Iran is home to what must be one of the most interesting villages in the world: Kandovan, the “human termite colony.”
All of the houses in the village are made out of stone, hollowed into natural cone-shaped towers that really do look like giant termite colonies. A recent post on Environmental Graffiti explains how these towers came to be:
“Built out of volcanic ash and debris spewed during an eruption of Mount Sahand, these rocky structures were compressed and shaped by natural forces into cone-shaped pillars containing pockets. They have been eroded by the elements over the years into their current shapes.”
As you may have imagined, these fantastic houses are a major tourist attraction. One of them has even been turned into a 5-star hotel, named, appropriately enough, the Rocky Hotel.
Of course, to stay in this hotel, you would need an Iran visa. Despite the tension between the US and Iran, tourist travel is possible, though it is logistically difficult and somewhat risky (see this travel warning).
That doesn’t mean you can just drop by anytime, however. This is Iran, not your grandmother’s house. In fact, think of Iran as more like your crazy Uncle Jim-if you don’t let him know ahead of time that you’re coming, he just might accidentally shoot you for trespassing. You’ll need to have your visa in hand before you leave, and you’ll need to get preauthorization before you can apply for your visa. You can get preauthorized by making hotel reservations with a licensed Iranian tour operator.
If you are female, you may not travel to Iran alone. Your husband or another male relative must travel with you.
If you do get preauthorization, you’ll need the following documents to apply for an Iranian visa:
- 1 Iranian visa application form
- 1 color photo (females over the age of 9 must have their hair covered for the photo)
- Round trip tickets or a copy of your itinerary
- Your authorization number
- A valid passport
For more information about traveling to Iran and Iranian visa regulations, see Getting an Iran Visa.
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Tags: Iran, Iran Visa, Iranian visa
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