Northeastern Iran اﯾران ﺷﻣﺎل ﺷرﻗﯽ

332 lonelyplanet.com NORTHEASTERN IRAN 333 IRAN NORTHEASTERN Northeastern Iran Mary Saraghs Dogharon (To Herat (115km ﺍﻳﺮﺍﻥ ﺷﻤﺎﻝ ﺷﺮﻗﯽ AFGHANISTAN Robat Sharaf Caravanserai Sarakhs NORTHEASTERN IRAN Torbat-e Jam

Sandwiched between the vast desert emptiness of the Dasht-e Kavir and the steppes of River Taybad

Central Asia, northeastern Iran has a spine of mountains that become more lushly forested Langar Sholoq Khaf

as you head west. East of Minudasht the wilderness has been declared the Golestan Kasjaf 00 100 km 60 miles

(Paradise) National Park. Above the overdeveloped Caspian coast rise more forests and the Fariman Sang Bast Roshtkhar Gujgi Kalat Dushak Band-e

grand Alborz Mountains. A trio of beautiful but busy roads take you across that dramatic Fariman Zabol (378km); Zahedan (486km) To Birjand (20km); Abad Malek Tus

range but there are lesser-known alternatives that get you into more remote, less spoilt Mashhad Torbat-e Heydariyeh zones around Alasht and Baladeh. Historically, the area developed as Khorasan (Where Torqabeh Fakhr Shandiz Qa'en Davood Chenaran Tandoureh National Park Kharv Kang the [Iranian] Sun Rises) and Tabarestan/Mazandaran (the southeastern Caspian littoral). TURKMENISTAN Gonabad A78 Radkan (Radkan Tower) Millennia of culture reached a zenith here around 1000 years ago, producing many of the Dargaz Zoshk Kabkan Abardeh Qadamgah era’s great scientists and poet-philosophers. But the 13th- and 14th-century ravages of Kashmar Quchan Emam Qoli Ferdows Neishabur

the Mongols and then Tamerlane were so complete that Tabarestan’s settled civilisation Howdan Ashgabat (441km)

was virtually wiped out. Even now the sites of several once-prosperous cities are mere To Kerman Bajgiran

undulations in the steppe. A few marvellously over engineered towers, most astonishingly Bardeskan Shirvan

at Radkan and Gonbad-e Kavus, are the last witnesses of former glories. Sabzevar Boshruyeh Esfarayen

The 16th-century Safavid regime’s move towards formal state Shiism was a major Rudab Tabas Garkaz Bojnurd Eshqabad

factor in the growth of Mashhad from a shrine-village to the region’s foremost city. ὄ ὄ Gharsu River Mashhad’s extraordinarily grand Haram-e Razavi complex surrounding the tomb of Imam Davarzan Valley Chandir Reza remains Iran’s holiest site and draws millions of pilgrims each year. Mashhad is also Ashkhaneh

To Yazd (408km) the logical staging point for visiting Afghanistan or Turkmenistan. But rather than face the River A83

Garmab ur

bureaucratic hassles of the latter, consider exploring northeastern Iran’s own culturally A01 Jajarm Kalsh Garmeh Maraveh Tappeh

Turkmen areas north of Kalaleh or Gorgan. Golidaq River Mayamey Makhtumkuli Mausoleum of Kalaleh Tamar Galikash Gharra Tappeh Sheikh (GTS) Madraseh Minudasht HIGHLIGHTS Atrak Karim Eshan Biyarjormand Azad Shahr Khur Shirabad Feel the emotion of pilgrims at Mashhad’s glorious Haram-e Razavi ( p354 ), the Holy Qaleh Now-e-Kharaqan Haji Bastam Shirinabad Shahrud Kabud Falls Aliabad Malaisheikh Kavus Shrine of Imam Reza Qoshan Shrine Incheh Borun Khalid Nibi Gonbad-e

See the magnificent Alborz Mountains at their peaceful best by driving the little-known ὄὄ ὄὄ ὄὄ Mojen Jandaq Nahar Khoran Etrek Aq Qal'eh

mountain road through Baladeh ( p334 ) to Pol-e Zanguleh Gorgan Pol Damghan Alagöl Kondab Dibaj Go horse-riding and sleep in a Turkmen öy West Radkan Dasht Borun Cheshmeh Ali DASHT-E KAVIR Kordkuy (201km) (yurt) tent at the Gharra Tappeh Sheikh To Na'in Bandar-e Torkaman Gaz ( p343 ) stud farm Gharra Tappeh Ivel Sheikh (GTS) Ahowan Ask yourself if a forerunner of NASA didn’t Gonbad-e Kavus Langar Behshahr Kola Ashuradeh ὄὄ ὄ Galugah Rostam

help build the incredible 1000-year-old tower Mahdishahr Semnan Shahmirzad

West Radkan Kiyasar Neka Mil-e Gonbad in Gonbad-e Kavus (p342 ) Baladeh Tower Kang Mashhad Chashm Alexander's Wall Gohar Baran (Sadd-e Eskander) Sefid Pol-e Sari

Hike across the bald Binalud mountains Veresk Sorkheh Qa'emshahr to the splendid stepped village of Kang Firuzkuh Babol Lasjerd Babolsar (p363 ), nicknamed ‘Mashhad’s Masuleh’ Farahabad Shirgah CASPIAN SEA Amol Alasht Enjoy an incredible Caspian panorama as (Darya-ye Khazar) ὄὄ Garmsar (5671m) you wind up through ridge-top forests Hut Chamestan Mt Damavand Alborz Mountains towards a ‘secret valley’ hiding the lonely Hardowrud Pollur Mahmudabad Nur West Radkan Tower ( p341 ) Baladeh Ruyan NORTHEASTERN IRAN To Tehran (47km) (Alamdeh) To Tehran (30km) To Nowshahr (30km); Chalus (37km); Rasht (235km)

Northeastern Iran ὄ NORTHEASTERN IRAN Marashi bigger 1623 old AAE someofroad zigzags upthrough Iran’svery somely vertical northface near dowrud. Passing toAzadKuh’sawe- close road atan isolated tea-shack calledHar- A peaceful,lonely roadleaves the Haraz x BALADEH ancient fortress ruins. toppedbywhatlooklikeout of cleftcliffs (65km before Amol),alongwaterfall pours long, dramaticcanyonfollows.Above ing through ible fromwest-facing windowswhenpass- Mt Damavand, which isvery brieflyvis- aroundFuji-shaped route butskirtsright thantheKaraj–Chalusless spectacular The tiresomely busy TEHRAN TOAMOL Around Amol AhmoliSt) (Talib 100,000) ( Amoli lanes northof thebazaar. towers hiddenawayinunexcitingsuburban just asprinklingof oldtomb half-forgotten for amillennium.Sadly,todayitretains ofcapital Tabarestan (ancientMazandaran) This drearily characterless sprawlwasthe x Amol Amol (cloudspermitting). Qa’emshahr and panorama viewedbetween borz peaksforminganimpressive ifdistant contrastingly attractive, withwhite-top Al- tion. Thelushgreenhinterland is mountain beachesand dirtydark-sand agreat attrac- few Western touristsfindthecoast’sdrizzle tourists love thearea’s rainyclimate but atSisingan.Iranianpitiful forest reserve without interruption, exceptforafairly southcoastvirtuallylows theCaspian’s A traffic- sprawlfol- clogged semi-urban WESTERN MAZANDARAN 334 tions west, savaris use tions west,savaris use at ImamRezaSt’seastern end.Fordestina- uses the uses (IR12,000, twohours, 8amand2pmonly) port toTehran, Sari andBaladeh Babol, x 0122 /pop9000 0121 /pop204,000 222 4534;BeheshtiSt;s/tw/tr/qIR40,000/70,000/90,000/ NORTHEASTERN IRAN••WesternMazandaran NORTHEASTERN bridge, the ageing (off Andisheh49thAlley) is basic but clean-enough. Trans- isbasicbutclean-enough.

(off MofatehSt;admissionfree). terminal . Pollur Gonbad Mir Bozorg Qarameddin Bozorg Gonbad Mir

(near HezarSangatSq) (65kmfromTehran). A Haraz mountainroad Mehmankhaneh Tehran Mehmankhaneh isprettier thanthe Istgah Mahmudabad Mahmudabad Istgah Gonbad Mir Heydar Gonbad Mir Kalak , wayout Near the , the Vana ﺁﻣﻞ ﺑﻠﺪﻩ is IR50,000/70,000/80,000) aa ra (p176). road Karaj restaurant atthejunctionwithChalus– anisolated continues toPol-eZanguleh, of white-topped Finescenery mountains. pass andintoanastonishingly vastbowl theroadzigzagsupa deh). After Khisen visiblefrom spectacularly asphalted). AzadKuh’svertical northfaceis peaceful(only9kmisun- and delightfully overpriced. with grottyshared bathroomsare vastly rooms its poorlymaintained deh. However, streamstwo mountain 3kmwestof Bala- idyllicallyabove set teahouse theforkof across thefinemountain-backed valley. of sonably extensive towers andfortifications scramble above NuriBlvd,8thAlley,therea- have accommodationorshops. A15-minute restaurant. lonely Pol-eZanguleh theChalus–Tehranmeeting roadatthe scenerybeforefinest mountain eventually taxi agency offeredaround 10am.Rates byBaladeh’s hara Sirusat5am andreturning fromYush Tehran–Yush bus leaving Tehran’s Cha- along thedramaticroadviaPilis thedaily times.Theonlypublic transport the same to Tehran (viaHardowrud) departingat hours) leave at9amand 1.30pm,withbuses (IR12,000, two toAmolbuses Baladeh Getting There &Away Saeed Mehmanpazir Sleeping &Eating Baladeh village centre.Baladeh Noshowers. tached toasporadicallyopen restaurant in Jamshidi some multicoloured places, chunky plaster-work designsand partlyrestored,has been safeguarding fire- ste IR150,000/200,000/500,000) (single/return IR20,000/30,000), Pol-e Zan- east approaching a wholecollectionof peaks:look mountain rates there’s awonderfulpanoramathatincorpo- proach) and Nima Yushi House BaladehCastle The route westof Yushisspectacular Some 10kmwestin istheonlyvillage enrouteBaladeh to Mehmankhaneh Nima Mehmankhaneh Mt Damavand

( x ( x 433 3315) Khisen 422 3342; Nuri Blvd) 422 3342;Nuri offer afabulouspanorama Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels your stay Book

( asaconicaljewelamong x Very basicroomsare at- ( Pil . Between these hamlets, these . Between x has the key. hasthe (28kmwestof Bala- 433 3491;admissionIR3000) orosi ( 422 3426; Nuri Blvd;s/tw/tr 422 3426;Nuri x Aruralrestaurant- Yush 422 4992;Yush rd;d/tr/ Kalak windows. , theintriguing lonelyplanet.com include Yush (closest ap- (closest Saeed

d/tr/q US$30/40/47/54) Marjan Hotel Hotel Marjan paraphernalia. anddervish tique saddles, afewcontaining ethnographicdisplays,an- ao 8pm) 2877; Modarres St;admissionIR2000; Babol hitch hikingunreliable. Nur (IR140,000).Very makes traffic sparse guleh (IR120,000),Chalus(IR200,000)and lonelyplanet.com Sari centre, youcouldvisit thisbusycommercialIf passingthrough x the savaris departfromoutsideonce Eastbound ageingplace, albeitwithslightly bathrooms. 4 1 3 2 SARI Tehran (210km) Babol (39km); Minibus Stand(2km); To Babol&Amol 0111 /pop208,000 , anattractive colonial-stylemansion Sari terminal Sari Khomeini Imam ae oqe...... D1 Jameh Mosque...... Sarouyeh Hotel...... Mehmanpazir Tavakkol...... Khazar GuestHouse...... Hotel Asram...... Khaneh Kolbadi...... Imamzadeh-ye Yahya...... Imamzadeh-ye Abbas...... Borj-e SoltanZein-ol-Abedin...... Tourist InformationOffice...... Sahanet...... Safanet...... Roya Express...... Post Office...... Gostar Danesh...... Dorna Coffeenet...... Bank Saderat...... Arman Exchange...... SLEEPING SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES INFORMATION Sq

28 Jam-e Jam Jam-e AC To Tehran ( (210km)

Azadi Blvd x 2 St 9 225 0433; fax 225 2189; Keshvari Sq;s/ 225 0433;fax2189;Keshvari

23 (Qa’emshahr Blvd) (Qa’emshahr isawell-tended midrange

ὈὈ Motahhari Blvd Stadium Mottaqi

Ferdosi St

Babol Museum

Razi Ali Nejad St Razi

14 13 12 11 10 18 17 16 15

Ta Mazandarani St 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Clock Tower See Enlargement St barsì Mostaz'afìn Sq C3 D1 D2 D3 D1 D1 D3 D1 A4 D1 D2 D1 D2 C3 D1 A4 D2 h Sa'at Sq closes after closes Bazaar Park-e 8am-2pm &4- Shahr TRANSPORT TEAHOUSES &CAFÉS EATING Shuttle TaxistoBusTerminalviaGolha Savaris toQa'emshahr,Babol& D3 Savaris toBehshahr...... Istgah Gorgan(MinibusestoGorgan, Tireng Travel...... Sq...... Amol...... Savaris toKiyasar...... Main BusTerminal...... Behshahr)...... Iran Air...... Chaikhaneh Morshed...... Sorena Restaurant...... Aryana Pizza...... Abshar Paziraee......

Maziyar St Maziyar

Station St Modarres

Train

Khayyam St Khayyam (

x Artesh Blvd Artesh Besheshti Blvd

ﺑﺎﺑﻞ Dey St 18 Qaren Maqam To Farahabad(22km); 229 Hospital Zahara Fatima Qaem Caspian Sea(25km) St

Farha Majd-od-Din

Kes Sq Shohada

Molla 27 Blvd havarz

Sa'di ng St St

that looksparticularlycute whenfloodlit Sq, namedforitswhitewashed clocktower The townradiates outfromSa’at(Times) Orientation provincial in1937. capital from Tehran, andbecameMazandaran’s nence followingthebuildingof therailway ground toAmol,Sarireturned topromi- ofas thecapital Tabarestan. After losing Sari spentmuch of the1stmillenniumAD butmanageable andgentlyLarge attractive, x SARI 6pm. Westbound,use 2km westof thecentre.

Danesh St Danesh Hossein Fat Hossein

0151 /pop262,000

4 St Mo'allem emi St emi 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19

Shafaa St

Mo'allem Sq

D2 D1 A4 C4 C2 D3 A4 D1 B4 D2 D2

15th Khordat St Khordat 15th

Shahid Dr Shahid

Chamran St Chamran IRAN••Sari NORTHEASTERN Taleqani Blvd Taleqani 25

8th St

0 0 Mazandarani St Bakhsh St Tabarsi Jomhuri-ye Eslami St 1km 0.5miles 0 0

Pirouzi St 10 Ali Qa'emi St Mostaz'afin Sq Ὀ Ὀ 15

Golha

16 Sq Hwy Valiasr 12 Clock Tower 30 Istgah Amol Istgah

Sa'at Sq

Meqdad St Meqdad Tajan River Tajan 22 300 m Park-e Shahr Melli Bank 0.2 miles Bazaar 13

Daneshju Blvd D 19 St Modares Tajan Bridge

Mashhad (695km)

Behshahr (41km);

Gorgan (131km); St Enqelab Azad St Ahmadi Badeleh (10km); Artesh Blvd Artesh 17 Mohseni Alley 3 Airport (15km);

Ab-Anb (Amol Hwy)

Farhang To Behshahr;

29 18 Dey St

5 Qaren St 1 14 Reservoir Alley 6

Mofid ﺳﺎﺭﻯ 20 To Hotel arno

Alley 11

Gorgan St 335 26 7

, NORTHEASTERN IRAN NORTHEASTERN NORTHEASTERN IRAN x 4-7pm Sat-Thu) moneychangers. No-fuss guide pamphletsare available,mostlyinFarsi. excellent internet connection. excellent internetconnection. h 9pm) Good connection; typetothesoundoffizzingneon. 9pm) Goodconnection; (bathhouse) behind. (bathhouse) incorporating the historic The buildingisslated tobecome amuseum mosquitoes. disorientated glass) supposedly (wood-framed puzzles of multicoloured drafts forhotsummers. Its upper floorcouldbeopenedto through floor warminwinter bright whilethelight, palace.khan’s Thickwallskept thelower Sat-Thu) Exchangedesk. The restored 125-year-old OTHER SIGHTS water.you withrose andanattendant tosprinkle sarcophagus central Sari,hasfineinnerdoors, awooden sive exterior. Abedin Justbehind, sarcophagus. are monstrouschandeliers over aglassed-in carelesslying hasbeen appended.Within which a discordant rectilinear newbuild- Yahya Tucked behindthebazaar, tomb towers, allactive placesof worship. Sari hasthree famous15th-centurybrick TOMB TOWERS Sights informationoffice Tourist Sahanet Roya Express Post office Gostar Danesh Dorna Coffeenet Bank Saderat Arman Exchange Information be foundinnearbylanes. traditional Mazandarani style Afewat night. remnant gabledhomesin 336 7.30am-1pm Thu) nearby Safanetacrossthesquare. 10pm Sat-Thu, Faster 4-10pm Fri) than internetconnection 1pm &4-8pmSat-Thu) Laundry. Anbarno Alley) has traditional Mazandarani tiledroofs, but The unusual 229 1001; Jam-e JamSt; 229 1001;Jam-e 9am-10pm Sat-Thu, Downstairswith 4-10pmFri) NORTHEASTERN IRAN••Sari NORTHEASTERN is a round Rhenish-looking tower onto toweronto isaroundRhenish-looking hasasquare planandmore impres- ( x (Enqelab St; (Enqelab isreminiscent of an18th-century ( 221 0978;MofidAlley;perhrIR7000; (Imam Khomeini Sq; (Imam Khomeini x Imamzadeh-ye Abbas (Taleqani Blvd;perhrIR8000; (Taleqani (Sa’at Sq;perhrIR8000; (FarhangSt; 325 7720;MohseniAlley; Jameh Mosque h h 7.30am-2pm Sat-Wed, (Edareh Miras Ferhangi; (Edareh Miras h 8am-2pm Sat-Thu) Some oje Sla Zein-ol- Soltan Borj-e Khaneh Kolbadi Khaneh 9am-1.30pm & h

orosi (in thebazaar area) Vasir-e Hamam Vasir-e Imamzadeh-ye (sofal) 9.30am-1.30pm , 2kmeastof h windows h h 8am- are to 8am- 8am- (Ab-

Hwy; s/tw/tr/steUS$35/45/50/55; St; s/d/tr/qIR35,000/48,500/57,500/71,000) 100,000/150,000) top-sheets. top-sheets. with smallattached bathrooms,towelsand pricedfanroomshidden) hassensibly (where the check-in boothisunexpectedly the good-valueever, section guesthouse kitchenettes How- anddroopy curtains. with ments (twins/triplesIR410,000/470,000) hasoverpricedsection air-conditioned apart- noise. upstairs fromModarres St.There’s Road if 100%male,andvery central,accessed insomerooms.It’sfriendly,and atap are predictably basicwithrock–hardbeds a showerthatsometimesrunshot.Rooms 0,000/140,000/160,000; construction. SomeEnglish isspoken. with lift,three restaurants under andasauna managed hotel hasgood,motel-style rooms a mirrored-glass façade, thisprofessionally squattoiletsareand whiffy shared. laundering desperately need Pillowcases balcony are alltwisted alarminglyoff-line. walls, ceilingsandespeciallytheupper- butyard locationlooksinitiallypleasant Khazar GuestHouse Khazar Sleeping prison. Italian from outsidelooksmore like amedieval shops) line Jomhuri-yeEslami Stnearthe Downmarket snack-bars and Eating Angilasam; tw/steUS$65/90; Arab is4kmeast. 10km westof Sari;themore modestHotel very grand-lookingHotel Navid is around on theQa’emshahr–Gorgan The highway. friendly. rooms are OKbutlessimpressive. Very bed-heads inpart-gilded hardwood.Bath- are trulyluxurious withremarkably grand you tofullyrefurbished rooms.Thesuites takes dated butanewglasselevator slightly Gorgan. Thevarnished-woodlobby looks ivy-draped palmtrees, 10kmeasttowards hotel (for now)sitsinalush gardenamid Hotel Asram Hotel Sarouyeh Hotel Hotel Badeleh Hotel TavakkolMehmanpazir Two newhotels are underconstruction Clean shared facilitiesinclude

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x ( 324 5600;DaneshSt;s/tw/trfromIR12 325 5090;fax5092;Valiasr x /fax 4222548;GorganHwy, 222 7231; Jomhuri-ye Eslami 222 7231;Jomhuri-ye ) TheSarou yeh’s hotel (Sa’at Sq;tw/tr/qIR70,000/ pa pai kababis ) Sari’sbest Theback- ) Behind Behind (kabab of wholepickledgarlic(IR5000). Vampires shouldavoid dishes are sizeable butlacedwithbones. places andfake Fish onthetables. roses 12,000; speaking agency Tickets are alsosoldbyfriendly,English- ran (IR315,000)andMashhad (IR345,000). try thegrandpastry-shopeatery nextdoor. crusts.Fordessert, pizzas withexcellent,light than-average, newfast-food restaurant has a kilometre furtheronalongAzadiBlvd. bazaar. nicerrestaurants liearound Several lonelyplanet.com way on Keshavarz to Blvd.From Kiyasar From the BUS &MINIBUS Iran Air AIR &Away There Getting from IR5000; creams whilewatching theparkfountains. sunny snackbarisidealforfresh juicesorice mural,thissimple, and agoofy MrBean excited byafemale presence. getstyle 20-somethingmalesmight over- lamb. Theboisterous clientele of rockabilly- apart fromthecigarette-smoking stuffed traditionalteahouse. Décoristastefulsemi southeast of DadgarAlley leaduptothis Thu, 8am-noonFri) IR30,000-60,000; 30,000; utes) use utes) use (IR2500/6000, 45min- 20,000) andBehshahr Sq. Imam Khomeini (IR5000) andAmol(10,000)leave from Qa’emshahr. at8am.Alternatively,sar) savari-hop via one Taavoni (viaKiya- 2bustoSemnan hours) departaround7amor6pm.There’s toMashhad (VolvoIR60,000,11 services (IR40,000, five hours) viaAmol.Most hours) citiesandtoTehran viathecoastal (IR40,000, seven runtoRasht ular buses spacious middle-class [email protected]; [email protected]; St; Sorena Restaurant Sorena Chaikhaneh Morshed Chaikhaneh Savaris for Kiyasar start across therail- Savaris start for Kiyasar Aryana Pizza Abshar Paziraee Minibuses/savaris toGorganMinibuses/savaris (IR8000/ Savaris toQa’emshahr (IR2000),Babol h h

( x 8am-11pm) 11am-midnight) Istgah Gorgan Istgah h main terminal 226 9400; Azadi Blvd; 226 9400;Azadi 9am-midnight)

h flies thrice-weekly tobothTeh- fliesthrice-weekly ( x 11am-3pm &7-11.30pm) (Park-e Shahr; snackmealsIR5500- (Park-e Shahr; 222 0322;Farhang St;pizzasIR23,000- Marked withaneonswan Tireng Travel

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Thisinviting,larger- (DaneshjuBlvd) (Jomhuri-ye EslamiSt;qalyan (Jomhuri-ye

kababi (northeastern ring rd) ring (northeastern 222 7069;Ferdosi St;meals Easily-missed steps Easily-missed zirtoshi, h h 8am-6pm Sat-Thu) withbigfire-

7.30am-4pm Sat- aside-dish ( x . Bright, Bright, 222 7973; reg- . No publictransport. paved ford. andasingle,ratherdeep section few quarries,butthere’s unsightly anun- zad ( p348 ). Sceneryislovely apartfroma ful sideroadbranches off towardsShahmir- to IR32,500). Trains lst valley, mountain of woodedridges andpeaksacrossadeep Commanding awonderfullywidepanorama x Alasht Veresk is the66m-spanstonebridge, 110mabove actually take thetrain.Theclassicglimpse switchbacking valleysthanto upthesteep ably it’smore attractive tolook by RezaShah asameansof transport.Argu- of the1930s,asmuch apoliticalstatement most incredible achievements engineering railway nel, shadowing theincredible valleysandmanyatun- deep through rises peaks onthehorizon.Southof lush andforested white-topped withdistant Iranian plateau viaFiruzkuh.Scenerystarts roadclimbsuptowardsthe busy mountain From formless toTehranSari AROUND SARI turn left. of Artesh Blvdwhere southbound vehicles jumpoutatthesouthernend train station, St thatswingnorthatGolhaSq.Forthe eastboundcarsterminal, use along18Dey relevant pointsaroundSa’atSq.Forthebus from Shuttle (IR750)start by taxi). taxis The airportis15kmnortheast(IR15,000 Around Getting take the9.10amtrain light, To travel thetrans-Alborz lineinday- TRAIN baste you’llusuallyhaveDamghan topay supposedly started life started supposedly asanancientchurch. fluted cone-spire topsacentral towerthat contemporary twinminarets butits central autumnal blaze. Alasht’s unusual in winter butlooksgreat inspring blossom or popular summerretreat. Itgets snows deep Around 15km south of Pol-e Sefid, apeace- Around 15kmsouthof Pol-eSefid, NORTHEASTERN IRAN •• Around Sari IRAN••AroundSari NORTHEASTERN 0124 /pop4000 (closed door). (closed village. . Buildingthatlinewasoneof the to Tehran runovernight (IR13,750 Qa’emshahr Alasht

is anincreasingly , anotherover- from Pol-e-Sefid trans-Alborz trans-Alborz mosque at at Tehran. the line ﺁﻻﺷﺖ has has 337 dar it

NORTHEASTERN IRAN NORTHEASTERN NORTHEASTERN IRAN able new claim familylinkswiththeex-shah. men whoridedonkeys aroundthevillage of old thephotogenic,Several moustachioed in which RezaShah Pahlavi wasborn(1877). tw/apt IR250,000/500,000) For information on Kordkuy, see For informationonKordkuy,see p341 . by usingthequietlyattractive ‘old-road’. the thunderingmainroadeastof Galugah shahr town.Withyourowntransport,avoid (IR10,000) leave fromopposite endsof Beh- traditional Mazandarani homestead. the well-preserved the well-preserved Kola village unprepossessing land). Inotherwise pretty wooded hills(8kmeast,then3kmin- brick platforminalandscapedlake amid remains of his train (IR2000,1½hours). Pay onboard. fromSariisonthe7.30amlocal Pol-e Sefid one way/return. Thenicestwaytoreach fromwhich wantIR60,000/90,000 taxis Sefid, Teh 4kmsouthofran road,starting Pol-e- balcony withbarbeque. ment includesaspacioussittingroomand cut viewsacrossthevalley.Theupperapart- Bagh-e-Shahr built thetown’sperkylittle R&R getaway forSafavid Shah Abbas I,who the remote tower( Mil-e Radkan p341 ). forestedsteppes, Golestan’s or mountains makes forvisitingthe Turkmen afinebase heritage is relatively limited butGorgan Qajar dynasty(1779–1925).Architectural Mohammad whofoundedtheexpansionist gan wasthebirthplaceof ‘eunuch-king’ Aga thenortheasternstoop tomeet steppe. Gor- location where thegreen AlborzMountains cally mixed populationandanattractive This appealing city has acolourful,ethni- x GORGAN SafiAbad; (Kakh-e Marginally interesting x Behshahr is the timber-shingled roofs helddownbyrocks) partly mud-and-timberhomes(somewith ofTowards thebase thevillage amidlanesof 338 Right besidethemosque,comfort- Right Savaris toSari(IR6000)andGorgan Alasht is 35km off theQa’emshahr– Alasht is35kmoff 0171 /pop253,000 0152 /pop78,000 NORTHEASTERN IRAN ••Gorgan NORTHEASTERN Khaneh Shah Khaneh (7km west), you could seek out out (7kmwest),youcouldseek Mosaferkhaneh Darreh Mosaferkhaneh

(Shah’s Garden; Garden; (Shah’s Abbasabad h , a slightly grander house granderhouse , aslightly closed topublic) Farahi Hosseinieh Farahi hasgreat ifpartlywire- Behshahr pavilion isanarched h dawn-6pm) Safiabad Palace andcentral was once an wasoncean

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Bank Melli tower where you need to pay the IR100,000 fee. towerwhere youneedtopaytheIR100,000fee. Bank Melli blocksfromthebig aroundnoon.Theofficeistwoshort collect overloaded withCentralAsianapplicants. Applyby9.30am; Staffare helpfuldespitebeingsometimes Visa extensions. & 4.30-8pmSat-Thu) Laundry.CornerofBehesht7thAlley. mission IR3000; Khoreji; reasonably citymaps(IR12,500). detailed inside the‘eight-wife’ harem building. Miras cultural-touristoffice. Ask topeep St; ( of seasonally snow-topped ridges.of seasonally backdrop the busterminal against adistant photogenic trees viewed through fromnear work. Itslarge bluedomelooksespecially dollah of Gorgan). Thestill-growing Tappeh (alarge tumulus22kmnortheast (Gonbad-eKavus)as Jorjan andTurang finds fromlocalarchaeological sites such ethnological exhibits,anddisplays sparse Taqavi House most interesting oldalleys. Themagnificent is agreat topoke excuse aroundGorgan’s of relatively minorinterest, butfindingit Alley, isa15th-centurybricktombtower Mazandarani-style cappedminaret. of traditionallytiledroof andadistinctive the attractive 15th-century Built aroundaquadrangleinthe Sights Exchange Tourist Department Affairs Police Foreign office telephone International Hoshkshuye Asia Golestan Miras Arpa Coffeenet Information land restaurants andhotels. ruralscattering ofan appealinglysemi wood- kilometres southeasttowardsNaharKhoran, (Vahdat) Sq,vibrantValiasr Stleadsseveral From thebazaararea aroundShahrdari Orientation Aftab 27thLane) Aftab brochures. Plentiful colourful 19th-centurymerchant’shouse. splendid, part-renovated h h h h h Gorgan Museum Gorgan Imamzadeh-ye Nur 8am-2pm Sat-Thu) office.Occupiesa Cultural-tourist 7am-9.30pm Sat-Thu, 8am-2pm&4-9.30pmFri) 9am-3.30pm &5.30-10.30pm)NearEdalat10thSt. 7am-2pm &5-9.30pmSat-Thu, 7am-2pmFri) 9am-1pm &5-9pm)Painless moneychanging. x

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Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels your stay Book tents IR30,000; and sleeping bag. and sleeping basis: there Bringmat are noreservations. tents are filledonafirst-come, first-served Guri restaurant-teahouse, arowof seasonal Gorgan Camping Guri BUDGET Sleeping a cleftgreen ridges valleytohigh behind. withviewsupthrough mains idyllicallyset suffered anextensive buildingboombutre- Ziyarat kilometresroad continuesseveral through weekenders andadornedwithlitter. The easy clean-airescape,albeitcrowdedwith Mofateh Sari (126km) Behshahr (78km); Bandar-e Torkaman(30km); To Kordkuy(27km); 4 1 3 2 GORGAN Ὀ Sq The forest paths of

Imam Khomeini St . Thisonce-picturesque village has 10 13 25 29

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Gorgan jadid St jadid 26 Rahumah (5km);Nahar Hotel Shahrdari(6km); Pars, thisisalmostasgood. 2nd having lived intheUKfornineyears. philosophical owner,speaksgreat English, walk fromShahrdari Sq.Ali,thegregarious, mosaferkhaneh this clean,centralyetsurprisinglypeaceful courtyardofaround apleasant orange trees, IR100,000/120,000) 80,000, twwithshowerIR89,000) rather noisy. rather noisy. shared. toIstgahGonbadand It’sclose booths andageing beds.Squattoiletsare rooms have mustyshower sinks,slightly (2km); GuriCamping

To HotelFarhangian Kamankary St Khoran Sq(6km); Tourist Inn(6km)

Hotel Tourist Hotel Hotel Pars Hotel Hotel Razi Hotel (4km); Hotel Kalantary High Rd High Kalantary Alley; s/tw/tr/qIR52,000/71,000/85,000/100,000) 0 0 1

22 7 St Baharestan

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222 9550; First Alley, off Panzhdah Metri 222 9550;First Metri Alley,offPanzhdah ( 222 4613;s/tw/trIR50,000/70,000/ Sq x TRANSPORT Shuttle TaxistoCentre...... Shuttle TaxistoCentre...... Khoran...... Savaris toKordkuy...... Minibus Terminal...... Main BusTerminal...... Komeil GolestanTour&Travel.. Istgah Gonbad...... City BusStand...... htl ai oBsTria... B4 Shuttle TaxistoBusTerminal...... Shuttle Taxis&Bus29toNahar htl ai oIta obd. B4 Shuttle Taxisto IstgahGonbad... 335 3797;JorjanBlvd;tw/tr (Haft-e Tir) Karimi Sq Opposite Hotel Gonbad-e Kavus(96km); Moallem D Sq Besat St To Aliabad(42km); Mashhad (560km) 1 mile 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11

Kashani St

Jorjan Blvd A3 A4 D3 B4 B4 A3 A4 A4 17 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20

2 km 21 339

A3 B2 C3 A2 B2 B2 C4 D3 B4 Set NORTHEASTERN IRAN NORTHEASTERN NORTHEASTERN IRAN s/d US$24/32) h Laleh 6thAlley,offShohoda St;mealsIR25,000-45,000; outdoorteahouse.Pleasant tired, cheaper roomsabove therestaurant. multicoloured Avoid lights. evening the pines andpalmsthattwinklemerrilyin galows are packed fairlyclosely through places. Compact,tastefully furnishedbun- forestcal locationof NaharKhoran several placehasthemostmagi- long-established 552 2279;Valiasr Stkm8;tw/bungalowUS$42/55) English sign. proximately opposite Coffee Souficafé.No woods withthemurmurof streams. It’sap- modish bar-style area. roomsfacethe Back suites withlittlekitchenettes andthere’s a restaurantthis NaharKhoran are small 282,000) St;s/tw/tr/qIR104,000/218,000/248,000/ Imam Khomeini o Eating centre woodlands. intheNaharKhoran Most are Valiasr off St,wellsouthof the MIDRANGE 340 r IR400,000-450,000; US$42) restaurant…if you can findit.Menus are isbyfarGorgan’s most intriguing Darvish andlanterns, the ber hungwithships’ wheels equipped. NoEnglish sign. suggest, butthey’re new,spaciousandfully smart asthevery professional lobby might in thisfamily-oriented hotel aren’t quite as q/5-bed IR315,555/420,760/525,925; rooms. It’s250mnorthof theTouristInn. no discountforroomswithshared bath- what lookslike awardrobe. Absurdly, there’s vate bathroom andaWestern toiletlurkingin rooms are decentlyequipped.Sixhave apri- noise andunderlitcorridors.noise the nearbyHotel Tahmasebi, despite road some Western-style. It’s better valuethan the cheapest optiontohave en-suite toilets, Comparatively overpriced. showers butageing shared squattoilets. but relatively roomshave pleasant attached Sofrakhane Sonati Darvish SonatiDarvish Sofrakhane Hotel Shahrdari Hotel Hotel Khayyam Hotel Hotel Maroof Hotel Hotel Rahumah Hotel Hotel Farhangian Hotel Tourist Inn Tourist 11am-11pm) NORTHEASTERN IRAN ••Gorgan NORTHEASTERN This has a faint grandeur and some Thishasafaintgrandeurandsome Acosy Although slightly scrappythisis slightly Although In a300-year-old domedcham- (Hotel Jahangardi; (Hotel Jahangardi;

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( x ( ( 442 5591; Jomhuri-ye EslamiSt; 442 5591;Jomhuri-ye x x ) The10roomsabove 552 4077; Nahar Khoran Sq; tw Sq;tw Khoran 552 4077;Nahar 222 4924; Aftab 15thAlley, 222 4924;Aftab 552 1652;Valiasr Stkm4;tr/ 552 0050;Valiasr Stkm7;

pa x whose small whose ( x 552 0034;fax 226 8581; ) Rooms This etnto ae uain Departures Duration Destination Fare are for destinations includethefollowing(prices kababs IR15,000; kababs St, cnrEdalat21stSt; ( English-speaking to Mashhad (IR324,000)thriceweekly. on IranAirandAseman. IranAirflies There are toTehran dailyflights (IR315,000) AIR &Away There Getting Romanian plusalittleEnglish. manager AhmadMorshe whospeaksfluent live traditionalPersian musicfromowner- there’sculent. Around9pmmostevenings limited butthekababsare superlatively suc- 5,0 10-11.30pm 6amTaavoni 14 Seiro 2.30pmTaavoni 14 Safar Seiro 6-7am Taavoni 14 Safar 26hr 25hr Frequent am& don’t bother withtheterminal, instead Many to/from Mashhad through-buses IR42,500 IR75,000 50,000 8hr 3pm Taavoni 5& &8.30-10.30pm Zahedan IR22,000/ 14hr (Volvo) 6-10pm Zabol IR90,000 Tehran 22,000 Tabriz 6-10am& IR14,000 Shahrud 3hr 50,000 11hr 80,000 IR20,000- Rasht IR31,000/ 9hr Mashhad 2-3.30pm IR32,000/ Esfahan 16hr From thebig BUS, MINIBUS&SAVARI and theeccentric outdoor teahouses, somenicerrestaurants for Continue allthewaytoNaharKhoran cream andfresh-squeezed fruitjuice. iceunpretentious placenextdoorserves withrice). beans andvegetables, served and Sq fordecent smartest of manyeateries aroundShahrdari a bigconcrete teapot. ing isshapedlike agiantsamovar toppedby meals IR20,000-50,000; 2pm Thu) x Absha Restaurant Absha Restaurant For pizzerias,headdownValiasr St. 232 6664;[email protected];Valiasr ghorme sabzi mahmooly sells thetickets.sells h polo-morgh main terminal main terminal Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels your stay Book 4pm-1am) h Komeil Golestan Tour & Travel KomeilGolestanTour&Travel (green mixof dicedmeat, h Guri Guri /Volvo): ( x 8.30am-7pm Sat-Wed,8.30am- noon-4pm &7.30-10pm) ( 222 2993; Imam Khomeini St; 222 2993;ImamKhomeini x , whose mainbuild- , whose (chicken andrice) 552 4891;Valiasr Stkm6; (Enqelab Sq) hourly 7.30-1.30am 7.30, 8am, 1.30pm, 7.30, 8am,1.30pm, , bus The

An rive (IR2000,20minutes). Sq where very frequent Gorgan savaris ar- It’s150mwestofthe roadnoise. Shahrdari despite colourfully grandbutiscomfortable hours) use hours) use and Gonbad-e-Kavus (IR4000/15,000,1½ (IR1750/6000), AzadShahr (IR3000/12,000) atEnqelabSq. reservation Savaris toAqQal’eh leave fromthecentral (IR1500) andSari(IR6000,twohours). 40 minutes), (IR3500),Kordkuy Behshahr minutes), Bandar-e Torkaman(IR2000, toAqQal’eh(IR1000,20 as-full services rectly eastof thebusterminal hasfrequent Sq. Awell-organised minibusterminal di- at EnqelabSqand/orjusteastof Mofateh andpicking-uppassengersdropping-off lonelyplanet.com ingly unending ladderof hairpinbends. ridgetain behind Kordkuyona seem- takes you across thenear-verticalright An awkwardbut rewardinghighly 4WDtrip (WestRadkan) Mil-e-Radkan Kord- 5km behind Kordkuy (locallypronounced Attractive x Kordkuy AROUND GORGAN easy sopre-buy abusticket incase. isn’talways backfromNaharKhoran taxis fromValiasrutes) start shuttle Sq.Getting bus 29(pre-paid ticket 20min- IR250,every and upperValiasr St,savaris (IR1500)and Sq forNaharKhoran 2nd Alley.However, fromPanzhdah start Most citybuses Metri from predictable pointsnearShahrdari Sq. Convenient (fromIR750)run shuttletaxis Around Getting directions. IR40,000, 11hours) travel overnight inboth Gorgan–Tehran (IR27,000to services TRAIN carpment to the Mil-e-Radkan tower.carpment totheMil-e-Radkan 4WD rideacrosstheimpressive forest es- ifarduous visit istoorganise abeautiful Hotel yard attheeastern edge of town. s/d/ste US$45/65/85) Minibuses/savaris forAliabadMinibuses/savaris The relatively new high-class 0173 /pop31,000

( koo x 322 1501; www.bahmanhotel.com; Sari Hwy; Sari 322 1501;www.bahmanhotel.com; ). However, the mainreason). However, to Park Jangal Istgah Gonbad Istgah triesalittletoohardtobe isapopularpicnicsite

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the second the second a shovel packed headto foreventualities), erably withfoodsupplies,snowchains and sturdy4WD(pref- rain. Tofindasuitably get thetripaltogether after snoworheavy ideal waytovisitthevalleyvillages). For- to theirdiverse destinationsenroute (an of hitch hikingvillagers andtheirlivestock more realistic iftransportinganassortment hours willbe possible infourhours. Seven isjustabout Kordkuy toMil-eRadkan in Kordkuy. Dibaj findingtransportfrom (IR8000). However, where youcouldtake toDamghan asavari Valleythe Radkan toDibaj (1½hours) from Just getting here isathrill. oflast knownuse thatancientscriptinIran. Pahlavisome stylised letters, virtuallythe a smallbandof Arabicinscriptionsit has Bavend dynastyof Tabarestan. Alongwith commanderinAD1020bythemilitary Tower( Radkan p364 ). Itwasbuiltfora to differentiate itfromthebetter-known Tower it’s sometimescalledWestRadkan valley.InEnglish gazing atthecliff-edged an astoundinglylonelyknoll,wistfully tually youfind detour,area slight especiallyquaint.Even- Monday morning ours of the Turkmen costumes,thefamous turally tedious anddespite thevibrant col- marketThis flat,low-rise townisarchitec- x Torkaman Bandar-e morous, ifvaguelymanic, previously hadgoodexperienceswithhu- both 4WDandfamilyinthevalley. We’ve ing market foraKordkuyresident whohas lages. Tocharter, askaroundthesurround- Valleycheapest wayintotheRadkan vil- truckfromheremorning Toyota isthe a shared placeonanover loadedearly- Kordkuy’s centralShahrdari Sq.Getting Kondab ley of traditionalmud-and-timberhamlets. down outof theforests intoasecret val- ery remains appealingasyouwindback Draznovillage.the topnearscruffy Scen- viewsare Caspian fabulousfrom Glimpsed (who runsasmallKordkuycarpet shop). relatives inKondab),and NORTHEASTERN IRAN••AroundGorgan NORTHEASTERN If all goes perfectly, areturnIf allgoes tripfrom Dry-weather 4WDtrackscontinuefrom 0173 /pop44,000 to and Radkan is very tough. Better start start isvery Better tough. Radkan meydan Latkueh Mil-e-Radkan market villages, each requiring (townsquare) southof isjusta glorified Mohammad Reza Mohammad Reza Ali Fagoni , sittingupon ﺗﺮﻛﻤﻦ (with

ﺑﻨﺪﺭ 341

NORTHEASTERN IRAN NORTHEASTERN NORTHEASTERN IRAN wheat. Thebestknownis andthe flatsurroundingfieldsof rapeseed tre. tumulus-style Several Safavid Bridge Thursday morning of Gorgan busterminal, hasacelebrated The Turkmentownof Turkmen Areas Other car-boot Nonetheless,the tiny sale. 342 Ashuradeh acrossthelagoontofishingvillagespeed Fromhere,house. occasionalmotorboats gan Gulffromitsultra-basic jetty-sidetea- (port) haspicturesque viewsover theGor- 17km northeastof famous AqQal’eh.Less the southernedge of town. Kordkuy (IR1000,20minutes) leave from to Makhtumkuli. Minibuses Turkmen poet riya Sq,withitscopper-coloured of statue minutes) terminate justbehindcentral Ka- camels. photographed withcolourfullysaddled ataramshacklebazaarorgetting scarves Turkmen local touristsbrowsingthrough mally peacefulsite becomespacked with old traintracks.Duringholidaysthisnor- followthe behind someoilstorage tanks: is 4kmwestof centralBandar-e Torkaman, Frequent Gorgan (IR2000,40 minibuses 35) r agrn (p345). Bajgiran or ( p365) to crosstheTurkmenistan borderatSarakhs ‘utterly charming’. It’smuchmore common years, althoughthey describedofficialsas of travellersreport crossing here inrecent on it.LonelyPlanethasonlyreceived one Dag) inthelate afternoon butdon’tcount (formerlyNebit- edly abustoBalkanabat Etrek around20kmdistant.There isreput- of nowhere, witheven thesmalltownof gas truckswait.You’re really in themiddle gateway where thequeuesofTurkish LPG land,there’sacross no-man’s justalonely OntheTurkmenistantransport. side,1.5km onFridays,butthere’spicnickers nopublic arerugs andthenearbylakes popularwith village. OntheIranside peddlerssellfelt 12kmbefore InchehBorunroad: turnnorth, atPol.That’sactually 4kmofftheGorgan The border known as‘InchehBorun’is BORDER AT INCHEHBORUN CROSSING THETURKMENISTAN NORTHEASTERN IRAN •• Gonbad-e Kavus IRAN••Gonbad-e NORTHEASTERN (IR50,000each way).The (Pol-e Safavi) inthetowncen- market Aq Qal , andafour-span mounds ’ eh Turang Tappeh , 16kmnorth rise from rise eskeleh eskeleh ,

Abul HalimQarei scorpions. when humansare heavily outnumbered by it’sveryever, peacefulonnormalweekdays vast hoardsof patrioticTurkmens.How- No Ruzthemonumentisover-run bytruly Turkmentown.During in virtuallyevery appears statue tymguly; 1733–83),whose Fargopoet Makhtumkuli (akaPyraguMag- birthplace of ‘national’ Turkmenistan’s steppe. Itcommemorates the(disputed) umbrella rising discordantlyfromthehilly looks like agiganticfour-stemmed concrete little English. into theTurkmenhinterlands. He speaksa run butoffers very fairpricesondaytrips nings) (Kavus), ruler of surrounding the Zeyarid it’s 100, let alone1000 years old.Qabus thatonecan scarcelybelieve well preserved Qabus ibnVashmgir butis so remarkably It wasbuiltin1006 forpoet-artist-prince and lookslike abuttressed brickspaceship. ofhas thecross-section a10-pointed star, foundations,this astonishing towerdeep raveh Tappeh). Makhtumkuli within3kmofpeh road,which passes the fast, desolate Incheh Borun–Maraveh Tap- ers’ flamingosorTurkmenherd- see you might with localpicnickers atweekends. Inseason lake popular spectacular that’simmensely within 2kmof Indiana Jones. carted off crates of treasure Very toBerlin. excavations after which Nazissupposedly appearance thatlocalsblameonWWII 4km south)looksmore dishevelled, an Tappeh Shah the huge, ornate of are Jorjan afew lumpy foremost ancientcity.Allthatremains today Tamerlane wastheregion’srampages, Jorjan Until utterly obliterated bytheMongoland x KAVUS GONBAD-E the utterly magnificent building, onesurviving up aroundJorjan’s This predominantly Turkmentowngrew IR3000; St) , 3kmwestof centralGonbad-eKavus. Charming, ethnic-Turkmensavari-driver The Aq Qal’eh–Incheh Borun road passes The AqQal’eh–Incheh Borunroadpasses 0172 /pop134,000 öy usually does theGorgan–Aq Qal’eh usuallydoes h tents. Semi-wild camelsroamthe tents. Semi-wild 8am-8pm) (12kmwestof AqQal’eh, then

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ﮔﻨﺒﺪ

men) h 6909; Peyam St;perhrwith/without saunaIR30,000/20,000; near itssouthernend. 79,000, showersIR5000) swish, full-sizedindoor retire behindtheheavy bronzedoors of the end of townholds north of thecentralEnqelab Sq. Gonbad ishardtomiss inapark2½blocks spot some40minfrontof thetower. Mil-e more spookilyfromthemarked circular remarkable bothwithinandeven echoes it’swellworththeentryfee forthe though ago. Nowthere’s inside,al- nothingtosee hung fromthetower’sdome,vanishedlong whichactually. Hisglasscoffin, originally it permanently.Well,notsopermanently, his creation before puthimin anassassin Tabarestan, at hadjustsixyears tomarvel lonelyplanet.com hordes brought it all to an abrupt end. it alltoanabrupt end. hordes brought Khan’s until the 13th century.Then Genghis that lasted up fromtheNeanderthal eraright to theoncevibrant Tabarestan civilisation The region isindistinctlylittered withclues Asterixhalf expecttomeet andhiscohorts. forests of 500-year-old trees inwhich you steppe andcontrastinglythickmountain National Park includes partlycultivated ofEast Gonbad,thelimited-access Golestan AROUND GONBAD-EKAVUS in AzadShahr forShahrud. Change inMinudashtforBojnurd. Change Sq,2kmdirectlyBasij eastof EnqelabSq. Minudasht andKalaleh, savaris leave from to AzadShahr, AliabadandGorgan. For andsavarissouthern end,hasminibuses Busy IstgahGorgan, towardsImamSt’s &Away There Getting ( ( (IR7000) and freshly squeezed seasonal juices. juices. (IR7000) andfreshly seasonal squeezed sundaes (IR4000toIR9000),floats,espresso Russian as lab Sqbefore MihanSt.It’ssignedin East yam qelab Sq.Facing thegreat tower, Azad Shahr ( p344 ). accommodation inMinudasht( p345 ) or x h The bearable, central The bearable, On hot summer days you might wantto On hotsummerdaysyoumight On Fridaythehippodromeateastern There are 11am-11pm, Tue, Thu&Sunforwomen,otherdays 222 0208; 1pm spring &autumn) 1pm spring . It’soneblockeastof Daneshju Blvd ( x 222 7663;offImamSt;tw/tr/qIR46,000/67,000/ h гостиница kababis 8am-midnight; isjustsouthof Enqe- andapizzeriaoff En- . savar kareh

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( x NORTHEASTERN IRAN •• Around Gonbad-e Kavus Kavus IRAN••AroundGonbad-e NORTHEASTERN 555

reed-ringed felt or fortea inoneof theincreasingly rare find yourself invited toahorse milking cally Turkmensoifyou’re luckyyoumight experience and the deliberately high priceis experience andthedeliberately high person US$60) Louise’s farm inagenuineto stay Turkmen ofless totell. wealth fascinatingtales Iran formore than40years andhasanend- ners of thethoroughbred. She haslived in tobethegenetichorses, thought forerun- shealsorearspian horse, classicTurkmen lectively back-breeding) theminiature Cas- FamousLaylin). for‘rediscovering’ (iese- philosophical US -born Firouz(nee Louise nic-Turkmen village of ishometo GTS A uniquestud-farm intheminusculeeth- x (GTS) Gharra Tappeh Sheikh .equitrek.co m.au/Iran.html. .htm. Forariders’ experience,read www www.inthesaddle.com/iran book through tumn it’s possibletotake uniquespringandau- Much of thesteppe populationisethni- By advancearrangement it’spossible about theirregion. formoreIran. Seewww.turkmensahra.com most disadvantagedinpost-revolutionary leaving Turkmen villagesamongstthe been ploughedupbyZaboliimmigrants, havemainstay, pasture-lands increasingly though sheepfarmingremains aneconomic their famoushorsesformotorbikes. Al- Turkmens have becomesettled,swapping tents called days, asare nomad- traditionalyurt-style are prettyof shaggysheepskin rare these butonce-iconic headscarves like designs. Someoldermenwearwhite turban- colours over trousersandshawlswithfloral vouring heavy,full-lengthdresses inbright have littlepatiencewithblackchadors,fa- their ownTurkic dialects. Turkmen women are predominantly Sunni-Muslimandspeak Caucasian. Their clans blue-eyed startlingly features to fromAsiatic (Kazakh-Mongolian) have rangeoffacial atrulyextraordinary Turkmen people(2%ofIran’spopulation) IRAN’S TURKMENPEOPLE 0172 horse treks . Thisis a unique,very personal ( x öy . Inthelastgenerationmost 229 7679;[email protected]; per inthis fascinating area; öy tents. Foraheftyfee telpek ﺷﻴﺦ öy tent on

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343

ﻗﺮﻩ NORTHEASTERN IRAN NORTHEASTERN NORTHEASTERN IRAN ment. Called QezelAlam ment. Called punish- beyond wasequivalenttocapital very banished real edge of Being civilisation. north. FortheIranianworlditmarked the built tokeep outwar-like raiders fromthe Malaisheikh planned wall-fort isstilleasytomake outat above thefields,outlineof alarge, square- side of theTamar–GTS some5m road.Raised concrete bollards,runsalongthenorthern convenientlyable section, marked byorange arelativelyundulation. However, recognis- centuries it’snowlittlemore thanamuddy forbuildingmaterials overcannibalised the mere romanticfiction. Comprehensively making anyreference toAlexandertheGreat and probablydates fromthe6thcentury, andtheCaspian Mountains the Golestan Turkmen, itstretched over 160kmbetween markers include 2m-longspindly phalluses markers knoll dotted withremarkable in about10minutes toagrassy then right shrine, afairlyobvious footpathleadsdown, spring andearlysummer. Fromthecentral place nowattractsMuslimpilgrims during was a5th-centuryNestorianChristian, the commemorating he Nibi.Although Khalid of badlands sea sit three small Dramatically perched above abreathtaking NibiShrine Khalid alents, Like theGreat andHadrian’s Chinese equiv- Alexander’s Wall continue bound savari, thenpayanextraIR20,000to From Kalaleh’s Ahmedi Sq,take aTamar- public transportit’seasiertogoviaKalaleh. uitous Turkmenwriter Makhtumkuli. By is viaHaji Qoshan,oncehometoubiq- From Gonbad-eKavus, the shortest route THERE&AWAYGETTING intriguing, little-visited marvels. andmanyother arrange transporttothese NibiShrine.Wall andKhalid can Louise makes forvisitingAlexander’s anidealbase near horizonof woodlandridges. high GTS magnificent big-skypanoramaedged witha The village’s flat,steppe positiongives a cilities includeanoutdoorlong-droptoilet. ing baganddon’texpectluxury:shared fa- designed tokeep itthatway.Bringasleep- 344 NORTHEASTERN IRAN •• Around Gonbad-e Kavus IRAN••AroundGonbad-e NORTHEASTERN Alexander’s Wall . Ancient butof unknown age, these dar baste , around10kmwestof GTS. to GTS (20minutes). to GTS (Sadd-e Eskander) was (Sadd-eEskander)was

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400,000/450,000) you a suitable 4WDvehicleyou asuitable isachallenge. ( Bastam p351 ), butfindinganyonetorent near Shirinabad toQal’ehNow-e-Kharaqan from mountains thehigh track crosses summer-onlythe sidevalleys.Atough, in mountain-pastureto high settlements forested glancesup valleywithtantalising bad accessiblefallscontinueabove. Less cliff. vertical 20m-chute pid forest poolsfora20-minute strolltoa gorgeouspath passes mossyrocksandlim- tially similarbutquieter (andlesssteep) Shahr anessen- road(turnatKhanbebin), when wet. the pathbecomesatreacherous mudslide 4kmsouthofhouses, Aliabad.However, fromaclutchwoodlands starting of tea- 20-minute streamside pretty walkthrough is overly colourful. arerooms. Standards butsomedécor high plan lobby-restaurant andJacuzzis insome attractive park.Signreads ‘WellCome’. of Aliabad’sVelyat Sq,almostopposite the and very well-kept, fully equippedrooms. value hotels, with anunderstated elegance laa Fan- shaped x Aliabad IR200,000 return. kilometre. costsaround A4WDfromGTS return, last withthesteep but theystruggle from MinudashtwantaroundIR170,000 surfaced road(allow90minutes). Taxis Tappeh Nibiis30kmbyun- road),Khalid women. for menandbutterfly-shaped stonesfor zd hh 240,000/300,000; ( At thewesternsand. endof town, friendly town,formerlyknownas Shahpar- gan you’llprobably change savari atthis ShahrurConnecting between andGor- x Shahr Azad 90,000) Rd;s/tw/tr/q IR50,000/70,000/80,000/ 2108; Azadshahr x The clean,basic ShirabadDon’t confuse withtiny From Hotel Kaniyar Hotel From Tamar theKalaleh–Maraveh (off 0173 /pop45,000 0174 /pop38,000 , thelastvillage of anattractive 30km 672 2545;BeheshtiBlvd; s/tw/tr/steIR140,000/180,000/ isabove arestaurant about150meast Shirabad pa Kabud Waterfall Waterfall Kabud , 2kmwest,hasastylishopen-

, 8km off theAliabad–Azad , 8kmoff ( x Mehmanpazir Resalat Mehmanpazir ) isoneof theregion’s best- 623 0002;tw/tr/qIR300,000/ waterfall is accessed bya is accessed lonelyplanet.com inagrooved Hotel Park Hotel ﺁﺯﺍﺩﺷﻬﺮ ﺁﺑﺎﺩ Shirina-

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ﻋﻠﻲ 622 622 h rather grand US$47/55/60/65; new very wellkept. feels spookilylike from aset iuah road, thenew e Kavus andBojnurd. Onthenorthernring Gonbad- transportjunctionbetween a useful Backed by beautiful green hills,Minudashtis x Minudasht lonelyplanet.com Quchan, where little asweet Bajgiran, totransit you’ll probably need If you’re via headingtoTurkmenistan x QUCHAN (Beit-ol MoqqadasSq) ( here, check out attractive ruralvillages. Ifchanging buses gentle surroundedbymildly mountains province,rasan Bojnurd sitsinabowlof of NorthKho- newlyestablished Capital x BOJNURD bathroomIR62,000/89,000/104,000/119,000; with private Hwy;s/tw/tr/qIR52,000/79,000/84,000/97,000, Mashhad IR56,000/64,000/76,000, showersIR4000) Hotel Esteghlal Hotel conditioning inmostrooms.Theageing motif bed-headsonthehardbedsandair- is great value,withfancyAchaemenid- admission IR3000) breakfast IR360,000) Khorasan Tourism Khorasan Qajar-era thekey mansion.Get from end of Beheshti St. St. end of Beheshti atthewest depart fromChaharaKhoshi hours) andEsfarayan(IR10,000,45 minutes) 12 hours). (IR25,000, 2½ Savaris toSabzevar (IR8000, 3½hours) andTehran (IR50,000, Quchan (IR6000,2¼hours), Sabzevar hours), Mashhad (IR12,000,fourhours), has regular toGorgan buses (IR17,000,five marked Themain ‘Guesthouse’. Azadegan Sq)infrontof aconspicuously hours) fromFalakeh start Mehmansara (aka corridors. underlit,ern roomsoff smart,ifslightly x Clean, fresh At thefareastern endof town,theplush Mashhad-bound savaris (IR30,000,2½ 0174 /pop24,000 0581 /pop116,000 0584 /pop201,000 8am-2.30pm Sun-Thu) 222 2193; Falakeh Kargat, Imam Khomeini St; s/tw/tr ImamKhomeini 222 2193;Falakeh Kargat, Hotel Negin Negin Hotel a ( Emarat Mofarkham building Emarat Mofarkham , apsychedelically coloured x Mehmanpazir Minu Minu Mehmanpazir ) , onthewestern sideof town, hasfullyequippedmod-

( ishopelesslyoverpriced and x ( Ainekhane x Mosaferkhaneh Naghizadeh Mosaferkhaneh 522 2314; Mashhad Hwy; s/tw/tr/q Hwy;s/tw/tr/q 522 2314;Mashhad 225 5737; Imam Reza Sq;dwith 225 5737;ImamReza 224 5388; Dochenar/Shariati St; 224 5388;Dochenar/Shariati directly opposite the

(Dochenar/Shariati St; (Dochenar/Shariati The Shining issimplebut Ethnographic ( bus terminal x ﻣﻴﻨﻮﺩﺷﺖ ﺑﺠﻨﻮﺭﺩ 522 3188; 522 3188; ﻗﻮﭼﺎﻥ . North North a . )

of of just beyond thetimelessmud-block village canyon, andrejoining themainnewroad anarrowEmamqoli, descending through adegraded oldroadviaQuchan uses shared toilets. butratherbare roomswith has survivable tw/tr IR50,000/60,000) 300m southof Sq. ImamKhomeini at themainbusterminal, 1.6kmeast,then (IR6000,2½hours)Quchan arrive buses Mashhad–points onAzadiSq.However, relevant (back/front IR15,000/20,000)use (1to2April). villages, atRavar notably titions are rare andmostlyheldinremote compe- sumo minusthebellies.However, Quchani, eateries andaninternet café. EshkabadStareblocks furthernorthoff doors are usuallylocked by10pm.Three are very clean,butthere’s noshower and Simple roomsaroundacentralcourtyard Mosaferkhaneh Noor Mosaferkhaneh downaquietsideroadtofind Sq, turnright Dargaz (IR20,000). savaris leave forBajgiran (IR15,000)and at Felestin Sq(1.5kmfurther)fromwhich thecommercialcentre.through Itends dan) Sq north tocentralImamKhomeini main Mashhad–Bojnurd road. completion) are bothonAzadiSqthe & 3-7pmTue-Sun) Hotel Bajgiran Hotel gate. That’s800mbeyondthenine-room 1¼ hours) terminate atthelowerborder Quchan (IR15,000/60,000perperson/car, and communicationtowers. Savaris from attractive ridges amidthearidmountain huddles of lookfaintly archaic mud-houses Bajgiran village isn’t anattractionbutafew theboxednearby border(see text, p346 ). here toget forcrossingthe anearlystart surrealstan’s considersleeping capital, If you’re headingtoAshgabat, Turkmeni- x Bajgiran AROUND QUCHAN Museum The prettier of two possibleroutes from Bojnurd–Mashhad andsomesavaris buses Quchan region isfamousfor A shortwalknorthof ImamKhomeini Struns1.5km From here, Bazaar Sabzevar Dorbadam 0582 /pop920 where itcontinues asEshkabadSt NORTHEASTERN IRAN••Bojnurd NORTHEASTERN

( x akindof . 223 2757;admissionIR2000;

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NORTHEASTERN IRAN NORTHEASTERN NORTHEASTERN IRAN the log-pillared within the unusually tall within the unusuallytall The key from sites canallbeaccessed OLD SEMNAN Sights Miras Semnan Coffeenet Semani Aras Coffeenet Information peaks. arid mountain mirzad reveals animpressive hinterland of historical buildings.Ashortdrive toShah- ered bazaar isaninteresting complexof Butaroundtheappealingcov-boulevards. city of modernbuildingsandwide low-rise nondescript At first glanceit’sadiffuse, and regular destructioninequalmeasure. key stoponthesilkroute, attractingwealth Tehran. a timesithasbeen SinceSassanian vast Dasht-eKavir 240kmeastof desert, liesonthenorthernedge ofSemnan the of aneponymousregion,Capital booming x SEMNAN 346 h male andfemale sections. IR6000; finest surviving windtower.finest surviving mansionwithSemnan’s only mapsfromalovelyQajar-era minimal Englishbutoffer bilingualpamphletsandFarsi- h Tadayon House,Taleqani St,btwn3rd&5thAlleys; limits start 7km further north). 7kmfurther limits start here, lessplushshared taxischarge 25,000Mperpersontoanyaddress inAshgabat (whosecity oncetheyhave checks ahandfulofpassengers. land,departing passport Afterno-man’s further ing 150,000M(orUS$10ifyou’ve forgotten toexchangemoneyinadvance)shuttleacrossthis is 25kmfromtheTurkmen lowerbordergate (Berzhengi Tamozhna). VWminivanscharg- Smart Turkmen-side uppercustomspost,pronouncedhovdan) isnotavillage,haszero facilitiesand everything’s inorder(twohourstoclearsixpeoplewhenwecrossed).Beware thatHowdan(the your watches. That’s notrequired ifyou’re onatransitvisa. immigration officersandtheagencyrepresentative should bewaitingsosure tosynchronise pay forthehologrammedentrycard.Ifarrivingonatouristvisayourvouchermustbewith immigration isjust50maway.As atanyTurkmen entrypointyou’llneedUS$12(inUSdollars)to formalities are Turkmenistan swiftaslongyoudon’tsneeze atthe‘HumanQuarantine’desk. ‘taxi’totherightofIranianimmigrationbuilding.small (slightlyhidden)officemarked Iranian least US$10intoTurkmen manats(US$1=23,500M)eitherwithtradersinBajgiran villageoratthe 3.30pm Irantime,9am-5pmTurkmen time) From Bajgiran’s lower border gate, it’sasteady 1.7kmclimbtothe CROSSING THETURKMENISTAN BORDERAT HOWDAN BAJGIRAN 0231 /pop129,000 10am-7pm Sun-Wed) 8am-2.30pm Sun-Wed,8am-1.30pmThu)They speak NORTHEASTERN IRAN••Semnan NORTHEASTERN Turkmen immigrationstaffare friendlybutprocedures canbeappallinglyponderous,even when h 8am-10pm Sun-Wed, 8am-8pm Thu) Separate 8am-10pm Sun-Wed,8am-8pmThu)Separate ( (Qods Blvd;internetperhrIR6000; x ( x 332 1602;www.semnanmiras.ir; Takiyeh Market Hall Takiyeh Market 333 8010;internetperhr covered bazaar covered ; taxiswantIR10,000.Before crossingtheborder,changeat . Most ﺳﻤﻨﺎﻥ via IR2000; Alley, Abuzar Sq). 13th Alleys, Hafez 31stAlley,Ghafari 30th Yazd-style windtowers (Taleqani 1stand of have these leyways. Several crumbling traditional homes city. Onlyasmallpercentage of mud-built breaking holesintothefabricof theold redevelopmentbrutal hasbulldozedheart- tion of makeshift carparksandsomewhat Province.photos of Semnan chaeological site of plussomepretty Hissar, 3000-year-old pottery fromthenearbyar- west Yahya blue tilingof thecontemporary There’s no such restraint inthedazzling ured of use restrained coloured brickwork. four courtyard buildings fromtheQajar period.Twoof its 1820s. It’soneof Iran’sfinestsurviving Mosque impressive isthe is the into anattractive 1452bathhouse. Within corner of Takiyeh Hall, adoorwayleads traits of Qajar warriors inthenorthwest in incongruouselectricgreen. dominates the townandisfloodlitatnight andkinked itstill (11th century?).Leaning feature isthegorgeous 21mbrickminaret 1424 rebuild, butthemosque’smostlovable Around thebazaararea, theconstruc- Between vaguelycomicaltileworkpor- Between iwan . The extraordinarily high, ifaustere,. Theextraordinarilyhigh, h founded underFath AliShah inthe Hazrat Museum Hazrat Museum 8am-noon &3.30-6pmSat-Thu) of the the of immigration posts remain, mostlyinbackal- iwans Jameh Mosque Imam Khomeini (Sultani) Imam Khomeini offer perfectly meas- ( x 333 1204;admission lonelyplanet.com dates froma

( h displaying Imamzadeh 7.30am- Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels your stay Book 500m northeastthere’s anold dinky buticonicQajar-era citygate. Around ancient mud down tothelumpyruinsof thecity’s Pepsi sign. St, isonlyopensporadically.Lookforthe harfazl, diagonallyacrossImamKhomeini shared. Thecheaper Cha- Mosaferkhaneh ing thedoors at10pm.Squattoiletsare prices, hidingtheshowerroomandlock- deter customers, suggesting randomlyhigh dotheirbestto Apatheticstaff the right. go insidethenknockontheglassdoorto marked door(usuallycovered withatowel), very centralbuteasytomiss:findanun- children’s playarea, thebasicKormesh is Blvd) from road noise. Overpriced. Overpriced. from roadnoise. andfridge more butsuffer better withTV dows andwornfurniture. Frontroomsare owner, planned. Theknowledgeable, intelligent rant, skatingrinkandsportscomplexare eco-friendly five-star hotel plusrestau- US$100 perday;callahead).Afuturistic, (around andmountains the nearbydesert can rent horses andguidesfortripsinto 20-horse equestrian centre where tourists OTHER SIGHTS Hotel Kormesh Hotel Sleeping Complex Tourist the Some 5kmeastof Semnan, Activities Arg Darvaza-e Spiked withblue-tiledbabyminarets, but 3km fromtheold-city core. and freshly laundered towels: good value new furniture, showers, curtained toiletries offers international rooms with standard dowdy exterior, thisfriendly 36-roomhotel x pa better Italian. from anowdemolished cottonfactory. tower 170,000) Sq;tw/tr/q IR100,000/140,000/ Alley, offImamKhomeini [email protected]) Near Abuzar Sq,Ghafari9thAlleyleads Ghods Hotel Semnan Tourist Inn Tourist Semnan 444 1433;BasijBlvd;twUS$37; besidewhatappears tobeafortress , butwasactuallyadecorative element ) Facing Sqacross a Imam Khomeini Somerear roomshave cracked win- Madjid Dadvar Madjid

, speaksdecentEnglish and fortress ( (Arg Sq,Taleqani St)

( x x ( x 332 2177; Imam Reza Sq;dUS$30; 332 2177;ImamReza 332 3647; Imam Khomeini 18th 332 3647;ImamKhomeini 335 3123;DamghanHwy) .

( x (Mehmansara Jahangardi; Jahangardi; (Mehmansara 0912 2311077;dadvar pa is Semnan’s is Semnan’s cistern ) Behind a Behind Shabdiz

isa (Qods 11pm) mealsIR10,000/30,000; Sq;breakfast/kabab shahir figures lead downtoacane-vaulted cavern kababs butthedécorisunique. Achaemenid 1pm &4-11pm) Ghandil Sabz Eating of Sqafter 21stAlley. ImamKhomeini curious ice-cream shopabout700mnorth Semnan Shahmirzad Minibuses & Savaris...... Damghan Savaris...... Sofrakhaneh SonatiHaftKhan...... Pizza Max...... Ghandil Sabz...... Semnan TouristInn...... Mosaferkhaneh Chaharfazl...... Hotel Kormesh...... Ghods Hotel...... Tower &Cistern...... Mud FortressRuins...... Jameh Mosque...... Imamzadeh Yahya...... Imam Khomeini(Sultani)Mosque...... (see5) Hazrat Museum...... (see6) Darvaza-e Arg(CityGate)...... Semnan Miras...... Semani Coffeenet...... Aras Coffeenet...... ld&Sd q...... A1 Blvd&Sadi Sq...... Shuttle TaxistoImamKhomeini SqviaYasserSt,Qods TRANSPORT EATING SLEEPING SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES INFORMATION SEMNAN Sofrakhaneh Sonati Haft Khan Khan SonatiHaft Sofrakhaneh 1 12 Tehran (235km) Terminal (1km); To MainBus 7

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347 9am- A1 B2 B2 A2 A2 A1 B2 B2 B1 B2 B2 B2 B2 B2 B2 B2 A2 NORTHEASTERN IRAN NORTHEASTERN NORTHEASTERN IRAN typically Iranianpizza,mostlyfortakeaway. way eithersideof at town,notably tothemainMashhad–Tehranclose high- ADSAR domed impressive ifmostly contemporary blue- isdominated bythe (16km fromSemnan) Sprawling inarid rockyfolds, x MAHDISHAHR Into theMountains partlyrenovatedSeveral Caravanserais AROUND SEMNAN Sq. Khomeini is1.5kmsouthofThe trainstation Imam (three hours) operate daily. local services andtwoSemnan–Tehranping atSemnan) fromMo’allemSq. minutes) start (IR1200)andsavaris (IR3500,25buses conveniently fromMashahir Sq. tre). Thelastisat6pm.Savaris leave more south of Sq(3kmeastof Standard thecen- IR12,000, three hours)aterminal 100m use up ataspecialoffice intheterminal. Tehran (IR35,000/45,000,twohours), sign IR35,000/40,000,three hours) front seat or 10 daily).Forsavaris toQa’emshahr (back/ Qa’emshahr (IR13,500IR22,000,3½hours, valleys fullof sunflowers. Alternatively, goto beautiful seasonally passingthrough yasar, toSari(IR20,000,fourhours) viaKi- service 6am bustoMashhad (IR60,000)anda7am to IR25,000,three hours). Taavoni 2hasa halfhourorsoforTehranevery (IR20,000 leave buses 5.30amandmidnight, tween Sq.Be- Sq, 100mbeyondImamHossein The mainbusterminal is3kmwestof Sa’di &Away There Getting suns. asecret thetwogold through doorbetween theincredible partyroomaccessed you see artificial grotto. Ifthatlooksfanciful,waittill full of tea-beds, Corinthiancolumnsandan 348 30,000; (36km west)and notable building isthe40-year-oldnotable Kakh Pal- arrangement. Mirascanget youinbyadvance Semnan Three Mashhad–Tehran trains(stop- For Shahmirzad viaMahdishahr, mini- (IR9000to hourlybuses To Damghan, Pizza Max 0232 NORTHEASTERN IRAN••AroundSemnan NORTHEASTERN h Al-Mahdi Hosseinieh Al-Mahdi noon-3.30pm &6pm-midnight)

( x 332 7012;Sa’diSq;pizzasIR23,000- Ahowan . The town’s other . Thetown’s other caravanserais (42kmeast). Mahdishahr Goodif ﺷﻬﺮ Lasjerd

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St; d/steUS$30/41) glass. Take thebestsuite forfulleffect. and two-storey chandelier of 1970srope- Moshtameh Ferhangi Moshtameh Ferhangi a locallyfamous picnic spotbehind which apathleadsupto Mahdishahr, until mid-April. Shahmirzad and Between behind towntoallowimpromptusledging There’s snowontheridges enough 8km the upperpartsof townaroundImamSq. few remnant grace mud-compoundhouses spiky rockridges. Gushingstreams anda nanis isaquietly charming oasisamid This popularweekend getaway forSem- x SHAHMIRZAD Sangesar Hotel astheremarkablyace, nowused good-value where Tejarat Bank changes US$, Eurosand Sq, four gilded lions)andImam Khomeini Chaharshirthe blockbetween Sq(withits St)for tral east–westaxis (ImamKhomeini ofdistance thecentralarea. pertly faceted brickare withineasywalking ancientreligiousseveral structures inex- placed bymodernconstructions.However, mud-walled buildingsare rapidlybeingre- timelessly crumblingApril). Damghan’s est are discordantlysnow-covered wellinto backed byparched rockyridges (thehigh- of the great plateau, attractively desert This historiccaravan townsitsontheedge x DAMGHAN d IR70,000/150,000) the unbridged river en-route. driver toford to findataxi gutsyenough esque direct you’llneed route toPol-eSefid downhill fromImamSq.Forthepictur- leaveto Semnan fromImamSt,500m into pretty gardensonwarmafternoons. above ImamSq,abasic bathrooms andgoodviews. alittlebare,big andalthough have smart Imam Sq(10minutes’ walk).Roomsare very Stupfrom obvious:followMotahhari the topedge of town.It’sunmarked but inagardenat towerhotel set octagonal Excellent value even atforeigner valueeven Excellent prices, The covered bazaarhugsthetown’scen- Minibuses (IR2000)andsavaris (IR3500) Minibuses By thechairlift andart-parkdirectly 0232 0232 /pop55,000 ( Darband x with blue tiling, grand lobby withbluetiling,grandlobby isamodern,four-storey 362 4280; fax 362 4380; Saheb Zaman Zaman 362 4280;fax4380;Saheb cave ( x is a somewhat scraggy isasomewhatscraggy in the cliff. inthecliff. 366 4114;local/foreigner teahouse lonelyplanet.com spillsout ﺷﻬﻤﻴﺮﺯﺍﺩ ﺩﺍﻣﻐﺎﻥ Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels your stay Book identifiable byits‘sport monument’dis- reception inthecosylobby. Varzesh Sqis able roomswith bathrooms andafriendly the good-value Amirhassmall,comfort- 130,000; miss) theinterior isreputedly finer. even are remarkable andifyoucanget in(hit-and- newer brickdomebuttheKuficinscriptions original conicalroof replaced hasbeen bya Alamdar lanetofindtheround ing alongthesame from themid-11thcentury.Continuewalk- another finebrick but wasfoundedamillenniumago. Ithas a newmosquenextdoor. leaningit’swithintheyardofNow slightly AD 1038brick rated. Butinstrikingcontrast,the30m-high courtyard are similarlymassive andundeco- and part-renovated arches of acolonnaded trian palace-temple. Thebroken columns lifein Iran,possiblystarting asaZoroas- edly makes oldestmosque thisthesecond umns date fromaboutAD760.Thatreput- 18extraordinarilysturdyrearwhose col- unique, partlyruinedmud-brick structure but slow to theeast.Thelatterfriendly contains Khandaq) west andshoppingmall(Bazaar tothe caravanserai old (butout-of-bounds) an ning downitsmiddle. Itquicklypasses Chaharshir Sq,apine-linedstream run- Mosque (200m)andPirAmadar(300m). theJamehthe narrowlanedueeastpasses (2km),while(400m) tothetrainstation St headssoutheastpastTarikhuneh Mosque ues northeasttowardsMashhad, Motahhari Stcontin- UK pounds.Fromhere, Beheshti lonelyplanet.com Amir Hotel Amir Hotel Sleeping &Eating The Sights h movie-set NorthAfricancastle. culminating inabrickcone. Itlookslike a andafive-levelledfalse-windows dome building withroundside-towers, arched sion IR3000; Jafar behind thevery photogenic The similar The Attractive AzadiBlvdleadsnorthfrom 8.30am-8pm Sat-Thu, 4-9pmFri) (Chaharshir Sq) (Chaharshir Tarikhuneh Mosque Tarikhuneh pa tower. DatingfromtheAD1020s,its Jameh Mosque CoffeenetNovin h ( x 8am-1.30pm &3pm-duskSat-Thu) ) 523 1776;Varzesh Sq;tw/trIR120,000/ Above apopularrestaurant, minaret minaret Chehel Dokhtar Tower Chehel Dokhtar , asplendidancientbrick minaret looksoutwardlynew is very finelydetailed.

(internet perhrIR6000; (Motahhari St;admis- (Motahhari probably dating probablydating . Imamzadeh hides isa Pir Pir NORTHEASTERN IRAN••AroundDamghan NORTHEASTERN 6800; Azadi Blvd;rUS$27; 6800; Azadi lower AzadiBlvd,themostappealingis machine. Or forareal espresso fixthe iftheyever appealing spotforadecentTurkishcoffee. northeast of Sq,thisisan ImamKhomeini Imam Khomeini Sq. Imam Khomeini problem.It’s1kmeastof isaslight noise nice viewsfromeast-facing roomsbutroad beds.Littlebalconiesofferuncomfortable) central air-conditioning andnew(ifslightly rooms are withfridge, quite acceptable, the Danesh’s unfussy, well-maintained north fromChaharshir Sq. beside Park-e Shahrdari, five minutes’ walk while offering fullmidrange facilities.It’s designed tofaintlyresemble acaravanserai domed roofs, thisremarkably swish hotel is reach Mil-e Radkan ( reach Mil-eRadkan p341 a ), you’llneed Local picnickers love AROUND DAMGHAN Sqs. Chaharshir orImamKhomeini often leaves passengers obliginglyatcentral incomingtransport Arriving inDamghan, and Shahrud (IR3500/14,000,75minutes). (IR12,000/25,000, three hours) to Semnan outside Imamzadeh Jafar. run Buses/savaris Shahrivar hopfrom St,aIR500shuttle-taxi like acovered bazaar. It’s1kmweston17 quietterminal looksmoreDamghan’s &Away There Getting St; (Kandagh IR200,000/300,000; north, thenthree east. 1.5km fromChaharshir Sq,onelarge block playing huge footballsinagiantcup.It’s Khandaq. Khandaq. IR500-800; bowl-valley justbeyond lonely degree viewsof awidemountain-ringed north of here there are somefabulous360- plum orchards. ridges, dryrockyoutcropsandmud-walled nic contrastsenroute:snow-topped high each 30km) forthesce- wayfromDamghan, fare pool. It’salmostworththetaxi (IR30,000 amid willowtrees inaspring-fed reflecting skeleton of alonelyQajar-era pavilion sits o Of several pizzaandburgerOf several jointsaround Caffe SunCity Caffe Hotel Danesh Hotel Along theslowly degenerating ex-asphalt Damghan Inn h h 9am-midnight; noon-10.30pm; a

( ( x x

) If otherhotels are full, 523 1121;BeheshtiSt;s/tw pa 524 8131;BeheshtiSt;coffees ( Cheshmeh Ali x a 524 2070;fax a ) ) Withmultiple- Thirtymetres ) facing Bazaar facingBazaar where the Dibaj . To Konj 349

NORTHEASTERN IRAN NORTHEASTERN NORTHEASTERN IRAN 8pm Sat-Thu, 4-9pmFri) p 2335; ShohodaSt;s/d/tr/qIR48,350/65,900/77,800/89,900; 210,000/240,000; s/d/tr/IR140,000/160,000/180,000, withshower180,000/ 220,000/270,000) IR120,000/170,000/220,000, withbathroomIR153,000/ Ferhangi; admission IR3000; are shared. Head two blocksdown Tehran Toilets rooms with monogrammed sheets. left againandit’sonyourright. St,turn Sq, take ashortblockleftonKhaqani it, walk400mdownAzadiBlvdfrom Azadi welcome inapproximate-English. To find shared kitchen, familyfeel andaneffusive spacious withnewertiledfloors. There’s a shared toilets;others neatandrelatively some ageing withtight-packed bedsand elled (without).Friendlybutnoshowers. dishev- tohighly from bearable(withtap) location isvery handybuttheroomsrange Mehmankhaneh IslamiNoh Mehmankhaneh Sleeping shop marked ‘IranPlast’. wind towerinthesidelane(left)behind a presented Ferdosi Stleadsuptothesmallbutbeautifully 300m northof JomhuriSq. Here winding stairs, after oneshortblock. ing from centralJomhuriSqtoAzadiSq,pass- the stepped village of Mojen (35kmwest). (7km northeast) and hub forvisitingBastam abruptly fromtheDasht-eKavir. It’sauseful streets againstdustyridges squeezed rising Shahrud smalltownwithleafy isapleasant x SHAHRUD around Chamansovar village. squirmingmud 4WD toget deep through 350 hr IR8000; passes very close tothe very close passes lively iflessthanphotogenic. paralleled bythecovered leads towardsleafy inthe1927formertownhall. housed Hotel Nader Hotel Azadi-Sharif Hotel Imam Sq(nicknamedsimply‘falakeh’) is St,leads1.3km Shahrud’s axis,22Bahman Southwest of JomhuriSt, Tehran St St Northwest fromJomhuriSq,Sadeghi ) 0273 /pop135,000 Barely 15msoutheastof JomhuriSq,the NORTHEASTERN IRAN••Shahrud NORTHEASTERN Coffeenet Almas x h Shahrud Museum Shahrud 223 0760; off 8 Shahrivar St; 223 0760;off8Shahrivar 9am-11pm)

Rooms are avery mixed bag: ( pa h x 7.30am-12.30pm &4-6pmSat-Thu) 333 2835;fax2836; DaneshjuSt; after 500m.Look forthe

( Abshar Park x ( ) x Simplebutvery clean , easily missed down- , easilymissed 223 8419; 22 Bahman St;per 223 8419;22Bahman 222 8454; Bahar St; tw/tr/q St;tw/tr/q 222 8454;Bahar

(Inn IslamNew; ( x tourist office tourist bazaar, 222 1784;Ferdosi St; (1km) closely (1km)closely which is h ﺷﺎﻫﺮﻭﺩ 8.30am- x (Miras (Miras 222 , outside at tables inthepinewoods. outside attables tunda constructed aroundalivingtree or inatimber-roofedpieces) are served ro- sually good IR12,000-16,000, coffees IR7000-16,000; parallel toFerdosi. 300m fromAzadiSqonastreet thatruns furniture. amidpinetrees It’speacefullyset rooms andastrange mixof oldandnew contrastwitharchaiccurtains oldbath- a wide-rangingmenu. tostylish minimalism,andithas come close walls Sq. Itspineceilingsandwood-effect entrance theFerdosi ishandyforJomhuri on theirsigns,letalonemenus. Note thatnoneof thefollowinghave English Eating before left. Daneshju curves then take thefirst leftandit’son the right onMadaniSt fromJomhuriSq,right Blvd, Imam Reza Sq,300mnortheast of Azadi 1pm,10pm leaveSabzevar from relevant pointson Savaris toAzad Shahr (IR30,000)and 10hr Tehran IR33,000 Sari IR16,700 9hr 3hr Gorgan IR14,000 10am, Mashhad IR60,000 Esfahan 5pm 2.30pm Destination Fare (V) 13hr includethefollowing: Peyma services Tehran Iran St(IR1500byshuttle taxi). venient mainbusterminal 5kmsouthdown actually departfromthehopelesslyincon- buses Jomhuri Sqbutmostlong-distance all have handyticket onornear offices Iran Peyma, Taavoni Safar 3andSeiro &Around There Getting h mealsIR25,000-40,000; pizzas fromIR22,000,kabab pa x meals IR20,000-50,000; 5-10pm Sat-Thu, 5-10pmFri) chocolate sediment. side of AzadiSq.Mocha comesthickwith stylish of eateries aroundthesouth several mood-lit ice-cream parlour-café isthemost Ferdosi Restaurant Coffee ShopSoorena Inn Tourist Shahrud ITTIC Ayaran Restaurant noon-3.30pm &7-10.30pm) 222 6078; fax 222 4008; Saderian St;d/trUS$35/40; 222 6078;fax4008;Saderian ) Freshly painted wallsandnicenew IR20,000/40,000 juje Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels your stay Book

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Though tiny,this Though Duration Departures 222 2958; 22 Bahman St; 222 2958;22Bahman Facing thebazaar (off Azadi Sq;sundaes (off Azadi (Mehmansara Jahangardi; Jahangardi; (Mehmansara 224 2540;AbsharPark; (grilledchicken 8hr lonelyplanet.com

3pm viaDamghan h fairly frequent 9am-1pm & Unu- 3201; BastamHwy) daub walled1285 ceiling. and timberpillars supportingafinelog woodendoorshrab, glass-protected carved Bayazid mosque Art Nouveau floralinterior. Theassociated amzadeh Mohammad thegrave,etic formof Sufism.Behind and Zoroastrianideasinformulatingapo- of Muslim,Mithraic gnostics’whofused 804–874), aphilosophernick n the simplegrave (AD of Bastami Bayazid surrounds buildings blue-tiled 13th-century up Taleqani Blvd.Thiscollectionof mostly off themainShahrud–Azad Shahr road of JomhuriSq. Mashhad trainline,isabout 3kmsoutheast two blocksnorthwestof JomhuriSq. leave St, Stjustoff Sadeghi from15Khordat Savaris toMojen andminibuses (30minutes) leave from17Shahrivar Stjustoff ImamSq. (15minutes) toBastam sional minibuses to Gorgan (IR10,000).Savaris andocca- Kavus (IR7000)andat8am,9am2pm hours back)plusat9.30amtoGonbad-e Shahr (IR6000,1¾hours; IR10,000 2¼ leavewhich minibuses whenfulltoAzad Petrol is Station) Sq. Justbeyond(northeastof theAtlantic lonelyplanet.com AHA Haram (shrinecomplex) commemorating is thebeautiful, massive andever-growing gest city.Its Mashhad big- isIran’s holiestandsecond x MASHHAD St) photogenic from Shahrud. It’scentred onthequietly Ancient isnowamodestvillage 7km Bastam Bastam AROUND SHAHRUD Shahrud (IR1250). outside thehistoricalcomplexfor rides into can behit-and-miss. superbstucco-work butgettingcontains in ( at Radkan p364 ). Themosque reportedly like that as anastronomicalobservatory circular tomb-towerthatpossiblydoubled Khomeini Sq;admissionfree; Khomeini backsontothefine1313 One blockbehindthecomplex,mud- Shahrud ontheTehran– trainstation, Informal shared pickuppassengers taxis 0511 /pop2,965,000 Bayazid Historical Complex Bayazid Historical raison d’être hasaremarkable grey mi- , asmall,hiddenyardfrom hasanattractive almost Terminal-e Shomal Jameh Mosque h and main sight andmainsight dawn-dusk) Borj Kashani amed ‘Sultan amed ‘Sultan

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( x ﺑﺴﻄﺎﻡ ﻣﺸﻬﺪ (Imam Im- 222 , a NORTHEASTERN IRAN •• Around Shahrud IRAN••AroundShahrud NORTHEASTERN this religious ‘island’ wasfurther expanded ment to date. Priortothe 1979 revolution make wayfortheHaram’s biggest enlarge- 180m of the HolyShrine were flattened to zeal, hecontinuedtosponsorthe Haram. NaderwasaSunni ofthough missionary Evenempire onKhorasan. wasfocused its zenithunderNaderShah ( p35 ) whose around 1612.Politically,Mashhad reached Abbas Irebuilt theHolyShrine’s newcore Iran’s pre-eminent pilgrimage site andShah Shiism creed, asthestate Mashhad became is named.OncetheSafavids hadestablished Shad, forwhomtheHaram’s mainmosque andhisextraordinarywife, GoharRokh, early 15thcenturybyTimur’s son,Shah The shrinewasenlarged inthe Khorasan. limped backtolife of asthenewcapital thereafter itwasMashhad thateventually when Timur sacked thewholearea. But mained amore significanttownuntil1389 as Mashhad (placeof martyrdom).Tusre- Shiite pilgrimsandsoonbecameknown small village of Sanabadbegan to attract Following ImamReza’sburialhere, the History contrastingly hot.Aprilisideal. for uptofive months ayear. Summers are can bevery cold,withsnowontheground best-value accommodationinIran.Winters at othertimesMashhad offers aboutthe theboxed(see text, p358 ). Contrastingly, port willbebooked outmonths inadvance sons, almostallaccommodationandtrans- excursions intolittle-touristed Khorasan. andoffersAfghanistan, manyinteresting postfortravelstaging or toTurkmenistan is agoodplacetobuycarpets,it’snatural Complex there are few butMashhad sights, their marriage. AwayfromtheHaram sharingitwith theImamwillbless believe city’s alsoahaven forhoneymooners, who of lovey the young couples, that’sbecause Ifyounoticealot not aMuslimyourself. tears isamoving ifyou’re experience,even of money)totheImam.Witnessingtheir to paytheirrespects (andnosmallamount million pilgrimsconverge here each year ally over amillenniumlater andaround20 Imam Reza’sdeathisstillfelt very person- Imam,ImamReza.eighth Thepainof the AD817martyrdomof Shia Islam’s In 1928,nonreligious buildings within aware thatduringmajorBe pilgrimsea-

351 NORTHEASTERN IRAN NORTHEASTERN NORTHEASTERN IRAN Getr Mashhad Greater polluted sprawl. biggest, ahuge,second unwieldyandrather onandthemetropolis isnowIran’s stayed Iranian cityfromthefrontline. Many population balloonedasitwasthe furthest Boq’eh-ye Khajeh Rabi, p357 ). a great expensive honourandsuitably (see grave-sites: tobeburiedneartheImamis of from donations,bequestsandtheselling to transport.Butmostof themoney comes frombakingtocarpets,andminerals prises business conglomerate, managingenter- tion just southof the Haram isFalakeh loop. A keyranean circular highway junc- as spiritualcentre. itisasubter- Beneath The Haram isMashhad’s physicalaswell Orientation Qods eRazavi foundation thatmanages theshrine, tural achievement. Meanwhile, thecharitable point totheHaram asitsgreatest architec- on theeraof theIslamicRepublic,theywill since. apace ever When historianslookback to 320mandconstructionhascontinued 352 Kang (31km) To Torqabeh (9km); (20km); Zoshk(33km) (17km); Abardeh To Shandiz GREATER MASHHAD During theIran–IraqWar,Mashhad’s NORTHEASTERN IRAN••Mashhad NORTHEASTERN 14 Depot Terminus Metro a)...... C3 Jam)...... Hafez Sq(SavaristoTorbat-e Falakeh Park(SavaristoQuchan& Falakeh Ferdosi (BusesforAbardeh, C2 Bus toAirport...... C2 Miras FerhangiKhorasan...... TRANSPORT SLEEPING SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES INFORMATION Bojnurd)...... Torqabeh, Tus &Zoshk)...... Buses toQuchan&Bojnurd...... Laleh Hotel...... Hotel ParsMashhad...... Homa HotelMashhad...... Kuh-e Sangi...... Boq'eh-ye KhajehRabi...... Edareh-ye Gozarnameh......

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To Sarakhs y l d v d (180km) 13 19 handy photocopyshopthree doorsfromBaghoiExchange. 24 hours(fordoublethefee; fees varybynationality).There’s a in Iran,they’llusuallyhandleapplicationsforforeigners within forhotelaccommodation but sinceyou’llneedyourpassport copiesandtwophotos. passport has, youmaynowapplyforthevisa. Thisrequires twomore foryoufromAshgabat.Ifit approval letterwillhavearrived per hrIR5000; IR6000; h in thedaytime. Turkmenistan St; Pakistan lonelyplanet.com Coffeenet Dalahoo Coffeenet Dalahoo Coffeenet Attar Coffeenet Aftabshargh ACCESSINTERNET Hospital Imam Reza EMERGENCY toissuevisas. consulate. Unlikely Then come back after fivedaysbywhichtime, Then comebackafter exit pointsbywhichyou’lltransitTurkmenistan (inflexible). single sheetofA4paper. Handthisin,statingtheentryand page,facingeachother ontoa visa andyourmainpassport sometimesaccepted).Photocopythat is best,Azerbaijani transitvisayou’llneedanonward(Uzbek For afive-day Farsi, Turkmen orRussian considergoingwithatranslator. soifyoudon’tunderstand window andnoEnglishisspoken throughatinyhole-in-the-wall All businessisconducted DeySq; St, offDah-e Sina St)Good,accessiblehospitalwith24-hourpharmacy. h (today’s Mashhad) closetoMa’mun’s ownfather (andReza’sfather’s nemesis)Caliph Haroun. deadly grapes. Ma’mundisguisedthecrime byhonouringReza’sbodywithburial inSanabad leavingMa’munworried thathe’dbeupstaged.Sooutcame thosecaptivated theroyal court, imperial power. However, the ployappeared tobebackfiring. The Imam’s charismaticpresence Ma’mun’sagentsdraggedRezaforciblyacross rebellious regionsily inthiseffort, asasymbolof Reza’s helptocalmaseriesofrevolts. himvoluntar- Havingfailedtoenticethe Imam tosupport emerged butneededsucceed theirdadascaliph.Ma’mun,based temporarily victorious inMerv, Reza. Meanwhile, after Haroun’sdeath,sonsMa’munandAminslogged outacivilwarto the seventh Shiite Imam.Musawaseventually slappedintoHaroun’sBaghdadjail,thenkilled. temporalsociety. His powerwasunassailable. Buthecoveted ofMusa, thespiritualpre-eminence influential inbringing Greek-style and cosmopolitansophisticationtoArab-Muslim analyticthinking the were onlyyesterday. itwasinAD818. Infact murdered ImamRezaasthoughhisassassination(withpoisonedgrapesandpomegranate juice) Within Mashhad’sholyshrine,pilgrimsbreak outpouringsofgrieffor into conspicuous,heartfelt THE MARTYRDOM OFIMAM REZA 24hr) Three floorsup.Very central. Musa’s 35-year-old son Ali al-Raza (Razavi) inheritedMusa’s 35-year-old (Razavi) hisfather’spiousmantlebecomingImam sonAlial-Raza asthegreat caliphin 20yearsearlierwithHarounar-Rashid, immortalised The storystarts 9am-noon Sat-Wed) Occupies the former British 9am-noon Sat-Wed)OccupiestheformerBritish h Arabian Nights Mp p354; (Map 24hr) Good connection but tends to overheat buttendstooverheat 24hr) Goodconnection h Mp p354; (Map (Map (Map p356 ; Falakeh Ab;perhrIR7000; 9am-9pm) h (Map (Map p356 St;perhr ; ImamReza x Mp p354; (Map 8.30am-noon Mon-Thu &Sat) fairy-tales. Less HarounruledtheAbbasidcaliphate fictionally, andwasvery (Map (Map p354 St; ; ImamKhomeini 222 9845; Imam Khomeini 222 9845;ImamKhomeini x It normally takes four days fourdays It normallytakes 854 7066; Do Shahid 854 7066;DoShahid x 854 3031-9; Ibn-e 854 3031-9;Ibn-e insh’Allah, an an h don’t yetexist. museumsthat long journey.OKfree maps indicateseveral a Library-style sittingroomgivesyouspacetothinkafter Adibian Travel Agency Agency Adibian Travel TOUR GUIDES&TRAVEL AGENCIES Khorasan Ferhangi Miras Information room TOURIST INFORMATION OKforstamps,butnotparcels. Bank Melli. Post office postoffice Main POST Janbaz BlvdatSajjad) Sherkate Naft-e-Iran Mellie RATIONPETROL CARDOFFICE Exchange Sepehri Saraf Exchange Baghoi Exchange are faster andgive fairrates. relatively commonbuttheexchange counters withforeign-exchangeBanks counters are MONEY .adibiantours.com; 56Pasdaran Ave; h 6pm Sat-Wed&9am-2pmThu) brochures for each district in Khorasan. inKhorasan. brochures foreachdistrict RobatSharaf( sights like p365 lavishbilingual ). Theyprint letter fromthesefolksbefore visitingsomeout-of-the-way Sadeghi Blvd; 9am-2pm &5-8pmSat-Thu) 9am-1.30pm &5-7pmSat-Wed,9am-1pmThu) NORTHEASTERN IRAN •• Mashhad IRAN••Mashhad NORTHEASTERN (Map (Map p354 St)Opposite ; ImamKhomeini h 8am-2pm Sat-Thu) youneeda Officially (Map (Map p354 St; ; ImamKhomeini (Map (Map p354 ; Tavala’i St)Useforparcels. (Map (Map p354 St; ; ImamKhomeini (bus terminal arrivals area; (busterminalarrivals Mp p5 Psaa Ave; Pasdaran p354; (Map Mp p354; (Map Mp p352; (Map (Map (Map p352 ; h x 7.30am-8pm) Very 859 8151;www x x 725 9311; h h 7633011;

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body ifyouwanta‘familyroom’within up again;payfourtimesthatamountper for30yearsbodies deep before you’re dug IR8,500,000. Thatgets youstacked four stones. Burialhere currently costsfrom cemetery paved of withthousands tomb- Surrounding themausoleumisalarge around itdate fromaQajar redecoration. Ali RezaAbbasi. Thejollyfloralmotifs Kufic inscriptionsbymaster-calligrapher rebuild, which addedabandof interior tower tookitspresent formafter a1612 Thecoming allthewayouttoKhorasan. ImamReza’s‘mainconsolation’inbeen ing topayrespects here tohave wassaid apostle of theprophetMohammad. Com- mausoleum This beautifullyproportioned,blue-domed Rabi Khajeh Boq’eh-ye SIGHTS BEYONDTHESHRINECOMPLEX to expandyetagain. all demolishedastheHaram precinct plans thisarea Hurrytosee beforeAfghans. it’s down-market runby tains electronicsstalls down, century-old ofalso aselection real markets. Therun- trances are fullof touristtrinket but sellers looking victimfacingafiringsquad. early biplaneandacuriouslyunconcerned- giant bicycles,aRussian vintage car,an thropomorphic figures gallivantingbetween in 1922withnaive muralsthatfeature an- Lanes aroundtheHaram’sLanes variousen- tion ofthe the pilgrimageculminates withtherecita- meditationsandQuranicreadings,tearful specific prayersandrecitations. Following ing ‘permission’fromImamRezathrough cant humblyenters theHolyShrine ask- Muslim. After significant expression offaithforanyShiite pilgrimage toMashhadremains adeeply a pilgrimages toMecca,NajaforKarbala, Although slightlylesssignificantthan MASHTI the their names. are entitledtoattachtheprefix have fulfilled thepilgrimagetoMashhad respectfully known as In thesamewaythathajjpilgrimsare NORTHEASTERN IRAN •• Mashhad IRAN••Mashhad NORTHEASTERN zarih (Map p352 ) commemorates an (tomb) ofImamReza. Ziyarat Nameh wudu Caravanserai Azizolaof Azizolaof Caravanserai ‘ablutions’,thesuppli- prayerinfrontof haji, thosewho ﺭﺑﻴﻊ Mashti

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private bathroomIR150,000/200,000/300,000) private Qaqimmaqam Alley;tw/trIR80,000/120,000;d/tr/qwith rahe Lashkar (Metrorahe Lashkar EmamKhomeini). Falakeh Ab, eitherwaygetting off atCha- from nearthemainterminal or13from allyear. thesame Prices stay Take bus85 meals costonlyIR15,000(often vegetarian). personal andinviting.Great home-cooked to abackpacker hostel butit’svastlymore air terrace. Thisisthenearest Mashhad gets carpeted spaces,someontheopen- sleeping in hischarming homealongwithcommunal guide whooffers atwin-bedded guestroom siastic carpet defying grey-bouff haircut. very limited English andhasagravity- this istrulyremarkable value. Mehdi speaks price furniture ageing butfortheoff-season basement basement as goodmany midrange equivalents.The have ageing en-suite bathroomsbutare just manager lived nineyears inEngland.Rooms Pars occupiesa1935brick building andits bread toaccompany meals. oven with atandoori season) providing fresh (qalyanIR10,000; open24hoursteahouse in options are available nearby. Othercheaper, ultra-basicin peakseason. faz canmanage alittleEnglish.Add50% markable Haram viewandmanager Abul- aren’t much better. there’s However, are- suite rooms roomsare very Bed-only tatty. Vali’s Non-smoking Homestay Vali’s Non-smoking BUDGET season IR195,000/219,000) Lane;tw/trIR50,000/60,000,peak avuz Alley,offSabkar in e EslamiSt,house277;dm/s/twIR30,000/50,000/100,000; 0915 1001324;[email protected]; 6thAlley,offEnqelab- h St 26thAlley;s/dIR100,000/150,000; Imam Khomeini PEAK SEASONS? WHAT AREMASHHAD’S Mehmanpazir TajanMehmanpazir Hosseini Fard Inn Hotel Pars Hotel closes low-season) anymajorIslamicfestival theMuslimmonthsofMoharram,Safar summerpilgrimseason(June–July) No Ruz and Ramazan ) Vali isaneccentricandever-enthu- sofrakhane sonati Mp p354; (Map merchant–cum–multilingual Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels your stay Book Mashhad’s oldesthotel, the Mp p356; (Map (Map p356; (Map Showers are rusty and x 222 4030;fax2214944; (Map p354; (Map isalovely vaulted x x 222 5334; Anbari 222 5334;Anbari 222 3243;Baqat- x Theen- 851 6980, Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels your stay Book season. and pictures akimbo. Passable valueinpeak ageing bathrooms ous front-deskservice, partly-renovated 1960splacewithlugubri- r fromIR800,000; 5761; Tavakoli Lane; s/dIR200,000/250,000,peakseason (for now). and fifth-floor viewsof theshrinecomplex tion hasgreat-value ifsickly-green suites op- Corinthian columnsthishigh-service Western toilets withsoft paper. towels,brillianthotshowers with fluffy and appointed mini-suites place andcomfortably has acosymini-atriumwithmodernistfire- Ab, thisvery professional eight-storey tower complex fromfront-facing upperlevels. absolutely fabulousviewsacrosstheHaram ish roomsare newandvery adequate with and columns(doyoucare?). Butthesmall- ment hotels, lackingtheobligatorywaterfalls storey towerhasfewer frillsthanmanyapart- season IR550,000; St; trIR250,000,peak Karbala [email protected]; fresh showers andsquattoilets. season IR170,000/300,000; St;s/twwithbreakfast s/dIR110,000/200,000,peak Razi have hotshowerandkitchenette. reviewedgotten smaller alleys.Allthose infor-Save outthose abundlebyseeking hotels‘standard’ are often better value). rising upto800%atpeaktimes(when considerably andpricingispretty random, are often vary fabulousvaluebutstandards manyapartment-hotels Outside peakseason HotelsApartment Lane; twIR120,000,peakseasonIR230,000) and elegant sash curtains. curtains. and elegantsash choice of toilet-typesinsomebathrooms but finevaluewithfullyequippedkitchen, feature. Roomsare lessgrandiose slightly has abigmodernchandelier andwaterfall IR200,000) Qaqimmaqam Alley;twIR100,000-150,000,peakseason ai 1643; MohaberatSt;steIR250,000,peakseason IR360,000; peak seasonIR450,000/500,000/600,000; St,11thAlley;s/d/trIR200,000/250,000/310,000, Andarzgu Mehr Apartment Hotel Hotel Apartment Mehr Vafa Hotel Vafa Hotel Hotel Apartment Toranj Apartment Hotel Hotel Taranom Apartment Razi Hotel Razi Al-Naby Hotel Al-Naby Hotel Amir Kabir Apartment Hotel Hotel Apartment Amir Kabir ) Despite thechandeliers andbulging Modestbutnewroomshave small,

Mp p354; (Map Mp p356; (Map a Mp p356; (Map a ) Handily onFalakeh right ) Bright andsomewhatBright x a x x Mp p356; (Map Mp p356; (Map 854 1122;fax4099; ) 222 6981; Molla Hashem 222 6981;MollaHashem /fax 225 8179; Anbari /fax 2258179;Anbari

Characterless, (Map p356 ; Mp p356; (Map a ) x x The lobby Thelobby This six- 851 4797; 222 0963; 222 0963; x x 859 223 Lane; tw/trIR300,000/350,000year-round) season butgoodvalueatpeaktimes. season intthelow coffee shop.Overpriced effect andArtDeco– grotto, musicalelevators foibles includingaquarium,fountain- room bed-factory wallowsinnouveau-riche range choice with someEnglish spoken. thisisanOK mid- bathrooms. Inseason opy have outdated bathtubsintheirslightly tively spacious roomswithhintsof bedcan- season. ter discounts 30%,splendidvalueinpeak bagged-towels andchoice of toilets.Win- are unfussy business-class with affairs professional Rooms English-speaking staff. andopenwithhighly floor lobby isbright Reza St;d/aptIR300,000/450,000; Reza offImam 4077; fax8542844;www.karimkhanhotel.8k.com; year-round. best valueaspricesare comparatively stable thiscategory isusuallythe season In high MIDRANGE small bathrooms. have abigsittingroombutcomparatively threements sleep (double-plus-single)and and corridors edged inpinkmarble. Apart- insmartsuits modernist withreception staff you canget aroom. if lent valueforsinglesduringpeak season, small butnewandsparklingclean. Excel- able andnotover are formal.Bathrooms with arestrained elegance that’sperson- gets itright friendly, English-speakingstaff 270,000) 0,000/150,000/180,000, peakseasonIR210,000/240,000/ Lane;s/tw/trIR12 Alley,offSabkar Golabki 9794; Shahid 995,000/1,204,000; St;s/d/tr/qwithbreakfast IR331,500/550,000/ Andarzgu Andarzgu St;dIR350,000) Andarzgu furniture. but there’s somewearonthesittingroom impressive seat-showers withcurtained, ArtDecolookandbathroomsaresemi and corridors attempt somethingof aretro, www.hoteltara.com; ShiraziSt;s/dUS$35/55; pedestrianised shoppingstreet. pedestrianised pension-style hotel alively off butmostly in thelift. Hotel Noor Hotel Iran Hotel Hotel DustanJavad Hotel Hotel TaraHotel Hotel Madineh Madineh Hotel Karimkhan Apartment Hotel Hotel Apartment Karimkhan NORTHEASTERN IRAN •• Mashhad IRAN••Mashhad NORTHEASTERN Sweet littlesuites inasmall,family Sweet

Mp p354; (Map

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Careless Whispers (Map p356; (Map Thegently trendy 1st- x x x ) Thishotel with 222 8010; www.irhotel.com; 222 8010;www.irhotel.com; 221 6100;fax2259595; 223 2970;fax2976; pai x x Mp p356; (Map 221 2214;Zeiya 223 3791;fax225 This 100- a ) Rooms ) plays Rela- x

359

854 NORTHEASTERN IRAN NORTHEASTERN NORTHEASTERN IRAN Kuhsanghi St;dUS$54year-round; 140; Blvd;s/d/steUS$101/116/ Khayyam www.homahotels.com; dreadfully dated bathrooms. corridorsthrowback withantiseptic and real attractionof thisoverpriced 1970s friendly multilingualreception istheonly No side TV-control panelsare worthyof a dated thatit’salmostanattraction.Bed- Europeanidea ofEastern styleissoout- Kuh Sangibutnotthes mornings a week. mornings aweek. theindoorpool-spafourcan onlyuse well kept butlackanyreal style. Women ics theLouvre’s. Roomsare very large and blue-glass pyramidrooflobby whose mim- located tophotel hasashoppingmall–sized IR7000-18,000; part of theirtourpackage. production-line hotel dinners provided as tions are mostvisitors limited eat because Zoshk. Upmarket, traditionaldiningop- rural roadsaroundTorqabeh, Shandiz and stream-side restaurants canbefoundon ImamRezaStandpleasant the lanesoff There are plentyof cheap eateries in Eating Hotel Abnoos Apartment TOP END 360 990,000) 221 5581;aptIR450,000-500,000,peakseasonIR900,000- Mousa Delshad speaks excellent English. DelshadspeaksexcellentEnglish. Mousa roof andfromrooms301302.Manager people. There are fineHaram viewsfromthe fourorfive ally spaciousapartmentssleeping Abnoostiny alley,thehigh-class offers unusu- local eatery whose IR7000 local eatery whose St;d/trUS$50/60; 3831; ImamKhomeini visiting Kang. Holy Shrine butcomparatively handyfor 8km westof thecentre, isawfulforthe Thelocation,some urdays whenit’sclosed. 1pm, men3.30pmto10pm),soavoid Sat- (open SundaytoFriday,women8am complex isthefull-sizedswimmingpool The maindrawof thissprawling,upmarket 9200; Vakilabad Blvd;d/ste US$126/262; 9200; Vakilabad Pardis Hotel Pardis Hotel Laleh Hotel Laleh Hotel Hotel Pars Mashhad Hotel Kebabi Etminar Kebabi Homa Hotel Mashhad Homa Hotel –era James Bondmovie. pais NORTHEASTERN IRAN••Mahhad NORTHEASTERN Hidden in a peaceful mini-garden off a Hiddeninapeacefulmini-garden off a h Mp p352; (Map Mp p354; (Map 5am-midnight) ) Mashhad’s inconveniently

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open 24hours onImamRezaSt. Furushi (Map p356 IR10,000)is ; desserts inferior versions are available fromAmibe Cheaperbut desserts. Iran’s mostspectacular theorgasmatronthrough toformoneof cream, cream, bananaandhoney,allwhizzed lous mush of ice crushedwalnuts,pistachios, St; mealsIR23,000-45,000; h p354; machine. downstairs hasanespressocoffeehouse openslongertaurant thanmostandthe hotel res- thiscomfortable dle classsetting, IR25,000-55,000; Mellat sign.Don’tbe late! beneathaBank via thehotel, easilymissed make lunch-time dininghere amust.Enter truly phenomenalviewsacrosstheHaram or trout(IR49,500)are unremarkable but & 7-10.45pm) Atlas, Falakeh Ab;mealsIR50,000-90,000; similar inaglittery mirror-tiled basement. across FalakehSoltani Ab onAndarzguStis English. Fast turnover. NearbyRestaurant cashier. Themenuistypicalbutavailable in a giantspoon-and-fork loomingabove the Cavernous downstairs pay-first dinerwith Mashhad’s best Come tothisunpretentious juice-shopfor Kababs fromIR4400. cheese withbreadunusually tasty andtea. breakfast includeswalnuts,raisinsand chetypal iffattyUzbek lamb-and-ricedish). Asia,of Central trytheir fine choice intheconsulate area. Forataste work, thisnew,high-ceilinged eatery isa With attractive ironandcopper- wrought food ispretty good includingvegetarian pos- the manager speaksfluent English and the Shahnamah walls adornedwith scenesfromFerdosi’s and woodenbenches are surrounded by pets, samovars, antiqueqalyans,cushions most beautifulteahouse-restaurants. Car- h Hotel,HozeinoAlley; mealsIR42,000-68,000; top fl,Jahan lemeh (Bahonar) St; lemeh (Bahonar) (IR17,000), virtuallyidenticalto Ali Restaurant Atlas Hotel Restaurant Hotel Atlas o Hafez Restaurant Sara Vitamin Jahan Hotel Restaurant Hotel Jahan lunch &dinner) 12.30-2.30pm &7.30-9.30pm) Hezardestan TraditionalTeahouse x 222 2943; Jannat Mall; meals IR60,000-140,000; mealsIR60,000-140,000; 222 2943;JannatMall; Forsteak andchips inamid- . There’s live music most nights, h

Hezardestan isoneof Iran’s Mp p354; (Map h

Mp p356; (Map Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels your stay Book 11.30am-3pm &dusk-10pm Sat-Thu) maajun

9am-11pm Sat-Thu, 4pm-11pmFri) Mp p354; (Map h

x Mp p356 ; (Map x (Map (Map p356 ; 1stfl,Hotel (IR12,000), afabu- Kababs, schnitzels 10am-4pm &7-10pm) 222 7998; Shahid Diya- 222 7998;Shahid 851 6601; Imam Reza 851 6601;ImamReza x chelo estanboli lonelyplanet.com 754 0768;meals plov h x noon-3pm (anar- 225 0085;

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h there seems to be no sales pressure. tobenosales there seems top-floor repair workshops andremarkably be excellent.Bothplaceshave interesting mostly aimedatbulkdealers sopricescan bazaar lonelyplanet.com port can bebooked upmonths ahead. trans- long-distance During peak seasons &Away There Getting the HolyShrine. photograph of upon superimposed yourself tobuyanoverable temptation saturated age souvenirs. Trytoresist theconsider- pilgrim- tacky shopping arcadesflogging souvenir.portable text, above ) inarange of qualities:ahighly theboxed (see tively inexpensive saffron than theirgems. pitch isoftentheir sales more impressive (minedatnearbyNeishabur)but turquoise p356; ways, both Half deceptively hiddenthrough smalldoor- Mashhad isagreat placetobuycarpets. Shopping and ‘tea’ charges thatcandoublethebill. sibilities. Justbeprepared forhefty‘service’ and lition iftheshrine’sexpansioncontinues. mercial mindedbutslated demo- foreventual 2pm &4-7pm) staggeringly pricey. 200,000 flowers. Nowonderit’soften so ofsaffronrequiresing akilogram around southern regions Butproduc- ofKhorasan. Crocus sativus comes fromthedelicately driedstigmasof it remains Persia’s classic‘spice’.Saffron paella aswellto andSpanishcolour toCornishsaffroncake battle scars. Today saffron addsflavourand Alexander theGreat usedittopatchuphis Romans slappeditontocure scabies. And Indian Buddhistsdyedtheirrobeswithit. Cleopatra addedittohermare’s-milk baths. WORTH ITS WEIGHT The wobbly,wooden-ceilinged old The Haram issurroundedbybazaars and Around Falakeh Ab, compara- shopssell Upstairs inthe800m-long 8.30am-1.30pm &4-8.30pmSat-Wed,8.30am-1pmThu) h Saroye Saeed

(Map p356; (Map 8am-8pm Sat-Thu) are multi-unitcarpetmarkets Bazaar-e Fash Bazaar-e 13th Alley, Andarzgu St) 13th Alley,Andarzgu flowers,grownextensively in

Mp p356; (Map chelo , jewellery stalls proffer , jewellerystalls (rice)inIranwhere Mp p354; (Map Andarzgu St; Andarzgu Bazar-e Reza Bazar-e is more com- Imam Reza St; St; Imam Reza h carpet carpet

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Check out (IR2,135,000/3,578,000, thriceweekly). orDoha Airways twice weekly) withQatar rain withGulfAir(IR1,817,000/3,129,000, connectionsviaBah- further afield,use (IR1,334,000/2,330,000, Saturday).Togo at 15Kuwaitidinars (US$52). starting (Wednesday andFridayinseason), minals are wellout of thecentre. However, 2 (Eram) All of Mashhad’s numerous transportter- BUS, MINIBUS& TAXI season. well worthusing during high can bookmidrange andtop-endplaces. It’s 7(As) counter insidethearrivalshall reservation 4 2(IA),(Caspian), Arriving inMashhad hotel byair,theuseful IA=IranAir, As=IranAseman IR638,000 IR436,000 1 Zahedan 2 (IA) IR540,000(IA) Zabol IR320,000 Yazd IR401,000 2(Caspian),(Taban) 2(As) (Aria), Tabriz 3 (Taban) 2 (IA) 2 Shiraz IR345,000 Sari 2(IA) IR497,000 Rasht (IA) IR624,000 IR329,000 Nowshahr 14 6(Eram),3(Aria), IR714,000 Kish (IA) (IA) 3 2 Kermanshah IR476,000(IA) IR434,000 Kerman Gorgan IR324,000 (Kish) (IA) IR588,000 (Mahan) 2 Esfahan Bandar Abbas Flights Ahvaz IR625,000 (IA) per Destination Fare week direct fromMashhad: flights Other service. 707sstillinpassenger Boeing theworld’slast ing SahaAir,which uses (IR433,000) onsixdifferent airlines,includ- To Tehran there are flights 63weekly Domestic Services (airline) Iran Aseman International Services AIR mAir (IR1,820,000/2,300,000 Monday). Wednesday andFriday)Kabul Tuesday), Kuwait(IR1,050,000/1,850,000, anbe (Tajikistan, IR2,020,000/2,840,000, IR2,350,000/3,664,000, Tuesday),Dush- toBishkekflights (Kyrgyzstan, single/return ways.com) (www.flykamair.ca) NORTHEASTERN IRAN •• Mashhad IRAN••Mashhad NORTHEASTERN for budget fromKuwait flights Mp p354; (Map Jazeera Airways Jazeera x alsofliestoKabul 225 8200; Andarzgu St) 225 8200;Andarzgu

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361 Ka- NORTHEASTERN IRAN NORTHEASTERN NORTHEASTERN IRAN 64 from Mosallah Blvd. 64 from Mosallah to eitherbybus somewhat furthereast.Get (IR30,000, twohours) departfromapoint east of Sq. More Sarakhs regular savaris Sarakhs three hours) leave fromthenew infrequentFor Sarakhs, (IR10,000, buses Other Terminals tinations usuallydepartfromHafez Sq. terminal. Pay onboard.Savaris des- tothose five full from‘stations’ andsixwithinthe bad (IR15,000,3½hours), leave buses when Torbat-e Jam (IR10,000,2½hours) andTay- two hours), Fariman (IR3500,1¼hours), en-route. searches TowfikPeyma which arebuses, subjected tofrequent drug orMashhad–KermanMashhad–Zahedan Saadet bus forShahrud, orSemnan. Damghan 75,000 Peyma fare). aTehran Likewise, considertaking Saadet Peyma aYazdby taking bus(probably payingfull Iran 80,000 For TabasPeyma you’llget manymore options 70,000 *Volvo 5-7pm Taavoni 14 IR45,000/ Zahedan Yazd IR42,000/ 15hr 6-9pm 60,000 Tehran IR40,000/ 9.30am, 16hr Tabas (viaBirjand) 14hr IR17,400 Shahrud 8pm-10pm 7pm 50,000 Frequent IR32,000/ Sari 10hr 10pm, IR70,000* Kerman 40,000 Herat (Af 12hr 16hr Gorgan IR26,000/ 6-8am, IR95,000* Esfahan 10½hr Birjand IR21,000/ 3pm 22hr 6-10am 8hr 8am, terminal 7am, Useful fromthebustling services & Main Terminal p354; (Map booked atrelatively central canbepre- busservices most longdistance 362 Destination Fare (company) 3pm, 6-8pm Check the security situationbefore Check thesecurity taking NORTHEASTERN IRAN••Masshad NORTHEASTERN ghanistan)

(Map (Map p352 St) ; endofImamReza Mp p5 Srks Blvd) Sarakhs p352; (Map x 852 5580; Imam Reza St) 852 5580;ImamReza R5101h 7.30pm IR25,100 10hr 8am, IR60,000 7hr 10am For Neishabur (IR6000, Duration Departures , about700m . Binalood Travel Binalood Travel 4pm, 5pm,6pm : main bus Istgah Istgah extension of Tohid St). TBT garage onGaraniBlvd(thewestern of Ferdosi fromtheold Blvd,minibuses Chenaran. Savaris leave fromthewestend five timesdaily. Kang leave from Tohid BlvdatShohoda to Sq.Buses from Falakeh Ab (IR1250) orbyshuttletaxi That’s mostconveniently reached bybus210 leave fromFalakeh Ferdosi (Map p352 Abardeh (122,regular) andZoshk(124,rare) ). Turkmenistan). northwest alongthemotorway. Blvd) andalsopickupataspot6kmfurther further northupAzadiHwy(beyondSajjad Bojnurd (IR12,000,fourhours) 500m start toQuchan (IR6000,twohours)Buses and bus 13fromFalakeh Ab viaCharaheLashkar. 12or25fromtheHaram,ride onbuses or on from Falakeh Park (Map p352 ), a15-minute Bojnurd (IR30,000/35,0000,three hours) leave (back/front IR15,000/20,000,1½hours) and the southeast(Map p352 ). Savaris toQuchan 3½ hours) leave fromahiddenyard300mto Tabarsi St.Very rare toKalat buses (IR8000, northern ringroad,reached bybus35from hours) leave fromBareh Sqonthe Noghari Wed, Fri 2pmoldtrains local services Wed, Sat Fri, Sat Yazd from 5 Tehran IR200,000 weekly 12hr Tehran from IR160,000 10.30am, Tehran IR37,000 12hr IR72,000 Tehran IR200,000 7hr 7am Tabriz IR210,000 12hr 3.30pm 10am, 26hr 3hr 9.15pm IR8500 Sarakhs 3.30pmWed, express 6pm 22½hr f Esfahan Mon, IR220,000 Bandar Abbas Ahvaz IR110,000 11.30pm, 30hr Departures Duration Destination Fare cluded). Bookasfaraheadpossible. in- fullmealservice beds, flatscreen TV, withafirstyourself classberth(comfortable alternative toflying,especiallyifyoupamper The trainoffers awonderfullycomfortable TRAIN For Radkan Tower, start byheading to Tower,start For Radkan forTus(frequent),Buses Torqabeh (122), Change inQuchan forBajgiran (andthen For Kalat Naderi, savaris (IR25,000,two from Kuhestan Parkfrom Kuhestan (Map p352 ) rom IR100,000 24hr 6.30pm Mon, 12hr 8 lonelyplanet.com 7pm ‘Green’ train daily, 4-10.30pm Taxis costIR35,000. Sq. airport terminal Mustazafin andBasij regular the A semi publicbusrunsbetween TO/FROM THEAIRPORT Around Getting lonelyplanet.com ag a wonderfullyhomogenous Photogenic x Kang AROUND MASHHAD to crossalarger chunk of thecity. IR8000 forashort-ish hop,aroundIR20,000 requiresany deviation payment IR1000 (IR1500forlonger hops).However, runsusuallycost Shuttle onstraight taxis TAXI almost uncrossable. Blvd rendering thatthunderinghighway overground downthemiddleof Vakilabad and AhmedabadStstoPark Mellat, then Feda’iyen-e Enqelab-e-Eslami Eslami,Bahar, dir Hwyinthesoutheast,runsbeneath fromGha- metrostarts The new19-station METRO booths Pre-buy shiny IR300tickets from BUS Shohoda Sq(Map p354 ) orPark Mellat. Park,For Kuhestan take bus10from dosi (onestopbeyondthebigSabaHotel). Shohoda stop)andFalakeh Sq (second Fer- the NaderShah mausoleum(first stop), wards Park Mellat. Useful bus210passes to- 13,62and94wiggle terminal, buses p356 ), southbound bus84runstothe FromstopsnearFalakehat night. Ab (Map bus 10)continuelater, requiring twotickets stoprunningafter 9pm.Afewbuses (eg but complexnetworkof Most citybuses. the leftbefore Zoshk village, signedinyel- to road. The hike up Zoshk14thLane, starts to walk(1½hours) fromtheShandiz–Zoshk and climbforabout three minutes. terminates, walk400m,thencrosstheriver view middle of alleyways.Forthebest slate-bottomed streamways rundown the ways duckbeneathoverhangs whilesteep porch-balconies andearthen roofs. Stair- of stacked mud-brick homes,mostwith A very rewarding way toarrive inKang is 0512 /pop2300 , fork left at the teahouse where, forkleftattheteahouse thebus

( h 6.30am-8.30pm) Kang is ‘Khorasan’s Masuleh’, is‘Khorasan’s to use theexcellent touse stepped village stepped dar baste overall overall ticket ticket ﮐﻨﮓ :

NORTHEASTERN IRAN •• Around Mashhad IRAN••AroundMashhad NORTHEASTERN presented butlimited reliefs represent Ferdosi’s works.Anicely which themausoleum wasdamaged. ofearliest throes the1979revolution during feelings resurfaced very brieflyduringthe Islamic forburialthere. Similarextreme cemetery considered hiswritingstooanti- thelocalMuslim his owngardenbecause in AD1020.He wasoriginallyinterred in a tombof sortshere since Ferdosi’s death leum onlydates from1964butthere’s been Thecurrentstyled stonecenotaph. mauso- in itsownparkandtoppedbyaclassically 3339; admissionanadditionalIR2000; Mausoleum p74 ). Domestictouristsflocktothe Abulqasimcentury epicpoet Ferdosi (see is inextricablylinked withPersia’s 11th- is synonymouswithShakespeare, so Tus Just asStratford-upon-Avon inEngland x (Ferdosi) Tus nuts andlemonjuiceonabedof noodles! with restaurants andice-cream sundaesserved riverside teahouse- handicrafts, out-of-town 7pm. Torqabeh is famousforcanework had’s Falakeh Ferdosi 20minutes every till minutes, Torqabeh hike viapretty castle-village Noqondarto 2pm, 4pmand6.45pm.Alternatively, hitch Parkhad’s Kuhestan leave at7am,11.30am, to visitlocalfamilyhomesinAbardeh. Vali Astaneh Ansari ( p354 ), you’llalsoget restaurants ofa series idylliclittle passing last 13kmtoZoshkiseasyenough, Abardeh (3kmbeyond);hitch hikingthe Zoshk butrelatively frequent toShandiz or Mashhad’s Falakeh Ferdosi are fairlyrare to that’s lonelybuteasy-to-follow. from Buses pass abald,low-mountain track crosses low Farsi letters ongreen. 4WD Thisrough was effectively abandoned. sacked byTamerlane’s forces (1389)that it most citybefore beingsocomprehensively fore-once were. Khorasan’s Tushadbeen bly thickTus’soriginal mud-brick citywalls the park, postcards.Intherear ofand sells section gory paintings,exhibits‘warlike equipment’ within themausoleum’sgardens, displays Beneath the main monument a series of themainmonumentaseries Beneath From Kang, five toMash- dailybuses 0512 (22km)fromwhich bus114(35 two IR300tickets) runs toMash- (admissionIR3000; enroute. Doingthetrek with Razan gate Razan showshowincredi- stream-side teahouse- stream-side Tus Museum h ﻓﺮﺩﻭﺳﻲ 8am-6.30pm) h 8am-6pm) )

( ﻃﻮﺱ Ferdosi x , set , set 363 266

) , NORTHEASTERN IRAN NORTHEASTERN NORTHEASTERN IRAN ye Hordokieh h mausoleum. different routes. Theyterminate outsidethe times hourlyfromFalakeh Ferdosi usingtwo leaveminutes) andminibuses aroundthree Mashhad. (twoIR300tickets, Citybuses 40 its recently addedblue-scalloped‘roof’. Tower Akhangan other tombtowers includingtheimpressive The ratherbare interior displaysmodelsof ofwas aprisonfortheassassin ImamReza. The mostpopular(andleastlikely) isthatit theoriesastothestructure’s several purpose. impressive whenfloodlitatdusk.There are century mausoleumthatlooksespecially .jamejamshid.com) if continuingonto IR10,000 onewaytothetower,or IR25,000 hitch hike). The village agency taxi charges Quchan–Mashhad (it’spossibleto highway tering of oldmudruins,9kmnorthof the surroundedbyaquietlyfascinatingscat- itself village village. is Radkan road fromRadkan hamlet or3kmdownanunsurfaced Qiasabad Ptolemy’s theoriesof movement. planetary plain discrepancies Aristotle’sand between to calculate theearth’sdiameter andex- tory atMaraqeh ( p145 ) thatTusimanaged lected here andathismore famous observa- equinox col- days.Itwaspossiblywithdata itsdoorsthrough andniches onsolsticeand was designedsothatth 74). Theround,conical-toppedbricktower by NasruddinTusi(NasirAl-Tusi;1201– stars builtinAD1261byastronomers led phisticated instrumentforstudyingthe the busy Mashhad– Neishabur motorway, Two minor sites, each just1kmnorth of toNeishabur Mashhad archaeo-astronomer coronation spot?AccordingtoIranian visitors forcenturies.Atomb? baffled mysterious 25m-high About 75kmnorthwestof Mashhad, the Radkan 364 long enough tovisittheFerdosilong enough Mausoleum. make aside-triptoTusenroute, stoppingfor frequent. Ifyouoffer IR40,000 Chenaran–Mashhad savaris (IR5000)are very About 1kmtowardsMashhad, the Tus village isnowalmostasuburbof The tower is in a field, 1km northwest of The towerisinafield,1kmnorthwestof 8am-4pm) NORTHEASTERN IRAN••AroundMashhad NORTHEASTERN is amassive brick-domed14th- ’

(Gonbad-e Haruniyeh;admissionIR2000; (Gonbad-e , it was actually a highly so- , itwasactuallyahighly (12kmnortheastof Tus)with Manoochehr Arian Manoochehr Chenaran e sunshinesdirectly Radkan Tower Radkan darbaste, afterwards. afterwards. ﺭﺍﺩﮐﺎﻥ they’ll they’ll Boq (www has ’ e- Taxi-office sporadically toNeishabur. Thehandy present form is a distinctive 1970s-modernist present formisadistinctive 1970s-modernist Davood forIR30,000. a partlyrestored Infrontthere’s upsteeply. rise village houses theshrine, oldermud-brick Behind himself. spring, ‘miraculouslycreated’ byImamReza shrine, steps leaddowntoasubterranean would beratherbadform.Justbesidethe ity of theImam’s(remarkably large) prints moving soquestioningaloudtheauthentic- Reza what are tobe the believed enshrines ablackstoneslab indented with in apretty gardenof ancient planetrees and fine bluedomeandattractive tiling.Itsits Davood village. available Notaxis here. ing thequaintmud-homesof tinyFakhr shelvedaway. That’sbeen fornow,spar- workers of carplant3km theIranKhodro extension, for avasthousingdevelopment as headquarters fortheBinaludnew-town gruous table-tennis table. Itwasrenovated ofa smallselection pottery andanincon- The lessexcitingdomedinterior displays exterior thatwouldmake agreat movie set. octagonal octagonal kababis a two-block scattering of souvenir shopsand In Qadamgahvillage (98kmfromMashhad), RAZAVI QADAMGAH robat Visible fromthemainroadthisTimurid DAVOOD FAKHR dar baste chartering aMashhad–Neishabur savari are onasshortsidevisitswhen easytotack yam’s Tomb Neishabur’s main attractionremains OMAR KHAYYAM TOMBCOMPLEX theboxed (see Khayyam text, p74 ). Omar andall-roundgoodegg, century poet centre, asthebirthplaceof notable the11th- a thrivingliterary, artisticandacademic perioditwas 3rd centuryAD.BytheSeljuk aroundthe (Nayshaboor) wasfirst settled ofAn earlycapital Khorasan, Neishabur x Neishabur h 0551 /pop231,000 7am-4pm) . Floodsof pilgrimsfindthesite very (all- weather caravanserai;donationexpected; frontsthischarming 17th-century ( (IR80,000). x shrine has animpressive tower-flanked diso IR3000; ( admission 322 4141)

caravanserai (admission free; willdrive youtoFakhr footprints of Imam ofImam footprints h . Minibuses run run . Minibuses lonelyplanet.com ﺭﺿﻮﻱ 8am-9pm) h 24hr) ﻓﺨﺮﺩﺍﻭﺩ ﻧﻴﺸﺎﺑﻮﺭ

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IR120,000/150,000/180,000) further west. tower of tomb Theoctagonal an intricately tiledportal. a fine16th-centurydomedmausoleumwith the lovely Inthegardens’freequoise. southernsection, youNeishabur’s equallyfamoustur-to sell by (caged) birds.Jewellery outletscompete sugarwhilebeingserenaded mous crystallised sip tea (IR10,000perpot)withNeishabur’s fa- with agently appealingterrace onwhich to its manicured gardensetting, ment. Abigpartof thetomb’sattractionis versesKhayyam’s asyouponderthemonu- Iranians bombardingyouwithrecitations of tofindrandom marble. Don’tbesurprised airynetof criss-crossed inacurved, set words,naturally) ligraphic tiling(Khayyam’s withdiamond-shapedlozenges ofaffair cal- lonelyplanet.com nal Neishabur’s somewhat hidden (IR6000, twohours) leave whenfull from Mashhad savaris (IR20,000) and buses THERE&AWAYGETTING Kamalalmolk Just 30mnorthof Sq, Khayyam SLEEPING &EATING St) (6th Lane,ImamKhomeini ( stored Sq,there-place, butvery toKhayyam close Neishabur isaratherunexciting Central OTHER SIGHTS to theend(IR300,15minutes). Sq:take eastboundbus10 central Khayyam popular horse-and-carriage ride). sits inanotherpretty garden,1kmwest(a snakes, noticethebottledhumanfoetuses. andpickled local animals,pinnedinsects Amid thelatter’s displaysof birds, stuffed Abashah hosts souvenir shops,the uninteresting frontrestaurant section. guessitwasthereYou’d never fromthe garden-café thatistheplace’strump card. ones lookingoutacrossthebrilliant little tasteful, en-suite rooms, thequieter back tional teahouse andasmall tional teahouse of Khayyam Sq. Minibuses for Qadamgah forQadamgah of Sq.Minibuses Khayyam x The tomb complex is 5km from Neishabur’s The tombcomplexis5kmfromNeishabur’s The single-alleySafavid-era

(11th Alley, 22 Bahman St) (11th Alley,22 Bahman 224 6690;admissionIR3000; Shah Abbas Caravanserai AbbasCaravanserai Shah ( Sheikh Attar Attar Sheikh x Imamzadeh-ye MohammedMahrugh 222 5168;tea&qalyanIR15,000) ( x 224 4277;Modarres St;s/d/tr (admission IR3000; hasfive reasonably . That’s 2km northeast . That’s2km northeast starts about300mstarts h Sofrakhane Sonati Sofrakhane 8am-1pm &4-6pm) Bagh-e Mahrugh Bagh-e (Imam Khomeini St) (Imam Khomeini Nature Museum Museum Nature main bustermi- covered bazaar covered h 7am-9pm) 7am-9pm) tradi- Hotel Hotel is is NORTHEASTERN IRAN •• Mashhad to Sarakhs toSarakhs IRAN••Mashhad NORTHEASTERN , .

village of Zoshkandtheattractivebetween foothill or usinga4WD(whenconditionsallow) Mashhad loopbywalking(aroundsixhours) that allowsaMashhad–Tus–Neishabur– ( p354 trip ) haspioneered across-mountain FROM Neishaburcanbetough. getting day.However, the same traintickets before continuingtoMashhadsightseeing andearly,allowingplentyofbright timefor train fromTehran you’llarrive inNeishabur of ImamSq.ComingbyMashhad-bound aah landmark west of the town toleadanywhere. don’tseem Auseful evards town where redundantly several large boul- the borderinthisstrange, Turkmenistan flat and Mary,If headingforMerv youcan cross x Sarakhs spot after Nomad shepherds’ providing Aprilgrazingforherdsof sheep. lands of theMashhad–Sarakhs road(185km), pled withred poppiesenlivens thedustybad- In spring,a miraculous green-grass fuzzdap- TOSARAKHS MASHHAD train station that’s acircuitous2kmdrive southof the toKashmar Sq.Buses aterminal Bar use (IR1500, 25minutes) leave sporadicallyfrom ily spiednorthof themain road. more impressive collectionat such structures buta stillexistinSarakhs, consist of three orfouradobedomes.Afew valley of geological saw-toothed uplifts. an escarpment,thenfollowsacrag-sided savari forIR30,000return.finally settled and drivers askawhoppingIR100,000.We market bethe‘fairprice’it’saseller’s might old motorcycle Youcouldtrytoengage no taxis. acranky held thewater supply.Note thatSholoq has pitsinchambersDeep oneithersideonce some finestuccopatterning andcalligraphy. with twincourtyardsandafar tively lonely1128 (130km fromMashhad) reveals theevoca- extra for stops and side trips makes sense. extra forstopsandsidetripsmakes sense. Mashhad guideVali Astaneh Ansari A 7kmsidetripfromtiny ruralvillages, In several Renting aone-wayMashhad–Sarakhs 0512 /pop36,000 dar baste Kharv Mazdavand (Jafari St) (Jafari (IR120,000) and paying a little (IR120,000)andpayingalittle nearQadamgah. (motor) tent-camps are easiestto , itself about 1km south about1kmsouth , itself Robat Sharaf Caravanserai Robat SharafCaravanserai , where theroadclimbs but while IR10,000 butwhileIR10,000 centre old mudhouses iwan Abravan Sholoq is the new, is the retaining retaining village ﺳﺮﺧﺲ iseas- 365

NORTHEASTERN IRAN NORTHEASTERN NORTHEASTERN IRAN Sq; s/d/trIR150,000/170,000/200,000; man Baba for 3km to see the1356 for 3kmtosee and followthatstreet northwestthennorth fore reaching Pasdaran St(800m).Turnleft Hotel (400m)be- Doosty)andsavari stand the busterminal (150mbeyondthe passes after 800mtothe (southeast)off themainroadandleads right IR18,000). Fromhere, CustomsBlvdforks restaurantwhose isexcellentvalue(meals best roomsare adecentmidrange dealand AA KLTNDR) to beamili- youdon’t need cliffs, mountain Admiring its near-vertical backdrop of x KALAT (KALAT NADERI) dolphin-fronted 366 rail-gauge). rail-gauge). border (it’sadifferentthe Turkmenistan cross services and 2.30pmbutnopassenger of town.Trainsleave toMashhad at6am regular savaris. 4pm supplemented bysporadicbutrelatively wooden staves. tegrating vaulting heldinplaceby stalactite three-storey of interior withsections disin- arch supporttowerandanimpressively vast brick tomb-towerhasamassive, shattered in awheat-field Thatdomed toyourright. Time, 9.30am-5.30pmTurkmen time) times thebankrate ofUS$1=5200). rates (currently US$1=23,500,ieover four Turkmen manatsfornearlyfullblack-market Mary. MoneychangersontheIransidesell very basichotel) where youcanchangefor the fertiliser-factory townofTejen (with From Saraghsoccasionalminibusesrunto hotel) but10kmbyavery circuitousroad. to theTurkmen townofSaraghs(noformal the borderit’s3kmawayascrowflies requiring US$12inUSdollars(cash).From those atBajgiran (seetheboxed text, p345 ), ried. Turkmen entryformalitiesare similarto land totheTurkmen post.Bicyclesare car- A shuttle(IR5000) crosses 2kmofno-man’s cutbetweenIranandUzbekistan. shortest Using this BORDER AT SARAKHS CROSSING THETURKMENISTAN The inconvenient train station is 7km west The inconvenient is7kmwest trainstation toMashhadBuses hourlytill run roughly 0512 /pop8000 NORTHEASTERN IRAN •• Kalat (Kalat Naderi) (Kalat IRAN••Kalat NORTHEASTERN

(donation appreciated; border post Hotel Doosty Hotel border gate

Gonbad Sheikh Logh- Gonbad Sheikh ( h . Themainroad ( h x pa 8am-4pm Iran allowsthe 5.30am-4.30pm) 522 5518;Ghadir ) whose whose ﮐﻼﺕ

Imam Khomeini St;admissionIR2000; Imam Khomeini only breached bya very narrowgullystream hereroad tunnel. Thecliffs are otherwise pregnability, backtrack3kmto theMashhad otherwise modest1747 otherwise steps, belongstothefrom themuseum pre-historic LonelyPlanetguide. mation’ meansaphotocopiedpage from a shid Palace Kalat’s foremost site isNaderShah’s Sights along theKalat–Dargaz road. tents dot the foothillgrasslands,especially countryside turnsemeraldgreen andnomad still wearKurdish costumes. against northerninvaders, andsomewomen here during theSafavid dynastytoguard band of enemies.Many Kurdswere settled ofural fortificationsahead hisconsiderable Shah whoretreated intoitsimpregnable nat- it’s stillwidelycalled have resisted thearmiesof Tamerlane. And on therun.Itwasoneof theonly placesto ically madetheideallastholdoutforrebels whyKalat hashistor- commandertosee tary (Imam Khomeini St) (Imam Khomeini Sat-Thu) St; 3984; ImamKhomeini ethnology museum rear terrace leaddownintoagraciouslycool stalactite-vaulted alcoves. Stairs beneaththe giltandamplecolourtobringlife uses to16 conquests. Thetower’smagnificentinterior gaged (iekidnapped)duringhisIndian Nader Shah foreign used he’den- artisans suggesting that in 18th-centuryKhorasan fruitswereand pearmotifs.These unknown Intricate exterior panelsincludepineapple the oddproportionsandlackof adome. finished,hence It wasnever ical purpose. of Nader’swives, not somearcaneastronom- (literallyname Khorshid ‘sun’)refers toone inbeautifullymanicuredset lawns.The base circular tomb-tower,onanoctagonal really apalaceatallbutdistinctively fluted 700m beyondthesavari terminus. It’snot Mortezabi’s appealinglittle Information’ signattractsvisitors toReza Naderabillia. sells village life. depicting Khorasan Agiftshop To fullyappreciate Kalat’s naturalim- The beautifulbluedome,easily spied Spring is the best time to visit, when the Spring isthebesttimetovisit,when Facing thecomplex,anobvious‘Tourist . RezaspeaksgoodEnglishbut‘infor- (Kakh-e Nader, Ghasr-e Khorshid; Khorshid; Nader,Ghasr-e (Kakh-e .

(admission included) h Kalat Naderi Kalat Kabud GonbadMosque Kabud 7.30am-noon &4-8.30pm h herb shop lonelyplanet.com 7.30am-6.30pm) , graphically , graphically for Nader forNader x

272 2239; 272 2239; ( x Khor- 272 ,

by bright-red laterite slopes. views acrosstheDarbanvillage area ringed to variousrockyoutcropsforspectacular inTurkish andFarsi.with poetry Climb praisingNaderShah tion onthecliff-face h St at13thAlley;d/trIR80,000/100,000) side below)the Just beyondthis(visiblefromthestream- an iconicifsmall,round,mud-brick tower. guarded bythefortified h Site logical one specialistattraction,the ing thanarriving.Thesprawlingtownhas to Dargaz (Daregaz) ismuch more interest- westofMosque’ mountains Kalat, travelling from Quchan orwindingpastthe‘Thousand Whether slitheringdowntheendlesshairpins x DARGAZ St) Imam Khomeini TaxiTalaydaran-e Khesht Agency (Paykan/Saipaa taxi IR100,000/120,000). tohire need 120km) you’llalmostcertainly but very windingroadtoDargaz (1¾hours, (IR8000)areand buses rare. Forthepretty To Mashhad, savaris (IR25,000)are sporadic &Away There Getting Bahrami Mosaferkhaneh Sleeping &Eating astrian ‘tower of silence’. Yarim Tappeh an abrupttumulus-style mudhillcalled Dargaz’s visitors inwithoutpermission-letters from edge. Annoyinglythecaretaker won’tlet a cornfield2kmwestof Dargaz’s northern roofing, thethree adjacentdigsites sitin complex. Covered with corrugated sheet- fire-templea particularlyfineSassanian itwasonce believe umn stumps.Experts faces andfloralpatterns onwallandcol- stucco mouldingsinwhite gypsumdepict round thesavari stand. andtomatopaste) cluster lentils, potatoes for basement white trim,200mfromthesavari stand. but popularrestaurant withblack-and- laundered It’sabove sheets. anunmarked rooms withdecentbathroomsandfreshly Book your stay at lonelyplanet.com/hotels your stay Book A few snackshops andanun-marked 7am-7pm) 7.30am-2pm) 0582 /pop39,000 Miras Ferhangi Miras

, where unusually well-preserved , where unusuallywell-preserved (Artyan rd, km 2; 2; rd, km (Artyan possibly started life possibly started asa Zoro- . Nearthearchaeological site, abgusht can oblige. Katibeh Nader Katibeh (lambstew madewith ( x

( x admission byinvitation; 272 3298; Imam Khomeini 272 3298;ImamKhomeini Borg-argavan Shah Borg-argavan 522 5247;Modarres St; Bandiyan Archaeo- isaninscrip- has pleasant haspleasant

( x 272 2637; ﺩﺭﮔﺰ ,

Sadr St,14thAlley) St, meini 29thLane;s/tw/trIR160,000/190,000/230,000) cial AlMahdi St.The culture-information 600m east of Shahrdari Sqalongcommer- halfway. Thetown’s centralValiasr Sqis Sharak (southeast),passing Shahrdari Sq Imam RezaSq (northwest) toFalakeh Iranian cities. street-vibe that’smore thaninmost oriental White beardsandwhiter turbanscreate a find thisfriendly,adamantlySunni town. disappear into avastdustyplain,you’ll Where thelastripplesof ridge mountain x Jam Torbat-e local prison. yourwishcomestrue:it’snowthe in case But don’thopetoget insidethe you couldclimbtheAD1028 Sang Bast In thescrappyrailway-junction village of Jam toTorbat-e Mashhad topayaprivate taxi. need For intermediate stops youwillgenerally via Fariman, Torbat-e-Jam andTaybad. tle spicebydoing the tripinbus/savari hops Herat butyoucouldaddalit- (Afghanistan) There are direct fromMashhad buses to TOAFGHANISTANTHE ROAD cistern). an unusuallylarge domed sive, uncoloured moodabad). It’soverlooked bytheimpres- main road,initiallyfollowingsignstoMah- (2.5kmoff the mud-walled courtyardhouses village isanarchetypal scatteringLangar of to Torbat-eJam (IR40,000 Fariman ifyouwanttovisit in arid surroundings.Swapfrombustotaxi thatcontrastsstrikinglywithits reservoir with multiplearches creating anopal-blue sual the consideraIR20,000return might tripto taxi walk northof centralImamRezaSqbutyou curtains andthreadbarecurtains corridorrugs. be fairlyappealingiftheyfixed thedroopy andwould commodation thatiscomfortable One block east of central Imam Khomeini One blockeastof centralImamKhomeini Imam Khomeini Blvdruns4kmfromImam Khomeini Flat 0528 /pop85,000 Hotel Sarim Sarim Hotel Band-e Fariman Band-e dam Fariman NORTHEASTERN IRAN••Dargaz NORTHEASTERN (40kmfromcentralMashhad), was builtinpseudo-Safavid style ( x ’s unexotic isn’treally worththe2km 522 5247;fax5147;ImamKho- , 10kmsouth.Thisunu- Imamzadeh QasmAnvar dar baste caravanserai abambar Langar Ayaz Minaret caravanserai ﺟﺎﻡ en route ). Pretty (water hasac-

ﺗﺮﺑﺖ and and (Musa (Musa 367

NORTHEASTERN IRAN NORTHEASTERN NORTHEASTERN IRAN IR5000; to central Valiasr Sq. rooms with campbedsand TV. Very close with showerIR59,000/87,000/101,000) St,2nd Alley;s/tw/trIR50,000/68,000/80,000, Al Mahdi Mosaferkhaneh Me’at Dana Me’at Mosaferkhaneh SLEEPING &EATING St;admissionfree; (Aramgah isthebeautiful sight Torbat-e Jam’s impressive highly must-see JAMI MAUSOLEUM office, 368 via Mirqaveh, thenMaadan Sts. frescoes. colourful with particularlywell-preserved anddomedceilings sports ancientgraffiti wooden maindoors, the1264 theheavy and calligraphyinside. Through man whocreated thesplendidmihrab Mosque Kermani door ontheleftleadsto14th-century probably countasthe former. Thesmall foreignever, tourists are sorare thatyou’ll with aletter fromMirasFerhangi. How- open thechunky locksforVIPs orthose the keys. Technically to he’sonlysupposed onentering the complex)has your shoes up probably unwittinglymetwhenbagging Gatekeeper QolamAliKeliddar (whoyou other twolocked doors inthemain calligraphy. arch-vaultslevel andfragmentsof beautiful courtyard,which hasdouble- on thesame ogy one westfromValiasr Sq,passing mini-caravanserai, twoblockssouth,then Beheshti 3rdAlley; Mosque hall. It’s‘new’compared tothe1302 nal columnsoneithersideof itsprayer magnificent vaulted ceilingsandoctago- is theAD1442 ary intoaninnercourtyardacrosswhich visitors asmallsanctu- andleadsthrough doors. isopentoall Theonetotheright tiled which soars aparticularlyimpressive blue- rests underavery tree, oldpistachio above Sheikh AhmadJami.poet Histombstone grave of 12th-centurySunnimysticand religious buildings intertwine aroundthe The complexis700meastof Valiasr Sq The finestgems are hidden behindthe NORTHEASTERN IRAN••TheRoadtoAfghanistan NORTHEASTERN ( x main iwan h ( Miras Ferhangi Miras 222 8030;Beheshti/Modarres St;internetperhr h 8am-10pm) women-only atprayertimes) h . Inthis , namedafter Masoud Ker- ‘New’ Mosque 7am-2pm) enroute.

Jami mausoleumcomplex h ( x iwan

dawn-dusk) 222 4790; Robat Karim, 222 4790;RobatKarim, occupies apretty, ( x there are three . Lookforthe 222 7569;NatrSt, Clean simple

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Gumruk Sq;tw/qIR120,000/150,000) IR150,000) room IR66,500/98,500/108,000) Blvd;s/tw/trIR57,000/72,000/82,000,withbath- Khomeini Falakeh Sharak. nearby. two hours) departtillaround9pmfrom asr Sq.Savaris (front/backIR35,000/25,000, alongAl-Mahdiby shuttletaxi StfromVali- aterminal nearImamRezaSq,accessed use For Mashhad, (IR10,000,2½hours) buses THERE&AWAYGETTING 1444 Taybad’s mainattractionistheimposing borderpost, Just 18kmfromtheAfghanistan x Taybad private squattoiletandshower. with ageing linenbutthebetter roomshave male-dominated of theJami complexinTorbat-eJam. The ering ing thedramatic Khaf (IR4000/15,000, 20 minutes). Transportto border(savari/taxi the Afghan Dogharon, hours), Torbat-e Jam (savari IR20,000) and Mashhad (bus/savari IR12,000/40,000, three 300m furthernorth,transportleaves for and much toomuch pink.Fromapoint spacious box-rooms withbathroom,TV edge of townhasunsophisticated iffairly in the basement. in thebasement. traditionalteahouse downstairs andasemi There’sEnter viasidestairway. arestaurant noying andthebathroomsare communal. canbean- but much roadnoise istatty, to have more stylethanthecompetition, Sima Hotel Savaris toTaybad (IR10,000)leave from Sakhteman Sefid Sefid Sakhteman leave fromHerat’soldbusterminal. savaris totheborder(135km,150Afghanis) JamandTaybad.via Torbat-e Westbound ing eitherway.Ordo-it-yourself inhops Mashhad–Herat buses runtwiceeachmorn- 4.30pm) This oldHippie-Trail BORDER AT DOGHARON CROSSING THEAFGHANISTAN 0529 /pop49,000 leaves fromnearFalakeh Molana,pass- Molana Mosque iwan is open and remarkably easy.Direct isopenandremarkably At first glance the Sefid appearsAt first glancetheSefid isof asimilargrandeurtothat

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( x 7.30am- 422 2269; 422 2269; ﺗﺎﻳﺒﺎﺩ lonelyplanet.com the above - ‘Do the right thingwithourcontent.’ the above-‘Doright thetermsandconditionsonoursiteforalongerwayofsaying youknow,orresell it.See everyone site,massemailitto only. Inotherwords,pleasedon’tuploadthischaptertoapeer-to-peer Inreturn, wethinkit’sfairtoaskyouuseitforpersonal,non-commercialpurposes restricted. © LonelyPlanetPublications. iteasierforyoutouse,accessthischapter isnotdigitally Tomake © LonelyPlanetPublications

369 NORTHEASTERN IRAN NORTHEASTERN