From Being Stopped At Home To Crossing Asia: Iran's Arezoo Eskandari's 11,000km Ride For Freedom
Eight years ago, Arezoo Eskandari of Isfahan bought her first and only bicycle, her father would not allow her to ride it on the streets
On a sultry Tuesday afternoon Arezoo waited impatiently at the Hotel Connaught Royal in New Delhi to know if she would get an extension of her month-long India visa and be able to explore a little more. On her maiden trip to India on bike, the Iranian cyclist was lucky enough to reach Jaipur, a city she compares with her beautiful land of Isfahan. Celebrated for its vibrant tiles mosques, majestic palaces and scenic bridges, Arezoo feels, “Jaipur is the closest to what Isfahan looks like”.
Eight years ago, Arezoo Eskandari could not ride her bicycle out of her home. Her father and brother would not allow it. She kept trying, one pedal at a time. With mother's support she slowly began her solo travels.
First one day. Then five months. Then Asia.
Before the bicycle became her passport, Arezoo was a mountaineer. She had climbed some of the highest mountains in Iran, as well as Mount Ararat in Turkey and a mountain in Armenia.
Exploration on cycle came next, and almost by accident.
“In the beginning it was getting out of home for a day, then for few days and then I cycled alone around Iran for five months, covering approximately 8,400 kilometres. It was not easy because I had to dress like a man, cover myself and hit the road. Many times police would chase me. For my parents, who continue to be traditional and deeply rooted in family values, allowing a 36-year-old unmarried girl on a solo road trip was not easy. But slowly my dad gathered confidence in me.”
The trip around Iran made Arezoo realise that the things she had been afraid of did not necessarily have to define her life.
So she sold her car, left her job as a psychologist and set off.
No big sponsor was waiting for her, no corporate logo on the bicycle, no comfortable support vehicle following behind. She funded the beginning of the journey herself.
Arezoo has been on a shoestring budget. Till Tuesday, she had spent around $4,500.
Arezoo laughs, ”Being a woman in Jaipur and resisting the temptation to shop is quite tough. I did buy some local handmade stuff. But then again, having bought them, had to throw away some part of my luggage. I have to be mindful of the weight of the bags and also spending.”
The bicycle and luggage together weigh nearly 60 kilograms. “Sometimes very difficult to ride,” Arezoo says, laughing. “Especially the hills.”
There are hills. There is heat. There is humidity. There are nights spent in a tent because a hotel costs too much. There are days when she cooks for herself because there is no money for a restaurant.
There is also the small matter of crossing borders, getting visas and figuring out where she is going to sleep that night.
So far, she says money has become one of the biggest challenges. She has camped instead of staying in hotels and cooked instead of eating out. Now, she is worried that her money is running out. If she cannot find financial support, the journey may have to end earlier than planned.
It's all about the bike
Arezoo calls her bike “Afra”, the Persian word for Maple tree. She has painted her messages on the handles of the bike. Her boldest message: slow down and open your eyes to see the world around.
Her journey is built around what she calls “slow life” — living in the present rather than constantly worrying about the past or the future. “Lead a slow life, don't think about the past, don't think about the future. Just live in the present and enjoy everything around you. My message is about mindfulness.”
Arezoo estimates that she covers between 70 and 100 kilometres on an average day.
The Iranian cyclist says,” A tourist arrives at an airport, checks into a hotel, visits the sights and moves on. I take the long way. I ride through villages, stop in towns, meet people, eat local food, watch ceremonies and try to understand the places I pass through. Sometimes I cannot speak to the people I meet, but the best way to communicate is through a smile”
In Laos, Vietnam and Thailand, language was often a barrier.
“People have invited me into their homes, given me food and made me feel welcome despite not sharing a language.”
She calls it the “language of humanity”, the best description of her journey.
Her favourite memories are “a temple wedding ceremony in Thailand. And in India the Kanwar Yatra, when the devotees collect holy water from the river in Rishikesh,” she says, “Every day have a new story, every day teach me new thing.”
The Indian dream
India had been on Arzoo's list for years. Bollywood was part of it.
Many Iranian people know a lot about India, especially Bollywood movies, which are very famous in Iran," she says. "Ever since I was a child, I have wished to come to India to explore the country, the food, and the traditional clothing—and now, I am finally wearing it."
She visited Agra and Jaipur and made it to Delhi.
The war made the distance from home feel much longer
Arezoo began her Asian journey in November 2025, before the war in Iran had started.
When the war began, she was in Thailand.
“For nearly two months internet connectivity in Iran was disrupted. My family was in Isfahan. I could not reach them properly, and they could not reach me either. I was very stressed. Thankfully they are all safe now.”
That uncertainty was excruciating for the girl on the road
“During the day I would cycle across Thailand and at night I would be terribly worried. I knew the war was on, did not know how the folks were dealing with it.”
They are now back in regular contact. She calls her family every night.
She is careful when asked about women in Iran
There is a familiar international image of Iranian women as having no freedom or access to ordinary public life. Arzoo does not want to make sweeping statements about her country, particularly because she intends to return home.
While acknowledging that life can be difficult for women, Arazoo says,” I went to the University, did my Masters in Psychology. Many women go to the Uni, pursue higher studies, and work in high offices. Life in Iran is tough, and so is it for many women in South Asia. There is a perception that women are not allowed to drive or do anything, but that is not true.”
Arezoo knows exactly where the boundaries are because she has spent much of her adult life testing them.
Her journey has become someone else's inspiration
The 36-year-old never set out to become a role model. But now her social media is buzzing, with around 100,000 following the journey.
Her Instagram bio reads,” A girl who has gone to the depths of her fears and is living her dreams. I am on a bike around Asian continent and now I am in the seventh country of India.”
Arezoo says “Many of my followers are women and girls. Because they see me like a hero. And admire me. I have a goal about this travel. I want to tell every woman if you dream of something, you can do it.”
Record in sight, Arezoo keeps spirits high
Along the way she is also eyeing a Guiness record. But there are plenty of challenges like visa, money, safety and physical exhaustion. Her bicycle is heavy. The roads are hard. Sleeping in a tent is uncomfortable and yet she keeps going.
"My travel has many challenges and is not easy," she says. "The sun is sometimes very sharp, and it is humid here and in other countries. Humidity makes cycling very difficult. Many times, I need to sleep in a tent, which I pitch in neighbourhoods or next to a police station for safety."
There is emotional pain and long wait too, like she waited for almost 24 hours in Delhi to know whether or not she can explore the country on her bike. By evening, her WhatsApp buzzed; in her inbox was the message she wanted to see- Visa extended for 15 days.