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I might have a couple of weeks early in September, and have always wanted to visit Iran. My questions revolve around availability of tourist visas for US citizens, how much cash to bring, and domestic transport. Friends who have been to Iran as tourists unanimously rave about the sights and hospitality and food. I'd want to visit Isfahan, Shiraz, Persepolis, Qom, maybe the Caspian, and see what Teheran has to offer. Anyone been recently? Emirates has a flight from Washington to Teheran via Dubai for little more than $900.
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Jul 17, 2015 20:42
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TheImmigrant posted:I might have a couple of weeks early in September, and have always wanted to visit Iran. My questions revolve around availability of tourist visas for US citizens, how much cash to bring, and domestic transport. Friends who have been to Iran as tourists unanimously rave about the sights and hospitality and food. I'd want to visit Isfahan, Shiraz, Persepolis, Qom, maybe the Caspian, and see what Teheran has to offer. I don't know if it's the same for Americans but as a travel agent in Australia I had someone look to go and they had to get an invite/sponsor letter before they could apply for the visa, at which point they could go. Many countries do this (Russia is one) but many countries make it really easy to get sponsor letters (like a hotel will send you one, there are companies online you spend like 10 bucks to get one, etc. For Iran, we could only find officially sanctioned private or group tours that would do this for us. So no just rocking up and winging it, or even rocking up with hotel reservations and doing what you want. You have to be in a group tour. A quick google search shows it's the same for Americans as well http://uncorneredmarket.com/american-travel-iran/ It was told to us that it would take a few weeks to get the visa if we went ahead, and we have an Iranian Embassy in our country. Again, google searches show no Iranian Embassy or Consulate in America, with a mission running out of the Pakistani embassy in DC. Google says it'd take you 30 days to get a visa. Much like that link, we were looking at G Adventures for the tour but they ended up pulling out as they wanted to do their own thing. I can imagine things are the same/worse for American passport holders as Iran is not really BFFs with America/the west in general.
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Jul 18, 2015 02:36
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TheImmigrant posted:I might have a couple of weeks early in September, and have always wanted to visit Iran. My questions revolve around availability of tourist visas for US citizens, how much cash to bring, and domestic transport. Friends who have been to Iran as tourists unanimously rave about the sights and hospitality and food. I'd want to visit Isfahan, Shiraz, Persepolis, Qom, maybe the Caspian, and see what Teheran has to offer. Just a small note, you're going to need to bring enough cash to get you through that entire trip. Until the sanctions are lifted, your credit card and ATM card will be useless.
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Jul 18, 2015 18:25
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Whip Slagcheek posted:Just a small note, you're going to need to bring enough cash to get you through that entire trip. Until the sanctions are lifted, your credit card and ATM card will be useless. Already noted - had to do that for Cuba and Myanmar too. Iran is supposed to be extremely safe. Biggest hitch will be the visa. I'm in DC, so I can check up on things at the Pakistani Embassy. I hear varying recent reports on whether Americans need to be on a tour. A tour requirement wouldn't necessarily be a dealbreaker, but I'd prefer to avoid it.
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Jul 18, 2015 18:33
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TheImmigrant posted:Already noted - had to do that for Cuba and Myanmar too. Iran is supposed to be extremely safe. Biggest hitch will be the visa. I'm in DC, so I can check up on things at the Pakistani Embassy. I hear varying recent reports on whether Americans need to be on a tour. A tour requirement wouldn't necessarily be a dealbreaker, but I'd prefer to avoid it. The State Department website says to contact the office at the Pakistani Embassy as well. They should be able to walk you through the process. Oddly enough, you can travel to Kish Island without a visa, but you can't get to the mainland from Kish without the visa. Edit: this is the website for the Iranian Interests Section. On the visa application it says that tourists have to apply through a tour company, so it sounds like you're SOL for traveling on your own. http://www.daftar.org/eng/default.asp Whip Slagcheek fucked around with this message at 18:55 on Jul 18, 2015 |
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Jul 18, 2015 18:53
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As a Finnish person: Got my LOI from a travel agent without booking any tours for like 50 euros. Took about 800 dollars worth of cash for a 11 day trip. Ended up spending less than 300. I'm a budget traveler though, and I bargain for all sorts of things, including accommodation. Prices had tanked because of sanctions, it was great. Friendliest people on the planet. Tehran worth it for the people alone, especially if you see Qom. Isfahan is beautiful. Domestic transport is easy and cheap - you can fly (if you enjoy airlines banned in the EU) for low prices because fares are fixed and trains and buses are almost free. Fairly good infrastructure so travel speeds are comparable to most middle income countries. Americans might need to be accompanied as part of a tour, though from having read a trip report on FlyerTalk, it's apparently possible to just have a "tour" where they drive you around but you can go around alone at night.
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Jul 20, 2015 01:19
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Geriatric Pirate posted:
Yeah, a tour for travel around the country doesn't seem that terrible, so long as you don't have minders tagging along every step of the way. I have friends in Teheran that I'd like to visit without Reza from the Ministry of Information coming with to take notes on whom I'm visiting for what reasons. Looks like they have some decent ski areas too, although September would be far too early to hit them.
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Jul 20, 2015 15:03
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Bumping this; so the restrictions that Americans face also apply to brits?
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Sep 16, 2015 20:32
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Whorelord posted:Bumping this; so the restrictions that Americans face also apply to brits? Yes, you need to be signed up with an official escorted tour group. And you have to go to Paris or Dublin or somewhere outside the UK to pick up the visa, where they'll really rinse you on the charges.
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Sep 22, 2015 14:09
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Australian here. Iran is very very safe. One of the safest I've been to, and I've traveled a lot. Yes, bring enough cash in USD. It is quite cheap there. You can get alcohol if you meet the right people and get it on the black market. Everyone is very hospitable and you will get invited back to homes, or people will pay for things for you or try to help you through airports etc. this is normal and it's 99% going to be genuine and not a scam. The government won't touch you, and if you're white you'll walk through customs and security points with ease. Visit Isfanhan and Shiraz, they are amazing. The beaches on the coast and towns on the coast are supposed to be quite beautiful as well. If you're a woman you have to wear a head scarf but i mean, you can wear it loose at the back of your head, it doesn't matter. Also wear long pants if you're a guy, not shorts. I got my visa through: IranianVisa.com a few years ago, and it was all done online, no problems, but i had to go to the iranian embassy in my country to get the visa in my passport after I received the sponsorship. I heard you can get in by entry Visa now, but I'm not sure. Otherwise, it's a safe country to travel in but I found it hard without knowing the language. Learn the basics though like koda hafiz for goodbye, salam-alaykum for hello. chitori for how are you (or shoma chitor hastn?). Khoob for good, or Kel Khoob for very good. Rost is right, chap is left. I'm sure there are a million guides out there online. Also pop over the border into Iraqi kurdistan if you want to see northern iraq. vv both true. in fact i would recommend not driving. it is the most chaotic thing imaginable. in tehran it's the most insane amount of cars and chaos I have ever seen (and motorbikes!). Lascivious Sloth fucked around with this message at 17:43 on Nov 5, 2015 |
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Oct 20, 2015 17:09
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Be a bit careful if you're driving yourself. According to my parents the driving there is worse than Turkey, Georgia, the ex USSR 'Stans, and Russia. But the people there are just the best, super friendly.
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Oct 21, 2015 23:16
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