Hi Marty!
Thanks for your promt reply last time! I'm afraid I'm back with a few more questions...
I've just made a booking for your "Persia in depth"-tour, but have some problems concerning the flights: apparently, they all arrive around 3 a.m. and also leave that time. Is it possible to hang round somewhere (e.g. in the hotel lobby) till I get my room/till I'm leaving for the airport? What about luggage storing during that time? And what about "night-life" in Tehran (I mean can a single woman somehow kill the time till 12 p.m.)?
If I'd choose to book a room for one or two additional nights (on arrival/departing day): Is it possible to book a double room with someone in the same situation from the group or have I to get a single room? Is it worthwhile to add a day in Tehran for shopping reasons or will I have allready enough time for shopping during the tour? Anyway, is it sensitive for a single woman to walk round alone in Tehran?
Sorry, I suppose that's quite a load of questions, but I'd be so grateful if you could help me in these points!!!
Thank you in advance for your efforts!
Claudia
booking for Iran
Re: booking for Iran
Hi Claudia,
I am answering this one on Marty's behalf.
Glad to hear that you have booked a tour in Iran - it really is a wonderful country so you will have a great time !
When you arrive in Iran I would strongly suggest that you book one night pre-tour accomodation. I think that if you arrive at 3 in the morning it would be a lot nicer for you to have somewhere to sleep so that you are fresh for the next day and ready to go out exploring. In general, rooms only become available after midday at the earliest, so you would have a long wait in the hotel lobby if you decided against this.
However, there are comfortable seats in the lobby so this is an option if you would like. For your departure, it would certainly be possible for you to wait in the lobby until your departure. However, I wouldn't recommend that you go out exploring on your own in the evening - it is fine in the day (although even then an unaccompanied woman will attract quite a few looks) but it isn't a good idea at night. Besides this, there isn't a great deal to do at night in Iran !
Luggage storage should not be a problem - ask at hotel reception and they will be able to take care of this for you.
I would think that you probably have enough time in Tehran during the course of the tour. There would be things to do if you were to spend an extra day there, but most interesting sights are covered in the guided tour and there is already time to explore other places during free time on the tour. For shopping, you will be visiting other places on the tour which are probably better than Tehran - your tour leader will be able to give you full details when you arrive in Iran.
I am afraid that it isn't possible to team up people in accommodation before or after the tour so you would need to book a single room.
I hope that I have answered all your questions - please let me know if you have any more.
Regards,
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Liddy Barnes
Head of Operations
THE IMAGINATIVE TRAVELLER