Persepolis, Pasargadae, Naqsh-e Rostam, and Basseri Nomads

We’ll meet up in Shiraz in the morning and get a ride to Persepolis (60 km). After a walk through the 2500-year-old castle complex, we’ll make our way toward a special traditional restaurant near Pasargadae (around 80 km) that has done its best to put ancient recipes on the plate and give us a taste of the culture back in ancient Persia. We’ll treat ourselves to tasty ancient dishes and hear the thousands of years of history and customs behind them.

Our next special experience will be beside Basseri Nomads, one of the few Persian-speaking nomadic tribes. We’ll taste the charms of their daily life and if we get lucky enough, we’ll catch them in the middle of special customs. At nighttime, we’ll gather together around a campfire and listen to spicy stories of nomadic life. If the sky is clear and the moonlight permits, we’ll also enjoy watching the night sky (with naked eyes) and discover the secret role of stars in the nomads’ unique life. Finally, we’ll end the day with a ride toward an ecolodge that belongs to a local family, and spend the night under the roof of this traditional Iranian house.

Overnight: Ecolodge

We’ll start the day with a visit to Pasargadae and check out the tomb of Cyrus the Great. Then we’ll get a ride toward Naqsh-e Rostam (around 71 km), the elegant burial place of ancient kings. Finally, we’ll hit the road back toward Shiraz (around 63 km).