Iran Itinerary (Bother with Baghdad)

[richard mole]

Greetings
I am a 69 year old Australian male. My trips in 2018/2019 were in Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh etc
My aim is to be in Iran for approximately three weeks commencing in the last week of September.
Prior to that I propose to spend about a week in northern Iraq (Kurdistan) before travelling to Iran (crossing the Haji Omran - Piranshahr land border).
I am toying with the idea of flying in to Baghdad and there staying for 2-3 days before going to Erbil (Kurdistan) by bus(es) or shared taxis (perhaps taking the easy option – flying).
Fellow travellers, your thoughts ?
My second question arises from my current plans for Iran.
I want to spend about a week in the Tabriz / Rasht/ Zanjan area and travel to Tehran via
Sanandaj.
Before proceeding, please note that I will be using public buses, trains etc.
I will spend two days in Tehran before heading south to Isfahan, Yazd, Yasju, Shiraz, Bandar Abbas and Hormoz Island.
Perhaps I will also go to the Lut Desert (Kerman).
For some fun/variety I propose to get a ferry from Bandar Abbas to Dubai.
I am also contemplating briefly visiting Oman.
Your input is sought.
Ta Richard

[mags]

Hi Richard,

It sounds like a great trip, but I do have some points to consider. I think you will need more than 3 weeks for the itinerary you want to travel in Iran and with public transport (which is really easy to do, all over Iran).
If you enter Iran from Iraq (Kurdish area) why not visit Owraman Takt (recently appointed Unesco status) and the surrounding area. From there I would travel to Sanandaj first, then on to Zanjan via Takhte Soleiman, Rasht and take the Khalkhal road up to Ardebil, from there on to Tabriz. From Tabriz to Tehran you could take one of the many buses. Your route with first the North and then Sanandaj isn't very practical to my mind ).

From Tehran take a bus to Kashan (really beautiful city, very friendly people), then Yazd, then Isfahan, and from Isfahan to Yasuj and then Shiraz. Shiraz to Bandar Abbas and Hormuz. If you would want to visit Kerman and Dashte Lut 3 weeks is absolutely not enough.

We are leaving for Iran next week with our mobile home (second time), just some hassle with the visa (45 days now), so if I cannot get that extended to a longer period (extending in Iran is a big hassle because the visa is linked with the Carnet de Passage and the insurance, which takes a lot of time to get organized as we experienced last time we were in Iran with our mobile home), so perhaps we, too, will cross over to Oman from Bandar Abbas to Dubai, and then return with a new visa to travel back in Dec/Jan.....

If you have any questions, please ask. (I normally work as a tourguide in Iran, have been visiting Iran since 2009, so I have a fair knowledge of traveling through that wonderful country.....)

[richard mole]

Thankyou so much Mags

[Ian Sp]

I Hope your trip went well, but just saw your post.
I loved Iran, and found them the friendliest people i have met.
Ian (also from Australia)