Iran deserts with starry nights is one of the attractions you should not miss while traveling the country. The tranquility and wonderful nature of the desert are really great motivations for many tourists.
Besides, safari and off-road activities, camel riding, and walking barefoot on dunes are other recreations you can enjoy while staying in a desert.
There are two major vast deserts in Iran namely the Dasht-e Kavir and Lut Deserts. However, there are several small deserts in different parts of Iran. In fact, Iran also has breathtaking mountains and jungles where you can enjoy different kinds of natural wonders in the country.
The Most Stunning Deserts in Iran
The Dasht-e Kavir or the Central Desert of Iran
The 800 km by 320 km Dasht-e Kavir is the largest desert on the Iranian plateau. It is in the southern part of Alborz mountain.
Interestingly, the summer temperature is around 60 degrees at noon! However, during winter the temperature is 13 to 17 degrees at night.
The only plants are mugwort, shrubs, and grass that grow in this desert. You can also find camels, goats, wild sheep, Persian gazelle, and Persian leopard.
You can reach the Dasht-e Kavir from Aran and Bidgol, Mesr, Khur and Biabanak, Naeen, Jandagh, Choopanan, and German village.
The Dasht-e Kavir houses different attractions, which are welcomed by tourists like Maranjab desert, Salt Lak, Kavir National Park, Sargardan Island, Matin Abad eco-camp, and Mesr desert.
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Mesr Desert
The desert which is in the name of a village of the same name.
The place is near the Khur and Biabanak region of Isfahan Province.
The village is a tourist attraction with its beautiful architecture.
Mesr desert is known as the sea of sand and you can enjoy watching and walking on dunes.
Traveling Mesr, do not forget to visit Farahzad village and its eye-catching palm trees.
Maranjab Desert
This place is also located in Isfahan Province near Aran and Bidgol region.
The variety of wildlife and its great nature make it one of the attractions of this Iran desert.
Rueppell’s foxes, sand cats, and lizards, snake, eagle, and scorpion are some of the species living in the desert.
Dunes and the forest of haloxylon are amongst the attractions of the desert. You can also visit the salt lake and Sargardan island as well.
You can have the great experience of camel riding in Maranjab desert with booking a tour on Exotigo. Our four-day camel riding tour give you the chance to visit salt lake, explore dunes and spend some time in the Kavir National Park. You can also pay visit to some caravanserais at the desert dated back to 19th century. It starts from Isfahan and finishes in Kashan. During the tour, you have camping experience as well as staying at the Ghasr-e Bahram caravanserai one night. So do not hesitate to book it now!
Sargardan Island
This magnificent place as a part of Iran deserts is formed by volcanic rock and is in the southern part of Salt lake.
It is the highest part of the lake with an 808-meter altitude.
You can have a great view of the lake from above. Interestingly, renowned traveler, Marco Polo talked about the island in his travelogue!
Good to know that the island is not floated in the water but in the sand.
If you are fortunate enough to visit the island after rain, you can see that you can the water surrounds the island. It seems that the island is moving around.
Matin Abad Eco-Camp
This amazing eco-camp is located near Kashan. You can enjoy staying at the eco-camp, located on the south of Namak Lake. In fact, Matinabad is the first eco-camp in Iran deserts. There you can enjoy staying in the desert and be in harmony with nature surrounded you.
You can have the experiences of baking bread or cooking with the local women, harvesting in the organic farm, orchards. You can also trek on a camel or on foot, bike rides through landscapes of sand dunes and mountain gorges, desert walks, safari short trips with jeeps or ATV bikes, and star gazing at night are included in Matin Abad Eco-Camp activities.
Kavir National Park
The largest protected area in Iran is near Garmsar, Semnan Province.
The park homes to a variety of wildlife species in Iran. Good to know that it was known as little Africa in Iran.
Native goats, striped hyenas, Indian wolves, gazelles, the rare Asiatic cheetahs, and the Persian leopards are some species you can visit at the Kavir National Park.
The park is composed of desert and steppes.
Lut desert or the Dasht-e Lut
As the world’s 25th largest desert, the Lut desert is 51800 km. the desert covers part of Kerman, Sistan, and Baluchestan as well as Khorasan provinces. Lut desert has three parts, which are different from each other due to their geographical and climatic characteristics. The southern part has vegetation while the northern part is covered with sand. However, the most attractive part of the desert is its central part. It is home to hills and dunes which make a scenic experience in the heart of the desert.
Interestingly, the Lut desert is recognized as the hottest place on earth at 70.7 Celsius! In addition, the Lut desert is on the UNESCO tentative list and is the first natural world heritage site from Iran on the list. Besides, it the home of the tallest kalouts and dunes in the world.
Shahdad Kalut
In 40 km of northeastern Shahdad city in Kerman province, there is a legendary phenomenon named Kalout. From a distance you see a series of structures, which resemble a big city amid the desert, however, when you reach the place, you encounter a series of rocks that change their shape due to erosion.
The best time to visit the kalouts, as one of Iran deserts, is during sunrise and sunset when the sunshine plays a colorful game on these natural wonders.
Kalout is a part of Lut Desert and you can visit Rood-e Shoor (Salty River), the only river that flows in a desert all seasons during your visit to Shahdad.
A camp is located 20 km from Kalut Shahdad and provides you a facility to enjoy starry nights in the desert. You can also enjoy a safari, camel riding, and walking barefoot in the desert during your sojourn at the place.
Varzaneh Desert
The city of Varzaneh is on the border of Isfahan and Yazd provinces.
The city has two sections, new and old. There are different handicraft workshops and historical monuments.
Mirmiran House, Safavid ab anbars (water reservoirs), and anthropology museum are some of the places you can visit in Varzaneh.
Unlike other parts of Iran, the women wear white chadors.
The Varzaneh desert is one of Iran’s deserts near the city. The different sizes of dunes create great scenes and have a great experience there.
On Exotigo, you can book Varzaneh desert exploration tour. During the one-night tour, you pass through Varzaneh to get to Yazd. You can enjoy amazing landscapes of the sand dunes, overnight in a lovely guesthouse, visiting the Salt Lake and Gavkhooni wetland, as well as stargazing under the night sky of the desert during the tour.
Halvan Desert
Near Tabas in Southern Khorasan Province is the Halvan desert.
You can find date gardens and the village’s architecture is a unique one.
There is a castle in the heart of the village that is worth visiting.
The starry sky is another attraction of the desert-like other deserts of Iran.
Salt Khor Lake, salt marshland, and dunes are also amongst attractions you can enjoy during your trip.
