What services do we offer about Iran Tours?

Iran Tours

SHAKIBA Travel Company offers all the necessary services you need from A to Z, during your trip to Iran. The services include Iran tours, visa collection assistance, tour guides, transfer, transport (private car, van, bus, plane, and train), and accommodation (Hotels, Hostels, Ecolodges, Homestays, Guest houses). We need to say that based on your request, our team is ready to provide whatever services you ask for. Do not hesitate to tell us what you need. We are just here to listen to your requests and offer our top quality services.

Iran tours spain group

We plan our Iran tours in a way to keep your trip problems to the minimum. The packages include all the necessary services that travelers need. Choosing from among these packages will let you save a significant amount of time, money and energy. By the help of our packages, you have chances to travel with ease and comfort.

SHAKIBA takes your tastes and interests into attention and designs a variety of Iran tours like budget, luxury, classic and particular interest. Our packages are completely flexible. There is the possibility to select different parts of our packages and have a mixture of them. You can even have your tailor-made package.

Iran Super Budget/Cheap Tours

If you intend to travel at the lowest price and enjoy all the real beauties of Iran, you can make sure that our team pays great attention to your budget and of course your pocket. In other words, accommodations are guest houses and travelers would use public transportation in these tours. There is no meal included in these packages but in some of the accommodations, you’ll serve free of charge breakfasts. Furthermore, the guide who leads the tour will be a local one.

Iran Budget/Cheap Tours

SHAKIBA’s Iran budget tours are among its great requested packages and designed based on the time of travel. In these tours, accommodations are at 2-star hotels or guest houses and travelers would use public transportation. There is two meal (breakfast and lunch or dinner) included in these packages. The guide who leads the tour will be a local one.

Iran Classic Tours

Iran classic tours are provided to foreign travelers as the services by SHAKIBA Company. By the help of SHAKIBA’s classic tours, you have the opportunity to visit the cities of Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz, Yazd, and Kashan. The mentioned cities will be selected based on the trip route. In some of our classic packages, travelers will enjoy a visit to desert areas. Accommodations are at 3 and 4-star hotels and there will be domestic flights and private cars. Breakfasts are included for all the days and a private tour guide will lead the tour.

Iran Luxury Tours

Iran luxury tours are one of the services that SHAKIBA provides to foreign travelers to Iran. In our luxury tour packages, all the services are high quality with luxurious style. Accommodations are at 4 and 5 – star hotels and there will be domestic flights and comfortable private cars. All the meals will be included in these tours and the tour guide will be a private one who accompanies you through your journey.

Iran tours French group

Iran Culinary Tours

Iran culinary tour is an opportunity to experience and taste various kinds of dishes and delights that are suitable to fulfill any interest and appetite.  If you are even a vegetarian, you could make food based on your desire. In fact, Iran is a multicultural country and influenced by the different climate and traditions, you would discover all of these cases along with diverse cooking style in this tour. There are several traditional dishes and mouth-watering food in Iran gastronomy such as Khoresht (stew) Kebab, Beryan, Kufteh Tabrizi, Khoresht-e mast, Ash (soup), Dizi and favorite beverages like tea and Dough (minty yogurt drink ). You will take part through the entire process, step by step of cooking Iranian food and have hands-on experience of preparing fresh and rich ingredients, cooking and finally serving the meals in an Iranian home.

Iran tours culinary Isfahan

Iran Culinary Tour (Re)

To sum up, you will finish off this tour with:

  • Getting familiar with shopping in the city market and Bazaar of Iran
  • Learning to make traditional dishes
  • Enjoying a Persian food (cooked by you)
  • Understanding Persian hospitality and atmosphere of Iranian homes
  • Request this tour through SHAKIBA team is only a chance to have first-hand close contact with locals. The memory of this tour certainly remains with you for the days and months after.

Iran Independent Tours

Iran independent tours are becoming more and more popular for individual travelers for discovering Iran through their own eyes. Are you looking to experience a different Iran? Want to have the freedom to explore the best of Iran on your own? Look no further. The well-crafted itinerary can fulfill your needs. We believe that a map will be enough to find Iran incredible sites through the self-drive program. Besides that if you wish you can choose a professional guide to reflect you the unique travel interests.

Iran tours tailor-made

Think about the advantages of these unescorted tour packages:

  • Travel solely with your specific needs
  • Have plenty of flexibility and privacy
  • Choose your class of services
  • Have your guide’s full attention
  • Spend time with locals and make some new friends

In addition, SHAKIBA team is ready to answer any questions you probably have on your mind. We provide the highest standard of services you need during your vacation. Don’t hesitate to request this tour.

Iran Special Interest Tours

Iran special interest tours are offered to foreign travelers to Iran by SHAKIBA Company. If travelers have specific interests to follow during their trips, they’ll have the chances to pick up one package of this category which includes Events, Culinary, Nomad, Mountain Climbing, Cycling, Music, Persian Language Learning and Handicrafts Workshops. There can still be more options based on the type of trip and your request.

Iran tours handicraft workshop

Iran tours events

Isfahan Day ceremonies, 22-24 November

Iran Student Tours

Iran student tours are offering services to international students by SHAKIBA Company. On these student tours, education is a highlight along with the visits to Iran’s tourist attractions. The packages include training courses for handicrafts, local confectionery, familiarity with intimate associations and Persian language learning.

Iran Tailor-made Tours

Shakiba’s Iran tailor-made tours sound like a bespoke trip, which were designed based on your demand. Iran adventures and beauties such as various climates, landscape, history, and culture need enough time to explore. This package has flexibility towards times to even stay more in a place to discover at your own pace.

There are several advantages not to hesitate to choose Iran tailor-made tours:

  • Start the journey with your preferred dates
  • Choose the level of services you need (Hotels, restaurant, and transportation)
  • Get information about anything you’ll ask for
  • Arrange the time with your interest such as to shop or relax more

To put in anther way, your preferences create this kind of Iran tour. Request Iran tailor-made tour to experience comfortable and stress-free travel. You just tell us what you would like to see and our tight-knit team prepares day to day detail itinerary to turn your trip a unique one.

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Assassination of Nizam al-Mulk by Assassins

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Assassin’s Creed Games

Assassin’s Creed games

Assassin’s Creed games are a mixture of imagination and historical reality. The scenario of these games shows how a small group who loves killing brings the world to chaos and fear. It is a story that seems to have happened in Alamut.

Assassin's Creed Games

But a question always lies in the minds of people, how much of Assassin legend is true? Were the Assassins real? All historical facts which are adopted into the Assassin’s Creed universe refer to the Alamut Castle that was controlled by a missionary named Hassan-i Sabah and his followers. This tale began in the medieval Middle East and concentrated on the sect of assassins.

Are Assassin’s Creed games based on reality?

The Assassin’s Creed tells a story of Hassan-i Sabbah who is the leader of Nizari Ismailis. Few people find in history that they have the power, bravery and recklessness of him. He was beyond time and place and a sample for all liberators. He had a small squad in the garrison of Alamut. They are young students and warriors, and the only purpose is to sacrifice themselves in the battle for Ismailism. The Assassins had to be patient, apathetic and generally intelligent.

The assassin used blades disguised as daily items like an ink writing pen. They never attacked from behind and did not use poison to destroy their enemies. The method of their assassination was to kill directly with the killer’s devotees. However, the theme of Assassin’s Creed games is against these realities. They tried to create peace not only within the world but within the individual.


The assassin’s motto “Nothing is true, and everything is permitted “was a bit differently laughing his absolute reality always permitted. They see the world the way it really is and hope that one day all humanity might see.

Assassin order until the modern era

From past to present, Assassins whose dimensions are still in the halo of mystery and mythology. In the new era, the Assassin legends in Europe and the U.S were the source of inspiration for many films and computer games. However, for someone whose excitement brings him to Assassin’s background at any moment, nothing is more attractive than stepping into the Assassin’s origin as Alamut and imagine himself a moment with his closed eyes at that time.

Assassin's Creed Games

The Secrets of Alamut Castle

The inaccessible castle of Alamut

The spectacular Alamut Castle lies at the top of a red and gray cliff (2,100 meters above sea level) in the part of the Alborz Mountains of Iran’s Qazvin Province and built in the 9th century AD. Alamut Castle was developed in the 11th century by the Ismaili missionary, Hassan-i Sabbah and his followers, and used as headquarters. In other words, the Alamut Castle was strategically unreachable for Ismaili enemies with its four sides ending at the precipices. It consists of two parts: high fortress and low fortress. The residence of Hassan-i Sabbah was in the high fortress, which for 35 years led the Ismaili Nizari.

Alamut Castle

Gazorkhan Village, Alamut Mountains, Qazvin, Iran

Assassins, reality or myth?

They developed an irrigation network and planted trees and many medicinal plants around the castle. Due to the presence of water, various medicinal herbs also began to grow in the area, apparently hashish was one of them. After a while, they began to produce a variety of medicines and exported to different parts of the world.

Alamut Castle

Alamut Castle

As mentioned above, the word “Hashash” in Arabic means the pharmacist. Later in the myths made for the Ismailis, Ismaili rulers were accused of feeding hashish to their followers and sending them to assassinate ministers and government officials.

Terrible killer

Hassan-i Sabbah, spiritual leader of Ismaili Nizari, was a strict ruler and well-known as the “Old Man of the Mountain.” Sabbah’s purpose was not only fighting for the power of Abbasid caliph but also to attack Christian forces. Further more,  he expanded his influence to nearby districts and intimidated the local populations. His followers can mount a regular army developed a form of warfare based on precise and targeted killings of individuals. As a result, they assassinated many people, among them the ministers like the Seljuk minister, Nizam al-Mulk was in this case.

Alamut Castle

Alamut Castle

The downfall of the castle

Finally, there were many conflicts between the Assassins and the Mongols. Because of fighting Assassins on two fronts, they defeated the Mongols and Hulagu Khan destroyed Alamut Castle (13th century AD). Afterward, the castle turned into a prison and exile.

Alamut Castle

Assassins in Alamut Castle

Assassins

The Assassins refer to an Islamic sect called Nizari Ismailis. They were followers of Hassan-i Sabbah who gathered at Alamut Castle in the 11th century to defend the people against the oppression of the tyrannical governments of that time. The main occupation of these people was the pharmacy and export to various parts of the world. The Assassin is pronounced “Hashashin” in Arabic, and means a pharmacist or druggist. For this reason, the missionaries of this sect are Assassin.

Assassins legends

Assassination is as old as human life. The word “assassin” implies a professional killer with a high-profile target for political reasons. The “assassin” is the main Arabic word which comes to European languages during the Crusades and the Middle Ages wars. Assassin is pronounced “Hashashin” in Arabic, and means a pharmacist or druggist. During the Crusades wars and later on, the Ismaili history has combined with many myths, one of which was the use of marijuana by the Ismailis.


assassins

An assassin soldier kills an elected leader

Hashashin was famous for how to kill people. There has always been a halo of mystery around Hashishin as a dreaded group, so everyone adds new details to the legend of the Assassins. More ever, Marco Polo was one of the most influential people in this story. So according to Marco Polo’s narrative, Assassins’ followers went to a paradise stocked with excellent food and beautiful women by using marijuana. Then Ismaili leader told them “if you would like to go back to paradise once again, you should obey my commands.” He encouraged them to assassination and killing in this way. The Assassin refers to an Islamic sect called Nizari Ismailis.

Assassins of Alamut

The assassins of Alamut date back to the 11th and 12th centuries. The assassins of Alamut headquarter was in Alamut castle, which mountainous position had a significant advantage over its enemies. Hassan Sabbah founded the Ismaili state in Iran. According to Fitzgerald’s words in the introduction to the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, he was the Seljuk minister’s close friend, Nizam al-Mulk.

assassins

Nizam al-Mulk Mausoleum, Isfahan

Besides Alamut, Lambsar Castle, Shahdezh Castle and Rudkhan Castle were other assassins of Alamut’s basis.

In other words, Seljuks and Abbasi caliphate were among the most important enemies of the Assassin. They struck fear and daggers into the hearts of mostly princes, officials, ministers and religious figures and the crusaders. For this reason, any assassination carried out at any place referred to the Assassin. Further more, one of the reasons for knotting the word assassin with murder is the same.

assassins

The gate of Alamut Castle

The Downfall of the Assassins

Finally, the downfall of Hashashin began when they inevitably fought against their enemies on two different fronts (Sham and Iran). While the state of Egypt was at war with the Europeans in Sham, the Ismailis as a regional power were a great danger to the ruler of Egypt. However, their most important enemy was the Mongols who eventually destroyed and eliminated their order. After several years of struggle, the Ismailis failed to maintain their own government but created the myths that have continued for many years to come.

No More Fear of Squat Toilets!

Squat toilet in Iran

Squat toilet in Iran is similar to what you can expect in many countries of Asia. It is the default found in public buildings, shopping areas and restaurants, but touristic hotels have western toilets (sit-down style) known as “Farangi Toilet / توالت فرنگی” for the guests. In public spaces, the women and men’s restrooms are separated, and you should pay attention to the sign.

squat toilet in Iran

Iranian toilet is used by squatting unlike a western toilet has a sit-down style. When you travel to Iran, you won’t end up using a squat toilet, and you ultimately have to face your fears.

squat toilet in Iran

How to use the squat toilet

Squat toilet consists of a hole in the ground and the water hose on the right side of the wall. According to the cultures, there are many different ways to clean oneself after using the toilet. Having access to water in the toilet is essential for Iranians.

The left hand and a small water pipe take over duty for toilet paper, and you know why toilet paper is often not available.

Tips to know how to use the squat toilet:

  • You should take off your shoes at the door before entering and use the slippers inside.
  • Take your coat or jacket off
  • It’s better to take out everything from your pockets before squatting.
  • It would help if you take your pants down above your knees.
  • You can use water to clean yourself. Hold the water tap with the right hand and use the other hand for cleaning. Don’t worry; you could wash your hands with soap after that!
  • Watch out! Hot water can make much injuring.

squat toilet in Iran

squat toilet in Iran

In some of the toilets along with roads and streets, the Aftabeh (water vessel) is used instead of the water hose. For the use of Aftabeh, you should:

  • Fill it with some water
  • Hold it with the right hand
  • Use the left hand for cleaning

A large population in Asia uses the squat toilet without any personal injury. Many medical experts believe that using squat toilets are better for colon health. It is also easier to clean and one of the cleanest toilet in the world.