Walking tours are an inseparable part of Yazd, the mud and brick historic city of Qantas.  At 09:00 in the morning, you will be picked up from your hotel in Yazd. Perhaps you have heard about the many UNESCO sites in the historical city of Yazd. Old Town Yazd is not just one structure, it is composed of several entire old neighborhoods, so stunning and romantic, that you won’t want to leave!  In fact, the structure of these streets, houses, alleyways, and shops have such a rich old-school Persian character that many tourists and visitors spend up to half a day or even more strolling around in them. Our walking tour is in the historic city of Yazd, walking in the oldest lanes of this city to discover the rich history of many ancient houses with their fantastic roofs and wind catchers. This part of the city consists of a number of ancient neighborhoods like the Fahadan neighborhood with narrow streets and stunning mosques. The view of the city in the evening from the rooftops, when the reddish hue of sunlight finds its way through the towers of wind catchers, is breathtaking. The blue Dome of Seyyed Rokn Addin Mausoleum is a nice view from the roofs of old houses. As you walk among the mysterious mud brick houses and their magical domes, you feel you are lost in a maze belonging to decades and centuries you are not much acquainted with; that is called the blowing of the spirit. We will visit also Yazd Jame mosque, the mausoleum of the 12 Imams (tomb of the 12 Imams), and Alexander’s prison (a 15th-century domed school). You will be back to your hotel at 16:00.

At 9:00 in the morning, your guide will pick up you from your hotel in Yazd. Our city tour of Yazd starts with visiting the Tower of Silence which a circular raised structure is built by Zoroastrians for excarnation. Then, visit one of the henna factories of Yazd. Later, we will visit the Zoroastrian fire temple which was built in 1934. After that, we will pay a visit to Amirchakhmaq Complex which is one of the most spectacular attractions in Yazd. It includes the square, bazaar, water storage, and mosque. You will have free time for shopping in Haji Khalife confectionary. We will eat lunch in Hammam-e Khan in Yazd bazaar. After that, it is time to see Dowlat Abad Garden (UNESCO), embracing the tallest windmill in the world, with a height of 33.8 meters. Mohammad Taqi Khan was one of the Yazdi Khans who built an aqueduct called Dowlat Abad and then made the Dolat Abad Garden mansion for his residence. The green space of this garden with different trees has given it a special feeling. This construction is a collection of a porch and windbreak, mirror hall, main entrance, and south entrance. The last stop is at Derhami Zoorkhaneh, This special form of sport combines physical training with elements of pre-Islamic Persian culture (particularly Zoroastrianism and Mithraism) with the spirituality of Shia Islam and Sufism. We will be back hotel at 17:00.

 

This one-day tour covers the unique relics of the ancient religion in and outside Yazd. Our day tour starts with meeting your Zoroastrian guide (or one closely familiar with the culture) in Yazd. We will first have an exploration in the Museum of Zoroastrians History and Culture.

Then, we will check out the world’s longest-burning sacred fire in the Fire Temple of Yazd. After that, we will go to Asadan Castle (also known as Seti Pir Shrine) and listen to the interesting stories behind it. Our next destination will be Cham Village (about 17 km away from Yazd). There, we will discover the ancient religion’s secrets in Cham Tower of Silence and pay a visit to the village’s 3500-year-old cypress tree. Following that, we will head toward Taft Village. En route, we will meet the old Twin Cypresses of the lovely Mobarakeh Village (about 9 km away). In Taft, we will visit the historical Taft Fire Temple before we make ourselves comfortable beside a Zoroastrian family. In their lovely garden eco-lodge, we will be invited to a tasty lunch while talking about Zoroastrian culture. Finally, we will head back toward Yazd (around 23 km).

At 8:00 in the morning, your guide picks up you from your hotel in Yazd and then drives you to Meybod (50km). Your tour starts with visiting Narin Castle of Meybod, then you will visit Meybod caravansary and water reservoir. After that, you will pay a visit to Meybod Ice House and Meybod Pigeon Tower. Then, you will have lunch and continue to Chak Chak the Zoroastrian fire temple. After visiting there, you will proceed to Kharanaq Village. Walking in Kharanaq’s old alleys creates an unforgettable memory for every visitor. There are a number of attractions like the old mosque, minaret, and other historical houses worth visiting in the village. You will be back to your hotel at 17:00.

Yazd is well known for its large community of Zoroastrians in Iran and some of the most famous landmarks of Yazd tours belong to this ancient Persian religion. Morning at 09:00, you will be picked up from your hotel in Yazd and given a drive to Taft (56km), On this tour, you will be taken to the village of Taft, known for its Zoroastrian community and fruit gardens. You will start the day with a short walk through Taft, making stops at the local bakery and grocery to shop for some ingredients. You will then head to a private garden where we will pick fruits and prepare a delectable traditional breakfast. We will head to the Nartitee garden, where an outdoor cooking class has been set up for you. We are ready to start cooking a whole Zoroastrian feast while being educated on the faith, its cultural traditions, and rituals- all happening in a beautiful garden.

The Ancient town of Abarkuh is located 163 km out of Yazd city on the way to Shiraz. Due to its numerous historical monuments, this city is attractive for tourists who travel to Iran. The Abarkuh Gonbad Aali is one of the most famous historical monuments of Abarkuh. This beautiful tomb tower is located on top of a mountain on the outskirts of the city. Standing next to the Gonbad Aali tomb tower, you can see the spectacular and impressive views of the whole city in front of you. Another important monument of Abarkuh is the Aghazadeh mansion, which one of the wealthy people of Abarkuh during the Qajar period was ordered to build a house of 820 square meters with the biggest wind catcher in Iran. At its heart, the enigmatic city of Abarkuh has one of the most ancient living creatures on Earth, which is a lofty and old cypress tree. A Russian scientist and professor has estimated its age as 4,500 years old. This tree seems to be an eternal evergreen tree. Abarkuh Ice House Is another outstanding architectural work built during the Qajar era. It used to be filled with large glaciers made out of water, freezing during the cold nights of the desert and in the outside streams of the fridge. Then, the ice was slid into the refrigerator in the large hole and this procedure was repetitive during the whole winter. The cone-shaped and thickened fridge made the room cool, froze the ice, and prevented the ice from melting in the summertime. Jame mosque of Abarkuh is also worth visiting. For lunch, we will be at Koomeh Bibi Seyed Guesthouse. At the end of the tour, we will back to Yazd or drive to Shiraz based on your schedule.

In the morning at 08:00, you will be picked up from your hotel in Yazd and given a drive to Ardakan (62km). You will visit the attractions of Ardakan city embracing Khatami’s house, Ardakan Qanat, Ardakan Charsooq bazaar, and Taqdiri house. Then, you will go to visit the ancient village of Aqda. Aqda is a village of history and nature in the heart of the desert. This beautiful village encompasses the historical edifices of Haj Abolqasem Rashti caravansary built in 1269 AH resembling the Shah Abbasi Caravansary, Khajeh Nasir stockade built to protect the village dwellings, Saam Castle, Hamam-e-Noe built in 1055 AH, Hulakoo two-story Mosque built in 1123 AH,  Shams Mosque built in 1090 AH, and the Jame’ Mosque built in 8th century AH. The architecture of the old village of Aqda is similar to that of the old city of Yazd which has alleys filled with clay and adobe houses. The old and the original road passed through the village, alongside which there used to be some Chaparkhane (pony express) and the caravanserai.

By the time of the seventh century, Aqda was known as Gabrgah (which means the place of Zoroastrians) since all its inhabitants were Zoroastrians. There is a quotation that says this village was constantly attacked by thieves and bandits due to the lack of a defensive wall. Therefore, one of the Iranian scientists named Khaje Nasir al-Din Tusi, who stayed in this village for a while, designed and planned the fence and wall all around the village. So, the people built a wall around the city, and they made a contraction that “Only those who are Muslims are allowed to stay in the village”. After the conversion of the majority to Islam, one night 40 girls and boys got married in a shared celebration. Since then, the people called the village “Aqdgah” (the place of marriage). Little by little, the name changed slightly and turned to Aqda. There is another quotation about this village claiming that the construction of the village is attributed to the Sassanid Era and to Yazdgerd (the last king) who called the village Aqda after one of his colonels, Aqdar. After visiting Aqda, we drive to Zarjoo Village to visit Pars Banoo Zoroastrian temple. We will back to Yazd at 17:00.

Garmeh is an oasis located in the central desert of Iran (known as Dasht-e-Kavir). During more recent historical times (from about 2,000 years ago), the oasis was placed on the main route of the famous Silk Road, and therefore the main trading route between China and Europe. Consequently, many travelers have passed through the area. A famous Persian poet, philosopher, and adventurer by the name of Nasir Khusraw passed through the area about 950 years ago and mentioned the area in his travel writing. As an example of the more famous European travelers of the last few centuries, one can mention the names of Seven Hedin and Alfonse Gabriel who visited Garmeh about a century ago. Among other tourist attractions, an ancient castle and a pond surrounded by palm trees have turned Garmeh Village in the central province of Isfahan into a tourist spot for nature lovers. Once you are in Garmeh, combining it with a trip to the Mesr and Farahzad deserts is almost a must.

The day tour starts around 8:30 in the morning. You will meet your guide at the hotel in Yazd, then drive to Mehriz to visit Pahlavanpour Garden which is one of the 9 Persian Gardens inscribed as UNESCO heritage sites. Next, drive to Saryazd ancient village to visit Saryazd fortress and Saryazd caravansary. After that, have lunch in Mehriz and visit 2000-year-old Mehriz cypress. Then, drive to Zein-o-din Caravansary for an epic sunset. This caravansary is mostly included in Yazd tours. It is one of the 999 Shah Abbas caravanserais in Iran. Shah Abbass believed number 999 is more mouth-filling and impressive than 1000. Finally, we will head back to Yazd (60km).

In the morning at 8:00, you will be picked up from your hotel in Yazd, and drive to Abarkuh (163 km). On the way, visit Yazd Eagle Mountain. It is a high mountain that looks like a huge mountain hawk-eagle that has kingly spread its wings across a vast plain. Then, pay a visit to the Aghazadeh mansion, and old cypress of Abarkuh. We drive 180 km to Pasargadae, the UNESCO World Heritage Site.  We will eat lunch in Kolbeh Agha Mir, and then visit the tomb of Cyrus the Great. The present ruins used to be royal palaces, halls, and gardens that made up the capital of the Achaemenid Empire under Cyrus the Great. Finally, we drive to Shiraz, and you will reach your hotel in Shiraz at 17:00.