Traveling to Iran in August 2026...
What is it really like to travel to Iran in 2026? We crossed the Armenia–Iran border overland and travelled inside Iran at a time when Western tourism had almost completely disappeared from the country.
Iran is a country we have all heard so much about, but often through the lens of politics, sanctions, conflict and tension with the West. In 2026, after months of confrontation with Israel and the United States, protests, crackdowns and internet restrictions, Iran once again found itself at the centre of the world’s attention.
With most Western governments advising against all travel to Iran, we decided to make the journey ourselves and try to understand what life is actually like inside one of the most talked-about and misunderstood countries in the world.
Iran is a nation with thousands of years of history, an extraordinary cultural heritage and a society that is far more complex than the headlines often suggest. It is also a country governed by a deeply controversial Islamic Republic, where political freedoms are heavily restricted, relations with the West remain hostile, and ordinary people continue to live under the pressure of sanctions, economic difficulties and strict social laws.
But beyond the politics, what is everyday life in Iran really like in 2026? How do Iranian people feel about their country, the West and the situation Iran finds itself in? And how will people react to two Western tourists arriving at such a tense moment?
Join us as we cross the border from Armenia into Iran, travel towards Tabriz and begin our journey through the country, meeting the people who actually live here and trying to understand a place that is so often discussed, but rarely experienced by outsiders.
Welcome to Iran!