Mysterious treasures of the East
In the Islamic Republic of Iran Tourism makes the first steps. For a long time, this amazing state was closed to foreigners. However, the wind of change has affected this country, having a richest historical and cultural heritage.
Last year, approximately 200 thousand went to Iran. foreign citizens. However, most of the arrived – Afghans running from the horrors of the civil war. 5 thousand foreign tourists arrive in the country annually. ours – much less. Exact statistics to find out is impossible. According to employees of travel agencies specializing in sending to Iran, this year only a few dozen our tourists visited this country. The main reason for so small flow from Russia is in the almost complete absence of advertising or other information about Iran and sufficiently severe rules of stay in this country.
East is a delicate matter
All women in Iran, including foreign tourists, must be worn, long skirt or long sleeve dress. And for obtaining a visa, a woman under 30 years old must be in the scarf. True, Chadra is not necessarily to wear foreigners. But Hijab – clothing modesty – you need to wear during travel by cities, when making purchases in the bazaars and especially when visiting the mosques. For men, it is advisable not to go in shorts. Although the morals in Iran have changed laterally, and now on the streets of Iranian cities can sometimes see aliens dressed in sportswear. This is especially characteristic of the island of Kish, located in the Persian Gulf. In Iran, there is practically no entertainment infrastructure. Casino is prohibited in the country, there are no nightclubs and the use of alcoholic drinks is not encouraged. But here there are unique architectural monuments that are interested in European and Japanese tourists, and good quality goods that our shuttles come.
Flights from Moscow to Tehran were carried out twice a week. On Thursdays flies "Aeroflot", On Tuesdays – National Airlines Iran Air. Individual rate on flights "Aeroflot" $ 430-440, on the flights of the Iranian airline – for $ 400-450. Ticket price for Iran Air for groups from 10 people – $ 320. Some our firms offer a more complex and cheaper flight method. You can, for example, fly to Baku on the flight "Aeroflot" or "Domodedovo Airlines" Approximately $ 160 (in both ends), and then, after a few hours of waiting at the airport, fly to Tehran on the flight of the National Airlines of Azerbaijan "Azal" (for $ 120). Thus, the flight will cost $ 280.
What is offered in Russia
No more than 3-4 firms actually sends tourists from Moscow to Iran. In other regions, you can count more about 7-10 firms. They are sent to Iran mostly shuttles or businessmen. Less often – excursions coming to get acquainted with architectural monuments and culture of this country.
One of the proposals is a weekly shopping tour in Tehran for $ 555-690. The price includes: visa, flight, accommodation in a hotel 3 * or 4 * with half board, transfers and even cargo. Payment of cargo is made separately, at the rate of 35-40 cents per 1 kg. Shubles are exporting high-quality handmade furniture from Iran, unique Persian carpets, children’s goods, knitwear, dishes and plumbing of excellent quality and at prices below European. The cost is comparable to Turkish. Especially profitable to buy these goods along with household, audio and video equipment on the island of Kish, an announced free economic zone. Here prices are lower due to the absence of VAT. You can go to the island either through the Emirates (not required of the Iranian visa), or through Tehran, from where airplanes fly to KISS. Seven-day tour costs from $ 700. Three days, tourists get acquainted with Tehran, attend markets and shops, and the rest of the time resting on the sea. While the scale of purchases are incomparable with Turkish or emirats. But, unlike the UAE and some other Muslim states, there are no problems with the issuance of visual visas and unmarried ours, so the flow of shuttles may well grow.
Excursion tours to Iran are also presented on the market. For example, a weekly tour of Tehran and Isfahan can be purchased for $ 650, a weekly tour of the country, which includes visiting Tehran, Chiraza and Yazda – for $ 880 with half board. And finally, a fifteen-day journey is offered "Silk Path" worth $ 1250, during which tourists inspect Samarkand, Bukhara (in Uzbekistan), Pedzhikent and Dushanbe (in Tajikistan), then fly to Tehran, from where they go to Isfahan, Shiraz and Meshad – the most interesting Iranian cities. Amazing, but despite the relatively high price, the demand for this tour is.
Get acquainted with Iran start from the capital. In Tehran, the Palace of Nation (Palace of the former Iranian Shaha Pohlevius), Museum of Farm (the world’s largest carpet collection is hardly represented here, and the House of Ayatollah Khomeini, a religious leader who has had a great influence on Muslims around the world. All visitors will shook the simplicity of the dwelling of this extraordinary person, as well as the grand mausoleum on his grave in the vicinity of Tehran.
From the Iranian capital to Isfagan about 500 km, just over 30 minutes. will take flight on the local airline. Vintage Isfahan is famous for its mosques and madrasas (religious educational institutions) with minarets ("Manari Junbon") and eastern bazaars. Tourists are delighted and amazement of colored tiles and internal decoration of mosques. And, of course, the most luxurious hotel in Iran – a five-star Abbasi Hotel, a real museum. The rooms here have been removed by Persian handmade carpets, and the furniture is a real work of art. Cost of accommodation – $ 120-140 per day. For example: accommodation in the usual standard Room of the Hotel 3 * in Iran will cost $ 25-35 per person, in hotels 4 * – $ 40-50, and in hotels 5 * Room cost per day – from $ 60 to $ 100. There are no hotels owned by the famous hotel chains in the country, but the locals are not inferior to them, but in some cases even superior.
Approximately 900 km south of Tehran is Shiraz, the most visited among Iranian provincial cities. It goes here, mainly due to Persepolis – the ancient Persidian city, which arose in the VI-V BB. to N. NS. and the former capital of the huge empire of the achemenids. Persepolis in Iran is the same as Baalbek in Lebanon, Palmyra in Syria or Peter in Jordan. In Persepolis, residues of the palace complex, religious structures and much more are preserved. In Pazargada (not far from the city) there is a grave of the Great Cyrus, the legendary Persian ruler. And even Shiraz is known as the capital of literature and culture. After all, it was here that Hafiz, Saadi and other famous Eastern poets created their works. Mausoleums Haafiz and Saadi are also among the most visited places of Iran.
Another equally famous Eastern Thinker and Doctor – Avicenna – buried in Hamadan, formerly once the capital of ancient mussel. To this day, this city attracts travelers with beautiful architectural monuments.
Recently, Western Europeans are often coming to Yazd, 400 km northeast of Chyraza. Interest in it is explained not only by unique mosques, but also by the fact that the Yazda Center of Zoroastrianism is the religion of fireproofness, which existed in Iran to Muslim. From the Yazda, tourists can go to Kerman, world capital of carpets. It is believed that the best Persian carpets of handmade is here, and here they are most profitable to buy. Special conversation about religious tourism. Many Iranian firms offer pilgrimage tours on the most famous Muslim centers and shrines. These include Kum, Meshad and Shiraz. While our Muslims are not very actively visited. Although the interest from the our Muslims to Iran is huge.
In Russia, almost nothing know about Iran. Therefore, even lovers of sightseeing tourism prefer Iran many other countries. But gradually more than foreigners arrive in Iran. A country that has walked a lot of rumors, attracts tourists. Perhaps this trend will affect Russia.
