Iran - Andrew Burke [169]
Borujerd
0622 / pop 257,000
In transit between Khorramabad and Hamadan you might need to cross this large, mountain-backed town. Sadly a March 2006 earthquake seriously damaged Borujerd’s three remaining historic monuments, strung out over a kilometre off central Jafari St. The Seljuk blue-domed Jameh Mosque and fine Qajar-era Soltani (Imam) Mosque (Safa St) remain closed as sections are dangerously close to collapse. The celebrated Imamzadeh Jafar (Imamzadeh Lane) has reopened but its unusual, conical spire remains scaffolded.
On a pronounced hill 2½km northwest of centre, the upscale Zagros Hotel ( 350 4901; tw/ste US$95/115) is a local tourist attraction in itself with park-like grounds, a ‘geyser’ lake and a (currently broken) mini-cable car. The hotel has an impressive three-storey modern atrium, decent restaurant and appealing if pricey pseudo-traditional teahouse section. Rooms have Scandinavian-style pine interiors and vast picture windows, but carpets are starting to look slightly scuffed. For the best mountain views take rooms 202 to 207. Creaky glass elevators.
Savaris leave regularly for Dorud (IR10,000, 45 minutes) and Khorramabad from Dora Sq, around 5km southeast of the centre with most minibuses using the main terminal 600m nearer town. Savaris to Nahavand and Malayer start around 1km northwest of the Zagros Hotel. For Hamadan change in Malayer.
Alashtar Valley
Before Tamerlane’s 14th-century ravages, Alashtar had been a major city. However, by the time Freya Stark came tomb-raiding here in the 1930s, all that remained was a nervous garrison of Persians huddled insecurely within a mud-walled fortress, in fear of the ‘wild’ Lurish tribes beyond. The town briefly made world news in 2005 when an unmanned drone spy-plane (presumed to be American) crashed nearby.
Alashtar’s mountain-rimmed setting has a certain grandeur at the end of a long, agricultural valley from Nurabad. The road south passes through a canyon 10km before Khorramabad nicknamed the ‘Velvet Mountains’ for its eye-catching mossy bluffs. Several grassy areas here make popular picnic sites.
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ANDIMESHK
0642 / pop 174,000
Flat, uninteresting Andimeshk has useful transport connections to Shush, Dezful and Shushtar. You’ll need to sleep here if taking the scenic day-train to Dorud. Hotel Rostan ( 424 1818; Imam St; s/tw/tr IR140,000/170,000/200,000) is handily central between Sa’at and Beheshti Sqs. Rooms have good bathrooms but the curiously patchy décor gives the impression that ambitious redecoration works stopped in mid-flow. Don’t assume that the air-conditioners actually cool.
Just east of Azadegan Sq, the relatively upmarket Hotel Bozorg Andimeshk (Andimeshk Grand; Southern Bypass; 422 2100; fax 422 9295; s/d US$64/91; ) is out of the centre but handy for the zoo-funfair and bus terminal. Rooms with balconies and decently equipped bathrooms just about justify local prices (single/double IR316,900/479,600), but seem vastly overpriced at foreigner rates.
Many snack bars and small restaurants surround Beheshti Sq offering samosas, falafels, burgers, kababs and some particularly outstanding dizi.
Getting There & Away
BUS, MINIBUS & SAVARI
Almost any service from Ahvaz can also be booked ex-Andimeshk at the new main bus terminal (Azadegan Sq), 1.5km south of Beheshti Sq on the southern ring road. Iran Peyma runs to Esfahan at 7.45am (IR42,000), 10am (IR32,800) and 8pm (IR70,000, Volvo). They also have overnight Volvos to Tabriz (IR100,000, 2.30pm) and Shiraz (IR75,000, 4pm).
Savaris to Dezful (IR2000, 15 minutes) leave frequently from Sa’at Sq. Savaris for Ahvaz depart from Beheshti Sq. Minibuses for Shush (IR2250, 45 minutes) use a hidden yard off a lane directly west of Beheshti Sq.
For Khorramabad, minibuses (IR12,000, 4½ hours) and more frequent savaris