With the night comes the cold air that characterizes the desert nights. From the mosque come chanting and the rhythm of the drums of Ashura celebrations, a festival celebrates the death of Hussein and that puts the population of rigorous mourning, only interrupted by laughter and play of children.
During the day the streets of the small village of Fahraj are practically deserted and silent, with this quietness only interrupted by the occasional passing of a motorcycle or a car for the few paved roads. Walked out of the compact and well-defined urban area we come across farmland that direct your eyes to the mountains, which at a far distance limit the vast and bare plain, with its gray shadow.
In the oldest part of the village, among narrow streets and adobe houses we find the Majehd-e Jameh Mosque considered the oldest mosque in Iran, dating from the beginning of the Islamic presence in Persia. The minaret that stands out from the uniform low buildings of Fahraj, whose shape resembles a lighthouse, served as a reference point for caravans crossing the region.
The narrow, poorly lit streets, were night silence is only interrupted by the sound of our steps crashing the loose stones spread through the streets. In the sky with fragments of clouds that hide the stars, lurks a half moon moving towards full.
While not offering many tourist attractions, Fahraj is a good option to escape from the city itineraries that usually characterizes the tourist tours in Iran, with the advantage of being only 35 kilometers from Yazd, easily accessible by public transport.
In Fahraj there is little to do beyond enjoying the slow passage of time, in a village situated in a vast desert plain.
Accommodation:
Farvardinn Desert Inn (known locally as “hotel” is the only option in terms of accommodation)
Dorm Bed: 300,000 rials (breakfast included)
Meals: 200,000 rials (vegetarian option is possible, but the food isn’t interesting at all)
Free wi-fi
The Farvardinn Desert Inn offers good conditions, and despite the dorm is located in a basement with no natural light, offer comfortable common areas, such as the patio and the dining room.
Where to eat:
There are no options at Fahraj beyond Farvardinn Desert Inn… some grocery stores with a modest offer where you can find fruit (not much choice), vegetables, cheese, crackers… there is also a bakery. The opening time of these shops is a mystery…
The meals at Farvardinn Desert Inn are not particularly interesting in terms of vegetarian food. However the breakfast is good, with fruit, eggs, cheeses, bread, cucumbers, tomatoes, butter, jam, dates and tea.
Transport:
Fahraj is little more than 35 km of Yazd, about 1 hour by bus.
Buses to Fahraj depart from Mehrab Terminal (Mehrab Square) roughly every hour, but you may want to check the timetable on the photo below, because there are some “holes”.
Fahraj is the last stop of this bus.
Bus: 10,000 rials
