Todays list, a canyon, another canyon… then, you guessed it. 1 more canyon. Crazy times lie ahead. Our morning starts with a local police officer parked just down from us. He has seen us parked after attending the wedding and parked just down from us to ensure we had a safe sleep. We all share a coffee and some treats and overall a nice guy.
For how late we left today we sure covered some ground. I guess that’s how it goes though, some days its 20kms other days 200km, which for us is huge. I lied, I just checked the gps, we did only 160kms but mostly offroad so it took all day.
Passing through Eslamabad, Asareh spots a place that is selling Jiger kebab, aka liver kebab. You can get it wrapped in the lung bag which adds to the flavour. So, we of course stop for a little snack before carrying on. In these small villages it doesn’t take long for locals to notice an out of place vehicle, so we have a guy ask if we would like to visit an old fort, located due west in Hashemabad, we of course agree. And begin following him on his motorbike, it is worth noting a motorbike can go a lot faster than a 4wd on these roads and we need to push to keep. When we arrive, the gate is locked. No worries, he points us further west and says to follow the road and it leads to a tunnel, now after all this we learn tunnel means very tight canyon.
Canyon #1 – Located in the Kabir Kooh protected area we head back north to complete a loop. The road winds through farmers fields, and the road eventually turns into a bike path it seems, yet you still see the odd pride car out there somehow, seriously, 4wd’s car of the year, they can get them anywhere I can it seems. As we get close to the exit we pass through the tight bit of canyon, complete with small waterfalls. Overall, a great little side track for the start of the day.
Canyon #2 – Heading south we stop at Tang-e Behram, a place where there was an old castle from the Persian times before being destroyed by islam. This leads to many stories about treasures still hidden in the mountains and explains why some people may not have wanted us snooping around. There is a lot of death in these areas as religion peacefully took over. Even yesterday’s boats ride was the same thing.
But we check it out, even see a lone gold fish in the water source. We do climb up to the water as it is important to do.
Intermission for lunch on the side of the road with every other family in the area it seems. Its busy but the only place with shade. Heading further south we meet a 4wd adventurer who we sit and chat with for a bit before getting some red-hot tips on things we may have missed.
Canyon #3 – I call this one the Indiana Jones canyon cause of the sketch rope bridge that luckily for my own safety I can actually reach. A giant horse shoe canyon with a lovely flat spot to set up for the night. There is even a tenter set up on a ledge 10 meters down. Crazy.
We watch the sunset over the mountains and settle in for a not cold sleep for once.
