In the heart of the Iranian central desert, located 20 kilometers south of Tabas, there is a traditional guest house called Nakhl & Narges in a village named Korit. Consisting of two separate yards, one named after a tree (Nakhl = palm tree) and the other named after a flower (Narges = Poet’s narcissus), these guest houses are welcoming visitors and tourists from all over the world. The history and the story of these houses are extremely interesting and when you spend a couple of nights in these rooms, you’ll soon realize how authentic and historical they are.
Nakhl & Narges is a traditional guesthouse which means it was a caravanserai before it was renovated in 2016. The story of this place is actually interesting. At least over 300 years old, the rooms in this caravanserai were home to merchants, traders, and travelers who were voyaging on the famous Silk Road during the Safavid and Qajarid eras. This caravanserai was a nice resort for them since their last stop on the Silk Road was around 300 kilometers back. However, it was in 1978 that the whole area was hit by a tragic 7.4 earthquake which left Korit and 84 other villages in ruins. The locals lived in tents for some months before new homes were built north of the original village. However, the old ruins of the previous village were left unattended. Well, that was the case until some years ago. The friendly owners of Nakhl & Narges guest house Mr.Zarabi, Mr.Yazdani & Mr.kaboli tried to recover and rebuild the historical caravanserai back in 2016. They renovated this beautiful place into a lovely homestay for tourists and travelers.
The purpose behind building this traditional guest house was to help tourists visit a traditional historic site, learn about the lifestyle of ancient Iranian people, and introduce Persian culture as well as their comfort and relaxation. The rooms of this traditional guest house have been designed using the finest architectural styles. The caravanserai and the rooms are built with local mud and brick, which means they have a very natural aura to them. Unlike houses and apartments in larger cities, there is nothing artificial or unnatural used in the making of Nakhl & Narges guesthouse. Life easily flows inside of these rooms. Spending a night or even taking an afternoon nap in Nakhl & Narges will prove to be extremely peaceful as well as enjoyable compared to one in the city. Also in the nights try to stay in the yards, enjoy the peace, cool weather and starry nights of the desert.
When visitors arrive at this place, after resting in these traditional rooms, they have a lot of options to explore the area or enjoy some local activities. Basically, you can start by visiting the multiple waterfalls close to Korit. They might not be gigantic waterfalls, but they are a great and rather surprising site to see in the middle of the desert. Its waters reach Korit and its fields which helps with the local agriculture and various farming products of the village such as oranges, lemons, watermelons, pomegranates, dates, etc. There is an old castle nearby with at least two watchtowers that used to be utilized to protect parties of merchants and travelers from bandits. There is also a traditional mosque that was built on the ruins of a Zoroastrian fire temple and is now a touristic site to visit. However, if you want to explore more of the area, there are some other options offered as day tours around the region. Most notably, the Morteza Ali Spring which is on the eastern side of Tabas is a wonder in the heart of Dasht-e Kavir (the central desert of Iran). The spring is popular among locals as well as visitors from all over the world because of its medical benefits on top of its stunning beauty. And the fact that the spring has both cold and hot waters adds to its mystery and is a great option to spend a morning or an afternoon.
There is also the Kal Jeni Valley which among locals is popular as “the valley of the jinns”. This famous tourist attraction should not be visited alone at night. 35 kilometers in the north of Tabas, some beautiful and stunning valleys can be sometimes spooky and eerie as well. The best time to visit the Kal Jeni Valley is during autumn or winter as it gets extremely hot in summer.
Another amazing activity during your stay in Nakhl & Narges Traditional Guest House is taking the experience of visiting Halvan desert. It is one of the most remarkable touristic attractions near this guest house, with approximately a 1-hour drive. Halvan desert has an extraordinary desert architecture where walking can be an enjoyable experience for tourists. There is also a historic castle near the desert where the old texture of the village is completely settled in.
Going back to the guest house, there some activities to do around the complex as well as the village itself. Whether it is trying out the farming and agriculture products of the nearby fields, or visiting historical Ab Anbars (traditional water reservoirs), or spending the night in the stunning desert, the friendly staff of Nakhl & Narges will make sure you have a great time and will leave with a lot of sweet memories. And as for the nights, you can choose to sleep on the rooftops of the guesthouse the same way the previous generations of the villagers used to go see the starry nights. For sure if you are trying to plan to visit Tabas and the deserts around this region, you should not miss visiting this fantastic place!
