Esfahak village attracting desert lovers
When it comes to visiting the deserts of Iran, what first comes to mind is their hot weather; however, the special geographical features of Esfahak village, located 38 kilometers from Tabas in South Khorasan Province, have caused this amazing place to have cooler weather compared with other cities and villages surrounding it.
Situated in an abandoned and historical district, the village is one of the most exotic desert attractions in Iran, packtoiran.com reported.
Esfahak village is a popular destination for tourists and desert lovers.
History
Esfahak, a 400-year-old village, is located in the heart of palm trees. A big part of the beautiful village was destroyed by an earthquake in Tabas in September 1978. The surviving locals and residents abandoned their villages after the disaster and migrated to neighboring cities. But in recent years, some locals decided to revive their old home village. They have managed to turn the village into a tourist destination, with amazing attractions.
The rural houses which were destroyed and abandoned 45 years ago are renovated and labeled as eco-lodges to be used for tourists and visitors travelling to this amazing spot.
In this village, no one smokes hookah or cigarettes, no food is served in plastic dishes, and there are separate trash bins for sorting waste. Visitors must take off their shoes when entering rooms. The village shines by the light of lanterns in the night, and walking through its cobblestone alleys is a wonderful experience that feels like traveling back in time.
Architecture
Made of mud and brick, houses were built based on the desert architectural pattern. Buildings are located close to each other in order to provide their residents with more safety against robbery, give them shadow during hot summer days, and keep houses warmer during the winter.
Locals
In recent years, tourism-based activities like running small eco-lodges and providing transfer services have become a main source of income for the residents of Esfahak village. Apart from that, having access to rich water resources such as wells and qanats for centuries, and a climate cooler than that of the neighboring villages and towns have helped improve agriculture and animal husbandry in the village. The most important agricultural products of Esfahak village are saffron and dates, which are harvested in very large amounts.
Things to do
One of the most significant attractions of Iran’s deserts is the surreally beautiful and starry night sky: Esfahak village is no exception and offers the most wonderful night sky. One of the best things that you can do in Esfahak village is to explore the night sky and enjoy astronomy at the observatory of the village, which is a circular brick building and is open every day from sunset to midnight.
Since Esfahak village is characterized by its old districts, walking through their historical alleys and exploring the architecture of the desert is an activity that shouldn’t be missed. The Jaame (Grand) Mosque of Esfahak is a small yet atmospheric building with a simple mud brick dome, and the historical bathhouse is an amazing building where you can experience a bath the way Iranians did many years ago.