Mashhad to Kalat Naderi

Mashhad City is one of the significant destinations of Iranian visitors. No matter what season is, Mashhad is always the host of pilgrims and tourists from all around the world. However Razavi Khorasan Province and the cities outskirt of Mashhad have many natural and historical attractions which are missed to visit by most of visitors.

If you depart to Mashhad in summer, we have an attractive offer for you. A one-day trip to Kalat-e Naderi to enjoy the beauties of this town.

Route early morning from Mashhad to Kalat. Your destination is Kalat-e Naderi County in northeastern Iran, near the border of Turkmenistan. The road from Mashhad to Kalat is mountainous and meandrous. It’s one of the beautiful roads of Iran because it’s built on eastern foothills of Hezar Masjed Mountains. This road is about 150 kilometers but to cross it, more than 2 hours needed. Although there are some attractions on the road e.g. Abgarm, Qalehno and Zou, but it’s a one-day trip and there’s not enough time. So go ahead to Kalat. At the end of the road, there’s a tunnel which is one of the exciting parts of the trip. This tunnel is the only way to access Kalat, by crossing this long tunnel you enter the capital of Nader Shah Afshar, everything here has the traces of Nader Shah reign.

There’s a defile in the left side of the road after crossing the tunnel, defile is stretched parallel with mountains and it’s called Darband. Before constructing tunnel the defile was the main route of town. At the beginning of defile Tower of Arqavan Shah is in front of visitors. There’s an inscription above the tower, on the mountain rock which is carved by the command of Nader Shah Afshar.

But the most famous attraction of Kalat is Kakhe Khorshid or Khorshid Mansion, The Palace of Sun; which is located in the heart of the town. In front of the palace there is a mosque belongs to Saljuqid era, which is called Kaboud Gonbad, Blue Dome Mosque.

Follow the main street of the town which is parallel to Kalat River, you can see the farms and rice fields beside the mountains. Recently local people were not be allowed to plant rice, because of drought.

Outside the town, there is another construction belongs to Afshar Dynasty which is called Band-e Nader. Band-e Nader is one of the oldest dams of Iran, in fact this dam was built during the Saljuqid reign and restored by Nader Shah Afshar. This dam was built on Zharfrud River into a deep and pretty defile.

After roaming in town, route to Qarehsu, 3 kilometers far from Kalat-e Naderi. One of the prettiest natural attractions of Razavi Khorasan Province is waiting for you. A mountainous landscape with a natural complex of waterfalls which are linked by the stairs beside them, they were carved to cross defile, at the end of the defile there is plain and Qarehsu Spring.

Crossing these stairs is not difficult and does not need any profession. Only the physical strength is needed for 2 hours climbing, walking an enjoying nature. The end of the trip is Qarehsu spring.