A November two-week road trip in Iran’s countryside, from the capital Tehran to our home in Mashhad in northeast Iran, through the Caspian Sea region. It included chasing Mt. Damavand, staying in rural ecolodges and village homes, eating plenty of traditional food and meeting many memorable hosts. Another reminder that you have to escape Tehran to find the real Iran in smaller towns and rural areas.
A November two-week road trip in Iran’s countryside, from the capital Tehran to our home in Mashhad in northeast Iran, through the Caspian Sea region. It included chasing Mt. Damavand, staying in rural ecolodges and village homes, eating plenty of traditional food and meeting many memorable hosts. Another reminder that you have to escape Tehran to find the real Iran in smaller towns and rural areas.
This the first story about our Iran road trip from Tehran to Mashhad, by way of the north Caspian Coast region. Don’t forget to leave your comments.
We had the complete symphony this morning waking up in the village of Lāsem (LAW-sem), a couple of hours northeast of Tehran. Then fell asleep again on the floor of the village “suite” we found by chance.
On our latest escape from Tehran, we intentionally plan minimally, seek traditional lodging and foods and not worry too much how long things take. Goal is to be open to new experiences.
The first sight of the snow-covered Mt. Damāvand was so unexpected and thrilling, that I just slammed on the brakes. Saeideh jumped out and ran.
The infamous Haraz Road north from Tehran offers lots of danger and bad roadside restaurants. It is, however, the shortest most beautiful and interesting path from Iran’s capital Tehran to the the Caspian Sea coast. The breathtaking views of the Alborz mountains are unbeatable.
“You haven’t even hit the jungle yet!” our host cried on the phone. Just the foggy climb to the 10,700-foot Filband village in northern Iran is an adventure during our Iran Caspian tour.
Filband is a village in northern Iran in the middle of the clouds so dense, you would swear you’re at beach not on top of a mountain. Were having a blast touring Iran’s Caspian Sea area.
Getting non-industrial food in Iran is as likely as running into Joe Biden at the supermarket – unless you specfically ask for farm-fresh food. And beware of Iranian hotels many fake stars.
I’m a happy man in an Iranian traditional home because everything – eating, sleeping, receiving of guests – happens not on furniture but on floors covered with nothing but Persian rugs. Empty rooms are peaceful.
On our road trip from Tehran to Mashhad, we passed through Sari, one of the largest cities in Iran’s Caspian Coast region.
In the words of this former mobster: “I didn’t even have to ask for protection money. Shopkeepers just came out in the street and gave it to me because they knew what I would do to them if they didn’t. But I have asked forgiveness from everyone of them.”
The beach at this 2-million-year-old lake in the middle of an Iranian forest is the perfect camping site for a road tour of the Iran’s Caspian Coast – even if it gets bone-chillingly cold this late in the fall.
