Īzadkhāst looks like a ship that ran aground in the desert. The old village sits on a narrow rocky outcrop, and its mud-brick houses climb the sides of the rock, with a deep gully on each flank. Its position, on the old caravan road between Isfahan and Shiraz, made it a natural halt, and the village is dominated by a historic caravanserai and fortress of the Safavid period, built of mud brick and clay, whose walls seem to grow out of the rock. A bridge links the old town with the newer streets across the gully.
The landscape is high and dry, with a plateau at over two thousand metres, so the air is thin and the nights are cold even when days are hot. The soil is pale, the hills are bare and the sky is huge. Winter brings frost and occasionally snow, while summer sun is fierce, and the best seasons are spring and early autumn, when the light is clear and the orchards are in leaf. Dust devils spin across the flat ground in the afternoon.
Riding on the old road is a pleasure. The surface is generally good, with long straight sections across the plateau and curves where the road follows the contours of the hills. There is not much traffic, though trucks use the main highway nearby. You may find stretches of gravel where the road is repaired, and the occasional flock of sheep, with a shepherd who waves.
No town is listed close to this spot, so plan fuel ahead. Fill up in a larger town before leaving the main road, carry water and expect basic services in the village. The ride pairs this place with Gaz, a town near Isfahan that gives its name to a famous nougat made with sap from the tamarisk tree, mixed with pistachios, almonds and sugar, and sold in every Iranian city. Buy a box as a gift, and try some with strong tea. As with all travel in Iran, check the current advice and your insurance in advance.