Autumn in Iran

In the Western world, Iran is very disreputable. A few years ago, George Bush proclaimed that Iran is a country where all evil evolves. Without doubt, the country's theocracy and president are not among God's best children. We want to find out and to see for ourselves how the population, in this very repressed country, actually is. When we told people that our next trip was to Iran, many people have asked us: "Why go, when the country is so dangerous?" The answer is simply: "Not at all". Iran is the most incredible safe place to travel. Assaults and thefts from tourists are extremely rare. As a tourist there is no problem in being out late. The safety is comparable to Western European countries. Everywhere we meet incredibly friendly people that showed a great and sincere interest in us. We can for sure say that never before have we meet so helpful, hospitable and welcoming people. The fact is that most Iranians hate their government and dream of a different direction for their country. The fear of the brutal theocracy make the Iranian keep their opinions to themselves -most of the time. Each time they express they mind or demonstrate they fear for their lives. The country is incredibly inexpensive as prices remain very low. The price level is likely to increase due to the fact that the inflation is high. Now is the time to visit the country while prices are still favorable. Generally, the country is very poor but it is nonetheless rarely to see beggars - not like in India. Despite the poverty, the country has an excellent infrastructure with good roads. It is normal to have two lane highways of high standard. Before the trip, we decided to make the journey in a different way than most travel agents recommend. We would focus less on mosques and historical sites. In stead, we would put our energy in to exploring the nature and the people of this country. One autumn day in October we went off to Iran with our backpacks stuffed ready for adventures and a world very distant from our own. We start in the capital, Tehran. After a few days we took a domestic flight to the city of Shiraz. Here we stayed with nomads situated at the foot of Zagros Mountain. A unique and very primitive experience. This journey takes you through desert safaris, mud towns, and a long and enduring climb of one of Iran's highest mountains. Must-see cities such as Yadz and Esfahan are also part of our exciting tour program. Read more about it in our diary below.