Iran Yazd Desert Cycling

Yazd Province, Iran · Iran

Moderate12 daysAsia~£1,400 est.

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Overview

Cycle between the great desert cities of central Iran — Yazd, Isfahan and Shiraz — on quiet roads along the western fringe of the Dasht-e Kavir, where qanat-fed oasis gardens and mud-brick caravanserais break the emptiness exactly as they have for centuries of Silk Road traffic. Yazd is the anchor: a UNESCO-listed old city of adobe lanes, Zoroastrian fire temples and the tall badgir wind towers that have cooled its houses without electricity for hundreds of years. Isfahan delivers the theatrical set piece of Naqsh-e Jahan Square; from Shiraz you ride out to the ruins of Persepolis at dawn, before the coaches arrive. What no one prepares you for is the hospitality. Touring cyclists in Iran are flagged down for tea, invited home and fed until they surrender — budget extra days for kindness. The practical catches: stretches between reliable water can top 80 km, spring and autumn (March-April, October-November) are the only sensible seasons, and women must ride with hair covered and arms and legs clothed. British nationals currently need a guided itinerary for the visa, which shapes most trips; around £1,400 covers a supported fortnight excluding flights. Carry cash for everything — foreign bank cards do not work in Iran.