the nomad groups. But we
plan to trek up and out of the main valley towards a mountain spring reaching an
altitude of over 3000m. Camp. (B,L,D)
DAY 9
On our final day we hike to the Kuhrang Spring. The Kuhrang River is a tributary of
the Zayandeh river on which Isfahan is situated and it emerges from the limestone
beds in an impressive spring which is a well known landmark in the area. Camp.
(B,L,D)
DAY 10
After a short walk we commence our drive to Isfahan, the city hailed as a
masterpiece of the Islamic world. We arrive back in the afternoon with time to set
the scene and begin to absorb some of the sights – the dazzling blue mosaics of
the great mosques, its gardens, bridges and timeless bazaars. Hotel. (B,L,D)
DAY 11
Isfahan: A whole day’s walking tour of the main sights will be a mesmerising finale
to our visit. Imam square, Sheik Lotfollah Mosque and Ali Qapu Palace are just
three of the highlights. The main bazaar will certainly be an attraction as will an
amble down and across the Zayander river and its 33 bridges. Time to relax in one
of the traditional tea houses - we can drink tea and smoke the Persian water pipe
which may complete the day for some! Hotel. (B,L,D)
DAY 12
A final frantic morning in Isfahan. Surely the bazaars will be a big attraction. We
take an afternoon flight to Tehran. Hotel (B,L,D)
DAY 13
Depart Tehran.
Inquisitive children photo Harry McQuillan
BL/HM 6/09
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