Chak Chak

Chak Chak, or Pir-e Sabz, is the most important Zoroastrian pilgrimage site in Iran, built into a cliff face high above a desert plain, reached by a long flight of steps up the rock. Tradition holds that a Sasanian princess fleeing after the Arab conquest prayed for shelter here and the mountain opened for her, and the spring that drips continuously from the cave roof, giving the site its onomatopoeic name, is understood as the mountain's tears. Inside the shrine a fire burns and an ancient plane tree grows from the rock. Once a year in June Zoroastrians from Iran and abroad gather here for several days of pilgrimage, and outside that period it is quiet, with a caretaker and a view over an enormous empty plain.

What to look for

• The dripping spring in the cave - the water the shrine is named for.
• A fire kept in the cliff shrine - the sanctuary inside the rock.
• The plane tree in the cave - growing from the rock at the entrance.
• The plain below - an enormous empty view from the terrace.

When to go

March to May and October to November. Half a day from Yazd. The annual pilgrimage in June is the busiest time and access is limited to the community then. Mornings are cooler for the climb.

Things to know

The stair up the cliff is long and steep in full sun. It is an active religious site: modest dress, remove shoes at the shrine, and do not enter during the pilgrimage unless invited. Facilities are minimal. The drive from Yazd is over an hour.

Nearby

Kharanaq and Meybod are on the same circuit; Yazd lies south-east.