view over the Kaluts

view over the Kaluts

Spectacular wind-eroded desert landscape and intricate water systems, from natural underground rivers to man-made underground channels and reservoirs

Apart from a few short trips out of Yazd and Kerman, we haven’t really explored the Iranian desert yet. A trip to the Kaluts changed that. Mustafa and Sakina run their own little tourist business, out of the hamlet of Shafi Abbad. Mustafa runs the car, with which he picks up tourists and drives them around, Sakina runs the small guesthouse where we arrived one late afternoon, for a surprisingly comfortable night’s sleep on matrasses on the floor.

 

sunrise over the Kaluts, a little hazy

sunrise over the Kaluts, a little hazy

slowly, the Kaluts start to lighten up

slowly, the Kaluts start to lighten up

The next morning at 5 am (!!!) we left to see the sunrise over the Kaluts. The Kaluts are steep sandstone mountains in the middle of the desert, eroded into irregular pillars by thousands of years of blistering winds, which has created a surreal landscape. The sunrise was not that spectacular, as the atmosphere was somewhat hazy, but the views of these enormous sand towers, slowly changing colours, was definitely worth the early departure. And we were almost alone, here – with the exception of a sun-worshipping woman who, as soom as the sun came up, went onto her knees and started whaling and chanting, meanwhile blowing kisses to the sun. Right.

one of the higher rocks of the Kaluts

one of the higher rocks of the Kaluts

spectacularly weathered by wind erosion

spectacularly weathered by wind erosion

and this shows the dominant wind direction

and this shows the dominant wind direction

another one of the Kaluts

another one of the Kaluts

the view at sunrise

the view at sunrise

more sand remnants, these are called 'the dolphins'

more sand remnants, these are called ‘the dolphins’

and they look like dolphins, all in the same direction

and they look like dolphins, all in the same direction

Driving on from the Kaluts, we passed a series of differently eroded sandstones, locally known as ‘the dolphins’, before we came to the Shur River. This is an underground river, but sufficiently close to the surface to moist the desert sand, and the bases of sand hills around. Much of the water has evaporated, creating huge mud cracks, whilst another part of the desert is covered with a salt crust; in some places we do find small pools of water, but also saturated with salt. A weird phenomenon, so in the middle of nowhere.

the Shur River, marked by a salt crust

the Shur River, marked by a salt crust

and note the moist base of the sandstone hills

and note the moist base of the sandstone hills

this is actually a water pool, among the salt

this is actually a water pool, among the salt

the salt has developed in quitea thick layer, in places

the salt has developed in quitea thick layer, in places

here a moist pool, also part of the river system

here a moist pool, also part of the river system

with at the edges the sand drying out again

with at the edges the sand drying out again

but not before somebody walked across - Lucy perhaps?

but not before somebody walked across – Lucy perhaps?

the village of Shafi Abbab

the village of Shafi Abbab

the women of Shafi Abbad - well, some of them

the women of Shafi Abbad – well, some of them

Back in Shafi Abbad we admire the village, and the caravanserai that is being restored. The most interesting part, however, is going down with Mustafa into the village’s qanat system, the age-old underground irrigation canals that have mostly been abandoned for modern equipment. Here in Shafi Abbad they are still being used, flowing very slowly on account of the minimal inclination these canals have been built with, perhaps 10-15 meters below the surface.

the restored caravanserai in the village

the restored caravanserai in the village

inside it is still rather empty

inside it is still rather empty

the imposing enyrance gate to the caravanserai

the imposing entrance gate to the caravanserai

the underground qanat of Shafi Abbad

the underground qanat of Shafi Abbad

the qanat system has several holes to outside, for light and air, and for access

the qanat system has several holes to outside, for light and air, and for access

the qanat access holes look like this, from the outside

the qanat access holes look like this, from the outside

this is the entry to the ab anbar, the ancient water reservoir in Shahdad

this is the entry to the ab anbar, the ancient water reservoir in Shahdad

and this is how it looks from the inside, with steps for access from above

and this is how it looks from the inside, with steps for access from above

and the only colour of today comes from a little boy and his motorcycle

and the only colour of today comes from a little boy and his motorcycle

That water was of paramount importance is also clear in Shahdad, a larger town nearby, where we descend into the ancient water reservoir. An enormous stone tank has been built here, again 15 meters, maybe more, underground, where water used to be stored, presumably collected in the spring. Mustafa’s father still came here to collect his water, but these days it is no longer in use; running water from the tap has reached the desert, too.

next: Bam

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2 Responses to 30. the Kaluts

  1. کلوت شهداد از نگاه گردشگران خارجی | ITFAST says:

    […] و سوفیا، زوج جهانگرد آلمانی–آرژانتینی، در سایت‌شان صفحه‌ای جداگانه برای کلوت شهداد در نظر گرفته‌اند و […]

  2. کلوت شهداد از نگاه گردشگران خارجی says:

    […] و سوفیا، زوج جهانگرد آلمانی–آرژانتینی، در سایت‌شان صفحه‌ای جداگانه برای کلوت شهداد در نظر گرفته‌اند و […]

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