IRAN A Hidden World Beyond the Headlines | Travel Documentary
From majestic mountains and lush valleys to dramatic deserts and ancient cities, this travel documentary explores the most beautiful places in Iran. Journey through breathtaking landscapes, historic Persian sites, and vibrant local culture. Discover UNESCO World Heritage sites, colorful mosques, remote villages, and timeless traditions that define Iran’s rich heritage. A cinematic look at one of the world’s most fascinating and underrated travel destinations.
Each travel documentary on this channel is individually written, edited, and narrated to provide a high-quality and original experience for viewers.
🗺 In this travel documentary we'll explore:
#Qeshm Island
#Hormuz Island
#Dasht-e Lut Desert
#Kerman
#Yazd
#Shiraz
#Persepolis
#Isfahan
#Kashan
#Tehran
Mount #Damavand
#Alamut Valley
#Caspian Sea Coast (Mazandaran & Gilan)
#Hyrcanian Forests
#Rudkhan Castle
#Tabriz
#Kandovan
Lake #Urmia
Discover the Beauty of Our Planet's Most Iconic Destinations. Welcome to a world of extraordinary travel experiences! On our channel, we take you on a thrilling exploration of some of the most iconic and breathtaking places on Earth.
#travel #travelvideo #traveldocumentary #iran #bestplaces #documentary #bestplacesiniran
From majestic mountains and lush valleys to dramatic deserts and ancient cities, this travel documentary explores the most beautiful places in Iran. Journey through breathtaking landscapes, historic Persian sites, and vibrant local culture. Discover UNESCO World Heritage sites, colorful mosques, remote villages, and timeless traditions that define Iran’s rich heritage. A cinematic look at one of the world’s most fascinating and underrated travel destinations.
Each travel documentary on this channel is individually written, edited, and narrated to provide a high-quality and original experience for viewers.
🗺 In this travel documentary we'll explore:
#Qeshm Island
#Hormuz Island
#Dasht-e Lut Desert
#Kerman
#Yazd
#Shiraz
#Persepolis
#Isfahan
#Kashan
#Tehran
Mount #Damavand
#Alamut Valley
#Caspian Sea Coast (Mazandaran & Gilan)
#Hyrcanian Forests
#Rudkhan Castle
#Tabriz
#Kandovan
Lake #Urmia
Discover the Beauty of Our Planet's Most Iconic Destinations. Welcome to a world of extraordinary travel experiences! On our channel, we take you on a thrilling exploration of some of the most iconic and breathtaking places on Earth.
#travel #travelvideo #traveldocumentary #iran #bestplaces #documentary #bestplacesiniran
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🏖
TravelTranscript
00:09Iran is one of the most misunderstood countries on earth.
00:15Some people think it's just desert.
00:18Others imagine only politics and headlines.
00:27But the reality? It's something entirely different.
00:37Iran is a place where ancient civilizations left behind impossible architecture,
00:43where volcanoes rise above emerald forests,
00:47and where islands bleed red into the sea.
00:57In this video, we're going to explore the most incredible places in Iran.
01:02But before we get to the locations, there are some facts you need to hear.
01:09Because they'll completely change how you see this country.
01:18And some of them are so surprising, even most Iranians don't know them.
01:32Let's start with something extreme.
01:35Iran is home to the hottest land surface temperature ever recorded on earth.
01:47In the Lut Desert, NASA satellites once measured the ground at a scorching 159 degree Fahrenheit,
01:5570 degrees Celsius.
01:57Hotter than the Sahara, Death Valley, or the Australian Outback.
02:08And yet, life survives here.
02:13Microbes cling to the salt.
02:15Nomadic tribes live on the edge.
02:18And winds carve the land into shapes that look like alien ruins.
02:35But here's what's even more surprising.
02:38While southern Iran is one of the driest places on earth,
02:42the north is a rainforest.
02:43Yes, a rainforest.
02:50The Hyrkanian forests, stretching along the Caspian Sea, are over 50 million years old.
02:57That makes them older than the Amazon, and they once covered almost the entire northern hemisphere.
03:10Today, they survive only in a narrow strip of Iran and Azerbaijan.
03:16These forests are so rich in biodiversity, UNESCO called them one of the last remaining ancient broadleaf forests on earth.
03:30And that's not all.
03:32Iran has four distinct seasons, all at the same time.
03:36In winter, you could be skiing on Mount Damavan, the tallest volcano in Asia, at 18,406 feet, 5,610
03:48meters.
03:51While just a few hundred miles away, tourists are sunbathing on islands in the Persian Gulf.
03:58How is that possible?
04:01It's because Iran spans climates from snowy alpine to subtropical to desert, all packed within a single country.
04:19Now, let's talk scale.
04:23Iran is the 17th largest country in the world, bigger than France, Germany and the UK combined.
04:33That means there's room for some serious natural diversity.
04:37For example, the Caspian Sea to the north is actually the largest enclosed inland body of water on the planet,
04:46often called the world's largest lake.
04:55The Zagros Mountains stretch over 990 miles, 1,600 kilometer, and contain hundreds of hidden valleys and tribal villages.
05:10And Iran's coastline along the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman spans more than 1,550 miles, 2,500 kilometer,
05:21much of it wild, unexplored, and stunning.
05:26But it's not just nature that surprises people.
05:30Iran is also a civilizational powerhouse.
05:33It's home to one of the world's oldest continuous cultures, with urban settlements dating back over 7,000 years.
05:47And at its peak, the Persian Empire stretched from the Balkans to India, the largest empire the world had ever
05:55seen.
06:01To this day, Persian influence can be seen across Asia, from architecture and language to gardens and astronomy.
06:13And here's a lesser known twist.
06:16Iran has the world's largest collection of underground aqueducts, known as Kanats.
06:28These ancient engineering marvels, some over 2,500 years old, still deliver fresh water to remote villages using only gravity,
06:39no pumps.
06:41Together, they stretch thousands of kilometers beneath deserts and mountains.
06:48It's one of the reasons Iran's ancient cities were able to thrive in dry regions long before modern plumbing.
06:58But modern Iran isn't stuck in the past.
07:02The capital, Tehran, is home to over 13 million people and has one of the busiest metro systems in the
07:10Middle East.
07:13It's a city of paradoxes, where women in colorful hijabs walk past glass skyscrapers, and where street food vendors sell
07:23saffron rice beside high-end malls.
07:33Iran also has one of the highest numbers of cultural heritage sites in Asia, with 27 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
07:42More than Japan.
07:43More than Egypt.
07:44More than Egypt.
07:50Yet, it receives a fraction of the tourists that other countries get.
07:55Most people don't know what's actually here.
08:04They don't know that Iran invented early algebra.
08:07Or that Persian carpets are still considered the finest in the world.
08:15Or that ice cream was likely invented here, using underground pits of snow and rose water, over 2,000 years
08:23ago.
08:30And here's something even weirder.
08:33There's a village in Iran where people still live inside caves.
08:37Not as a museum, but as actual homes.
08:41No spoilers yet, we'll visit that place later in the video.
08:51But first, let's explore Iran's most breathtaking wonders.
08:56From glowing islands to hidden castles.
08:59Frozen volcanoes to lush green villages.
09:10You're about to see a side of Iran most people never imagined.
09:15And by the end, you might just want to go there yourself.
09:32It's Iran's largest island, and one of the least expected.
09:40Kashm Island sits in the Persian Gulf, just off the southern coast of Iran.
09:46But this is no ordinary beach destination.
09:55Instead of resorts and palm trees, Kashm offers a wild, otherworldly landscape.
10:10Here you'll find the Valley of the Stars.
10:13A maze of twisted rock formations that look like they've been sculpted by aliens.
10:19According to local legend, a star once fell here and shattered the Earth.
10:24Scientists say it's caused by millennia of wind and erosion.
10:37Nearby is Chaku Canyon.
10:39A narrow sandstone gorge carved into deep passageways.
10:44Some just wide enough for a person to squeeze through.
10:47When it rains, water collects in natural basins, sustaining small desert wildlife.
11:12The island is also home to the Haramangrove forests, where saltwater trees rise from the sea and herons hunt at
11:21low tide.
11:32It's one of Iran's few UNESCO geoparks.
11:43And the most surprising part?
11:45This massive island, more than 80 miles, 130 km long, remains mostly untouched by mass tourism.
11:56But we're just getting started.
11:59Because just across the water lies a volcanic island, with blood-red beaches and rainbow-colored hills.
12:24From above, it looks like a painter spilled their palette into the sea.
12:29Hormuz Island, just a short boat ride from Kesh, is one of the most colorful places on Earth, and one
12:37of the strangest.
12:44The soil here is rich in minerals, especially iron oxide, which gives the land a deep red color.
12:58On the red beach, waves crash against crimson sand, turning the shoreline into something that looks like it belongs on
13:07Mars.
13:07But red isn't the only color.
13:12Just inland, you'll find hills in shades of yellow, orange, white, even purple, all formed by centuries of volcanic activity
13:22and mineral sediment.
13:24It's no surprise geologists call this a rainbow island.
13:34One of the island's most unusual features is edible soil.
13:39Yes, locals actually use the red powder as a spice in traditional dishes.
13:49And yet, despite its surreal landscapes and rich geological value, Hormuz remains almost unknown outside of Iran.
14:02The entire island is only 26 square miles, 42 square kilometer, easily explored in a single day.
14:17But don't let the size fool you, because our next stop is even more extreme.
14:24We're heading deep into the desert, to a place where temperatures once broke world records.
14:47It's not just the hottest desert in Iran, it's the hottest place ever recorded on Earth.
15:00In Dasht-e-Lut, NASA satellites once measured surface temperatures of 159 degree Fahrenheit, 70 degree Celsius.
15:11That's not air temperature.
15:14It's ground heat, strong enough to fry eggs on rocks.
15:21But the real mystery?
15:23Nothing should survive here.
15:25Yet, researchers found life.
15:28Microbial organisms clinging to salt and stone.
15:36That discovery raised new questions about life on Mars.
15:41Because LUT looks uncannily similar.
15:57This desert isn't just hot.
16:00It's surreal.
16:01The Gandomberian Plateau is a massive black basalt field, where heat builds like a pressure cooker.
16:11And to the east, the Kaluts rise from the sand like the ruins of an alien city.
16:18Massive, wind-carved ridges stretching for miles.
16:26There's no shade, no water, no permanent settlements.
16:31And yet, this extreme environment draws geologists, filmmakers, and explorers from around the world.
16:40Why?
16:42Because nowhere else looks like this.
16:55And now, we're going from a dead, dry land, to a place where people have lived for thousands of years.
17:04Using only mud, brick, and brilliant design to survive the desert.
17:25Kermin might look quiet on the surface.
17:27But it's the gateway to some of the most bizarre landscapes in Iran.
17:38Located at the edge of the LUT desert, Kermin is one of the oldest cities in the region, with roots
17:44going back more than 4,000 years.
17:46It was a key stop on the Silk Road, and is still known for its carpets, pistachios, and architecture.
18:04The heart of the city is the Ganjali Khan Complex, a stunning combination of bathhouse, mosque, and bazaar.
18:19Built in the 17th century, its ceiling mosaics and sunken hammam are among the best preserved in the country.
18:29But here's the part most people miss.
18:32Kermin is also the base for exploring the Kalouts, the strange ridged formations of the LUT desert.
18:39They lie just 95 miles from the city and feel like a different planet.
18:51But the desert isn't the only place where humans adapted to harsh conditions.
18:56Next, we travel to a city built from adobe, where towers don't just rise above the streets.
19:03They catch the wind.
19:25In the heart of Iran, where the desert sun beats down for over 300 days a year,
19:31lies a city that mastered survival long before air conditioning was invented.
19:47Yazd is known as the city of windcatchers.
19:50These tall, chimney-like structures, called badgers, cool homes by channeling even the slightest breeze into underground rooms.
19:59It's one of the oldest passive cooling systems in the world.
20:14Yazd is also home to one of the oldest Zoroastrian communities still in existence.
20:19Yazd is also home to one of the oldest Zoroastrian communities still in existence.
20:33Their sacred fire temple houses of flame said to have been burning continuously for over 1,500 years.
20:48The city itself is a maze of mud-brick alleys, rooftops, and hidden courtyards.
21:10From above, it looks like a wave of sand-colored domes stretching to the horizon.
21:17What makes Yazd even more impressive is its underground water system.
21:23Khanat's ancient tunnels dug by hand have supplied water for more than two millennia, using only gravity.
21:37And while tourists often focus on Iran's grand mosques and palaces, Yazd is about quiet genius, innovation, survival.
21:59But now we're heading to a city known for poetry, roses, and one of the most spectacular shrines in the
22:06Islamic world.
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22:50Shiraz isn't just a city, it's an idea.
22:54For centuries, it was known across the Islamic world as a center of poetry, gardens, and wine.
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23:09Even today, its reputation holds.
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23:13This is the birthplace of Hafez and Saadi, two of the most celebrated poets in Persian history.
23:20Their tombs are not quiet monuments.
23:23They're gathering places, where people still come to recite verses and leave handwritten poems among the flowers.
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23:35But Shiraz is more than literature.
23:38The Nasir al-Mulk Mosque, often called the Pink Mosque, is one of the most photographed buildings in Iran.
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23:56Every morning, sunlight pours through stained glass windows, lighting the prayer hall in waves of color.
24:04It looks fake, but it's real.
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24:24Nearby, the Shah Shiraz shrine glows from the inside.
24:29Its walls and ceilings are covered in tiny mirror tiles, designed to reflect light like a chandelier.
24:37No camera truly captures it.
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24:44And outside the religious sites, there are gardens filled with roses and cypress trees, echoes of ancient Persian design, which
24:53later influenced Mughal India.
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25:02But to understand why Shiraz once ruled empires, you need to leave the city and walk among the ruins of
25:10a civilization that once ruled the known world.
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25:42Persepolis was the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire, one of the largest empires in history.
26:00Built over 2,500 years ago by Darius the Great, it was meant to impress and intimidate.
26:14The entrance is still guarded by the Gate of All Nations, flanked by giant stone bulls.
26:21From there, a staircase leads to vast halls, once lined with gold and silver.
26:26Now bare, but still hauntingly powerful.
26:33One of the most striking parts, the detailed carvings.
26:48Dozens of delegations from across the empire, Ethiopians, Babylonians, Indians, Greeks are shown bringing gifts to the king.
26:57It's a visual reminder that Persia was once a superpower stretching from the Balkans to the Indus River.
27:15But it all came crashing down in 330 BCE, when Alexander the Great burned the complex during his conquest.
27:24Some say it was revenge, others say it was an accident, fueled by wine and celebration.
27:42Either way, what's left today is astonishing.
27:47And while Persepolis shows ancient power, our next stop reveals something else.
27:53A city of symmetry, tiles and architecture so perfect, it was once called half the world.
28:16Isfahan doesn't shout, it mesmerizes.
28:20At its heart is Nakshay Jahan Square, one of the largest squares on earth, surrounded by mosques, palaces and bazaars.
28:43The proportions are so balanced, so intentional, that many architects consider it a masterpiece of urban planning.
28:58The Shah Mosque, built in the 1600s, features towering minarets, seven-colored tiles and an echo-chamber dome that amplifies
29:10even a whisper.
29:19Not far from it is the Sheikh Latfullah Mosque, smaller, but even more refined.
29:26It was built not for the public, but for royalty.
29:34And it shows.
29:35Inside, a single beam of light shifts across the dome like a moving clock.
29:42And outside, the tiled exterior changes color depending on the sun's angle, from cream to gold to soft pink.
29:59Across the square stands Ali Kapu Palace, with its music room carved to enhance acoustics.
30:09And then, there's the Sioux Seipol Bridge, a 33 arch marvel that spans the river.
30:16At night, it becomes a gathering place, lit, lively, full of music.
30:29But Isfahan is not just a destination, it's a blueprint for elegance.
30:49Next, we head north, to a quieter town, where elegance takes the form of traditional homes carved in stone and
30:58built around silence.
30:59And with a Phil Kleck, the South Daseer service values, a 100% SDG.
31:33If you want to understand how wealthy Persian families lived 200 years ago, this is where
31:40you go.
31:47Kashan is famous for its historical houses, especially the Tabatabii and Borujurdi homes.
32:07These aren't ruins, they're time capsules.
32:11Carefully preserved mansions, with stained glass windows, wind catchers, and underground
32:17chambers that kept the air cool in scorching summers.
32:34Many have multiple courtyards, each one designed to manage light, privacy, and temperature.
32:40Some were built with secret tunnels and even indoor water channels, connected to the city's
32:48Kanaat system.
33:02But Kashan isn't just about houses.
33:05The Sultan Amir Ahmed Bath House offers a look at traditional Iranian bathing culture,
33:18with dome ceilings and turquoise tiles.
33:21You can even climb onto the rooftop, where the clay domes offer panoramic views of the
33:26old city.
33:33Kashan is also known for its rose water.
33:36Still distilled in the nearby village of Kamzar every spring, using centuries-old methods.
33:43And it's just a few hours from Tehran, Iran's modern capital.
33:51But don't expect another historic town, because next we enter a city of glass towers, smog, expressways,
34:00and unexpected depth beneath the noise.
34:25Iran's capital is chaotic, noisy, and massive.
34:29Over 13 million people live here.
34:33But beneath the traffic and skyline, Tehran holds stories most visitors never hear.
34:45Start with the Galistan Palace, a Qajar-era complex filled with mirrored halls, royal thrones,
34:53and mosaic courtyards.
34:54It's a reminder that Tehran wasn't always the capital.
34:58But when it became one, it aimed for grandeur.
35:10Then there's the National Jewelry Treasury, where you'll find crowns, swords, and a globe
35:16made of emeralds and rubies.
35:18It's only open a few days a week, and security is tighter than most banks.
35:25Outside, Azadi Tower marks the gateway to the city, a blend of modernism and traditional Persian
35:33architecture.
35:58And rising above it all is the Malad Tower, one of the tallest in the world at once.
36:041,427 feet, 435 meters.
36:18But what most don't realize.
36:21Tehran sits at the base of a mountain range, and on a clear day, you can see a snow-capped
36:27volcano looming over the skyline.
36:30That's where we're going next, to Iran's highest peak.
36:34A place of myth, science, and extreme altitude.
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37:22It's not just the tallest mountain in Iran.
37:25It's the tallest volcano in all of Asia.
37:29Mount Damavan rises to 18,406 feet, 5,610 metres, and the skyline of northern Tehran.
37:44On a clear day, it's visible from over 60 miles 100 km away.
37:51But Damavand isn't just a peak, it's a symbol. In Persian mythology, this mountain was where
37:59the evil tyrant Zahak was chained, and it's mentioned in the Shah Nameh, Iran's national epic.
38:13Today, it attracts both climbers and scientists. The summit often steams slightly, a reminder that
38:21it's dormant, not dead. And while it's covered in snow most of the year, volcanic sulfur vents dot the slopes.
38:34Climbing Damavand isn't easy. Altitude sickness can strike fast. But in summer,
38:41the trails turn green, and wildflowers bloom around old lava flows.
38:49The mountain has its own climate, its own legends, its own dangers. And once you descend,
38:57you're not far from something completely different. Castles, cloud forests, and valleys
39:04where assassins once ruled from stone fortresses in the sky.
39:30At first, it looks like a peaceful mountain valley. But high above the cliffs lies one of the most
39:37mysterious fortresses in Iranian history.
39:45Alamut Castle, perched at 6,560 feet above sea level, was once the stronghold of the assassins,
39:55a secretive Ismaili sect that operated in the 11th and 12th centuries.
40:00From here, they controlled a vast network of hidden castles,
40:06striking fear into kings and caliphs across the region. The castle ruins are now reachable via a
40:13steep hike, offering panoramic views over the Alamut Valley, known for its deep canyons,
40:19mountains, almond trees, and fog-filled mornings.
40:24Nearby villages preserve a quiet way of life. Some still bake bread in outdoor ovens,
40:31and children walk for miles to reach school. It's isolated, rugged, and unforgettable.
40:45But if you descend from these mountains and head north, something surprising happens. The terrain
40:54changes, the trees thicken, and suddenly, you're in a world that feels more like Southeast Asia than the
41:02Middle East.
41:20This isn't what most people picture when they think of Iran. On the southern edge of the Caspian Sea,
41:26the landscape flips entirely.
41:33Gone are the deserts and stone. Here, it's all rice fields, palm trees, and misty hills.
41:42The Mazendaran and Gilan provinces sit between the Alborz Mountains and the sea, forming a lush,
41:49subtropical region that feels like a different country altogether.
41:53Villages here are built on stilts to survive flooding. The air is humid. Markets overflow with smoked fish,
42:02pickled garlic, and tea grown on the nearby slopes.
42:13And the Caspian Sea itself? It's the largest enclosed inland body of water on Earth,
42:20covering 143,000 square miles, 371,000 square kilometer.
42:27On hot summer days, locals crowd the beaches in cities like Ramzar and Bandar Anzali, but turn inland,
42:36and you'll find forests, waterfalls, and ancient cemeteries lost in green.
42:45But it gets even older, because deep within these woods are trees that predate human civilization.
42:52They've stood for tens of millions of years, and they're waiting just a few miles away,
42:58in one of the last surviving ancient forests on Earth.
43:25These trees are older than the Ice Age. The Hyrkanian forests,
43:30stretch along the southern coast of the Caspian Sea, covering over 21,000 square miles,
43:3755,000 square kilometer, across Iran and Azerbaijan.
43:47They've existed for more than 50 million years,
43:50making them one of the oldest surviving temperate forests on the planet.
43:59In prehistoric times, similar forests covered much of Europe and Asia.
44:04Today, this is one of the last places where that ancient world still lives.
44:20The Hyrkanian forests
44:21Inside, you'll find oak, beech, hornbeam, and species
44:25found nowhere else on Earth. Birds migrate through here.
44:29Leopards still roam the higher elevations. And fog clings to the forest floor like a whisper from the past.
44:37In.
44:37June
44:39In.
44:47In.
45:32UNESCO designated the Hyrkanian forests a World Heritage Site in 2019, but they're
45:39still relatively unknown, especially compared to rainforests in South America or Southeast
45:46Asia.
45:48Trails here are often muddy.
45:51Weather changes fast, but the air is rich with oxygen and the scent of wet leaves.
46:02And hidden deep in these hills is our next destination, a fortress built inside the jungle, once lost
46:11a time, and now slowly being reclaimed by it.
46:28You don't see it at first.
46:30You hike through trees, climb old stone steps, and then, suddenly, it appears.
46:38Rudkhan Castle, hidden in the Green Mountains of Gilan Province, is one of the most impressive
46:44fortresses in Iran.
46:47Built during the Sassanid era and expanded in the 11th century, it sits at 2,300 feet, 700
46:57meters above sea level.
46:59Its walls stretch for over 4,900 feet, 1,500 meters, and connect 42 watchtowers, making
47:10it feel like a miniature version of the Great Wall, but covered in moss, mist, and forest.
47:20Today, reaching Rudkhan takes about an hour of uphill hiking, past waterfalls, streams, and
47:28jungle-like terrain, but the payoff is massive.
47:38But now, we leave the forests behind, because up ahead lies a legendary village, built into
47:46volcanic rock, where families still live inside caves.
47:53Some places are ancient, others are alive.
47:57Kandavan is both.
47:59This village, located in East Azerbaijan Province, is famous for its cone-shaped homes, carved directly
48:07into volcanic rock.
48:15The result of ancient lava flows from nearby Mount Sahand.
48:20Unlike similar sites in Turkey's Cappadocia, people still live in these rock dwellings.
48:26Not as museum pieces, but as functional homes, many passed down through generations.
48:37The stone acts as natural insulation, cool in summer, warm in winter.
48:43Many homes have multiple floors, carved vertically into the cone.
48:48Some even have electricity, running water, and Wi-Fi, all inside 700-year-old cave walls.
48:59There's also a natural spring believed by locals to have healing properties, especially for kidney
49:06issues.
49:07Visitors fill bottles to take the water home.
49:14Kandavan isn't large, just a few narrow paths winding through the rock formations.
49:20But every angle looks like a fantasy film set.
49:27And, just a short drive away, lies a city that helped shape Persian identity in the northwest.
49:34A cultural hub, a historic crossroads, and a place that once rivaled Tehran itself in influence.
49:50For centuries, Tabriz was the beating heart of northwestern Iran.
49:55It was the capital of multiple dynasties, the starting point of Silk Road caravans, and a
50:02melting pot of cultures—Turkic, Persian, Armenian, and more.
50:10Its most famous site is the Tabriz Bazaar, one of the largest covered markets in the world,
50:17and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
50:25With over 4 miles of interconnected corridors, it's not just a place to shop, it's a city
50:34within a city.
50:36The architecture is stunning.
50:38Brick vaults, arch ceilings, traditional caravanserais, and light streaming in through centuries-old openings.
50:50You'll find spices, carpets, copperware, and tea houses buzzing with life.
51:00Tabriz is also known for the Blue Mosque, once called the Turquoise of Islam.
51:07Though heavily damaged in an earthquake, its remaining tile work hints at past glory.
51:15And beyond the city lies the Azerbaijani Plateau, leading to the final stop on our journey, a lake
51:23that once dominated the region, but now tells a very different story.
51:36It was once the largest saltwater lake in the Middle East.
51:40Now, it's a warning.
51:44Lake Ermia, located between Tabriz and Ermia City, used to cover over 2,000 square miles,
51:525,200 square kilometer, almost the size of Luxembourg.
51:57But over the last few decades, the lake has shrunk by more than 80 percent due to dam construction,
52:03irrigation, and climate change.
52:13The result?
52:14Vast salt flats stretch where water once shimmered.
52:18Old piers now stand in the middle of cracked earth.
52:23And what water remains is often blood red, caused by salt-loving algae and bacteria.
52:31Still, Ermia remains visually striking.
52:35The salt creates bright white crusts around the shoreline.
52:39And flamingos occasionally return during wet seasons.
52:43Efforts are underway to revive the lake, including redirected river flows and conservation plans.
52:49But the outcome is uncertain.
52:51And that's what makes it unforgettable.
53:00And with that, our journey through Iran comes to an end.
53:08We've seen deserts that defy life, forests older than civilization, and cities built to
53:14outsmart the Sunday.
53:16But Iran doesn't fit into one story.
53:19It's not just ancient or modern.
53:22Not just dry or green.
53:24Not just one culture or one landscape.
53:30It's all of them at once.
53:31Layered, complex, often contradictory.
53:35And even after all these places, one thing becomes clear.
53:39You could spend a lifetime here and still feel like you're only beginning.
53:45You could spend a lifetime here and still feel like you're only beginning.
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