As two-thirds of Iran is mountains and deserts and if you like sand and add some adrenaline dose to your travel, the sand dunes in deserts of Iran will make your trip more interesting than what you think. Iran has two main deserts and some other deserts that are also eye catching.
Dasht-e Lut is the hottest desert in Iran and many extremals try to conquer the desert. Dasht-e Lut is located in the provinces of Chorastan, Beluchistan, Sistian and Kerman. The desert area is 175,000 km2 (10% of the total territory of Iran), the length is 900 km and the width is 200 km. The temperature can reach up to +71 during summer months (this is the highest temperature recorded on the surface of the earth). The desert landscape is very diverse; here you can see barkhans, deltas of rivers, salt marshes and hardened sands in interesting forms. The Nemekzar hollow that turns into a lake during the spring rains is located in the south of the desert. One of the sights of the desert is “the powder plain”, which is distinguished by a light brown shade of rubble and black sand color that looks like a gunpowder.
Dasht-e Kavir or Kavire Namak, or the Great Salt Desert, is the largest salted desert in central of Iran plateau. The only plants that could adapt this weather condition are species like shrubs and grasses on mountain tops and Mugwort which is the most widespread plant. t is possible to access the Dasht-e Kavir from Aran and Bidgol, Choopanan, Mesr Village, Khor and Biabanak, Naeein, Jandagh, and Garmeh Village. Some of the best attractions of Dasht-e Kavir are Kavir National Park, Houze Soltan, Houze Ghilooghe, Sefidab Caravanserai, and Sirjan Salt Swamp.
Charming Mesr Desert is located near the village ‘Mesr’ in Isfahan Province. Known as the Sand Sea of the Desert, it is one of the most popular deserts in Iran. There are lots of things to do in Mesr Desert, including biking, camel riding, and desert hiking of course. At nights, you can stare at the shiny stars in the wide and gorgeous sky. Do not worry about finding accommodation, since there are suitable places in the villages near the desert for overnight stays.
For sand boarding you must be ready for a good amount of workout and calorie burning session because this sport is a combination of climbing, surfing, and snowboarding. There are no ski lifts carrying you up the hill so you need to climb up the dune yourself. It is better to start your activity at the crack of dawn and carry some water with you. Sand boarding is more fun than boarding on the snow because the soft sand makes falling more pleasant!
The most exciting natural attraction of Iran is undoubtedly Darak beach. Isn’t it a great experience of standing in the middle of a desert, seeing nothing but golden dunes and palm trees, and out of the sudden, hearing the sound of waves which breaks the magical silence of the desert.
Darak is among the cleanest beaches of Iran and is still unknown among most people and even locals. Since almost no tourist development has been realized in this area and there are not any official hotels or hostels near Darak, it would be recommended to camp near the beach or ask locals if you intend to spend the night at Darak coast.
If you are a nature lover and enjoy walking along the sea while watching the beautiful desert, here is the place for you. The beach and the amazing village of Zarabad, along with Oman Sea, is a destination where sand dunes, palm trees and blue sea in a frame together create fantastic scenery. Here is a travel guide to this amazing beach with all information you may need to plan your travel to Darak Beach.
