Iran - Andrew Burke [258]
PALAEONTOLOGICAL MUSEUM
Located underground in green Park-e Sangi, about 500m east of Shohada Sq, the Palaeontological Museum (Park-e Sangi; admission IR5000; 4-8pm most days) is the passion and life’s work of local mountaineer Mohsen Tajrobekar. Mohsen has collected a stunning array of fossils from the mountains around Kerman and his finds have caused scientists to re-assess the origins of some present-day species. They include a perfectly petrified fish believed to be 530 million years old.
GONBAD-E JABALIYE
At the edge of town is the mysterious, octagonal Gonbad-e Jabaliye (Mountain of Stone; admission IR2000; 8am-6pm Tue-Sun), which houses a mildly interesting and poorly labelled museum of old gravestones. It’s mysterious because its age and original function remain unknown – a Kerman Tourism brochure sums it up as ‘A big, strange dome in the eastern part of Kerman’. Quite! Some scholars date it to the 2nd century AD and think it may have been an observatory. Others say it was a tomb. Whatever its function, it is remarkable because it is constructed of stone rather than the usual brick; though the double-layered dome, added 150 years ago, is brick. When taking photos (outside only) be careful to point your camera away from the neighbouring army base.
The setting, at the foot of the Payeh Mountains, is picturesque. To get here, try to find a shuttle taxi from Shohada Sq (IR2000), though you might need to go dar baste.
Sleeping
Kerman isn’t that big but its hotels are scattered inconveniently around town. The rules of supply and demand, or a lack thereof, keep prices relatively low.
BUDGET
Kerman is not blessed with an abundance of good budget options.
Omid Inn ( 222 0571; Shahid Qarani St; s/tw/tr IR50,000/70,000/90,000; ) Set around a courtyard (which is ideal for overlanders), the Omid is spartan but provides a warm welcome from the English-speaking manager and his wife. Rooms are basic but they and the shared bathroom and kitchen are clean.
Reza Guesthouse ( 226 4012-13; Qods St; s/tw/tr IR60,000/85,000/105,000) This clean, simple guesthouse is ideally located near Tohid Sq. Unadorned rooms have overhead fans; all bathrooms are shared. No English is spoken.
These next two are a longer walk into town.
Guest House Milad ( 245 0617; Ayatollah Saduqi St; s/tw IR60,000/90,000; ) Drab, functional rooms and shared bathrooms are clean and staff is friendly. Guests can use the kitchen.
Jalal Guesthouse ( 271 0185, 0913 142 3174; jalalguesthouse@yahoo.de; 11 Gharbi 3 St, off Ashura Sq; per person €12; ) About 3km north of the bazaar, local guide Jalal Mehdizadeh and his wife have two rooms in their house they open to foreign travellers. It has convenient little luxuries like washing machine, internet and more than 1000 channels of TV, and is a good choice for lone women travellers. Breakfast is IR20,000. Jalal speaks English and German. Book ahead.
Guest House Saedi ( 252 0802; Ayatollah Saduqi St; s/tw/tr IR70,000/110,000/140,000; ) Friendly, functional but Spartan; if the others are full.
MIDRANGE & TOP END
Amin Hotel ( 222 1954; aminhotel@yahoo.com; Dr Chamran St; s/tw/q US$25/30/50; ) Well located near the bazaar, the long-running Amin has larger-than-average rooms with Western bathrooms and soft beds. Front rooms might be noisy.
Naz Hotel ( 244 6786; fax 245 0498; Ayatollah Saduqi St; tw with breakfast IR290,000; ) The rejuvenated Naz has new, English-speaking management. The 28 largish rooms are very clean, very pink and fair value. It’s opposite the Akhavan and comparing is easy.
Akhavan Hotel ( 244 1411-2; akhavanhotel@yahoo.com; Ayatollah Saduqi St; s/d with breakfast US$24/34; ) Staying with the Akhavan brothers is a pleasure. Their rooms