Clean-up project to begin on UNESCO-tagged desert

TEHRAN – A clean-up project is planned to be commenced on Shahdad, part of the UNESCO-registered Lut desert, on Thursday, the director of the World Heritage site has said.

Mud-brick caravanserai undergoes restoration to host modern trippers

TEHRAN – Restoration work has commenced on Sadrabad caravanserai to turn the 19th-century inn into a tourism destination.

Local festival in Lut Desert to mark UNESCO-listing anniversary

TEHRAN –An online festival of local traditions and rituals is planned to be held in Lut Desert, the heart of the Iranian plateau, on the occasion of the 6th anniversary of the desert’s inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Kerman to  facilitate travels to UNESCO-registered Lut Desert

TEHRAN – Kerman is set to facilitate travels from its main gateway to the UNESCO-registered Lut Desert, which is encircled by three Iranian provinces.

Ancient caravanserai restored to host modern trippers

TEHRAN – One of the once highly prosperous Shah-Abbasi caravanserais, which is located in central Iran, has been fully restored to the former glory; this time to host modern travelers.   

Runners stage competition inside scenic desert

TEHRAN – A trail running competition was held in the UNESCO-registered Lut Desert in east-central Iran on Friday, to promote the region as a tourist destination, IRNA reported on Saturday. 

When a river flows through scorching desert

Situated in the heart of Iranian plateau, the UNESCO-registered Lut Desert conjures up scenes of barrenness, scorching heat, and thirsty landscape.  But there is something that surprises every visitor; the existence of a wide river flowing through the desert.

Colorful destinations: what to do in every season in Iran?

TEHRAN - If you’re thinking about traveling to Iran whenever the coronavirus is finally behind us, you might wonder what time of year is best.

Gate opening to UNESCO-designated desert under construction 

TEHRAN – A massive entrance gate is being constructed to lead sightseers to Shahdad, which is a famed slice of Iran’s Lut desert. 

UNESCO-designated garden reopens after two-month closure amid coronavirus pandemic

TEHRAN – Shazdeh Garden, which is an enigmatic green oasis in the heart of a desert in the southeast Kerman province, reopened on Sunday after being closed for two months amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Kashan: a living piece of history on the edge of harsh desert

Kashan is home to many historical places, photogenic bazaars, mosques, madrasas, caravansaries, and centuries-old houses some of which transformed into cozy boutique hotels where you could experience the traditional life. 

10 Iran travel destinations you must see

Hundreds of meteorites on show at specialized museum in Tehran

TEHRAN – Over 1200 meteorites, mostly collected from scorching Iranian deserts, have been put on  show at a specialized museum in Tehran.

Over 50,000 ha of desert areas to be rehabilitated

TEHRAN – At least 50,000 hectares of the country’s desert areas will be protected and rehabilitated through implementing sustainable exploitation projects with the participation of local communities, Vahid Jafarian, an official with the Forests, Rangelands, and Watershed Management Organization said.

Intl. conference addresses tourism potentials of Lut Desert

TEHRAN – Tens of tourism and cultural heritage experts, academia, and researchers discussed the lesser-known tourism potentials of Lut Desert in a two-day online conference that ended on Friday.

Sistan-Baluchestan loses $34.2 million in tourism earnings as a result of COVID-19

TEHRAN – Iran’s southeastern Sistan-Baluchestan province has lost 1,440  billion rials ($34.2 million at the official exchange rate of 42,000 rials per dollar) in earnings from tourism as many potential visitors stay away due to the impact of the coronavirus, according to  Alireza Jalalzaei, the provincial tourism chief.

Take a trip to the unknown, to rugged shores of Makran

TEHRAN - Makran coasts are all about its rugged rock formations, dramatic dunes, and relentless waves crashing upon jagged boulders, which are perfect in winter.

Craftswomen plan to revive ancient water systems near harsh desert

TEHRAN – An Iranian NGO, founded by a group of female Iranian crafters, has planned to financially support the revival of ancient qanats situated near the scorching Lut Desert in east-central Iran.

Overnight stay, camping banned in Lut desert

TEHRAN –Overnight stay and camping in Shahdad, a major part of the UNESCO-registered Lut desert, and its giant dunes (locally called kaluts) have been banned until further notice.

Kavir Biosphere Reserve: a trip to incredible biodiversity hot spot

TEHRAN – The Kavir Biosphere Reserve, located south-east of Tehran, is characterized by salt and sandy lands with arid and semi-arid desert vegetation, and is inhabited by steppe communities, creating incredible biodiversity.

Beauties of Iranian desert in limelight at photography exhibit

TEHRAN – Scenes of the magnificent Lut Desert, a UNESCO World Heritage in the Iranian heartland, are on show at a specialized photography exhibition in Zahedan, the capital of Sistan-Baluchestan province.

Iranian desert to play host to environment-friendly car rally

TEHRAN – The barren, scorching Maranjab Desert, situated in central Iran, will be hosting tens of 4WD cars for a rally scheduled to be held on October 1 and 2.

Archaeologists find Paleolithic sites in southeast Iran

TEHRAN – A team of Iranian archaeologists has recently discovered first-hand Prehistorical human settlements believed to date back to the Paleolithic era on the outskirts of Fahraj in Kerman province, southeast Iran.