Solo traveling to Iran
Iran was the first country where I had traveled solo and you can say that I started with a bang. The decision to travel to Iran was easy. A quick visa on arrival, beautiful photos of Shiraz and Omar Khayyam’s Rubaiyat (one of the most beautiful poetry I have ever read), cemented my Iran dreams and before I knew it, I was headed towards erstwhile Persia. A hopeless romantic, I love all things beautiful, poetic, and flowery and it took just a few stunning images of Shiraz to dissipate the fearsome global image of Iran from my mind. That was many years ago when Iran offered visas on arrival to citizens of Hind (or India) and ever since I visited the beautiful country many times. I have many friends there, know some of its cities like the back of my hand yet have always returned from Iran with conflicting emotions which range from a twinge of sadness to excruciating frustration.

One of the most fascinating places on earth
Like most grand old civilizations of the world, Iran affects its travelers in oscillating ways and it is one country, where a woman traveler faces strong initial cultural difficulties. I learned this immediately upon landing on my first visit when being the only (and) single woman traveler in the group, I was kept waiting for a visa until the end. The visa regulations have changed many times since then and since 2014, Indian passport holders can no longer avail of the visa on arrival facility in Iran. While changes in travel requirements are inevitable, the gnawing fear which always sat at the pit of my stomach during every landing into Iran remained unchanged over the course of my visits.
Interested in the Middle East? You may enjoy the Yemen series.

My love-hate relationship with this stunning country
Apart from Iran, I have never experienced a more circuitous visa procedure in any country other than Cuba. I guess, no matter how many times I visited Iran, that irrational instinctive fear remained unchanged. Iran, like Indonesia, has nurtured me as a solo traveler and an independent woman, and I owe my love for travel to this beautiful country. The first impression is the last impression and Iran as my starting off destination for solo travel has turned me into a passionate explorer for life. Needless to say, it is an exceptionally beautiful, pocket-friendly country with amazing natural and historical treasures, cultural riches and has one of the friendliest people in the world. Iran’s penchant for being in the news for wrong reasons had left it largely uncommercialized and unexplored for a long time, and in the past, many parts of interior Iran had given me the thrilling feeling of being in an Indiana Jones sort of adventure.
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Is it one of the upcoming global destinations?
All that, however, is changing fast and Iran is poised for a big tourism boom. Last year, most of the world’s popular travel publications and authorities had hailed Iran as one of the hottest upcoming destinations and suddenly erstwhile Persia is on everybody’s travel wish list. While this definitely means more tourist-friendly infrastructure and facilities, a selfish part of me will miss enjoying the bliss of Iran’s intrepid destinations all by myself. The tumbling calm water of Badab-e-Sourt will no longer reflect only my face on its cascading terraced pools, the massive blue interiors of Friday Mosque in Naqsh-e-Jahan Square will diminish due to the touristy crowd and Shiraz’s gentle flowery pace will quicken with international time. I will miss plucking lotuses from a floating barge on Anzali Lagoon’s sea of flowers and Rasht’s silvery rain will no longer smell of silent solitude. The inquisitive olive and sunflower seeds sellers on Kermanshah highways will get used to traveler’s presence and the historic villages will reverberate with various global languages. Kashan Rose Festival will not be my solo traveler’s crowning achievement anymore and Yazd’s stunning desert houses will turn into international caravanserais.

Solo traveling in Iran – is it possible?
While all this makes me feel extremely nostalgic about my past Iran journeys, I cannot help but extend my best wishes for the future to my friends living all across the beautiful nation. Iran is set for a change and here’s wishing the beautiful old civilization its much-deserved glory. βPeople donβt take trips, trips take people.β had quoted the wise John Steinbeck and this holds true to my Iranian explorations. Presenting, one of my most beautiful travel experiences to one of the world’s least visited destinations…the story of a magical transformation of a solo woman traveling in Iran.






RESPONSIBLE TRAVELING-BECAUSE I CARE
Good evening
a harmonious colorful Bild.Hab a beautiful Abend.Herzlichst Andrea
When to prune his claws of the cat you run risk of mice eaten to be stating the quote of my father who was a wise man before my father the Irish garment has filed…Sincerely Andrea
Thank you
for your entire family all times blessing
Iran isn’t a place which has popped up on my travel radar but after reading your post and looking at your wonderful pictures I find myself thinking, “Well, why not?”
Thank you.Iran is not exactly very welcoming thought for any traveler,but you should.Iran is beautiful,has tons to offer in food,shopping,places to visit and things to do.You will love it there.Happy traveling.
I don’t know if I will ever be able to visit Iran, enjoyed this post thoroughly, the pics and of course the requests for kiss. π
Ha ha . Thank you.The request was hilarious. After that day I have never voluntarily wished a stranger in middle east, I hope you do get to visit Iran because it’s beautiful.
Beautiful you are living life so fully π
Thank you very much.
Your posts are always different, appreciative and curious. This is first ever time I m reading a lot about Iran. Thank you so much for producing this series.
Thank you for your kind words. I hope you enjoy the rest of Iran series.
Awesome post and pictures!!!! Lucky you!!
Thank you very much.
Awesome post and some great pictures. π
Thank you.
Thanks again for taking us along your journey! sadly only visual not actual there! jackie
Thank you Jackie. Happy that you enjoyed the post.
Not much is written about Iran from the tourism point of view. Thank you for the amazing post. (And you have traveled to Cuba as well ? )
Salutes
Thank you very much. I am glad that you enjoyed the post. Hope you like the rest of the Iran series.
Thanks a lot for sharing beautiful post & photos.
Thank you. Glad that you liked the post.
Beautiful photos and post! I feel like packing up my bags and going to Iran right now. π
Wow. That’s the best compliment any travel blogger can ever receive. I am glad that you enjoyed the post. Hope you like the rest of Iran series.
Iran is so beaiutiful! The old fort architecture and the mosaic work in the mosque are so beautiful. So much art! And the food looks amazing!
Thank you. Persian architecture and tiles are one of the best in the world. And ohhhhthe food was to die for. A non vegetarian eater’s paradise.
Wow! Beautiful shots, I know the feeling of your personal finds being open to the public π But Iran as the your first solo destination? That’s hot! Keep them coming, yo! π
Thank you.
Amazing Pictures ! Thank You for sharing !
Thank you.
Fantastic photos and equally wonderful write-up.
Thank you very much.