If you really want to know what cultural immersion means in Iran, forget museums for a moment, say yes to being a guest at a Lori or Turkish wedding.
Last year, somewhere in the Zagros Mountains, I found myself under a huge white tent decorated with colorful fabrics and flowers. My local guide, who knew the bride’s cousin, had invited me to join. I didn’t expect to become part of a celebration that would stay with me forever.
It starts with a warm welcome. Everyone wants to know where you’re from, and before you know it, someone hands you a sweet tea and pulls you into a circle of laughter. There’s music, loud, proud, full of drums and strings. And there’s dancing. So much dancing. Hands in the air, feet tapping dusty ground, old women clapping along, young kids giggling.
At a Lori or Turkish wedding, you don’t sit back. You join in. That’s the real local experience, you become part of the family for a night. There’s no better way to live like a citizen and not just a tourist.
When you get tired from dancing, you sit cross-legged on carpets and share big plates of rice, lamb, yogurt, fresh herbs, the taste of pure authentic Iran nature. Someone always makes sure your plate is full.
Your local guide translates stories for you, how the songs and dances come from centuries-old traditions, how each family keeps them alive. It’s a moment of real cultural immersion and a reminder that Iran’s hidden gems are not always places, sometimes, they’re people.
This is not something you find on an ordinary tour. It’s possible only when you travel with locals, with someone who opens the door to their village, their family, their celebration. It’s sustainable travel, too: you’re giving back by respecting local ways, supporting community traditions, and building bridges through joy.
Some travelers want famous sites. But some want heartbeats, laughter, and songs they can’t pronounce but feel deeply. If you’re that kind of traveler, come and join us. Walk through the mountain village, share a meal, clap along, feel that for one beautiful night, you truly belong.
Friendly Iran invites you to the dance floor. Bring your smile, your open heart, and let’s find the real hidden gems of Iran together.
