Iran
Iran was our favorite country! The incredible hospitality, stunning architecture, and rich culture exceeded all expectations.
Highlights
- ✦Playing chess in Isfahan
- ✦Camping in Maranjab Desert
- ✦Persian hospitality
Blog Posts
Shiraz: Shattering Every Iranian Stereotype
A Facebook post, 50 private messages, a Couchsurfing family, Persepolis, a pink salt lake, and the most hospitable people we've ever met — our first days in Iran exceeded every expectation.
Kerman: Desert Kalouts, Cave Villages, and Crêpes for Three Brothers
From a UNESCO adobe citadel to a 1,000-year-old cypress tree, from drone flights over desert Kalouts to sleeping in a Flintstones cave — Kerman province delivered the full Iranian adventure.
Yazd: Fire Temples, Silent Towers, and a Rooftop Named Marco Polo
Zoroastrian fire temples, ancient water systems, labyrinthine streets, a rooftop dinner above the Jameh Mosque — and a non-alcoholic "beer" that tasted like lemonade. Yazd was interesting without being our favorite.
Kashan: Hundreds of Camels and a Desert Caravanserai at Sunset
The underground city of Nooshabad, a red village carved from stone, hundreds of camels in the Maranjab Desert, sand dunes glowing at golden hour — two intense days around Kashan that felt like a dream.
Esfahan: Chess in the Park, Crêpes in the Air, and a City Lit Up at Night
The magnificent Naqsh-e Jahan Square, a palace chess match with a kind old man, the breathtaking Mosque Shah, walking a dry riverbed to see the Khaju Bridge — and making crêpes for our hosts on the last night.
Tehran: The Montmartre of the Mountains
Iran's crowded, dusty capital wasn't our favorite — but an amazing CouchSurfing host, the opulent Golestan Palace, and the elevated Darband neighborhood (Tehran's answer to Montmartre) made it worthwhile.
Alamut Valley: Hitchhiking into the Assassins' Kingdom
Almost didn't go. So glad we did. Four hitchhikes — including a garbage truck — breathtaking mountain valley views, a drone flying over ancient fortresses, and the most generous strangers you'll ever meet in Iran.
Hitchhiking to Khaled Nabi: Iran's Most Unique Cemetery
A midnight arrival in Galikesh, a cow waiting for the bus, and a newly-married couple who drove us to one of Iran's most remote and fascinating sites — the hilltop cemetery of Khaled Nabi.
Mashhad: World's Largest Shrine and Our Last Day in Iran
One day in Iran's holy city of Mashhad — the colossal Imam Reza shrine, an unexpected film crew, the wrong national flag at a restaurant, and the world's most hospitable country saying goodbye.