Yazd sits at the heart of a region rich in desert landscapes, ancient villages, and Zoroastrian heritage sites. The Towers of Silence on the city's outskirts are themselves a half-day excursion and can be combined with a drive through the desert to the nearby village of Cham, which has a Zoroastrian fire temple still in use.
Kharanaq is an abandoned mud-brick village about 85 kilometres north of Yazd on the road to Ardakan. The medieval settlement was largely deserted in the 20th century but much of its architecture survives — caravanserai, mosque, minaret, and hundreds of houses — in a dramatic state of picturesque ruin. A crumbling cliff backdrop makes it one of the more atmospheric ghost towns in Iran. Most visitors come on a hired taxi for a half-day trip.
Chak Chak (also called Pir-e Sabz) is the most important Zoroastrian pilgrimage site in Iran, carved into a cliff face in the mountains about 70 kilometres north of Yazd. A sacred spring seeps through the rock — the dripping sound gives the site its name — and a fire burns continuously inside the cave sanctuary. In late June the site draws Zoroastrians from across Iran and the diaspora for its annual pilgrimage. Accessible by taxi or private car; allow a half-day.
Meybod is a small town about 50 kilometres northwest of Yazd with an intact mud-brick citadel (Narin Castle), a caravanserai, an ice house, and a pigeon tower — a compact collection of historic structures that can be seen in a couple of hours. Easily combined with Kharanaq in a full day's drive.
Shared taxis or day-hire drivers are the most practical way to reach all of these sites. Negotiate a price before setting out; guesthouses in Yazd can usually arrange a driver with a reliable car.