Turkey - Iran Autumn 2015

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Day 1 Iceland to Turkey

• Flight from Keflavik to Istanbul via Copenhagen or London

• Arrival in Istanbul early

evening

• Transfer to a 4 star hotel in Istanbul

Day 2 Istanbul

• Full day excursion of Istanbul

• Visit to the magnificent

Hagia Sophia – the “Blue Mosque”

• City walk with Jón Björnsson - sightseeing and history

• Evening boat trip on

Bosphorus • Overnight at a 4 star hotel

in Istanbul

Day 2 Istanbul – Hagia Sofia (The Blue Mosque)

Day 3 Istanbul

• Full day excursion of Istanbul

• Visit to the Topkapi • Walking tour of the old city • Overnight at a 4 star hotel

in Istanbul

Day 3 Istanbul – The Grand Bazar

Day 4 Istanbul to Lake Van

• Morning flight from Istanbul • Arrival in Lake Van • Check in to hotel in Van city • Sightseeing excursion to

Akadamar Island in Lake Van, home to the 10th century Armenian Holy Cross Cathedral

• Overnight at 3-4 star hotel

in Van

Day 4 Lake Van – Armenian Church of the Holy Cross on Akdamar Island

Lake Van

Day 5 Van to Kandovan

(in Iran)

• Early morning driving from Van to the quaint and mysterious thirteenth century village of Kandovan in Iran

• Fascinating 6 hour journey

(434 km) through North West of Iran which is lined with natural and historical attractions

• Route passes over Lake

Urmiyeh, the world‟s largest salt lake

• Overnight in the most

remarkable mountain caves of Kandovan village

Day 5 Lake Urmiyeh, the world‟s largest salt lake

Day 6 Kandovan/ Tabriz

in Azarbayejan

• Excursion in the village and surrounding area of Kandovan

• Early evening drive to

Tabriz 55 km • Overnight at a 3-4 star

hotel in Tabriz

Day 6 Kandovan Village

Day 6 Kandovan Village Hotel

Day 7 Tabriz

• Full day excursion to some of the attraction sites in Tabriz including; Blue Mosque, El Goli water park and Grand bazaar

• Overnight at a 3-4 star

hotel in Tabriz

Day 7 Tabriz – City panorama

Day 7 - Tabriz – Shah Goli Park

Day 8 Tabriz /Rasht

• All day drive from Tabriz to Rasht via Ardebil and visit to shrine of Sheikh Safi a-Din, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

• Sheikh Safi was an eminent

leader of an Islamic Sufi order

• Drive to Astra (on the far

north of Caspian sea bordering with North Azerbaijan) a famous port on the Caspian sea

• Drive along the Caspian sea

to Rasht

Day 9 Rasht

• Visit to a famous village of Masuleh in Gilan province

• This is one of the most

famous village built on bank of a mountain in Iran

• Evening flight to Holy City

of Mashhad • Overnight in a 4-5 star

hotel in Mashhad

Day 9 Rasht – Masuleh Village

Day 10 Mashhad

• Full day excursion in Mashhad, Tuse and Nishabur

• Visit to the Holy Shrine of

Imam Reza, Mohammad grandson (this is the most holy Shrine in Iran)

• Visit to Omar Khayyam„s

tomb, a world famous Persian poet, philosopher & mathematician in Nishapur

• Also visit to Attar Tomb, a Persian poet, theoretician of Sufism

• Overnight in a 4-5 star hotel Mashhad

Day 10 Tuse – Tomb of Ferdowsi

Day 11 Mashhad

to Kerman

• Fly to Kerman in the south East of Iran

• Day excursion to number of

Mosques including the Grand Mosque, the Ganjali Mosque and the Shah Nimatullah Wali Shrine (the Sufi master and poet from 14th and 15th century)

• Overnight in a 4-5 star hotel Kerman

Day 11 Kerman – Bagh e Shahzadeh

Day 12 Kerman / Bam

• Day trip to Bam Citadel 188 km from Kerman and Lute Desert

• The ancient city of Bam

dates back to 5th century B.C and it is one of the most famous adobe building Citadels in the world which was destroyed during the earth quick of 2013

• Also visit to Lute desert (the desert of emptiness), the hottest place on earth recorded by NASA. O.N in Kerman/Bam

• Overnight at a 4-5 star hotel in Kerman/Bam

Day 12 – Arg-e Bam

Day 13 Kerman / Isfahan

• Fly to Isfahan a jewel city of Iran

• Day excursion to Naghshe jahan an important historical site, UNESCO World Heritage Site and the second biggest square in the world

• Visit to Shah‟s Mosque. Lotfollah Mosque and Ali Qapu Palace

• Overnight in a 4-5 star Hotel in Isfahan

Day 13 Isfahan – Naghshe jahan square

Day 13 Isfahan – The Khaju Bridge

Day 14 Isfahan – Istanbul

- Iceland

• Early morning flight from Isfahan to Istanbul on route to Keflavik

• Note: Date of travel /duration of trip, can change one or two days back and forward depending on the internal flights in Iran and also departure availability from Isfahan to Istanbul