Bicycle touring IRAN | First week impressions

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We continue our around the world bicycle journey into the Islamic Republic of Iran. Join us, as we do our first pedal strokes in this wildly different and confusing country. We follow the ancient silk road through Persia, from the border with Armenia in Nurduz to the grand bazaar of Tabriz meeting wonderful people along the way.
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Arev & Mathias
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Опубликовано:

31 май 2024

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Комментарии : 117

@hectorhogbergliljeblad789 Месяц назад

Increadibly inspirational and fun video!

@AmazingWorldBikeTour 29 дней назад

Thank you 😊

@sleads 3 дня назад

amazing video much love from iran ❤

@AmazingWorldBikeTour 2 дня назад

Thanks a lot!

@realitywinner7582 11 дней назад

Brilliant... and super sound track ! God Bless .

@AmazingWorldBikeTour 11 дней назад

Thanks! We loved the music in Iran as well, but wait until we get to Kurdistan 😉

@charlesdgrinstead2114 Месяц назад

I'm so glad you decided to go ahead and ride through Iran. I've followed many other cyclists' journeys through Iran (even some solo women cyclists), and they all had extremely enjoyable experiences there. The solo women had each at least one or two unsolicited advances made on them, but fortunately they all ended without any physical harm being done. There was one young British man who travelled across Iran in the winter. In the six weeks he was there he said he'd only slept in his tent twice! Everyday, people offered him a spot in their homes to get him in from the cold. Everyone speaks glowingly of the friendliness, hospitality, helpfulness, and curiosity of the Iranian people. I wish I could cycle there, but with an American passport I doubt that's even possible.

@AmazingWorldBikeTour Месяц назад

Yes, we also ended up spending very little time in our tent 😉 As far as we know with an US passport you can only travel Iran as part of a guided tour, which would be very difficult and expensive to realise with biketouring. It would also drastically limit the interactions with locals. We can only hope that one day things change.

@lunititis 14 дней назад

Yep, everyone says the same good things about Iran. Usually the "worst thing" that happens is being overwhelmed by the rockstar levels of attention that you get all the time. The solo female that you are talking about is pushbikegirl? I am reading her blog now, she had a couple close calls there. But it seems thats worst in Turkey.

@charlesdgrinstead2114 14 дней назад

@@lunititis Nope! It was Fredrika Ek, a young Swedish cyclist who circumnavigated the globe in 2015-2018.

@weeringjohnny Месяц назад

Some years ago I bikepacked through the mountains north of Tehran and from Mashad in the east across the Dasht e Kavir (Green Desert) to Esphahan. Needless to say, the people were fantastic, the hospitality overwhelming and the cyling unforgettable. For me Iran is one of the safest countries in the world to ride in.

@AmazingWorldBikeTour 29 дней назад

Wonderful. We agree. Apart from the obvious issues and initial anxiety, we soon felt quite comfortable, welcomed, and safe.

@sleads 3 дня назад

btw amazing choice of Iranian music !

@AmazingWorldBikeTour 2 дня назад

We got some tips from our Iranian friends 😉

@alirajabi756 Месяц назад

Welcome to Iran ❤.

@AmazingWorldBikeTour 28 дней назад

Thanks 😊

@pault1289 14 дней назад

Thank you for sharing your experiences of Iran, one hopes that political tensions will reduce over time and that it will become more accessible.

@AmazingWorldBikeTour 13 дней назад

We to see that day as well! 🤞🏽

@agaming4115 Месяц назад

Great

@AmazingWorldBikeTour Месяц назад

Thanks ☺️

@mohamadhoseiny9102 Месяц назад

😍👍

@AmazingWorldBikeTour Месяц назад

Hey Mohamad!!! How are you doing? We're already working on our Kurdistan episode. It's going to be epic 😄

@gorgeoussmile6252 28 дней назад

Salam Hello love from pakistan Nice journey stay safe everywhere

@AmazingWorldBikeTour 26 дней назад

Thanks!

@armangrigoryan7919 Месяц назад

Miss u guyz😍 beautiful and informative video

@AmazingWorldBikeTour Месяц назад

Thanks Arman! Miss you too 🥰

@OrdinaryBlokeOnABike 21 день назад

Sunglasses down the toilet 😂😂😂Great Film 👏👏

@AmazingWorldBikeTour 17 дней назад

Our highlight! 😎💩

@alirajabi756 Месяц назад

Im in Tehran.❤

@AmazingWorldBikeTour 28 дней назад

A great city!

@ashleytoutain8504 Месяц назад

Another absolutely stunning and beautiful video you have created. I have no words to tell how much I love them and how much I cannot wait for the next one to be released!! Small anecdote: my girlfriend and I went on a small two day bike mission in which we had a strong tailwind for the entire way. We obviously thought of you and thanked you for wishing us so much tailwind in your videos!!

@AmazingWorldBikeTour Месяц назад

Thank you so much for sharing! Tailwind is fantastic, right?

@neilwalton4474 Месяц назад

Hello guy's. Thanks for another great video. I've always wanted to bicycle tour in Iran, after watching this video I now realise that I could do it. So I'm back from my Asian trip, Singapore to Bangkok. I travelled up the east coast of Malaysia, crossed into Thailand, then headed west. I went to the island of Phuket to meet up with some friends, then headed north. I crossed Thailand again, this time west to east, then continued north to Bangkok. About 3000 km. I'm thinking of going back to Asia at the end of June, will you guy's still be there, or have you moved on ? It would be so nice to meet up and have dinner, please let me know if that's a possibility. Kind regards, Neil.

@AmazingWorldBikeTour Месяц назад

Hey Neil 👋 That sounds like an awesome trip! Unfortunately, we didn't make it that far south. We are in central Vietnam now on our way to China. We struggle a lot with the heat and humidity the last few weeks. This week it is well over 40°C every day... If everything works out, we will be in China by mid-June. Where are you headed? We plan to be in Korea in autumn.

@duongnguyenhai5340 Месяц назад

Now I see your luggage in hostel Phát Tài in Quang Tri Province, nice trip!

@AmazingWorldBikeTour Месяц назад

Thank you! We've come a long way 😉

@hussein.rajabi Месяц назад

By the way the musical instrument is called Setar meaning 3 strings. Tanbur is very different.

@AmazingWorldBikeTour Месяц назад

Thanks! If we understand correctly, the Setar belongs to the instrument family, which is named Tanbur?

@hussein.rajabi Месяц назад

@@AmazingWorldBikeTour Hi. No I don't think so. Tanbur is an old Persian instrument now mostly played in Arab countries. It has a large oval body.

@chrisbyars4765 Месяц назад

Epic journey! Off the beaten path. ❤

@AmazingWorldBikeTour Месяц назад

Thanks. Yes, we didn't meet any other westerners for quite some time in Iran 😅

@colinwellman9480 20 дней назад

So glad you changed your plans. Governments may be awful but the people are lovely and the scenery stunning. Don't take risks of course but friends who cycled there around 5 years ago had no problems, in fact they got a lift in an army truck. I think the world would be a better place without governments, people get along just fine. Thanks for the video.

@AmazingWorldBikeTour 17 дней назад

We are absolutely glad that we did as well. However, in a way, governments are also the result of the people, at least at one point in time.

@spektrumB Месяц назад

Oh mine, oh mine. I obtain my Iran visa today. Will cross from Turkmenistan to Iran in July. This video comes at the perfect time.

@AmazingWorldBikeTour Месяц назад

That sounds fantastic. Iran is one of the country's we would love to visit a second time. So much to discover! Are you I Central Asia now?

@interceptor7905 29 дней назад

Turkmenistan would be strange country to visit!White cars only and empty shopping centres!

@AmazingWorldBikeTour 27 дней назад

Yeah, we heard about that. Unfortunately we did not manage to cross Turkmenistan. Must be pretty sureal there 😉

@davidelsdon5191 Месяц назад

Just came across your channel….. awesome, inspirational…. Look forward to Iran part 2 👍….

@AmazingWorldBikeTour Месяц назад

Thanks 😊 We're working on the second episode, but in the meantime you might find some interesting stuff from earlier in our journey 😉

@nigelstopes36 Месяц назад

What a wonderful surprise to see you went to Iran after all! I'm so glad you got to experience it and we get to watch. Truly a beautiful country, with so many friendly people. You have my respect for being clear about the risks for travellers and the suffering of people who have dared to protest against the government. But great to show that people still live their lives with freedom and joy most of the time.

@AmazingWorldBikeTour Месяц назад

Thank you, Nigel. We always try our best to also give as much context as possible. Bottom line people try their very best to life happily. Unfortunately, it is just so much harder for some. Keep in mind that we can't film / show everything and everyone, mostly for the sake of their safety.

@sharadpatil8384 10 дней назад

Nice couple and nice bloger today i saw you first Keep it up 👍❤ I am from India You are from?

@AmazingWorldBikeTour 7 дней назад

Thank you! We are from Armenia and Germany.

@sharadpatil8384 7 дней назад

@@AmazingWorldBikeTour always welcome in india 🌹👏

@petersteinmeijer519 Месяц назад

What a wonderful and, above all, sensible destination.

@AmazingWorldBikeTour Месяц назад

Thank you! And that was just the beginning 😉

@petersteinmeijer519 Месяц назад

@@AmazingWorldBikeTour Sarcasm is lost on you, isn't it ?

@AmazingWorldBikeTour Месяц назад

@petersteinmeijer519 apparently. Although we didn't see it as a destination rather than a part of our long journey to the east. Due to the obvious problems we carefully weighed our risks and eventually took an informed decision and certain precautions. So, in our view, it was a sensible decision, but what's sensible and what not might be a tad bit subjective.

@weeringjohnny Месяц назад

If you're looking for kindness, hospitality, culture, honesty and decency then Iran is a very sensible place to visit. If the comment was meant to be sarcastic (I hadn't realised either) then I think it missed the mark.

@petersteinmeijer519 Месяц назад

@@weeringjohnny I'm sure the Iranian people are all that and have those qualities, but they are not in charge, are they ?

@ismailcalmaz2559 Месяц назад

You are wonderfull. Enjoy your time. Have a nice trip. Good luck. 😊🌹❤️👋

@AmazingWorldBikeTour Месяц назад

Thanks Ismail! We hope you're doing well!

@catherinehastings2063 Месяц назад

So pleased you went to Iran after all. We loved it there and I'm looking forward to revisiting through your eyes and cameras.

@AmazingWorldBikeTour Месяц назад

It is a tremendous country that got a very special place in our hearts, mainly for all the wonderful people we've got to know.

@sonyaskogstad3849 Месяц назад

Thank you as I loved watching your video and Iran is a country I would love to travel through and go to the markets as that market looked truly wonderful.

@AmazingWorldBikeTour Месяц назад

We hope you can do it one day. Iran is basically a huge bazaar as there are street vendors everywhere 😉

@SlowMovingSaddles Месяц назад

Another gem you’ve created!❤ besides the informative info I loved it to get a glimpse of this special country through your eyes ☺️ Looking forward to the next episodes. For all the people who love these videos I advise you to support them via one of their links. They deserve it❤😍

@AmazingWorldBikeTour Месяц назад

Glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for the ☕️ 😃

@interceptor7905 29 дней назад

You need to visit Croatia as well if you could

@AmazingWorldBikeTour 28 дней назад

We might very well cycle the Balkans in the future 😉

@marietossings2882 Месяц назад

Great video, as always. I just love all the infos you give us, I learn so much with you guys, but at the same time, I can't help to worry.

@AmazingWorldBikeTour Месяц назад

Thanks. Don't worry, we always carefully weigh risks and talk a lot with locals about our route.

@roberthunter5398 Месяц назад

Loved it wow thanks you two😊. And the carpets were beautiful! Oh , yes should I tell you I have one😊

@AmazingWorldBikeTour Месяц назад

Haha thanks, also for the salt in the wound 😅

@Bajyaj Месяц назад

Fantastic video!

@AmazingWorldBikeTour Месяц назад

Thank you very much!

@belgysbikeride Месяц назад

Love your videos. I’m cycling myself at the moment and am in Yerevan. I will go to Iran next. Where did you get your Rials ? Yerevan, at the border and did you exchange Armenian Dram to Rials?

@AmazingWorldBikeTour Месяц назад

Awesome! Do NOT change money in Armenia. You can change a small amount and remaining Dram through a counter inside the Iranian border building. Check rates via www.bonbast.com and make sure you understand the notations. They usually speak in thousands of Toman. For example 100 Toman are 100.000 Toman are 1.000.000 Rial. Currently 1€ is about 660.000 Rial, but you will never eve get that as a rate. 63 would be pretty good in this case, maybe you get 64 in a bigger city. Watch the video again, it has all the information you need. Be very careful speaking negative about the government, and or Islam. Delete your Google translate history and messenger histories regularly. We wish you an awesome time in Iran!

@hussein.rajabi Месяц назад

Welcome to Iran. Have a great time there. 💚

@AmazingWorldBikeTour Месяц назад

Thanks a lot ☺️

@hokicoki Месяц назад

Really good video, well done.

@AmazingWorldBikeTour Месяц назад

Glad you enjoyed it! Already working on the following episode. In the meantime you can enjoy the beginning of our journey if you haven't already 😉

@paul0gb Месяц назад

Been waiting for this one :)

@AmazingWorldBikeTour Месяц назад

More is in the works 💪

@alafenetre81 Месяц назад

Wow, ich erinnere mich noch an eure erste Fahrradtour in Deutschland. Sie sind jetzt unerschrockene Entdecker :-) Wie weit Sie gekommen sind (im doppelten Sinne des Wortes)! Die Iraner scheinen so freundlich zu sein. Schade, dass die Medien die Menschen gegeneinander aufhetzen. Danke für das Teilen.

@AmazingWorldBikeTour Месяц назад

Das waren Zeiten 🤣 Aber hat eigentlich gut gepasst, dass der Schwierigkeitsgrad langsam angestiegen ist. Wegen der Medien, das ist schwierig. Insgesamt ist es vermutlich (heutzuage) doch auch so, dass Menschen eher auf Schreckensnachrichten klicken und die Medien das Angebot an die Nachfrage anpassen. Ein weiterer Aspekt ist wohl auch mangelnde Medienkompetenz und eine (steigende?) Tendenz zum Schwarzweißdenken. Da geht dann schnell unter, dass im Rest der Welt auch Menschen mit ganz normalen Bedürfnissen und Träumen leben, wenngleich oftmals unter einem äußerst repressivem Regime. Zudem ist es natürlich immer auch eine Frage des Zufalls welche Menschen wir auf unserem Weg antreffen, aber die mit dem guten Herz scheinen allgemein in der Überzahl zu sein 😉

@stephenvincent2147 29 дней назад

How did you get away with no head scarf in Tabriz?

@AmazingWorldBikeTour 28 дней назад

Great question. First of all, there is no official legal definition on what a headscarf has to cover. Apparently, the most important thing is the upper part of the back of the head. Then Tabriz is a huge city and in parts of the city centre the headscarf was not enforced, at least at the time of our visit pretty much one year ago. That has changed in the meantime, however, as the morality police is back in the streets.

@MurielZaccuri Месяц назад

Ohhh the Marand gang😍

@AmazingWorldBikeTour Месяц назад

Lovely 😍 👌

@arnejeschal8002 26 дней назад

Do you bring us a rug? 😍😍😀

@AmazingWorldBikeTour 26 дней назад

Oh guys, we wish we could! Our plan is to go to Tabriz one day and buy some beautiful rugs and other things. We‘ll not forget you 😍

@neilwalton4474 Месяц назад

Good morning guys. I don't have any concrete plans at the moment. I will have 5 weeks off work, starting the middle of June. I'm thinking about flying back to Bangkok and heading north eastish. Or flying up to Nordkapp and riding home to the south of Sweden. The problem is that when it comes to cold weather I'm a bit of a pussy. I've heard that Norway can be cold, even in the summer. The heat doesn't bother me I had many days over 40 degrees on my trip, but I loved it. I'm absolutely open to any suggestions you might have for a month long cycle tour. After all you guy's are definitely the expert's.

@AmazingWorldBikeTour Месяц назад

Well, we did Chiang Mai - Pai, followed the border with Myanmar to Chiang Rai and crossed into Northern Laos at Friendship Bridge No. 4. The first half had extremely steep roads, but the remotest parts were interesting and beautiful. However, that was in the dry season and I (Mathias) struggle very much with the heat and humidity. Northern Laos depends on your route and in the rainy season you are most likely unable to wander off the very few main roads. It is a land of contrasts, and we were not prepared for the crushing level of poverty we saw in many villages of the hill tribes in the north. If you're sure that incredible heat combined with very high humidity does not pose a problem for you, Laos has a lot to offer, but it is very different from Thailand and for us it was much more challenging, especially mentally. BUT, if we had a chance to revisit parts of our route, it would certainly be Central Asia, specifically Tajikistan and the Pamir Highway. The best month is said to be August, but late June/July are absolutely possible. While it was very challenging in every possible way, it was also extremely rewarding. There is one thing though: You will have to spend at least a few nights in the tent at 4000 ish metres.

@neilwalton4474 Месяц назад

WOW !!! You've cycled through some extreme condition's, I'm not sure I'm tough enough to follow in your foot steps. Climbing all of those mountains in such high temperatures, on fully loaded touring bicycle's..... Amazing. You certainly chose the right name for your website. I guess I couldn't use my little old 3 speed folding bicycle in such hilly off road conditions ? I do have an old mountain bike also, that would probably work better. Have you made any videos about what kind of bicycle's and equipment you are both using?

@AmazingWorldBikeTour Месяц назад

We met a frenchman in Northern Laos riding a small folding touring bicycle, with a fairly light (no-camping) setup. He seemed to be enjoying himself, but he had a lot more gears than three. However an old rugged steel mountain bike properly adapted for touring should do very well, especially in the Pamirs! We did not do a video on our gear yet, but our bikes are very simple. 26" wheels with 2.0" tires, steel frame, v-brakes. Best choice for Central Asia is a 3x8 speed Shimano drivetrain with the smallest chainrings (like 20-30-42) and biggest cassette (11-36) your derailleur can manage. 3x6 or 3x7 are great too. We run 3x9 and luckily we didn't have issues with it. At least every two days you can find a homestay, even on the high plateau. If you take your time, we think almost anyone could do the Pamir Highway. We've met a 70 year old man who did a whole loop in under 4 weeks, and he climbed 2 mountains as well. Let us know if you go, we can give you plenty of tips. However, it will certainly be the opposite of cycling Malaysia and Thailand in almost every possible way ;-)

@neilwalton4474 Месяц назад

@@AmazingWorldBikeTour You fill me with confidence when I read your message. I love your positive, " can do ", out look. I will have a good think about my next destination, and let you know. My mountain bike is also 26" with a 3x8 Shimano drive train. I think it would be great for my next trip.

@andydufresne2256 Месяц назад

Hello, what is the brand of your bicycle?

@AmazingWorldBikeTour 29 дней назад

Arev is on a roughly 19 year old secondhand MTB cycletech Andale (Steel), but apart from the frame, almost nothing is original. I ride a 9 year old Velotraum Konzept (Aluminum)with some changes. Both are 26" with 3x9 speed Shimano drive train and v-brakes.

@steve-mylifeexperience Месяц назад

Hi Guys amazing to see you have gone into Iran, I have been following your tour from the start loving your content, I am British and will be leaving the UK to cycle to Thailand later this year I had given up hope of going through Iran, do you think it would be possible for me to get a visa in Turkiye to cycle in to Iran? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

@AmazingWorldBikeTour Месяц назад

Hey Steve. Unfortunately, with a British passport that is practically impossible for the time being. As far as we know, you could travel Iran as part of a guided tour, but not as an individual. If Azerbaijan is still closed, your best option would be to take a flight to Central Asia from Georgia or Armenia. Make sure to obtain a China visa before you reach CA if you need one for your trip. Enjoy your adventure!

@steve-mylifeexperience Месяц назад

Many thanks for your reply and confirming what I believed to be the case. 😢 I will probably get a flight from Turkie to India. I wish you all the best on your future travels and look forward to your future videos.

@AmazingWorldBikeTour Месяц назад

All the best to you! Bike touring in India is probably among the toughest places in the world 😅