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10 Tips for Traveling in Iran

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After receiving a bunch of emails last week  with questions in response to my post about traveling in Iran, I decided to compile a list of my most useful tips for traveling in Iran. Because two weeks in the country obviously makes me an expert (read: I’m a total noob; you should probably just check Wikitravel instead).

Iran Travel Advice

 

Find a host on Couchsurfing for your first few nights in Iran, and then STOP planning your trip!

The two weeks I received on my visa on arrival were always going to be far too short to see all of Iran’s sites, so I decided to instead focus on getting to know Iranian people and their culture.

My experience with Couchsurfing in Iran made this incredibly easy, as once I knew a couple of locals I was receiving the best inside tips for places to go, along with many invitations to stay with their friends and families!

Budget $5 a day

Okay, you might want to bring more cash than that (I brought $400 for two weeks), but you probably won’t spend it all. I swear I tried my best to get myself on the right side of the hospitality dance that Iranians call t’aarof, but it’s incredibly difficult to convince Iranians not to pay for you. Good luck.

(Also keep in mind that you’re not going to be able to use ATMs, so make sure to avoid the poor rates at the banks and exchange at official money changers instead!)

travel Isfahan Esfahan Iran

Learn how to say and read numbers 1 – 10 in Parsi so you know how much things cost

So key! Plus, reciting numbers to every Iranian person I met made for a great ice breaker. I mean, what’s more adorable than a foreigner butchering Parsi? Wait, don’t answer that.

Farsi numbers 1-10

Read Children of the Jacaranda Tree

Opening with a political prisoner giving birth inside Tehran’s Evin Prison in 1983 and then tracing its characters’ lives to present-day Iran, this beautifully written book taught me everything I didn’t already know about the Iranian Revolution. Months after reading the novel, I still find myself thinking about some of the characters.

If you’re a woman, bring two sets of clothes

You’ll need a headscarf and modest top that covers your arms and bottom for when you’re outside, but once in a private home many women quickly change into tight shirts and skirts. I felt pretty uncool wearing my conservative clothes all the time.

Nowruz Tehran Iran Travel New Year

But if you’re wondering what to wear outside: bring long-sleeved tops that hit mid-thigh (and aren’t low cut!) and a scarf for your head. You can wear whatever shoes and trousers you want. Here are some favorites I packed as a female traveler to Iran:

Bring pins for your headscarf

Because your scarf will fall down on windy days, and you will get scolded. With the constant stress of checking your scarf, you’ll even start waking up in the middle of the night clutching your head in a panic that your scarf has fallen down. Seriously.

Marivan, Iran

If the police hassle you about your foreign passport a. have your Iranian friend yell at them for ten minutes while you talk to an officer’s wife on the phone or b. puke in the officer’s waste bin

Both methods worked equally well for me!

Drink the yoghurt!

Doogh is some sort of magical elixir.

doogh Iran

If your friend’s boyfriend asks if you’re a Communist, say yes!

And say that you hate Heidegger. Yes, you definitely need to hate Heidegger.

Okay maybe this tip only applies to this particular friend’s boyfriend. But in all seriousness, when people found out that I had studied philosophy at university they bombarded me with questions about my favorite thinkers.

I soon learned that the Iranians I spoke with weren’t interested in philosophy for purely academic reasons – they were looking for real answers to their country’s problems. Way to pop my pretentious philosophy major bubble, Iran.

Prepare to have your heart stolen away

Luckily when you’re sobbing after saying goodbye to your new Iranian friends, your bus driver will give you two pineapple juice boxes, a bowl of sugar cubes and a cup of tea to comfort you. And then of course you’ll start weeping all over again, because Iranians are just SO impossibly nice.

Zarivar Lake Marivan Kurdistan IranZarivar Lake in Marivan, Kurdistan 

I traveled to Iran independently on my Norwegian passport. Some nationalities (including the US and UK at the time of writing) can only visit as part of a tour. And of course I know some people prefer to travel on organized tours anyway.

My top tour recommendation for Iran would be the Discover Persia 14-day G Adventures tour, which I’ve heard nothing but good things about (the itinerary looks amazing!). Check here for the latest Discover Persia tour prices and itinerary.

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Tips for backpacking, budget, travel in Iran

 

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Comments

    • Good point! When I got to Egypt I realized that written Arabic numbers are almost the same as Persian numbers, which was such a pleasant surprise. It makes things soooo much easier!

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  2. These are awesome tips, and I’m always surprised at how easy it seems to be to travel in Iran. Such a shame that the visas are so short, I can imagine taking weeks on end to explore everything!

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    • Two weeks really was too short, though it was enough time for me to fall in love with the country. If I had taken the time to apply for a visa in advance, instead of getting one on arrival at the airport, I could have gotten 30 days instead.

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  3. This is great! I’ll confess that I would have never considered visiting Iran alone, but now I think I may have been won over…thanks!

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    • You should consider it! The nice thing about traveling solo in Iran is that locals are so friendly and so interested in foreigners that you’ll probably rarely actually be alone (though that might be annoying to some, ha).

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    • It’s super budget-friendly! Even if I hadn’t been invited to so many things I don’t think I would have spent very much. One of my biggest expenses was paying entrance fees at historical sites, which were usually $5 – but added up quickly!

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  9. Your trip to Iran is so inspiring. You’ve convinced me that I want to go someday. 🙂

    I spent this summer in Jordan on an archaeological dig, and I was pleasantly surprised to discover how safe it is there. The middle east really isn’t as bad as everyone thinks!
    And the locals really are friendly.

    Have you been to Jordan? If so, I’d be interested to hear what differences you noticed between it and Iran.

    Reply

    • Yay, I’m so glad I convinced you to go 🙂 I’ve only really been to Petra in Jordan (I wrote about it here: http://www.heartmybackpack.com/blog/bedouin-petra/) but compared to the other countries I’ve visited in the Middle East Iran was a little different. I think its not being Arab gives it a really different feel. And while women do have to wear headscarfs, most people seemed pretty liberal – men dressed in normal Western clothing and women really pushed the limits of what was lawful – with brightly colored headscarfs pushed way back on their heads and trendy (though modest) outfits. But the friendliness was similar to Jordan 🙂

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  12. Awww! It’s true, Iranians are so nice. TOO NICE. My mom’s Iranian friend lived with our family for awhile & you literally had to get aggressive to prevent her from preparing feasts for us, showering us with gifts & trying to solve our problems. Even then it was kinda hopeless.

    Really jealous of your trip! Solo travel gets trickier when you’re married. “No you don’t understand hon, I gotta do this one on my own…”

    Reply

    • Haha your mom’s friend definitely sounds Iranian! It’s crazy because they’re so hospitable, but sort of weird about receiving things. My Couchsurfing friend’s mom actually teared up when I brought her chocolates. And yeah, my boyfriend was pretty bummed that I went to Iran without him, though in my defense, he’s British so he couldn’t have gone without a tour anyway!

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  13. This post is AWESOME. And so are you! Travelling solo in Iran sounds like such an adventure. I’ve been wanting to go there for a few years now, and want to combine it with a visit to Georgia and Armenia (next (late) spring). This post (and your others from Iran) is excellent to use as part of my research 😀

    Reply

    • Yesss Iran to Armenia and Georgia was such a fun trip! Especially crossing the border from Iran into Armenia, the world’s first Christian nation, was crazy. Such a contrast! And it’s super easy for Norwegians to get visas, especially if you just get two weeks on arrival, so there’s really no reason not to go 🙂

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  15. I have been to Iran twice, and I wholeheartedly agree, especially with the tip about Couchsurfing and not planning beyond the first stop.
    Amazing hospitality!

    I was also overwhelmed when booksellers in Tehran started to talk about the “Frankfurter Schule”, Jürgen Habermas and Otto Grotius. Crazy that you need to go to Iran to find real intellectuals.

    Reply

    • Right? I felt like I had stumbled into a different era with all the intellectual discussions going on. And I definitely felt like a fraud when I told them I had studied philosophy.

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  16. As much as I would love to explore Iran’s rich history and culture, as an American I’m afraid the risk is just too great. What if I didn’t have an Iranian friend to yell at the police and I got arrested for charges I didn’t understand? There would be no US embassy there to fight for me and there’s no guarantee Bill Clinton could secure my freedom. I couldn’t hack it in Iranian prison. It’s a shame, because the people there seem lovely. And I’m totally shocked they have Couchsurfing there! I imaged that would be against the law. Did you see many other foreigners during your trip?

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    • I honestly never felt in any sort of danger while in Iran. Even when the police hassled me it seemed to be in good humor – more like they wanted an excuse to talk to me. I do think part of the reason the government wants Americans to go with tours is so that someone is responsible for them, because it would be a nightmare for everyone if something bad did happen. I didn’t see many foreigners there, but I think that’s mostly because I was hanging out with Iranians in less touristy areas.

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      • The Iranians are very welcoming to the foreigners and they are friendly and when you go to the wonderful tourist areas in the north you will find there is much better treatment. Traveling to Iran is fun to reverse what many think. It takes a period of six months to see this country.

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    • I have traveled several times to Iran and have a beautiful nature and in tourist areas do not comply with the conditions in other areas. A very cooperative people with foreigners and a very honest country.

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  18. Hey Silvia

    Haha this post is so cute! 🙂 It sounds like you met some really wonderful people in Iran. I love when people will take you under their wing and show you their place. It’s such a wonderful way to experience it.

    Good tip about the clothes. It’s funny when you find yourself feeling daggy when you’ve tried to dress appropriately. I found that a lot here in Fiji, where dress standards vary a lot between the city and rural areas. Having options really helps!

    Martina

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  19. Thanks for the tips! I’m planning a trip to Iran this September, so this info will come in handy. Unfortunately I’m not lucky enough to have a Norwegian passport, so I have to go on a tour. My husband and I are arranging a private tour and hoping we will still be able to get away from the guide sometimes and connect with local people. Or maybe we’ll just become best friends with our guide!

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    • I’ve heard that a lot of the private tours are really relaxed, so I’m sure you’ll have a great time. Plus it will be fun to have a guide to explain everything!

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    • Iran really was one of my favorite trips – you should definitely do it someday! And feel free to ask if you have any questions for planning the trip 🙂

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  21. I just happened to come across your blog today, which was quite a lucky thing since I am of to Iran in just 2 weeks ande have yet to find a travel blogger who has actually been there themself. I have already read all your posts about Iran and are really starting to look forward to this trip! Thanks for sharing your tips and making me feel a little better about taking a trip there!:)

    Reply

  22. Hi Silvia, I read your entire inputs about your traveling experience in Iran and truly enjoyed it. Moved to tears in some spots as I am an Australian-Iranian myself. Missed Iran so much! I was born in Iran’s Azerbaijan (Northern west) where you didn’t have time to explore. The language there is a Turkic dialect and has over 20 million (if not more!) speaker in Iran. Major cities in there are Tabriz, Zanjan, Urmia, Ardabil and etc. I recommend to allocate a good week visiting that area the next time you are in Iran. Cheers-Savalan

    Reply

  23. hi Silvia.and thanks for your tips for travelling to our country..i recommend you to visit yazd province in your next trip to iran..if you want to know more about iran and it’s culture and historical places you can see our page on face book..called “show the real iran”..it’s a public group for showing iran’s culture to foreigners..and don’t worry,the language we use on this group is English.

    Reply

  25. I absolutely love the book suggestion! I’m adding it to my reading list meow. I’ve never really put much thought into visiting Iran, but you make it seem like quite the adventure. Wonderful article!

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  26. Thanks for the Tips, really helpful and inspiring 🙂
    I’m going to Iran in January alone, I’m gonna do the visa on arrival and my concern is what address shall I write down ? Since I’m planning to couchsurf …

    Thanks

    Reply

    • Hm when I went I had to have a hotel booked (not sure if that’s changed?) to get the visa on arrival. So I stayed at a hotel my first two nights and gave them that address, and then after that I switched to Couchsurfing.

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  27. Great tips, thanks! What kind of pins did you use to keep the scarf down? I’ve been trying to figure out how Iranian girls manage on a windy day lol.

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    • I just used normal bobby pins – Iranian girls have some sort of special talent with their scarves though!

      Reply

  29. HI
    Thank you for visiting our country
    You are always welcome
    But there is a strange point
    I don’t think we concern if someone is communist or not As far as I know not at all
    And that name Heidegger
    Never heard of it

    Reply

  30. I have traveled several times to Iran and have a beautiful nature and in tourist areas do not comply with the conditions in other areas. A very cooperative people with foreigners and a very honest country.

    Reply

  31. Hi everybody Im Moein Ronasi from Iran,Isfahan
    I invite all of you to visit my city Isfahan
    Isfahan has lots of sightseeings and ancient places for visiting
    It takes more than 3 days to visit the full famous sights
    It is interesting to know that people of Isfahan really really like tourists you can ask from other foreigners who visit Isfahan
    Our traditional foods are so 😋 some of them are “beryan” , “kebab” , “jooje kebab” and many types of ” khoresht”
    Im ready for all of you to join to you and to have wonderful time in Isfahan . I will show you the full sightseeings of Isfahan and I explain about that.I want to know more about your countries and cultures and we can share our information. if you come to Isfahan send a massage to me on whatsapp or call me .my phone number is 00989136885157 and my email: moein.rns@gmail.com
    I hope you visit our city . it is amazing to know about Isfahan and its culture.
    One point:if you visit Iran, buy an Iranian simcard “Irancell” its not more than 2$ it really helps you in your trip.
    Sincerely

    Reply

  33. I visited Iran also in February and what you wrote is completely true! and I agree that Iranians are the nicest and kindest people I have ever met, amazing and delengo country!

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  35. good day to you,after reading the whole post made by so many people i am convinced that i would really love to visit and live in iran,please how do i travel there and extende my stay to about 2 to 3 years i need advice …'””””‘

    Reply

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