Solo Female Traveler In Iran

There is a lot to say about traveling on your own from both the vice and virtue points of view. If you have made up your mind to travel alone, you know that you can see and experience more. However, especially for women, such a solo trip is not without risk. There are many things that make traveling difficult for solo female traveler in Iran, as you often have to care about dressing, constantly ask the security question and think twice to decide doing an action, that is why the destination should of course be well chosen. When you choose a destination to travel as a solo woman traveler, the most important issue is always to see how safe it is.

Read a complete guide about how safe Iran is that answers all you questions.

Iran as a fascinating country full of culture, contrasts and beauties is a dreamy destination for many. Fortunately, Iran is safe for everyone where you can find the most welcoming people who amazingly care you feel happy as a visitor. As a lone traveler, you will face no problem exploring Iran until you stick to the safety guidelines like any other destinations. Here we answer some of your regular questions about the guidelines for traveling as a solo female in Iran.

read also: solo vs group travel to iran

Sounds good? Then read on, because in this article we have put together all the important and current information you need to plan for a trip to Iran.

You will read:

• Is Iran An Easy Country For Solo Female To Travel Alone?
• Is Backpacking Easy For The Solo Women In Iran?
• Do Tourists Have To Wear Hijab In Iran?
• What The Female Need To Wear In The Religious Sites In Iran?
• Are You Traveling With A Man? What Is The Dress Code For Him?
• What Should I Wear In Summer?
• Going Out And Transportation
• Is It Easy To Get Iran Visa As A Female Traveler?
• Finally And In Brief: All The Essential To Know Before Departure To Iran

When thinking about a destination, you have to decide what kind of adventure you want. Are you prepared to travel on your own or do you prefer to be in an organized trip? Both options are possible in Iran.

For those who prefer to make a relaxed trip in which they only have to worry about getting up on time and taking photos, Irun2Iran has organized from budget trips to more specialized options.

Traveling on your own is also relatively easy considering the suitable infrastructures in the country. Iran is a country with good facilities, internal flights are operated regularly at cheap prices, bus transport between big cities is modern and comfortable, and the railway goes to not all but many destinations. You will read more about the infrastructure as following.

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In Iranian culture, women are mostly treated with respect and many solo female travelers have described their travel experience in Iran as safe. Reports of crimes against solo female travelers is almost quite rare in Iran.

You can consider Iran as a normal destination for solo female travelers, where you can travel easily and happily. However, as with any other country, you have to use common sense and follow the general safety rules to avoid any kind of problems.

A woman’s solo trip to Iran can be smoothly done if you obey the guidelines. As a solo female traveler preparing to visit Iran, you need to know and care about the country’s norms and public behavior. The Islamic law that governs the country dictates that women dress modestly, covering arms and legs; respecting these requirements is essential when visiting Iran as a solo woman.

When traveling to Iran solo female travel, have to know the country’s rules regarding attire. It is recommended to wear loose-fitting clothing that covers the arms and legs together with a headscarf to cover the hair. Long-sleeve blouses and long skirts or trousers is a good match. Bright colors are generally accepted. Additionally, comfortable footwear is recommended and there is no limitation to use any type.

read also: Iran dress code

In most religious places, women have to wear chador, the large tissue to cover you all over. If you don’t have one, no worry, those are usually distributed free of charge at the entrance of all shrines. At some mosques they may ask visitors to cover feet as well, so it is advisable to carry socks in your backpack. Also, have it in mind that there is often a separate women’s entrance in mosques and shrines.

Because the landscapes in Iran are so different, the climate varies extremely. While on a November day in the northwest-located mountainous Tabriz, you shiver at -5 degrees, at the same time the Persian Gulf has a pleasant +25 degrees. Therefore, you need to pack your clothes accordingly, depending on which region and when you want to visit.

Due to being located in an arid and semi-arid area, the ideal is to visit Iran in spring or autumn when the temperature is tolerable. Sticking to the main tourist cities, in summer the climate can be hot where the temperature may rise up to 42 ° C. For traveling in summer, try to pack the light, loose and made-of-cotton clothing and it is most recommended to make sure using light colors. Avoid wearing shirt or top under your main dress and choose sandals or flip flop as your footwear.

Check the weather with us when you decide to travel to Iran.

According to the Islamic law of Iran, the sale and consumption of alcohol are strictly prohibited and their consumption, production and distribution is severely punished.

Likewise, various drugs including marijuana are strictly banned, while tobacco consumption is permitted. Since 2007, smoking has been banned in all public places in Iran, although the ban may be ignored. Generally, public smoking is subject to regulations, and various campaigns aim to reduce smoking rates due to health concerns.

No matter if you are male or female, hitchhiking in Iran can be quite a challenge, because the concept is not familiar for a majority of the people. Though, the Iranian people are extremely hospitable, and always ready to help a woman (or man) in need, you need to tell them that you are seeking for a free ride before starting the trip. However, visiting Iran as a solo woman can be a total adventure of lifetime, it is not recommended to hitchhike as an alone female. Try to hitchhike together with another female or male to feel more secure and safe.

In Iran like any other country in the world, a solo female traveler might encounter sexual harassment. To minimize it to zero, try to follow the common sense and the universal guidelines.

As a rule of thumb when traveling to Iran as a woman alone is to obey the dress codes, especially in remote non-urban areas. You cannot have a full understanding of a society culture and norms unless living there for a while, therefore try to be more cautious toward men and do not say yes to all the invitations. Trust your instincts when interacting with people to know how far you can go to be safe.

Planning for a woman’s solo trip to Iran needs researching cultural norms and safety guidelines to have an insight over the hidden cultural standards. Put a time to know more about local customs, dress code, and social etiquette to ensure you will have a respectful interaction. While Iran is known for its rich history and breathtaking landscapes, female travelers should be cautious about the remote area challenges. Travel forums and blogs of other Iran solo female travelers can provide valuable experience.

A set of written and unwritten rules of public gender segregation dominates the community in Iran. Those may seem to be hard to understand fully, but you can simply follow as the others do. In city buses and metro, a section is allocated to women while the other parts can be mixed. In long distance buses, unrelated men and women can not seat next to each other, but you don’t need to worry since the bus company will manage it.

Iran is considered as a multipurpose destination where you have numerous options such as deserts, mountains, seas, islands, cultural monuments, ancient ruins, pilgrimage cities and much more to mention. All these turn this country to a perfect destination for the backpackers. However, there are three important issues that backpackers care about:

The first one is that your travel needs in the destination meet your budget. At the moment, traveling in Iran is really cheap – as a backpacker you can easily live on 1,000,000 IRR (30 euros) per day for accommodation, food, transport and activities.

The second point to consider is the accessibility. Other big plus of Iran is the suitable infrastructure this country has provided. Reliable bus, train and flight network, delicious local food and numerous beautiful accommodations are all available anywhere in the country that you are.

The last point and the most important for female travelers is safety. Fortunately, Iran is a real safe country with hospitable people. Let’s say Iran is one of the most stable and secure countries in the Middle East. The crime rate in Iran is extremely low and there is hardly a greater risk of terrorism than in Europe. You might experience some inconveniences with men, but just like anywhere else the frequency is limited.

Real also: 10 Reasons to Put Iran on Top of Your Trip List

The hijab for men is also applicable, however, there are fewer rules for them. Men should cover their legs and arms as a general rule. If you are however in a T-shirt, that is not of course a problem; men may wear short-sleeved clothing but not sleeveless vests.

Men are not also allowed to wear shorts, instead, you may select to wear jeans or trousers to cover down to ankle. Last but not the least, any kind of footwear is of course acceptable.

Between the cities

To travel between the cities in Iran, there are several options.

• Flight
• Train
• Bus
• Hire a private car

If you like to control over your ride, visit monuments en route, and be flexible with when and where to start hire a private car. To turn it a budget-centric option, share the ride with other travelers.

The plane is an effective option to connect the big cities. As international sanctions particularly affected the aviation sector, the fleets are generally not young. The price of the flights are really changeable but you can find relatively low rates if do the booking in time. Of course, that is possible to book it online or you can refer to the nearest agency to book one for you.

On the price side, the bus is unbeatable. The departure is frequent, one per hour or half an hour. So, you don’t need to reserve your seat in advance, just go to the bus station and book the next departure. The VIP buses are the ones we use in budget tours and our guests are always happy with this selection. Those are the bests in Iran providing more leg room and comfort seats that recline more. Undoubtedly, there is nothing to fear in terms of safety and comfort for the night buses, in the case you like to travel at night.

Trains as your next transport option also connect the main cities. Those are more expensive, often slower and have less coverage around the country comparing to some other means of transportation. However, the trains are very comfortable, you can sleep well and have an opportunity to spend the evening with other Iranian women.

In the cities

To travel in cities, the best means are taxi and metro. Almost new, only some major cities have the metro network that is of course modern and clean. In Tehran, the last two wagons of the metro trains are reserved for women. However, there is no restriction to use the other wagons.

The shared taxi is the best option everywhere. Don’t forget to negotiate the rate before starting the ride.

As the last option, all the cities have a full coverage of the bus system as well. Those are really cheap but usually too slow and rarely clear which line to take. Men and women are separated on public transport. Therefore, as a woman enter city buses from the middle and sit in the back.

There is no difference in the process, duration and results of Iran visa for women and men. There are basically two ways to get Iran visa. Making arrangements through a specialized travel agency or at the airport once you have landed.

Although that is possible to do the paperwork by yourselves, but it is always suggested to request the help of an agency to obtain the authorization code. In this way you will make sure your entrance to Iran is guaranteed. Of course, you can collect your visa at the airport of your entrance if you have not enough time to refer to an Iranian embassy.

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• First thing to know before leaving is that anyone on Iranian territory, tourist or local, must respect the Islamic law in public places. So, pack your suitcase accordingly and stay at the safe side.
• The hospitable Iranians might invite you to their homes. In most of cases you will be safe and enjoy their kind behavior. However, your feeling is the best guide when traveling. As a solo traveler you should not be afraid to reject offers during the trip if the feeling is not right.
• There are several testimonies of women’s feeling and experience in Iran, before leaving read some of those testimonials to get familiar with the potential scenarios you may face in Iran.
• In many regions of the world, a woman would never speak to a strange man, but it is different with women. There is much less fear of contact and often curiosity wins. This makes it much easier for you to get in touch with the locals, especially women and families.

After all, you will certainly change your mind after your visit to Iran as a solo female traveler.

Read 7 top tips from a recent visitor’s point of view.