West Iran Travel, Tabriz, Kanduvan, Urmieh, Jolfa, Mt Sabalan, Ardabil

Day 1 Arrival Tabriz

You arrive in the capital of Iranian Azerbaijan and will be met on the airport by our representative, who will escort you to the hotel

Day 2 Tabriz - Kanduvan

In the morning you can explore Tabriz. Here you can stroll through the hustle and bustle of the city and visit the trendy shopping streets or search for the cultural sites. The main attraction is the immense bazaar, the largest in Iran. But there is also an Armenian church, and the beautiful Masjed-e Kabud, the Blue Mosque. The Bagh-e Melli, a landscaped garden with a large pond where you, along with Iranian families, can take a breather, is located in the eastern part of the city.
In the afternoon you will drive in one hour to Kanduvan. This is one of the most extraordinary 'troglodyte' (cave city) of Iran. Completely carved into limestone rocks reminiscent of the landscape of Cappadocia in Turkey. You will sleep in a cave hotel yourself.

Day 3 Kanduvan - Urmieh

Today you drive to the city of Urmieh, located near the lake with the same name. This is one of the 3 holy lakes of the historic Armenian empire (the other ones being Sevan in Armenia and Van in Turkey). This is also the site of the ancient empire Urartu. Near the salt lake you will find many churches. Also there is the town of Marageh, once the capital of the Mongolian empire ruled by Hulagu Khan. Here you can visit a 13th century observatorium and the tombe of Gonbad-e Kabud.

Day 4 Urmieh - Maku via Bastam and St. Thaddeus church

You drive to the remote place of Maku, in the border region with Turkey and Nakhichevan. On the way you might see the peaks of Mt Ararat in Turkey. First stop will be the village of Bastam, once an important stronghold in the Urartu empire. 
One of the highlights of our trip will be the visit of the Armenian church of St. Thaddeus. This church is build on original foundations of 68 AD, making it one of the oldest churches in the world. The church is also called Qara kelisa (black church) and is open only once a year, on a holy day in july, when thousands of pelgrims come together.

You will sleep in the town of Maku, beautifully located 20 km from the Turkish border.

Day 5 Maku - Kaleybar via Jolfa

From Maku you drive to Jolfa. At Jolfa you will find the more traces of the Armenian past in Iran. Here is the St. Stepanos church, built between the 7th and 10th century. The church is located in a deep canyon near the Aras river. In the vicinity you will find some Armenian churches and in Jolfa itself you can visit an old caravanserai. You will also see a bridge here, which forms the border with Nakhichevan.

You continue along the border following the the Aras valley. The Aras river has a legendary status. This would be one of the four rivers that flowed out of the Garden of Eden, and is mentioned in the Bible as the river Gihon. Now it is the border river of Iran with Azerbaijan and Armenia. You follow the river, which flows through the rugged mountain landscape like a green oasis. On the way you will visit small mountain villages such as Ushtebin, where the life of modern times has hardly left any trace.
At the end of the day you arrive in the small time of Kaleybar.

Day 6 Kaleybar Meshkin Shehr via Babak castle

In the morning you can visit the imposing Babak castle, which rises high above the landscape. It is a steep climb to the castle, which is a symbol for the proud Azeris in Iran. At the foot of the climb, Shah Savan nomads have stored their tents.
You can climb all the way up, but also be brought up a bit by jeep and from there it is a steep climb of one hour to the top of the castle. It is a nice walk all the way down.
After your visit you continue to Meshkin Shehr. This town is located on the foothills of Mount Sabalan (4811 meter). You spend the night in an 'eco resort' near hot springs at the foot of Mt. Sabalan. Here you can go for walks in the mountains and get acquainted with the Shah Savan nomads who store their tents here in summer.

Day 7 Meshkin Shehr / Mt. Sabalan

Today you have a choice of different options. Mt. Sabalan is the home of the Shah Savan nomads, a Turkic speaking tribe who, from spring to autumn, put their tents on the foothills of the mountain. You can make a hike and meet some of the nomads and see their way of live.

You can also go to the hot springs from Ghotorsoei. From here you can rent a jeep to take you up to the basecamp of Mt. Sabalan. Near a small mosque you will find many tents of people climbing the peak. Technically not difficult, this is one of the most popular climbs in Iran. You can hike yourself some part. If you really want go all the way to the top you have to get up very early!!

Day 8 Meshkin Shehr - Ardabil

In the morning you still can enjoy the beautiful mountain scenery, before you leave the holy city of Ardabil, beautifully situated at the foot of Mount Sabalan. In the past, the city was an important Sufi center. The main attraction is the mausoleum of Sheikh Safi od-Din Ishaq, the ancestor of the Safavids.

Day 9 Ardabil - Tabriz

Back to where you started, the town of Tabriz, with it's lively bazar.