Iran is a vast land and the cradle of civilization, with a variety of cultural-historical and natural attractions for scientific-tourism activities rarely seen across the world. Tabas is the legendary city of the desert, with very ancient history in the east of the Great Desert of Central Iran (Dasht-e Kavir). It is one of the most important cities in Iran, introduced as the gateway to Khorasan in many historical books and attracting the attention of every viewer at first glance. Also, several famous tourists such as Marco Polo, Alfons Gabriel, and Sven Hedin have visited Tabas and the surrounding areas, providing their readers with beautiful descriptions of this region in their travelogues.

Tabas UNESCO Global Geopark, located in the northwest of South Khorasan province and blessed with unique features, has historically been known as a transportation highway from south and west to east and northeast of Iran due to its special geographical location. This geopark is in a desert area with a hot and dry climate and is very unique in terms of cultural-historical, natural, and especially geological features. Accordingly, this region is known as one of the potential and important areas for tourism development, particularly geotourism in Iran. Many geological thinkers and scientists have called Tabas the geological paradise and fossil museum of Iran due to its high geological richness, reflecting the evolution of the planet from Precambrian to Early Cretaceous without the slightest interruption. One of the most prominent features of Tabas as a geological paradise of Iran is its Paleozoic successions, which are unique in Iran and the Middle East.

More than 20 types and reference sections of Paleozoic and Mesozoic formations have been introduced to the geological community of Iran and the world from the Tabas area, located in the east of Central Iran alone. In addition to the very high position of Tabas in the geology of Iran, there are many attractions and phenomena geotourists and other tourists are looking for in this geopark. Valleys, deserts, sand dunes, hot springs, high mountains, new and old mines, ancient buildings, structural-erosive attractions, etc., have all created unique geotourism regions in Iran and even the west Asia. Shotori mountain range in the eastern part of this geopark with a length of more than 200 km separates the central part of Iran from the Lut desert, creating a difference in altitude of 2200 meters from the city of Tabas. This mountain range is in the form of thrusts, valleys, along with high mounts, making a paradise for those studying geology and geomorphology. Nayband mountain is the highest point with a height of 3009 meters in the south of the geopark, while the southern parts of Tabas playa with a height of about 600 meters above sea level form the lowest parts.

Along with these mountain ranges and high mountains, low and flat desert areas such as vast deserts, huge sand dunes of Rig-e-Shotoran, beautiful desert of Tabas and playa with their unique attractions, and Poshteh Seiah, have doubled the beauty and value of this region. Also, Kal-e-Jenni, Kal-e-Sardar, and Kal Tafto are three prominent examples of the famous and beautiful valleys of this geopark, in which permanent rivers flow in the bed of these valleys.

In addition to its various natural and geotourist attractions, more than 40 types of very valuable and unique mineral reserves have turned Tabas into a collection of minerals, including coal, fluorite, iron ore, barite, potash, foundry sand, building stones, sand, celestine, lead and zinc, bauxite, silica, refractory clay, bentonite, and dozens of other minerals. 76% of Iran’s coal reserves are located in this geopark, making it the capital of the coal industry in Iran and the Middle East. In addition to the current modern mines, old mines such as lead and zinc mines of Chah-Sorb, and Gazu Copper are other potentials of Tabas UNESCO Global Geopark in the field of mining tourism.

There are many important cultural-historical and ecotourism attractions in Tabas UNESCO Global Geopark, along with its geotourism potential. Golshan historical garden as a unique example of Iranian gardens with a history of about 250 years, the holy shrine of Hussein Ibn Musa Al-Kadhim, brother of Imam Reza (PBUH), the ancient citadel of Tabas, the ancient Korit Dam (the oldest, tallest, and thinnest arched dam in the world), Shah Abbasi Arch, a masterpiece of engineering and architecture of our predecessors, caravanserais, schools, mosques, and water reservoirs are part of the most prominent cultural-historical buildings of this geopark, manifesting cultural, literary, and benevolent motives. The three elements of intimacy, belief, and self-esteem have always governed the traditional behaviors and customs of the people of this territory. Nasir Khusraw (Great Iranian poet, philosopher, medicine and tourist) also describes the security of Tabas as admirable and unique, under which people live in houses with the doors always open. Historical evidence suggests that Tabas has always been a safe city throughout history while on the edge of the desert and away from government centers.

Furthermore, Tabas UNESCO Global Geopark is an everlasting and valuable heritage in Iran with its unique villages and tourist areas such as Kharv, Korit, Esfahk, Nayband, Peykuh, Pirhajat, Esfandiar, Sorond & Moudar, Ezmighan, and dozens of other villages with eco-tourism residences, together with rare and unique habitat species (such as Naybandan Wildlife, as the largest wildlife refuge in Iran and the habitat of the Asian cheetah, the Chehrestou forest, and the largest habitat of Ferula assa-foetida in Iran and the world).

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