Northeastern Iran - Iran - page 496

reference to Alexander the Great mere romantic fiction. Comprehensively cannibalised for
building materials over the centuries it's now little more than a muddy undulation.
However, a relatively recognisable section, conveniently marked by orange concrete bol-
lards, runs along the northern side of the Tamar-GTS road. Raised some 5m above the
fields, the outline of a large, square-planned wall-fort is still easy to make out at Mal-
aisheikh , around 10km west of GTS.
KHALID NIBI SHRINEىبندلاخهاگمارآ
Dramatically perched above a breathtaking sea of badlands sit three small mausoleums
commemorating Khalid Nibi. Although he was a 5th-century Nestorian Christian, the
place now attracts Muslim pilgrims during spring and early summer. From the central
shrine, a fairly obvious footpath leads down, then right in about 10 minutes to a grassy
knoll dotted with remarkable pagan grave-markers . Ancient but of unknown age, these
markers include 2m-long spindly phalluses for men and butterfly-shaped stones for wo-
men.
From Tamar (the Kalaleh-Maraveh Tappeh road), Khalid Nibi is 30km by unsurfaced
road (allow 90 minutes). Taxis from Minudasht want around US$20 return, but they
struggle with the steep last kilometre. A 4WD from GTS costs around US$30 return;
Kamran at the Turkmen Ecolodge can help arrange visits to all these locations.
Bajgiranناریگجاب
0582 / POP 920 / ELEV 1628M
If you're heading to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan's surreal capital, consider sleeping here to
get an early start for crossing the nearby border (see the boxed text). Bajgiran village isn't
an attraction but a few huddles of archaic mud-houses look faintly attractive amid the arid
mountain ridges and communication towers. Savaris from Quchan (US$1/6 per person/
car, 1¼ hours) terminate at the lower border gate. That's 800m beyond the nine-room
Hotel Bajgiran ( 372 3212; tw US$9) , which has survivable but rather bare rooms with
shared toilets.