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Kurdistan to the Caspian – Tour of
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The area of Kurdistan and Azerbaijan to the south-west of the Caspian Sea is one of the least visited parts of the Middle East. It is a land of green, highland pastures and windswept mountains and plateaux culminating in the legendary peak of Mt Ararat. It is also a treasure-trove of little known but utterly spectacular historic monuments as well, rarely visited by tour groups. Some are amongst the greatest in Persia, such as the immense domed mausoleum of Sultan Uljaitu at Sultanieh - the prototype of the Taj Mahal and one of the great monuments of Persian architecture - or the exquisite tile-work of the ruined Blue Mosque in Tabriz, the finest in Persia. Others boast equally fine architecture, such as the superb brick decoration of the Kharraqan Tombs or the tile-work of the Shrine of Ardebil, where Persia's legendary Safavid dynasty was born. There are also little known gems of Armenian architecture, such as the pilgrimage church of Kara Kilise, hidden away in the hills or the Church of Julfa on the Araxes River. But the highlight is the most mysterious and spectacular of them all: the ruined Parthian and Sasanian city of Takht-i Sulaiman - the 'Throne of Solomon'. Hidden deep within the mountains, Takht-i Sulaiman is a circular walled city that withstood Mark Antony's siege, built around a bottomless, vivid blue volcanic lake, one of the most stunning settings of any ruin in the world. An ancient holy city, it has many legends associated with it, including one of the resting places of the Holy Grail. Other legends, from the birthplace of Zoroaster to the hiding place of lost Mongol treasure, surround the vast expanse of Lake Urumieh. The tour will be based for 5 nights in Tabriz and make daily excursions to many of these monuments. The tour will culminate on the Caspian Sea, the world's largest inland waterway whose shores provide a totally unexpected landscape of subtropical rainforests and rice fields. |
Tour arranged by Warwick Ball and conducted by Peter Morgan Archaeologist Peter Morgan has excavated in Iran and Afghanistan and has conducted many tours to the region. He is engaged in long-term research on the effect of the Mongol invasions |
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Tour Price: £2352. Single supplement: £286
Cost includes: all airfares from London, full board, all excursions, museums and site entries, transfers at hotels and airports, all tips including tips to drivers and guides, detailed practical notes and historical and site notes, and the services of an English speaking guide and a lecturer/leader who accompanies the tour from UK
Not included: insurance, visas, drinks, laundry
Accommodation: Best available throughout. In Tehran this is 4 and 5 star hotels. Elsewhere, accommodation is at simpler provincial hotels, although all have single rooms with private amenities
Travel: by comfortable new air-conditioned coach
Local conditions: this tour is quite strenuous. There are some very long days and some of the hotels are fairly basic. Weather should be mild and sunny. Note that Iran requires that all women must comply with Islamic dress code, though contrary to popular misconception this does not mean the chador - conservative dress and a headscarf only is required. Details of this and other conditions are sent on booking.
Whilst every effort will be made to cover the programme as advertised, some minor alterations to the order of sightseeing might be made on the spot, according to local circumstances
Please check the Tour Updates page for information on available places and other information updates
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