Major city · Iran
Rayenراین
Rayen is a half-day stop for the mud-brick Arg fortress and desert views, best as a day trip from Kerman or a short detour en route to Bam.
Rayen is a small desert town in Kerman province, known for its remarkably preserved Arg-e Rayen, a mud-brick fortress that survived the 2003 earthquake that destroyed Bam. The old town has crumbling mudbrick houses and a quiet, off-the-beaten-path feel. Most visitors come for the fortress and leave the same day.
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More ways in
Local time, weather, currency, airports
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- IRR
- Best months
- Mar–May, Sep–Nov
- avoid Jun–Aug (extreme heat), Dec–Feb (cold nights)
- Airport
- KER
- Nights
- 0
Not a trip line yet
Rules in force · 5Security advice in this region can change within a dayCheck your own government travel advice for Iran before a…
- Middle East ↗Security advice in this region can change within a day; re-read your government's page before departure and again before any border or regional flight.
- Middle East ↗Public drunkenness, public displays of affection and offensive gestures or online posts can lead to arrest in the Gulf states and Iran; dress modestly outside beaches and hotels.
- Iran ↗Check your own government travel advice for Iran before any booking; advice depends on your passport and changes without notice.
- Iran ↗Entry rules, visa type and nationality restrictions differ sharply by passport and change quickly.
- Iran ↗Confirm that your travel insurance and medical evacuation cover apply to Iran before you rely on it.
Entry rules depend on your passport. Full visa guide
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾
In this guide
Not in this guide yet
- Walking areas with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
- Field-checked times and prices
Official sites
Emergency numbers for Rayen110 ▾
Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.
EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Rayen, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Foreign cards and ATMs do not work in Iran: see Insurance & payments above.Iran-wide
- SafetyRayen is safe for tourists, but the desert heat is extreme in summer.
- Emergency numbers110 police · 115 ambulance · 125 fire (not 911, 999 or 000)
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportKER Kerman Airport (About 100 km (62 mi) west; taxis and buses connect to Rayen.).KER Kerman Airport (About 62 mi (100 km) west; taxis and buses connect to Rayen.).
- Getting aroundEverything in Rayen is walkable.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- Street or quick mealSimple meal (kebab or stew)IRR 150,000–300,000
- Taxi, about 5 km (3 mi)Taxi, about 3 mi (5 km)Shared taxi within townIRR 50,000–100,000
- Metro or bus rideBus Kerman–RayenIRR 50,000 (check)
- Museum or sight ticketArg-e Rayen entryMay vary; bring cash.IRR 200,000 (check)
- Budget bedRayen Arg Tourist Hotel double room, a night, per roomIRR 800,000
- Mid-range bedRayen Arg Tourist Hotel double room, a night, per roomIRR 1,500,000
- High-end bedRayen Arg Tourist Hotel double room, a night, per roomIRR 3,000,000
A day, not counting the bed: Budget IRR 500,000 · Mid IRR 1,000,000 · High IRR 2,000,000
Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- KER Kerman Airport (About 100 km (62 mi) west; taxis and buses connect to Rayen.)KER Kerman Airport (About 62 mi (100 km) west; taxis and buses connect to Rayen.)
Best months at a glance
From the guide's best and avoid lists
Jan
Avoid
14°C (57°F)57°F (14°C)
Feb
Avoid
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
Mar
Best
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
Apr
Best
27°C (81°F)81°F (27°C)
May
Best
32°C (90°F)90°F (32°C)
Jun
Avoid
37°C (99°F)99°F (37°C)
Jul
Avoid
39°C (102°F)102°F (39°C)
Aug
Avoid
38°C (100°F)100°F (38°C)
Sep
Best
34°C (93°F)93°F (34°C)
Oct
Best
28°C (82°F)82°F (28°C)
Nov
Best
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
Dec
Avoid
16°C (61°F)61°F (16°C)
Best: Mar–May, Sep–Nov. Avoid: Jun–Aug, Dec–Feb. Month by month →
Warmest Jul (39°C (102°F)102°F (39°C)), coolest Jan (0°C (32°F)32°F (0°C) low), wettest Mar (5 rain days), driest Jun (0). Averages, not a forecast.
Weather and climate
Rayen: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
14°C (57°F)57°F (14°C)
0°C (32°F)32°F (0°C)
4 rd
Feb
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
2°C (36°F)36°F (2°C)
4 rd
Mar
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
5 rd
Apr
27°C (81°F)81°F (27°C)
12°C (54°F)54°F (12°C)
4 rd
May
32°C (90°F)90°F (32°C)
17°C (63°F)63°F (17°C)
2 rd
Jun
37°C (99°F)99°F (37°C)
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
0 rd
Jul
39°C (102°F)102°F (39°C)
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
0 rd
Aug
38°C (100°F)100°F (38°C)
23°C (73°F)73°F (23°C)
0 rd
Sep
34°C (93°F)93°F (34°C)
19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)
0 rd
Oct
28°C (82°F)82°F (28°C)
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
1 rd
Nov
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
2 rd
Dec
16°C (61°F)61°F (16°C)
2°C (36°F)36°F (2°C)
3 rd
High / low, both scales · rd = rain days
Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
Everything in Rayen is walkable. The fortress, old houses and main square are within a 15-minute walk of each other.
See & doDay-trips, door to door
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Kerman
goDoor to door: About 1.5 h
Bus or shared taxi from Rayen main square, about 1.5 h
Rayen is a day trip from Kerman; buses leave regularly.
Bam
goDoor to door: About 1 h
Shared taxi or hitchhike, about 1 h
Bam's Arg was destroyed in 2003; Rayen is the alternative.
Mahan
goDoor to door: About 2 h
Bus via Kerman, about 2 h total
Mahan has the Shazdeh Garden and Shah Nematollah Vali shrine.
Shahdad
cautionDoor to door: About 2 h
Taxi or private car, about 2 h
Shahdad's Kaluts desert formations are spectacular but require a guide.
Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Town centre near the Arg
Walking distance to the fortress and shops; the Rayen Arg Tourist Hotel is the main option.
PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- IRR 500,000–1,000,000 excl. bed
- Mid
- IRR 1,000,000–2,000,000 excl. bed
- High
- IRR 2,000,000+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Rayen Arg Tourist Hotel double room1 × 1 night × IRR 1,500,000 | IRR 1,500,000 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × IRR 1,000,000 | IRR 2,000,000 |
| Bus from Kerman to Rayen, one way2 × IRR 50,000 · check | IRR 100,000 |
| Shared taxi from Kerman to Rayen, one way2 × IRR 150,000 · check | IRR 300,000 |
| eSIM for travel in Iran2 × IRR 500,000 · check | IRR 1,000,000 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | IRR 490,000 |
| Trip total≈ IRR 2,695,000 per person per day, bed included | IRR 5,390,000 |
Prices are negotiable.
2026 estimate in Iranian rials; prices are often quoted in tomans (1 toman = 10 rials). Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Arg-e Rayen entryMay vary; bring cash. | IRR 200,000 (check) |
| Bottle of water (1.5 L) | IRR 15,000–25,000 |
| Simple meal (kebab or stew) | IRR 150,000–300,000 |
| Shared taxi within town | IRR 50,000–100,000 |
| Bus Kerman–Rayen | IRR 50,000 (check) |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- The fortress is open 08:00–13:00; plan your visit for the morning.The fortress is open 8:00 AM–1:00 PM; plan your visit for the morning.
- Mud-brick structures are fragile: do not climb on walls or touch the bricks.
- Restaurants are limited; small supermarkets sell basics.
- Shared taxis leave from the main square when full; no fixed schedule.
Emergency numbers
- Police
- 110
- Ambulance
- 115
- Fire
- 125
Pocket card
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Rayenراین
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
به این آدرس لطفاًTo this address, please
Emergency
- Police110
- Ambulance115
- Fire125
Embassy
Most embassies are in Tehran; the nearest consulate for many nationalities is in Kerman (check).
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Bus Kerman → Rayen: about IRR 50,000, about 1.5 h (check)
- Shared taxi Kerman → Rayen: about IRR 150,000 per person, about 1 h (check)
- Taxi Rayen town centre → Arg: IRR 50,000–100,000
Say or show
- سلام — Hello (salaam)
- مرسی — Thank you (mersi)
- چقدر؟ — How much? (cheghadr?)
- ارگ کجاست؟ — Where is the fortress? (arg kojaast?)
- نمیفهمم — I don't understand (nemifahmam)
- خداحافظ — Goodbye (khoda hafez)
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Rayen. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Mar–May, Sep–Nov · avoid Jun–Aug (extreme heat), Dec–Feb (cold nights)
- 1 airport and 1 area to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 4 day-trips, door to door
- 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Place page for Arg-e Rayen with verified opening hours and ticket price.
- Eat page listing the small restaurants and supermarkets.
- Sleep page for Rayen Arg Tourist Hotel with contact and price range.
- Transport page for shared taxis and bus schedules from Kerman.
Sources
Ask about Rayen
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