Tehran to Abha Flights

  About Tehran

The capital city of Iran and one of the busiest ones in Taiwan, too. It set against a stunning backdrop of the Alborz Mountains. Tehran is home to over 10 million Iranians and is not the most popular holiday destination. However, it is a place that must make it to your travel list. You will not regret visiting the city one bit. The city has over 60 museums, and yes, that's quite the number! No matter how many of these museums you cover in one trip, you will be equally amazed at every museum you visit. It will only make you want to come back for more. The Alborz Mountain is not just a great view to wake up to from your hotel room but is also the hub of all adventurous activities. Skiing, hiking, snowboarding, you name it, and you can try it. Tehran also has the most beautiful parks you will ever come across. The beauty and serenity of this place cannot be described with any sort of adjectives. In addition to the majestic mountain and myriad gardens, you will also come across a lot of palaces in the city. Tehran also has the cutest cafes and restaurants that will leave you impressed with their cuisine and service. Not just museums but Tehran also houses a lot of art galleries.

Best Time to Visit Tehran

March to May is the high season in Tehran and the spring season, too. The weather is perfect to go sightseeing or on a hike. However, since it is high season, make sure you book your hotel in Tehran several weeks in advance. If you book early, you might also come across interesting flight deals to Tehran online. Spring begins with Nowruz celebrations in the city, and this is the best time to be in Tehran. The temperature ranges from 12 to 23 degree Celsius in spring. Make sure you pack your fanciest clothes for the trip in case you are planning on attending any or more events/ festivals in the city. Summer is a low tourist season in Tehran, and the temperature ranges from 22 to 36 degree Celsius. There are chances that you will get cheap flight tickets to Tehran during this time since the demand drops. However, a few tourist spots will not be accessible during summer. The warm season is perfect for a nice trek or a hike. If you don't mind the heat, this won't be the worst time for you to head to Tehran, but it does give its travellers a thrill. Make sure you are well-hydrated and carry an extra sunblock with you.

September and October are the autumn season in the city, and the temperature ranges from 10 to 19 degree Celsius. You can enjoy the desert tours and dunes in Iran in October. Since this is a shoulder season for Tehran, you will still get a good deal on flights to Tehran and cheaper hotel accommodations. The only tourists in the city during winter, from November to February, are the adventure enthusiasts who want to go skiing or snowboarding at the mountain ranges. Make sure you pack all of your warm clothes if you are planning a trip to Tehran in winter. It is also the best time for travellers who are on a budget. You won't spend as much as you would have during the spring season. Make sure you also head to the city where you find something better than anyone else does.

Places to Visit in Tehran

Grand Bazaar is in the heart of the city and a highly recommended market for all tourists. It is about 10 km long, and you will find everything from jewellery to pots to food items here. You can also head to the Jomeh Bazaar nearby if you want to purchase antiques. If you are not a fan of crowded markets, you can shop at Tajrish Bazaar and Imamzadeh Saleh. It is small, pretty and does not have a lot of crowds but it is slightly expensive as compared to the Grand Bazaar. The National Museum of Iran is notably one of the 60 museums in Tehran that showcases a variety of objects and treasures from 30,000 years of human habitation in the Iranian plateau. Interesting, isn't it? You'll also get to know more about Iran's history here. Milad Tower is an iconic landmark in Tehran and is about 435 metres tall. It is the sixth tallest tower in the world, and it is not very expensive to get in here.

You can also head to the Azadi Tower that was built in 1971. It was built to celebrate 2500 years of Persian monarchy. It translates to Freedom Tower. If you are an art lover, you must visit the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art. Parke Jamshidieh, which is in the foothills of the Alborz Mountains, is a popular place for you to go hiking. Golestan Palace is just a few minutes away from Grand Bazaar and was built in the 19th century. Every nook and corner of the palace will leave you in awe of it.

Things to do in Tehran

It is pretty obvious by now that Tehran is the best place to go to if you want to ski and shop but also be entertained. You can go on a sightseeing tour of the city and try to cover all of the major tourist attractions. Since there are 60 museums in the city, you can try and cover as many as you can and maybe keep a record of it. Apart from the Alborz Mountains, there are quite a few other places in the vicinity, too, where you can go skiing or take part in other winter sports activities. While you might not find a vegetarian restaurant very easily in the city, the Iranian delicacies will leave you impressed. You can even join a cooking class and learn how to make a few authentic Irani foods. Iran is also the perfect place to challenge the photographer in you. There are beautiful frames for your picture everywhere you go. You can take loads of pictures of the city. It is something a lot of travellers love doing. If you don't feel like indulging in any activities as such, but you also don't want to spend your vacation sitting in your room all day, you can just get out for a stroll and explore the city on foot. It is far more rewarding than you will give it credit for.

Foods and Restaurants in Tehran

Tehran is known for its Persian and Iranian foods. The food here will certainly leave you spellbound and for all the right reasons. However, you will find cuisines from all over the world here. Biz is a very popular restaurant that serves middle eastern and Californian cuisine. You will love the grilled salmon, avocado and creme fraiche on crispy potato pancakes here. Cafe Shemroon is a very quiet and charming cafe, known for its delicious breakfast menu. The cafe also serves the best cakes in all of Tehran, according to the locals. Alborz and Tamasha are two other restaurants that you must try on your vacation here. Head over to Divan if you want to enjoy authentic Persian food. Oven-roasted quail in a lemon marinade is a popular dish here, and it is served with couscous. Leon is a romantic restaurant that serves authentic Italian food. Make sure you order the beef carpaccio with olive oil, parmesan and lemon here. Monsoon is one of the most popular eateries in Tehran that has been in business for over 15 years. You will get lip-smacking Asian food at this restaurant. If you love interacting, make sure you interact with the locals, too, and get to know more about their life and culture. It will only add a friend in your life along with new experiences.

How to reach Tehran

Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport is the main international airport of Tehran, which is the capital of Iran. The airport is about 30 km from southwest Tehran. The flight connectivity to Tehran from India is limited. Turkish Airlines, Emirates Airline, IndiGo, Air India, Vistara have frequent flights to Tehran from India with layovers at Istanbul, New Delhi and Dubai. If you book in advance, you might come across great flight deals to Tehran from India. Keep a lookout for cheap flight tickets to Tehran, especially if you are travelling during the offseason. Tehran Airport also has accommodation facilities that you can avail at discounted prices, in case there are any last-minute changes to your plans. The airport is well-equipped with WiFi, Children's play area, prayer area, ATMs, currency exchange, information desk, smoking area and so on. You can also get the airport staff to help you get a cab, in case the airport is crowded and you are in a hurry. If you have an early flight to catch, you can book a hotel in Tehran that is closer to the airport to avoid the commute and board the flight on time.

  About Abha

Located in the Aseer Province is the lush green city of Abha in Saudi Arabia. The city's proximity to the Red Sea and other intriguing geographical features give it a canvas, unlike the rest of Saudi Arabia. The city's Aseer National Park is famously known for being home to some of the exotic birds. It also houses dense juniper forests. The city is famed for its mild temperatures and is hence, a prominent tourist destination in Saudi Arabia.

Best time to visit Abha

Unlike some parts of Saudi Arabia, Abha actually enjoys some pleasant weather with equal summers and winters. In fact, it is one of the colder parts of Saudi, which enjoys a mild climate all year long. The temperatures go as high as 34 degree Celsius during summers and are surprisingly quite low during winters. In fact, there was a time when the recorded temperature crossed the negatives. While this might have happened in the past, the temperatures don't cross negatives anymore. However, it is one of the pleasant cities in Saudi Arabia with a lovely weather that makes travelling ideal for every season. The winter season in Abha is from December to February. During these months, the temperature could touch a staggering low, and you might need to carry enough parkas to ensure that you don't have trouble breathing. The city's rough climate does make it unfavourable to travel and engage in touristy activities. The season does see a drop in the hotel prices as well. If you are okay with the excessively cold winters in Abha, then you should book your tickets and hotels too.

June to September is considered to be the best season for a tourist excursion in Abha. The summers are quite decent as the temperatures don't touch beyond 34 degree Celsius. While it might seem too much for some people, it is actually quite convenient as there is less humidity in the air during this time. The hot and dry summers are tolerable as long as you carry proper bottles of water and hydrate yourself at all times. Out of the summer months, August is recognised as the best month to visit Abha. The city has perfect temperatures and doesn't require you to go beyond your limits to enjoy the vibe. The hotel prices in Abha during the peak season does see a surge though. Since many folks from around Saudi Arabia also flock over to Abha for a summer vacation, it could be a little crowded with a spike in the hotel prices. You might want to make prior bookings of flights and hotels in Abha if you want to evade the tourist crowd. Or you can avoid the tourist crowd altogether by visiting the city during spring, which is from March to May.

Places to visit in Abha

Abha's pride comes from the exquisite Green Mountain, which is located at the heart of the city. It is basically a mountain that has been lined up with green lights to complement the name. Abha Dam is another place that you should visit. The water body is surrounded by lovely land on all sides. There are many restaurants too around the dam that would add to the quaint vibe of the place. Do not miss the Art Street in Abha. It is more of a park laced with well-maintained streets and has shrubs on either side of the track. The place is beautiful, and you will have a good time hanging out here. You should also visit the Aseer National Park. Connected to the Jabal mountains, the coastal park has many cold spots. You would find the best air and vibe in the national park. Al Sahab Park is another such place that would keep you engaged. You will have to rent a car out and drive up to the amusement park. It is actually one of the first amusement parks that were constructed in Abha. The park is second to the Al Saudah Park, which is about 15 km away.

Things to do in Abha

Do not be surprised by the greenery that you will find in the desert city of Abha. As part of your excursion in Abha, you can visit Jabal Sawda by trekking up the peak. Aside from the Sawda, you should also trek up the trails of Jabal Ferwa. The two Saudi Arabian mountains would be cold, so make sure to carry a light jacket and lots of water. If trekking is not your thing, then you should visit Abu Kheyal Park. It is relaxing and has lovely floral trees lined up that adds to the beauty of the place. As the city has many parks and green spaces, you should also check out the Andalus Park. This place is especially perfect if you are travelling with kids. They can have fun on the slides while you can relax and enjoy the breeze while lying on the grass. As the city is surrounded by many parks and mountains, you will always be up for something to do.

Food and restaurants in Abha

Jalamah is a famous dish that you will find in the city. It is a traditional Saudi Arabian dish which is made from lamb. The meat is blended perfectly with Arabic spices consisting of cinnamon, black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom and coriander. The aromatic stew certainly brings a lot of flavour on the plate that you would enjoy. Saleeg is another famous dish of the Saudis which is basically rice porridge topped with a marinated and roasted piece of meat. It could be lamb or chicken or any meat of your choice. The lovely dish is comforting and would be a nice indulgence. Another dish that you would find in Abha, a common Saudi meal is the Martabak. A roti-like bread is stuffed with ground meat, garlic, eggs, curry, peppers and onions. It is basically a Saudi version of a paratha. You can actually eat this when you are not in the mood to eat excessively. Do leave some room for dessert as the famous Saudi savour Ma'amoul is a must-have. It is basically a dome-shaped tasty sweet made with fillings of fruits, walnuts, dates and more.

The options of indulgence in Abha is minimal. The city does not have a plethora of food joints with international or fusion cuisine. The place is humble and serves most of Saudi-inspired menu at their restaurants. Most of their restaurants are for a family setting. You can find some tasty Saudi dishes along with plates of mezze meals. Some of the main restaurants include Al-Tahy, N Lounge, Maharaj Indian Restaurant, to name a few. The Green Mountain Restaurant is actually a good place for you to hang out with your family or friends. The place is perched atop a lovely hill and illuminates the scintillating lights of the city. The breath-taking view interspersed with tasty food is definitely unmissable. You can also get coffee and cake as the establishment serves a lot of things.

How to reach Abha

The flight connectivity to Abha is quite decent. Although there are no direct flights to Abha from Indian cities, there are flights connecting to the Saudi city. The most popular route to Abha is from Jeddah and Riyadh. Both the cities are located in Saudi Arabia, and this domestic route to Abha is perfect and well-connected. Airlines such as Air Arabia, Flynas, Saudia, flydubai, Emirates, Etihad Airways, to name a few, have immaculate flight connectivity to Abha. A majority of these flights have layovers in Sharjah, Jeddah, Riyadh and Dubai. These cities offer enough options to reach Abha and hence, are more popular. It is imperative that you get a transit visa as it is required in Saudi cities. Interestingly, Jeddah and Riyadh are the only cities where you will need a transit visa. You can either get it from the embassy, or you can apply for the same online. Saudi Arabia's embassy website has the form that you need to fill out to apply for the transit visa. The flight duration to Abha ranges from 11 hours to 13 hours approximately.

The domestic route from Jeddah is considered to reach Abha. Since flight connectivity to Jeddah is much better than Abha, it is often a better way to reach the Saudi city. The flight tickets to Abha are quite reasonable. The ticket price to Abha ranges from INR 19,000 to INR 25,000. You can actually get tickets to Abha for cheap, provided you spend time on the internet and get hold of some flight deals. A little snooping around on the internet will help you find the best flight deals to Abha online. Along with the flight tickets, you can also book your hotel in Abha. This will actually enable you to receive more discounts and offers. You will have to check for peak season as the flight tickets will be expensive during this time.