You can sit for hours on a bus in South-eastern Iran and see nothing but the extraordinary rugged landscape of black baked earth and jagged mountains. Boredom is not part of your vocabulary as you cruise through the desert on unexpectedly smooth roads in a tattered red 1974 Mercedes bus. Hours pass quickly, eyes glued to the landscape, your mind contemplating how you got here, deciding where to venture next. Signs of life are rare. And, not until mid way through your umpteenth hour on a bus with no air-conditioning, do you arrive at your destination.

Palm trees and small roadside streams will be your first impressions of this comfortably small oasis town. A few minutes of exploring on your own is all it will take in order to understand what made Bam a major trading and military post for almost 2000 years.

The Middle East has always, and will continue to hold great fascination amongst travelers. Persia, or Iran as it is known today, has been breeding ground for cultural and artistic development for thousands of years. The country, with its modern day borders, has been a hub for two major trading routes: the Silk Road from China, and the Southern trade route from Pakistan and India; and both have assisted in furthering Iran’s diverse and celebrated way of life.

Bam is located in South-eastern corner Kerman province. Maintaining its position in the middle of the Southern trade route, this small-fortified city on the outskirts of the vast Dasht-é-Lūt desert is just 350km west of the modern day Pakistan and 450km north of the Persian Gulf. Whether you are heading in either direction, Bam is an ideal place to stop for rest.


ANCIENT BAM

Ancient Bam, or the Arg-é-Bam, at its peak of political, economic, and military power had some 11,000 citizens living in 400 houses within its city walls, which still stand much the way they did hundreds of years ago. Since the city’s inception, judged to be between 250 BC – 224 AD, Bam has thrived as an energetic market place and a focal point for the region. It was not until a devastating Afghan invasion in 1722, which crippled the city and forced its inhabitants to flee, that Bam’s downfall began. Existing in shadows of its own historical greatness from 1722 and 1890, the city eventually closed its illustrious gates to civilians at the turn of the century. For the forty-year period following, the city was an active military barracks, and then lay vacant until the restoration process began in the early 1970s.

A moment is all it will take for you long to realize that Bam is an extraordinary historical site. Many of the well-visited historical sites in the world, such as the Acropolis in Athens and the Coliseum in Rome, only give the archaeologist and tourist a limited slice of history. Bam, on the other hand, clearly displays the imprints of over 2000 years of continuous history. Surrounded by inhospitable deserts and mountains, the Arg-é-Bam seems to shine out amongst its inhospitable surroundings.

Pay your entrance fee, stroll through front gates, and come face to face with ancient Bam. Houses, schools, mosques, gymnasiums, and bathhouses stand in the same places they did centuries ago. Crumbling now, these structures have maintained their allure, and they have the rare ability to give visitors a most inspiring adrenaline rush at first sight. Mud and sand stone buildings hold much of their original shape. Little imagination is required in viewing the site and grasping how these people went about their daily lives. The superb archways and narrow dirt paths between apartment blocks, shops, markets and mosques still provide the privacy and intrigue that have made this historical site Iran’s most treasured.

The Arg-é-Bam site is open from 7am – 7pm. With desert heat being uncomfortable, it is best to show up in the late afternoon and stay for sunset, when the light for pictures is best. Have a walk along the city walls and climb up to the old fortress for the finest views looking back down to the walled metropolis. Take in the regions barren surroundings from the elevated lookout point on the Citadel, and on your climb down be sure to stop for a cup of tea in the teahouse situated along its outer wall. The captivating view from the teahouse makes it an ideal place to rest and wait for the enchanting sunset.

The Arg-é-Bam has recently become one of the few foreign tourist attractions in Iran that has caught on with the locals as well. In 1993, the then President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani visited the site for the first time. He was so impressed that he strongly urged every Iranian to visit once in their lifetime, therefore, ensuring the Arg-é- Bam’s roll in Iran’s national identity. Because the site is very popular with local Iranians, and has two functioning Mosques within the walls of the ancient city, it is important to respect all of Iran’s customs and laws while visiting the Arg-é-Bam.

NOMADIC DESERT TRIBES

After exploring the Arg-é-Bam, challenge your senses and spend a night in the unforgiving Dasht-é-Lūt desert. It is best to contact a local tour guide that can assist in transportation to, and accommodation with, nomadic tribes in the region. Learn about their traditions, food, handicrafts and how they sustain their nomadic lifestyle. A night under the desert stars in a sleeping bag can be a fantastic way to get in touch with the local nomadic culture, which in Iran accounts for an ever-diminishing (but extraordinarily fascinating) portion of the population.

AGRICULTURAL OASIS

In a region famous for its scarcity of water, Bam thrives with extensive palm groves and citrus gardens. Benefiting from subterranean water reserves, surfacing through a number of mile long water canals, Bam is essentially an agricultural city.

Bam is famous for, and a major producer of, the very best date fruits in all of Iran. Growing season is in the summer and by autumn the palm trees are heavily weighted with ripened dates ready to be picked and taken to market. Given your time and the energy, taking a stroll in the “date farms” behind the Arg-é-Bam is a rewarding experience. Walking between the endless rows and rows of date palms can be a fine way to spend one’s late afternoon. The date farmers are always keen to engage in conversation, some even know a little English, and are hospitable to tourists.

GETTING THERE, AWAY AND AROUND

Iran has a lot of appeal with tourists because it is an easy country to explore. Whether you choose trains, planes, buses or automobiles - the routes are establish and convenient for both the individual travel or tour groups. Furthermore, Iran has the lowest domestic petrol prices in the world. It is true: a liter of petrol costs a whopping 6 US cents. Because of this reality, bus and air transport, as well as anything else that uses petrol, is very economical by western standards. For example, a plan flight from Tehran to Bam will set you back just under $25USD, and the bus fare is $4USD to cover the same 1258km overland.

POLITICS, LAWS AND RUMOURS

Glancing at a list of the countries that compose of the “axis of evil” you will find the country of Iran. The “axis of evil”, being a group of countries deemed by the United States to be involved in, promoting or simply not doing enough to put an end to the threat of global terrorism. That said, Iran must be a dangerous place for tourists, a place where western folk are not welcome. However, this, like most things you read in the newspaper or watch on television, is simply not true. At least it was not true for this traveler. 

In the last few years Iran has started to show signs of life, albeit still not overly progressive but life nonetheless. Iran’s growing acceptance of package tours and the resurrection of the overland trail from Turkey to India and Southeast Asia has helped put Iran back on the map. 

Make no mistake; Iran is for the traveler who can respect local customs and laws. No matter how much you agree or disagree with the Islamic government and their laws, the religious leaders are in power, and they consider any minor infractions by tourists to be challenges to their authority; penalties can be sever. Saying that, traveling within Iran is a highly enjoyable and rewarding experience. Just remember two rules: respect local laws and customs, which include dressing properly; and secondly, avoid all political conversations and demonstrations. With those tips under your belt, you can not go wrong traveling around one of the most inviting and beautiful countries this traveler as ever had the privilege to visit. Enjoy.