travel to iran

Hi,

I'm a student from the US considering taking a trip to Iran later this
year, for about 2-3 weeks around September. During the trip I'd like to
visit three or four cities (Tehran, Persepolis, Shiraz, Isfahan) and
maybe do some hiking or backpacking if there is time. However, I
haven't been able to find much information online other than the visa
application form and the Lonely Planet page. So the main questions I
have a

Is it possible to do this trip on my own or is it necessary/advisable
that I go through a tour operator? If so, anyone know of a good agency
to contact?

Can I get by with little knowledge of Farsi (i.e. the amount learned
from a short conversational course or language tapes)?

Is it likely that I'll be able to get a tourist visa, and are there any
hidden pitfalls?

Anyways, if anyone with Iran travel experience has any advice, it'd be
greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
rick

"rjw" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I'm a student from the US considering taking a trip to Iran later this
year, for about 2-3 weeks around September.
snip

Hi Rick,

I visited Iran in October, 2001, and this is what I can tell you from my own
experience as a Dutch citizen travelling independently:-

Is it possible to do this trip on my own or is it necessary/advisable
that I go through a tour operator? If so, anyone know of a good agency
to contact?

Is it likely that I'll be able to get a tourist visa, and are there any
hidden pitfalls?

You won't be able to get a tourist visa without an Iranian sponsor. I myself
applied for a visa through a local travel agency, which made arrangements
with the Caravan Sahra agency in Tehran. I don't know if CS are also willing
to handle requests from individuals, but then again asking won't hurt. Their
website is at http://www.caravansahra.com . That said, it seems that for US
citizens the easiest way to be able to visit Iran at all is through an
organised tour...

Can I get by with little knowledge of Farsi (i.e. the amount learned
from a short conversational course or language tapes)?

You'll be surprised to see how many young Iranians - university students -
will be addressing you in English. If you visit the major cities, stay in
hotels or guesthouses that are accustomed to foreign tourists and have a
good quality guidebook with you, then there's no reason to assume why you
won't be able to see the major sights by yourself. However, _any_ knowledge
of Farsi helps; take a phrasebook with you. Learn to write, read and
pronounce the numerals; Iranians understand both Arabic and Roman numerals
in writing. Take a pocket calculator with you, when you need to bargain.
Note: _when_, not _if_


Anyways, if anyone with Iran travel experience has any advice, it'd be
greatly appreciated.

Basic rule #1: -show-respect-at-all-time-
Basic rule #2: take the usual precautions: check for required immunisations
_before_ you leave, keep your passport, visa and valuables on you or in a
safe place at all time, keep your luggage safe
Basic rule #3: be prepared for many requests from people who would like
_you_ to act as _their_ sponsor for visiting the US...

I'm sure I could answer more specific questions; most of the questions I had
could be answered by the Lonely Planet Guidebook.


Thanks!
rick


You're welcome.

Regards,

Marten
-remove the obvious to reply by e-mail-

rjw wrote in message ...
Hi,

I'm a student from the US considering taking a trip to Iran later this
year, for about 2-3 weeks around September. During the trip I'd like to
visit three or four cities (Tehran, Persepolis, Shiraz, Isfahan) and
maybe do some hiking or backpacking if there is time. However, I
haven't been able to find much information online other than the visa
application form and the Lonely Planet page. So the main questions I
have a

Is it possible to do this trip on my own or is it necessary/advisable
that I go through a tour operator? If so, anyone know of a good agency
to contact?

Can I get by with little knowledge of Farsi (i.e. the amount learned
from a short conversational course or language tapes)?

Is it likely that I'll be able to get a tourist visa, and are there any
hidden pitfalls?

Anyways, if anyone with Iran travel experience has any advice, it'd be
greatly appreciated.

You have to get a visa from the Pakistani embassy. It's probably not
safe for an American to be travelling to Iran.

http://www.travel.state.gov/iran.html

Tchiowa wrote:
rjw wrote:
I'm a student from the US considering taking a trip to Iran later this
year, for about 2-3 weeks around September. During the trip I'd like to
visit three or four cities (Tehran, Persepolis, Shiraz, Isfahan) and
maybe do some hiking or backpacking if there is time. However, I
haven't been able to find much information online other than the visa
application form and the Lonely Planet page. So the main questions I
have a

You have to get a visa from the Pakistani embassy. It's probably not
safe for an American to be travelling to Iran.

http://www.travel.state.gov/iran.html

Even the normally-paranoid State Department travel warning author makes it
pretty clear that (as is actually the case) Iran is a very safe place to
travel. Crime is almost nonexistent and Americans are widely beloved. There
are a few areas to steer clear of and the Travel Warning page explicitly
lists them.

Really, the only problem is getting the visa. It's very difficult on a US
passport.

miguel
--
Hundreds of travel photos from around the world: http://travel.u.nu/

Quoting (Miguel Cruz) regarding travel to iran in a message
dated Mon, 09 Feb 2004 19:52:41 GMT:

Even the normally-paranoid State Department travel warning author makes it
pretty clear that (as is actually the case) Iran is a very safe place to
travel. Crime is almost nonexistent and Americans are widely beloved. There
are a few areas to steer clear of and the Travel Warning page explicitly
lists them.

Really, the only problem is getting the visa. It's very difficult on a US
passport.

miguel

My hair stylist was born in Iran but is now a US Citizen as is her entire
family. Nonetheless, every 2 years they all go back to visit other family.
Next time I see her, I'll have to ask how hard it is for her klan to get
entry/exit visas. She seems never to have a problem, and I would imagine it's
tougher for people of Iranian ancestry but who now have US passports to get
through Iranian immigration.



__________________________________

Regards,
Arnold.

(E-mail address altered, to prevent spamming. :-|
Remove all asterisks and the *hates*spam* to get true address.)