Break bread with Iran's nomads at a village homestayKahkaraan, Iran

Spend an unforgettable night in a simple local home in Kahkaraan, a village in the Fars Province of Iran. This area, north of the stunning gardens, mosques and literary history of Shiraz, is famous for its nomadic people, the Qashqai, Turkish-speaking pastoral nomads and the largest of all of Iran's nomadic tribes who have roamed this barren landscape for centuries. Once completely nomadic, they spent the harsh winters near the Persian Gulf and hot summers on the central Iranian Plateau. These days most of the nomads are settled in villages like this one; however, tribal traditions such as herding cattle, sewing carpets and embroidery are still a prevalent part of everyday life.

During your stay you'll have the unique opportunity to immerse yourself in their rural nomadic lifestyle and enjoy the hospitality of your warm and friendly hosts – one of many enriching moments on Intrepid Travel's Iran Adventure tour. Help prepare a meal, make local bread over a fire, share stories, try on the traditional dress, and learn local song and dance.

While the accommodation here is very simple and you will share close quarters in the home, sleeping on a simple foam mattress with pillows and blankets and using shared bathroom facilities, this will be no ordinary stay. You may even have the honour of being invited to share in the celebrations of a nomad wedding in the village.

get there

Kahkaraan is located about 120 kilometres north of Shiraz. There is no public transport here and US citizens need to be part of a guided group to travel in Iran.

amenities

• Bedding provided

• Shared bathroom (western style)

difficulty

It’s almost impossible to gain this kind of accesss without the help of expert local leaders. This is a truly unique adventure few travellers are fortunate enough to experience.