FAQ

Contrary to rumors and the media, Iran welcomes tourists with warmth and open arms. It is an incredibly safe and hospitable country to visit, regardless of your nationality.

As kind as Iranians are face to face, don’t expect that kind of compassion behind the wheel. Crossing the street as a pedestrian in Iran is terrifying. Cars and motorcycles don’t typically adhere to lane markings, speed limits, or stop signs, so you’ll see vehicles whizzing around without any kind of predictability. Yes, even at crosswalks.

Both men and women must observe Islamic dress codes in public

Few questions occupy the minds of first-time female visitors to Iran quite like the question of what to wear. Like all females aged nine and older, women travellers will need to wear hejab while in Iran. That means covering hair, arms and legs and wearing clothes that disguise your body shape when in public. Bring something long and loose from home and, if you want to look less like a tourist, shop for a manteau (an overcoat that covers your bottom, at least) once you arrive. Ditto for scarves, which will require constant attention lest you expose too much hair. As for men, the main dress restrictions are that you shouldn’t wear shorts, or singlets that show your shoulders.
Women must wear a chador (a long piece of fabric wrapped around the body) inside of all mosques and religious sites. Before entering a mosque or a residence, everyone must remove their shoes.

Because of the sanctions against Iran, ATM and bank use is not available to foreigners. Therefore, Bring enough cash (in US dollars or euros) for the duration of your trip. You cannot use credit or debit cards, travellers cheques or ATMs. Inside of Iran, you can exchange your money at the airport, at banks, at your hotel, or at official money exchange centers. The rates will vary so make sure you know the official exchange for your currency so you can compare. Regardless of whether you are staying in luxury properties or hostels, you will need to pay for everything in cash.

As of June 2018, it was nearly impossible to exchange currencies other than USD or EUR in Iran so we recommend bringing only USD or EUR for your trip.

The good news about bringing all your cash with you is that, in general, traveling in Iran is fairly cheap. For non-Americans/British/Canadians, you can likely slide by spending less than $30 a day, including your hostel. Unfortunately, Americans, British, and Canadians need to be part of a tour in order to travel to Iran, so it will be significantly more expensive.

Meals at an average restaurant range from $3-8 per person. Entry into historic attractions is typically $2-6 per person. Taxi rides within a city can cost anywhere from $2-8. Souvenirs range greatly in price, but start as low as $2 a person for a small handbag.

This one should be pretty easy to understand, but due to the restrictions set forth by the Islamic Republic, alcohol and drugs are not allowed in Iran. Nope, no drop of Shiraz wine in Shiraz. If you like to sip with your dinner, consider replacing your recreational drinking with a cup of tea (VERY popular in Iran), a “mocktail,” or an Iranian traditional drink like rosewater or a chia beverage.

During Ramadan, food is only available during the day at specific travel hubs: think hotels, rest stops, airports, and certain designated tourist areas. Some restaurants will cover their windows with thick curtains or newspapers to be able to serve food during the day. Most restaurants are open after iftar, or sundown, so be sure to save the bulk of your appetite for then.

Typically, restaurants will include service charges as part of your bill. Therefore, you aren’t required to tip on top of that. However, if you have received exemplary service from an individual or tour guide, a small tip is welcomed and appreciated.

Iranian people operate under a system of politeness called ta’rof. Basically, this means you are expected to refuse something you actually want, before “giving in” and accepting it. For example, when you are asking about a price in the bazaar, a shopkeeper may not give you the price right away. You may need to ask a couple of times before they give you the price. Additionally, if you are at someone’s house and they offer you seconds, your refusal may be seen as a sign that you actually want more. It’s confusing, it’s complicated, but it’s something you may notice while traveling in Iran, especially if you spend a lot of time with locals.

From the crowded streets of Tehran to the silence of the desert, we didn’t stay at a single hotel that didn’t have Internet during my time in Iran. The quality varied from super-fast to basically nonexistent. Regardless, without a functioning VPN, you won’t be able to log into sites like Facebook, Twitter, Tinder/Bumble, and most Western news publishers. If you are going to go the VPN route, I recommend downloading a few of them as they go active and inactive regularly due to access blockages.

Your best bet for staying connected while on the road in Iran is to use an Iranian SIM. To do this, you’ll need a phone that is already unlocked before you arrive in Iran. Then, you can visit any mobile store or kiosk (including in the airport) and get a SIM. I recommend getting an Irancell SIM card – it’s 500,000 rials for the card, plus however much you want to load onto it.

Despite the outward conservatism required in public, there are no restrictions on unmarried foreign couples staying in the same hotel room together. You shouldn’t have any issues checking in or getting a room if you’re traveling as a couple. However, you may be given a room with two single beds unless you explicitly ask for a double.

Even if you knew nothing about Iran before reading this post, you probably have heard of the ancient art of Persian carpet making. If you’re looking for the most “Iranian” souvenir out there, this is it. Persian carpets range in price from less than $100 to over $10,000, depending on the material, the number of knots, the colors, and the style in which the carpet was made.