Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Around Gonbad-e Kavus
GOLESTAN NATIONAL PARK
East of Gonbad, the limited-access Golestan National Park includes partly cultivated
steppe and contrastingly thick mountain forests of 500-year-old trees in which you half
expect to meet Asterix and his cohorts. The region is indistinctly littered with clues to the
once vibrant Tabarestan civilisation that lasted from the Neanderthal era right up until the
13th century. Then Genghis Khan's hordes brought it all to an abrupt end.
Much of the steppe population is ethnically Turkmen so if you're lucky you might find
yourself invited to a horse milking or for tea in one of the increasingly rare reed-ringed
felt ö
y
tents. For a hefty fee it's possible to take unique spring and autumn
horse treks
in
this fascinating area; book through
www.inthesaddle.com/iran.htm
. For a riders' experien-
ce, read
www.equitrek.com.au/Iran.html
.
The Turkmen Ecolodge
( 0912-720 6741;
www.turkmenecolodge.com
;
Golestan
National Park, Turkmen Sahra; sliding scale from 1-8 per person €136-96; )
, de-
signed by an Iranian architect, is a splendid spot and an excellent base to explore both the
Golestan National Park and the surrounding region. The adobe house was actually a num-
ber of separate one-room Turkmen family homes that have been brought together as one
delightful dwelling and the lovely space is filled with local craftworks. The ever-helpful
owner Kamran is keen to show off the area and will arrange horse riding, tours of the park
and beyond, and will even collect guests from Gorgan. Contacting him can be tricky as
there's no internet at the ecolodge, but keep trying. Reader recommended.
Getting There & Away
The main entrance to the park is via Haji Qoshan, once home to ubiquitous Turkmen
writer Makhtumkuli. By public transport it's easier to go via Kalaleh. From Kalaleh's
Ahmedi Sq, take a Tamar-bound savari, then pay an extra US$2 to continue
dar baste
(closed door, used to indicate you want a private hire) to Gharra Tappeh Sheikh (GTS; 20
minutes).
ALEXANDER'S WALLردنكسادس
Like the Great Chinese and Hadrian's equivalents, Alexander's Wall (Sadd-e Eskander)
was built to keep out warlike raiders from the north. For the Iranian world it marked the
very real edge of civilisation. Being banished beyond was equivalent to capital punish-
ment. Called Qezel Alam (Red Snake) in Turkmen, it stretched over 160km between the
Golestan Mountains and the Caspian and probably dates from the 6th century, making any
