Nomads Odyssey & Kooch Festival - 7 Days
About this tour
Trek the famous Zagros mountain range in the wilds of the Bakhtiari hinterlands on this 7-day hiking and camping adventure. Your path follows the ancient nomadic pathways accompanying a Nomad family in their seasonal migration. Experience the panoramic view of Zagros mountain range when you reach the peak, witness Nomads epic migration, and enjoy a stay in Nomadic Tent. Explore the nomadic trail the best way possible on this 7-day trek!
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1: Tehran, Iran to Shooshtar, Iran
Arrive Ahvaz / Explore Shushtar An early morning flight brings you to Ahvaz. We pick you up from the airport. After breakfast, we will have a short visit to Ahvaz and Karoon River. Then we will drive to Haft-Tappeh (excavation site, which consists of dozens of hills) and Tchogha-Zanbil (a ziggurat of the Elamite domination era). In the afternoon, you can tour Shushtar’s historical watermills. We will have lunch in the traditional Mostofi Museum and Restaurant. we will stay the night in Shushtar.
Day 2: Shooshtar, Iran to Lebd-e Sofla, Iran
Shimbar / Join Nomads This morning, we will drive to Negin Bridge and Shimbar Waterfall. We will have lunch in a local home which is the last point we are going to have electricity. In case we have more free time, we will visit Dezpart Steps. In the afternoon, we will have a 3/4-hour hike to reach the Nomads’ black tent in the Zagros mountain range. Tonight, under a starry sky, we will have a hot meal & a cozy tent to camp to gather our strength for the next day which is the day of thw KOOCH (Migration)!
Day 3: Lebd-e Sofla, Iran to Zarak, Iran
An Expedition to Nomad Land This morning, take in the spectacular view of the flock wandering around the surrounding green pastures. Today is the day of Migration: A Great Day for the Nomads. For 3 days we accompany them in their epic migration in the Zagros mountain ranges. During these 3 days, we have an overall of 42 km of hiking. ‘Flexibility’ is a keyword since there is no fixed plan due to the Nomad͛s flexible routine.
Day 4: Zarak, Iran
While moving behind the flock in Zagros’ mountainous regions, don’t forget to devour the scenic beauty of the area – a view you will never forget. You are all surrounded by imposing mountains or oak trees with the sound of the sheep’s bell in your ears. Take photos and soak up the view. In the afternoon, when the Nomads stop moving & set up the black tent, you have plenty of quiet to enjoy the spectacular surroundings. At nights, a cool night’s sleep under the starry sky in the lower mountain temperatures would be quite enjoyable. You will never forget the authentic nomadic lifestyle you experienced while doing Kooch.
Day 5: Zarak, Iran to Pashandegan waterfall, Isfahan, Iran
On day 5, we say goodbye to the Nomads to continue our expedition to an amazing green village called Khouye. After 3 days of migration with the nomads, a comfortable cozy village house would be a perfect lodge. Here we are rewarded with vast fruit orchards and wonderful old village houses. From the village, we will also have a fabulous view of the surrounding mountains. We will stay in the village for the night.
Day 6: Pashandegan waterfall, Isfahan, Iran to Sar Agha Seyed, Iran
Depart Nomads / Back to Civilization After breakfast, we have the chance to go through the village. Then after bidding farewell to our host family, we will go to an amazing historical stepped village; Sar Agha Seyyed Village. Here we have the chance of appreciating the views of the old village houses where the yard of one, is the roof of the other. Zagros has always been the highest and hardest part of each nomadic migration. For more than thousands of years, Nomads have stopped in this village on their way to summer or winter pastures. We will hike for 15 minutes and visit a salt mine near the village. Then we will continue our road to Chelgerd where we will stay in a Hotel. Koohrang Spring is the next awesome destination. It is the biggest spring in Iran which is very rarely visited by travelers due to the hard-to-reach nature of the place & the rough road. For the night, we will get back to the hotel.
Day 7: Sar Agha Seyed, Iran to Isfahan, Iran
Go to Isfahan On the last day, we will do some sightseeing. Visiting Dimeh Spring & the plain of Koohrang’s reversed tulips wil reward us with the most stunning view. We will then go to Shahr-e Kord and Isfahan.
What's included
Both International Arrival and Departure Transfers are excluded. International Flights is excluded
What to know
A review on this trip: After 3 weeks in Iran, I felt I wanted to share something “else” of this amazing country. I had heard (a bit) about the Zagros mountains and only knew it as a large chain of mountains. Besides, I am very interested in nomadic life, by the ways in which nomadic people manage to adapt to multiple changes, the skills they have which we have a lot to learn from. And the challenge they represent to sedentary lives. I was really keen on sharing a few days of their life. The trip we made has been further any expectations : as I did not have so many, except “take what is happening” and “get in a journey mood” ! The whole thing is about “catching” a nomadic family on their yearly transhumance and sharing a few days with them, impacting as little as possible their usual organisation. It requires flexibility and understanding that these people are not there to organise a trip for you, but are friendly enough to let you accompany them to share a piece of a long and demanding journey for some of them.. For the “temporary nomads” we have been the main goal is to share in the least intrusive way possible, the journey of a large herd and its owners (“the family”) through beautiful mountains, passes, narrow tracks, shortcuts trails . It requires a bit of fitness and a great willingness to face the “unexpected” : no fixed schedule, stops, timetables, menus, etc. The rythm of the family and herd decides it – and that is great ! I did a 7 days trip : – one day to discover Shushtar and Chogha Zanbil – one day to join the “family” – with beautiful Zagros sceneries, and for our tiny group (2) a first challenge as the planned family had left without us, so a new ride to join another one – and new great scenaries of this mountains covered with oak trees and wild pistachios trees. – three days of hiking along the family, with no dirt roads on the way, just trails, passes, springs and rivers to follow. – one day to visit a sedentary nomadic village and manage our way out of the mountains through dust roads – one half day in Buin va Miandasht, to discover the reality of “georgian villages” This whole trip has proved a truly amazing “off the beaten track” experience, all tailored, managed, accompanied in a very nice manner by the great team of Nomad Tours. Mohamad, Sarah, Davood, Soroosh have been great to be with in the mountains : cheerful, energetic, caring, reliable and open about the challenges encountered. They have a strong commitment to find the “good match” between the needs of “temporary nomads” and the time necessary for them to adjust to new frame of mind (no fixed plans, quick “decision changes”) and the reality of this nomadic families who have a hard journey to take. I always felt at ease and secure to ask all the questions I had, and they were great in their “go between” role with the family. Our guide in Chogha Zanbil, Saddeq was really nice and easy going, adjusting to our mooods ! I really appreciated the deeply respectful approach to the whole thing, the way Nomad Tours intends to contribute in a positive and non damaging way to the sustainability of nomadic life, the way they explain things and allows each participant to understrand his/her responsability in taking part in a specific type of trip. That encounter with this bakhtiari nomadic life, in these conditions, is really an amazing thing to be able to share. And I feel grateful and privilegied to have been able to share that.
Route & locations
Tehran, Iran to Shooshtar, Iran