Mesr Desert

The Mesr Desert is one of the picturesque deserts in Iran. It is in Isfahan Province. This desert is the best destination for nature and desert hiking. It has dunes, which are the aim of tourism and desert hiking. Mountain ranges surround this remarkable desert to the west, southwest, and southeast. Moreover, this desert is near the Mesr Village.

Location of Mesr Desert

To know its exact location, it is 45 kilometers from Jandagh City, 55 kilometers from Khur County, and near the Mesr Village. This desert is about 420 kilometers from Isfahan Province. To get to this desert through the Isfahan Province, go to Naeen and then pass Jandagh City.

History of Mesr Village

The name of the Mesr Village has a stunning story. About a century ago, this village was known as Yousef Farm, and a shepherd named Yousef founded the Mesr Village. When the village’s aqueducts were dry and lacking water, the village faced a water shortage. So, Yousef dug wells to save the region from a water crisis. The underground water sources dried again a few years later, and Yousef dug a deeper well anew. Referring to this action of the shepherd, neighboring villages called that village the Long Well (in Persian, Chah Deraz). Yousef disliked this new name, so he decided to change the name of this village to Mesr because his name was the same as the Yousef (Jousef) Prophet, and the story of the Jousef Prophet happened in Egypt (in Persian, Mesr). Locals accepted this change due to respect for Jousef Prophet.

Time of Mesr Desert

The Mesr Desert is the heart of the Dasht-e Kavir (Kavir Desert). Knowing the best time is essential for having a fun and exciting desert tour experience. The weather in deserts is hot and dry. Moreover, visiting deserts is not attractive during the hot seasons. So, the best time to visit deserts is during the cold season. This timing also includes the Mesr desert. Generally, the weather of the Mesr desert is hot during the day and freezing during the night. The Mesr Desert has favorable weather for visiting in autumn and winter.

Entertainment

In the Mesr Desert, entertainment differs from other scenic areas. The entertainment is unique and fun. When you reach the desert, walk on the soft sand with your feet and climb the golden dunes. From the peak of the dunes, you can see an outstanding view of the vast desert. Then, climb the big golden dunes. This activity is full of excitement.  Camels are in the Mesr Desert, and tourists can go camel riding. This enjoyable activity is available to tourists in select areas of the desert and near the village. It offers a chance to explore the stunning surroundings. After experiencing camel riding, you discover two other activities: off-roading and four-wheel motorcycling. Renting off-road vehicles also has its excitement. This activity allows tourists to experience speed and excitement in the desert. Four-wheeled motorcycles also permit tourists to experience driving in the desert and crossing dunes.

Additionally, people of all skill levels can enjoy sandboarding, whether you are a beginner or experienced rider. The sport offers an opportunity for personal enjoyment. Ultimately, sandboarding promises a memorable experience that combines adventure, skill, and the beauty of the outdoors. Photography in the Mesr Desert is an opportunity to capture the natural beauty of this unique landscape. This activity allows individuals to preserve their experiences and develop a deeper awareness of their surroundings.

Accommodation for the Mesr Desert

When the tourists enjoy the desert tour and have the best experiences from the Mesr Desert, they need to rest in accommodations. There are some suitable traditional hotels and ecotourism resorts. There are the native and local houses with old-fashioned desert architecture. All the accommodations are near the Mesr Village.

Traditional Teeda Hotel

Teeda Hotel is a great place to stay for those interested in exploring the desert. This hotel features authentic Iranian architectural elements characterized by thatched walls, delicate arches, and traditional design motifs that reflect the region’s rich cultural heritage.

Bali Desert Hotel

The Bali Desert Hotel is the biggest one in Iran. Guests can reserve desert tours, camel riding, four-wheel motorcycling, sandboarding, and other entertainment. This hotel has a yard in the middle, and all the rooms surround it.

Kariz Local House

It has fantastic architecture and a traditional yard with Iranian architecture and trees. There are beds where guests can rest and enjoy the space. Also, there is a fire temple for gathering together.

Birahe Local House

 

The Birahe Local House has two parts. The first is a beautiful old house, and the second is a renowned addition to the first one. Both parts have a fireplace, and guests can gather and have fun.

Sightseeing Near the Mesr Desert

In addition to the entertainment options offered in the Mesr Desert, visitors can also discover numerous scenic sites nearby that provide opportunities for enjoyment and exploration.

Khur Salt Lake

The Khur Salt Lake is near the Mesr Desert. It is known as the Salt Lake of Mesr Desert. This lake is in the Khur and Biabanak County. The features of this lake are that it is one of the most ancient sources of salt and the biggest seasonal lake in Iran. Pentagon shapes cover the surface of this lake, presenting a unique attraction. During the winter, these forms merge with the clay, resulting in a black hue, whereas in the summer, they take on a white appearance.

Takht-e Aroos

Takht in deserts refers to the points where the heights exceed the surrounding land. The highest points are flat, like beds. Takht-e Aroos is one of the most beautiful desert areas in Iran. From the top of the Takht-e Aroos in the south, the dune, Chal Selkanun, and the Mesr Village are shown.

Bayazeh Village and Castle

The historical Bayazeh Village is one of the sights of Khur and Biabanak County in Isfahan Province. The village is a notable destination for tourists due to its historical attractions, which include a castle, aqueducts, Sabats, and an ancient mosque. Climbing and walking through the sandy landscapes of the desert, along with the opportunity to photograph the pristine environment, are other attractions of Bayazeh village.

Garmeh Village

The beautiful village of Garmeh is in the central desert of Iran, in the eastern part of Isfahan province. It attracts many tourists and is home to an ancient four-story castle from the Sassanid era. The village offers stunning desert views with rugged hills and the possibility of seeing camels. A mineral spring has existed here for a thousand years, and the hot springs are known for their healing properties. The Garmeh Village is also home to impressive date palm trees that produce excellent dates, and locals make handmade souvenirs from the date leaves. A desert trip is an unforgettable journey that blends adventure, peace, and cultural experiences. It allows you to escape routine activity and reconnect with nature’s beauty. The Mesr Desert Tours create lasting memories, offering solitude, excitement, or insights into the desert’s culture.

 

Iran the Land of Four Seasons

 

When you decide to travel to a specific destination, you cannot ignore its climate. Iran’s climate has a special chapter for itself.

Climate is important. Not just because of how it designs the geographical landscape and natural features but also because it directly has an impact on how cultures and traditions, even the belief system of civilizations are built.

When Iran for instance, has faced drought most of its lifetime, many rituals are formed precisely to bring the water back. Water goddesses emerge and every pond becomes sacred.

If you stay as a guest and your departure date arrives, just watch the tradition. They escort you to the door with a bowl of water. If Iran’s climate was like the Amazons, would water still make these tractions?  

On the other hand, the climate of each region is undoubtedly an effective factor in determining the architectural form of that region. The solutions that the inhabitants of different regions have taken for centuries to build their shelters and adapted to the climatic conditions of the region are praiseworthy.

These methods have amazingly reduced the difficult conditions of the region and benefited from its useful aspects. Therefore, getting to know Iran’s climates will hopefully, make you more prepared for your trip.

To start you must know that, twenty-five to forty degrees desert and semi-desert areas occupy more than half of the country and affect Iran’s climate. 

About one-third of Iran is mountainous and then there is a small part of Iran like the southern plains of the Caspian Sea and the plains of Khuzestan are fertile plains.

Iran’s climate has a high diversity. From the north to the south of the country, one could gradually experience different climatic zones. 

Iran’s climate could be considered as arid and semi-arid in terms of rainfall. The annual rainfall varies in different parts of the country and different seasons of the year.

Now, why do they call it “the Land of Four Seasons”? 

Iran’s climate has made the land, one of the few countries in the world where four seasons are well visible. Not just in the whole country but even in one province, at a specific time, you could enjoy all the climate changes possible.

This climate characteristic of the country is because of the Siberian high-pressure systems, the Mediterranean rain system, and the southern low-pressure system.

In addition to that, the existence of high mountains, vast plains, deserts, rivers, and different lakes are other factors to diversify Iran’s climate.

The difference in temperature in winter between the hottest and coldest point of Iran sometimes reaches more than 50 degrees Celsius. Meaning that when the temperature of a town in Kurdistan province reaches 30 degrees below zero at night in winter, the temperature in Ahvaz is about 25 degrees above zero.

To sum it up Iran’s climate code goes like this: the northern coasts of Iran have hot and humid weather in summer and moderate in winter, the northwestern and western regions have mild summers and cold winters, the southern and southeastern regions of Iran have extremely hot summers and mild and spring winters, while the central provinces experience all four seasons.

The northern coasts of Iran’s average rainfall are higher than any other region. The tall Mount Alborz in those parts has abundant vegetation and forests. 

In most seasons the Caspian Sea region is 25 to 30 degrees during the day and between 20 and 23 degrees at night and the humidity very high. Precipitation and humidity in the temperate and humid areas along the coastline, from east to west.

If you move down, to the central parts, you would find Iran’s climate different. The central parts are where the Deserts and salt-pans are located, a significant hot and dry region. 

The dry winds in these areas could be very annoying though the desert sky is clear and cloudless most of the year and beautiful to watch. Rainfall is low and haze and storms occur a lot. 

Low rainfall has reduced the level of vegetation in this area. There is a big difference between day and night temperatures in hot and dry climates. If it rains it is usually very heavy but short.

Despite the deserts, Iran has two main mountain range that has a clear impact on creating “the Land of four seasons”.

The Alborz and Zagros mountain ranges separate the central regions of Iran from the Caspian Sea in the north and the Mesopotamian plain in the west. There are also mountains individually in central and eastern Iran, including Mount Taftan and Shir Kooh. The western slopes of the Zagros Mountains, are among the coldest regions of Iran.

 

Consecutive snow covers most of their peaks. There is always snow at altitudes above 3000 meters and these mountains are the source of rivers and aqueducts in the country.

Then again, there is a narrow and relatively long coastline that is more than two thousand kilometers which starts from Arvand River in the southwest of Khuzestan province and ends at the Gwadar Bay in the southeast of Sistan and Baluchestan province.

Iran’s climate in this region is also humid but because it is closer to the Equator, it is also very hot and winter is short.

Since most of the soil on these coastlines is calcareous and vegetation is rare, rain cannot sink into the ground. Even a little could cause a flood.

Having special geographical conditions creates “the Land of Four Seasons”. Therefore, Iran’s climate change is unique and so, as a natural result, it has made Iran rich and beautiful in terms of natural attractions.

Each corner has a specific natural landscape. Iran is an ancient land yes, we must give it that but “the Land of Four Seasons” also has a series of mountains, plains, deserts, salt-pans, waterfalls, forests, rivers, lakes, coastlines, islands, volcanoes, and caves.

These aspects of nature have their exclusive wildlife too. Many different types of species live here because of Iran’s climate variety.  

It all comes to this, what are you looking for in a destination. Sometimes the purpose of your journey gives you the clues to look for special destinations. 

Iran offers everything. It’s like the perfect package.

Iran Desert

Long ago, it seemed only those seeking solitude would ever plan a journey to a desert. Now, it’s the most adventurous thing a person could do.

Iran’s nature could amaze people in ways they never had ever thought. Iran Deserts are like a great magician, Merlin perhaps, or Dumbledore himself. Many lands with many different shapes could change.

It’s not like if you go to Shahdad salt-pan for instance, the next time, those yardangs would be the same.

Iran offers you various types of deserts and salt pans. Each have their unique features, each has their atmosphere, and spiritually take you to places you have never explored inside you. 

The Desert and Salt-pans of Iran could be divided into five sections. Each section contains a different type of desert and salt-pan that has been known so far.

Iran’s central desert is bounded on the north by the eastern Alborz mountain range and Mount Binalud on the east. 

 

 

Masileh Desert

This is limited from the north to the eastern and central Alborz mountains, from the south to the Rig-e Jenn desert, from the west to the central mountains of Iran and the Karkas mountain range, and from the west to the western deserts.

This particular desert includes the deserts of Maranjab, Rig Dam, Nakhjir Valley, and mountains such as Siah Kuh and also located in the central parts of Iran and the western margin of the central desert. Maranjab desert is located in the south, and Kavir National Park is located in the west.

 

Lut Desert or the Dasht-e Lut 

It is another impassable desert not just in Iran but also in the world. In some parts of this desert, there are no living creatures, not even one single bacteria. The hottest spot on earth is located in this desert.

 

Darreh-ye Khoshk Rud 

Or in English, “the Valleys of the Dry River”, are located in Kerman province and 150 km from Shahdad city in the direction of Nehbandan, northern Dasht-e Lut.

Kal Shor is the only permanent river in Lut. At the same time, other channels flow into the area of ​​Lut pits, the most important of which is the Khoshk River. This route does not have permanent water, but it is the passage of seasonal waters in northern Lut. 

Three parallel paths with a steep slope from north to south fall into Lut’s salt pit.

Water erosion in a vertical direction has affected sedimentary strata with different pressure and has created scattering systems and sedimentary blocks. 

It looks like the ruins of a city known as the city of Lut. This example and complications are specific to this region and have not been created in other areas of Lut.

It extends 20 km to the south of the corner of the dry valley in the form of a claw and is about 400 m above sea level, with vertical walls that intersect in a pyramidal shape. The grooves are created vertically as a result of techno-kite movements.

 

Shahdad Desert

The yardangs of Kerman are located in a plain that is on the southern edge of the Lut desert. 

The shapes you see in Shahdad are the result of wind and water erosion over many years. They seem to be the ruins of an old city doorway, walls, and everything but these shapes are compacted masses of soil, sand, and tall pebbles.

Although, some archaeologists believe that this desert was once inhabited.

Shahdad is full of eerie wonders. You could easily feel invisible people staring at you, and if you shout, the mighty winds will steal your voice.

 

Gandom Beryan

From above it looks like a ladle, and on the surface of the earth, it has almost flat basaltic rocks. These rocks are the result of the eruption of several volcanic craters.

Within the heart of these volcanic plains lies the hottest spot on earth. In Persian, they call it “Gandom Beryan”. In English, it means, roasted wheat.

Some locals believe that travelers would place their wheat grains on black basalt stones and after a while, they would roast due to the heat. Color-infrared Aerial Photography has proven that this special spot is the hottest place on earth.

 

Rig-e Jenn

Ok, the thing about deserts in Iran is that they have weird names. In Persian, Rig means pebbles, that’s fine but Jenn is the word for “Goblin”.  It is the boundary between Tabas and Yazd deserts. This dessert is one of the most impassable areas in the world due to its vast swamps, high and vast dunes. Only a limited number of people have crossed it so far. Tabas and Yazd deserts are also the boundary between the Dasht-e Lut and the Great salt-pan. Gavkhouni swamp is located in this area.

The Lack of water resources in this vast expanse of dunes, along with natural barriers such as salt marshes, have been the reasons why this region has out of human’s reach for centuries. Therefore, it was known as the goblins’ territory.

Folk tales, obscure myths, and legends about Rig-e Jenn have generally originated from the inability of travelers to cross this desert.

Anyway, there is no clear boundary for the goblins’ territory. Briefly, this region is located in central Iran in the western part of the central desert and salt-pans. 

 

Maranjab Desert

Located in Isfahan province and its average altitude is about 850 meters above sea level. Most of this desert is dunes and is rich in vegetation. The vegetation of this area includes saline plants such as turmeric trees and arches and shrubs.

The Maranjab Desert and its beautiful nights can compete with any forest or sea. Maranjab Desert’s features have attracted around 120% of the tourists who come to Kashan in the first four months of the year. 120 percent means over one and a half million people.

Along with the dunes that are the main attraction of the desert, the presence of Maranjab Castle and the island wandering in the Maranjab Desert, gives more motivation to tourists to come and explore this region. 

Contrary to popular belief that the desert plain lacks a sign of human life and livelihood, we must hand it over to the deserts that were once magnificent places for the early humans to live in. 

Evidence from the desert reflects the fact that in prehistoric times, human groups continued to live in their particular social forms in today’s desert, which had different living conditions.

However, because of gradual climate change and under the impact of certain geographical and historical conditions, they have been forsaken.

This is perhaps why, nowadays they look as if they are weird, mysterious, and even scary. But planning a journey to the desert could change your life forever. There is more to the desert and salt-pans than what we hear about or see in pictures. It’s a journey from within.