Deserts of Iran: A Travel Guide to the Iran Deserts
Iran Deserts
Everything about Iran Deserts, Dasht-e Kavir and Dasht-e Lut, Maranjab Desert, Mesr Desert, facts and information, weather conditions, desert tours, required equipment and more.
A guide toDasht-e Kavir & Dasht-e Lut
32.5m
Hectares of desert
360,000
km² across the two great deserts
18
Iranian states with desert terrain
The desert system
Two immense landscapes, each with a different character.
Iran includes an overall area of 32,500,000 hectares of deserts spread across 18 states.
Dasht-e Kavir and Dasht-e Lut, including an area of 360,000 km², are the most famous deserts in Iran and two of the most interesting yet undiscovered places in the country.
Lut Desert is one of the hardest areas on earth to travel through. Some parts of this vast desert are completely devoid of living creatures, including bacteria.
Visit unique desert attractions and enjoy the sprawling desert landscape on Iran Desert Tours.
Central Iran
Dasht-e Kavir or the central desert
Dasht-e Kavir, 300 km long and 400 km wide, is the largest desert located on the Iranian plateau.
Some of the most important parts of this desert include dangerous swamps found in the southern and central parts, areas covered by sand dunes, areas covered by clay and Himalayan black salt, and areas devoid of plant life.
In addition, craters resembling volcanic craters can be seen in the central parts of the desert, created as a result of rapid evaporation and low density of the soil. The lowest spot of Dasht-e Kavir is the northern part, at 650 m above sea level, and the highest spot, 838 m, is located north of Namak Lake and Biaybanak village.
Among the significant plant species of this region, Alhagi, Acantholimon, Atraphaxis, Haloxylon and Tamarisk are mentionable. Various animal species such as gazelles, Pseudocerastes, cheetahs, Rueppell’s foxes, caracals, sand cats, Persian onagers and golden eagles can be seen in this desert area.
However, the major part of Dasht-e Kavir is devoid of plant life and the ground is low, causing dreadful swamps after small amounts of rainfall. As a result, crossing the desert without prior research and a thorough study of the wet season isn’t recommended.
During summer the temperature is around 60 degrees at noon and between 25 and 30 degrees at night. This temperature variation causes the rocks to crush. During the cold seasons, the temperature is between 13 and 17 in the morning and between -7 and 0 at night. The annual precipitation in the central desert is between 2 and 5 mm.
The mesas in Dasht-e Kavir are among the most unique attractions of this vast desert. Mesa is a geological term for spots in the desert that are higher than the surrounding area with the peak being flat.
The erosion due to severe winds blowing in this area has flattened the peak of these hills over time, creating the fascinating phenomenon seen today.
Takht-e Aroos and Takht-e Abbasi are some of the most beautiful mesas in this area. Located south of Dasht-e Kavir and in Isfahan province, Takht-e Aroos enchants every visitor with its beauty.
Climate note60°C at summer noon · 2–5 mm annual precipitation
Iran Deserts · Dasht-e Kavir
Seven remarkable places in the central desert
Some of the other magnificent attractions in the central desert are the following: salt lakes, protected wildlife, legendary sand seas and pioneering eco-camps.
01
Rig-e Jenn
Rig-e Jenn, also known as the Bermuda triangle of Iran, is a desert area in Dasht-e Kavir. It is devoid of any living creatures and includes vast sands and swamps that can be dangerous for any living creature.
There are no accurate data about the wildlife of this region available; however, Persian zebras and Chinkaras can be seen nearby. Rig-e Jenn includes several sand dunes and salt swamps.
This area is one of the hardest worldwide to pass through. It has never been on the route of the convoys passing by and even today there aren’t any roads or villages in the area.
Only a few researchers have decided to explore this area. Ancient Persians considered this place the home of evil spirits and demons as they believed no one can survive passing through it.
02
Namak Lake
Namak Lake is located in Dasht-e Kavir, the central desert of Iran, and between Isfahan, Qom and Semnan provinces.
This lake is shaped like a triangle pointing north with a base of 35 km, height of 38 kilometers and a total area of 3,000 km².
03
Sargardan Island
Located 15 km south of Namak Lake is an amazing island called Sargardan Island. The average elevation of Namak Lake is 707 meters above sea level and Sargardan Island is the highest spot of the lake with 808 meters of altitude.
This island was formed by volcanic rocks and is devoid of wildlife. Seeing the stunning landscape of Namak Lake while standing on Sargardan Island is one of the most memorable experiences in Dasht-e Kavir. Namak Lake and Sargardan Island have been praised by many world travelers such as Marco Polo and George Curzon.
04
Kavir National Park
Kavir National Park is one of the oldest and largest protected areas in Iran. The major part of this valuable area is located in Garmsar (Semnan province) and some small areas are considered parts of Tehran, Qom and Isfahan provinces.
The total area of this region is 670,000 hectares, with 420 hectares considered a national park and the rest a protected area.
The variety of wildlife living in this region had given it the nickname of little Africa in the past. Although today fewer species are seen in this area, it is still the home of many desert species found in Iran.
Kavir National Park is one of the nine wildlife refuges and natural reserves in Iran.
05
Maranjab Desert
Maranjab Desert is located north of Aran o Bidgol city in Isfahan province. The average elevation of this desert is 850 meters above sea level. Safety, balance, various attractions and a variety of wildlife have made Maranjab a suitable place for tourism and attract many visitors yearly.
The major part of this desert is covered in sand dunes and sandy areas and the vegetation is rich. The majority of the plants found in this area are salt-tolerant species such as Tamarisk and Haloxylon. The wildlife of this area is also diverse due to the abundance of food and water.
Some of the animal species found in this area are Rueppell’s foxes, sand cats, monitor lizards and various types of other lizards, snakes, scorpions and eagles. In addition, a pair of cheetahs has been spotted in this area.
The magnificent sand dunes and stunning Haloxylon jungles have made Maranjab Desert one of the most beautiful desert areas in Iran. Namak Lake and Sargardan Island are some of the other amazing attractions of the Maranjab Desert. The caravanserai of Maranjab is located near the southern edge of Namak Lake.
The small lake located outside the caravanserai is a result of the combination of a saltwater spring and a freshwater spring, the existence of which in the middle of the desert has stunned many geologists.
06
Mesr Desert
Mesr village is located in the territory of Khur and Biyabanak County in Isfahan Province. It is 45 km east of Jandaq and 60 km north of Khur.
Mesr is also known as the sea of sand of the desert. With its fascinating landscapes, Mesr village is one of the most charming attractions in Iran.
This magnificent village includes several attractions such as Amir Abad district, an area covered by sand dunes and Tamarisk and Haloxylon shrubs, located 2 km away from the village.
Farahzad village is another one of Mesr’s attractions and is famous for its beautiful date palm trees.
07
Matin Abad Eco Camp
Matin Abad Eco Camp is located 25 km south of Natanz and 60 km southeast of Kashan. This accommodation facility was built near the great sand dunes called Posht Rig and south of Namak Lake.
It is the first eco-camp in Iran, constructed with the purpose of improving sustainable tourism and preserving the wildlife of the area. The United Nations declared Matin Abad complex one of the top 18 ecotourism sites in 2014.
Southeastern Iran
Iran Deserts: Lut Desert (Dasht-e Lut)
Lut Desert: the hottest areas on earth
Located in the southeastern part of Iran and northeast of Kerman Province, Lut Desert includes one of the hottest areas on earth. The Lut Desert is also the world’s 25th largest desert, with an area of 51,800 km².
Lut Desert includes parts of Khorasan, Sistan and Baluchestan and Kerman provinces. This vast desert includes the tallest sand pyramids in the world, with some being almost 480 meters. Dasht-e Lut is divided into three parts based on the type of terrain and geographical distribution of each area.
These parts are known as the northern, southern and central Lut. Northern Lut is covered by grit and sand and central Lut includes gigantic hills and sand dunes which make it the most amazing part of the desert. The richest vegetation seen in the desert is in the southern part of Lut Desert.
Lut Desert is considered the hottest place on earth based on satellite pictures taken in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. In addition, the highest temperature ever recorded on earth is 70.7 degrees Celsius and belongs to the Lut Desert.
The previous record happened in 1992 and belonged to Libya with 56 degrees.
Before the UNESCO World Heritage Committee session held in Istanbul, all of the 19 World Heritage sites located in Iran were historically significant.
As a result of this session, Lut Desert, which had been on the UNESCO tentative list alongside Persian Qanat, was chosen as the first natural World Heritage site of Iran.
Some of the unique features making Lut Desert worthy of this title:
- Includes the tallest Kalouts in the world, located in the eastern part of the Kalout area
- Includes the longest range of Kalouts
- Owns the record of the highest temperature on earth (70.7°C)
- Includes the tallest sand dune in the world, located in the eastern part
- Includes one of the tallest Nabkhas in the world, with 12 meters of height
World record70.7°C surface temperature recorded by satellite
Edge of the Kalouts
Shahdad Kaluts
Located 100 km away from Kerman city, Shahdad is one of the most famous districts in the Lut Desert. Shahdad Desert is one of the most beautiful yet hottest locations on earth.
In addition, Gandom Beryan, an amazing desert area located 80 km away from Shahdad Desert, is one of the most interesting and popular attractions of Iran.
Visit unique desert attractions and enjoy the sprawling desert landscape on Iran Desert Tours.
Travel with local expertise
Cross the silence. Sleep under an open desert sky.
Explore Iran’s desert landscapes with an itinerary shaped around the season, safe routes, local communities and the places described in this guide.