Book cheap flights to Tehran

The most popular time to visit Tehran is between the months of March and May (spring) and September to October (autumn). This is when the weather is the most pleasant, with moderate temperatures and some rainfall. The price of accommodation does rise during this period, however, and you will have to endure an increase in the amount of tourists visiting Iran. The cheapest time to go is during June (early summer) and late October. You will have to dress for the heat in June and the chill in October, but remember that since this is an Islamic country, you will need to dress conservatively, by wearing long sleeves and trousers. This especially goes for women, who are required to wear a headscarf as well. Failure to do this will result in arrest and a fine.

South Africans will need a Visa to enter Iran. Make sure that your passport has a minimum of six months remaining after your return date and at least two blank pages for entry stamps.

South African Embassy in Iran

Address: No. 5 Yekta Street, Vali-e-Asr Avenue, Tajrish, Tehran.

Phone: 98 21 2270 2866

The Centres for Disease Control advise that travellers should visit their doctor and get up to date on all the routine vaccinations before travelling to Iran. Other diseases that pose a threat are hepatitis A and B, typhoid, malaria, and rabies.

While Tehran is Iran’s most liberal and secular city, it still retains the conservative traditions of an Islamic destination. Public affection is forbidden. Women must make sure to wear long sleeves and pants/skirts, and wear a headscarf.

Tehran enjoys a fairly high standard of safety; however, it would still be wise of you to remain cautious. There have been cases of fake policemen scamming tourists. They usually travel in unmarked cars and flash phoney IDs, and request to see your passport or search your luggage. When in doubt, head to the nearest police station.

A large collection of hotels are situated in Tehran, many with restaurants, cafés, pools, free breakfast and more. The cost of booking accommodation with one of them ranges from over 2 million ﷼ to over 17 million ﷼.

You have a few options in terms of travelling around Tehran, namely a bus service, a BRT service, taxis, motorcycle taxis, and the metro.

The bus system is expansive, but may confuse you, since the bus numbers, route descriptions, and other information, is all in Persian; however, you might get help from a local. Some of the buses require a prepaid card, which costs under 20 0000 ﷼. Other buses require payments by cash (from around 2000 ﷼ to around 7000 ﷼).The BRT buses, coloured in red, are one of the best ways to travel when traffic is heavy. The cost for using them is around 2000 ﷼.

The metro system is by far the best option, helping you skip all the noise, pollution and traffic. It can get crowded, however, because locals use it for the same reason. One trip costs around 7000 ﷼, while a go-and-return ticket costs around 12 0000 ﷼.