Tour Name: 22 Days Explore Lut Desert Safari Tour Tour code: OT3122001 Tour Duration: 22 Days and 21 Nights Tour Category: Active Tour Difficulty: 3/5 Tour Tags: Desert safari – Adventure Tour Best Date: Late September to late March Tour Services Type: Tour Destinations: Tehran, Tabas, Lut desert areas, Kerman, Bam, Meymand, Yazd. Related tours code: Max Group Size: 15 Overview: Explore Iran’s Lut desert and discover an otherworldly landscape of star dunes, shifting sands, World’s biggest Nebkhas and wind-hewn Kaluts. Its soft sands and strong rock sculptures are a setting for an epic desert traverse, also the hottest recorded spot on earth is located in the Lut. In Lut desert tour, sometimes via old abandoned routes or former Silk Road, we will visit an ever-changing landscape of imposing sand dunes. You will have a chance to learn how people in the vast neighboring desert have been adapted their life to desert conditions and at the end of our way we will arrive in Yazd, the main civilization in Central Iran. If you are passionate about Persia and would like to experience the geology, the desert stars and the solitude of this boundary-pushing desert venture, we strongly suggest you this our adventure tour. Highlights: . It’s a 22 days Iran Lut Desert discovery tour. The tour starts and ends in Tehran. It consists of desert Trekking and camping in Iran Lut desert . Explore elegant historic villages such as Esfahak, Nayband . Passing many quintessential oases on the trek . Explore the region that’s home to the world’s hottest spot . Taste local cuisine . Eco-friendly traveling . It’s a small group tour and the meals and accommodations are full-board. Tour Map: Tour Itinerary: Landing to PERSIA Welcome to Iran. You will arrive at Tehran’s IKA airport; meet your guide and transfer to hotel for the rest. We will visit the Capital depending on your arrival time. O/N Tehran Glory of Desert In the morning, we will take a flight to Tabas. Then we will visit Kal-E Jenni canyon, one of the mysterious natural wonders. This canyon has shaped by water movement and erosion throughout centuries. Tunnels with ecstatic architecture made in the Kal-E Jenni valley that is named “Khane- ye- Gabr”. It is believed that these tunnels with their side chambers have been ancient human habitats or Mithras follower’s temple. O/N Tabas A split at the heart of the desert We will go to Khorv village to visit Kal Sardar canyon. There is a river valley, flowing through this canyon, which originates from a number of hot and cold-water currents. Being a unique phenomenon, the difference in the temperature of water in the river sometimes reaches 10 degrees. ‘Morteza Ali Bath’ and ‘Qanbar’ spring are the main sources of the hot and cold waters that flow to the river. After walking across the river, we arrive at a historical site called Shah Abbasi Arch. This dam is the thinnest dam in the world. O/N Camp Overview of Middle East architecture Today We will visit a unique landscape of Esfahak village, that can be imagined this historical village still being alive despite the passage of many years. Then we will head to Nayband historical village and walk around to visit this beautiful and green village and its special architectural style. Then head into the Naybandan wildlife Sanctuary where the breathtaking landscapes, majestic mountain ranges, sandy plains, hilly desert plains, some mammals and Exotic birds are waiting for us. O/N Nayband Village A night with desert dwellers We will move to Northern Lut desert* where will see the only Nomads in the area and their lifestyle. Also, we will visit Lut water reservoirs of ancient caravan routes. O/N Camp Relaxation never felt better We will move to Lut hot spring complex where you can concurrently relax and increase your health. After that we proceed to Khusf city that is the historical context of the Safavid, later formed the background of architecture in the city. Most of the current architecture is from the Safavid and Qajar period. O/N Khusf A taste of Persian garden Today a full day city tour of Birjand begins in Akbariyeh Persian garden* an outstanding example of gardens in Qajar dynasty. We will also visit the ethnic museum of Birjand, Shokatabad garden and take a walk-through old bazaar of Birjand. O/N Birjand Dolls, the storytellers of southern Khorasan Our first stop will be in Kaji Namakzar wetland that is a vast salt-marsh and due to its excessive salinity, this phenomenon has become a Salt Lake and it's the best place to visit a lot of birds and animals. Of course, Birdwatching is available during autumn. Our overland journey will continue to the mysterious Makhunik village in eastern Iran that is titled as the fabulous land of little people. We will end our day by visiting Tajmir village that its local dolls are so spectacular and famed and each doll has a story to tell you. O/N Camp A sea that turned into a desert We will drive to visit Heydarabad region of Lut desert and mysterious land of fossils. O/N Camp Martian hills and ancient windmills We will drive for a few hours to Dehsalm village to visit lush palm groves, domed mud-brick houses, camels with carpet saddle bags. Then we will continue into the desert and on our way, we will see mountains, which are known as the Miniature or Martian Mounts. Despite the district heat, these mountains create a dramatic landscape and imagination in the viewer's mind and have caused this road to become one of the most beautiful places in Iran. We will also visit ancient windmills (Asbad) that are a smart technique to grind grains. People who lived in the eastern parts of Iran in ancient times used a natural threat like strong and annoying winds and rendered it to an exceptional opportunity for the production of a strategic product like bread. O/N Camp Day 11 & 12 Breathtaking views of dunes We will gain a rare experience of staying and hiking in eastern Lut deserts landscapes for two days. There are high sand dunes and various sand structures in the eastern Lut known as Rig-e-Yalan. It resembles a rectangle. Some of the sand pyramids vary in height; they sometimes reach 500 meters. They are void of life and have ripple marks like the ocean floor, created by the shifting winds. This region is home to the world’s hottest spot. In addition to the beautiful scenes of these hills, they make a great place for skiing on sand. O/N Camp Endless view Today we will drive towards the heart of Lut Desert and will traverse Zaban-E-Mar canyon which means Snake Tongue. Also, will visit Salty River and Salt crystals & polygons. We will end this day by relaxing and fixing the eye upon the endless skyline of the desert to enjoy the desert beautiful sunset. O/N Camp Water presents vitality We will cross egg-shaped hills created in salt lands towards the ever-changing landscape of sand dunes. These sand dunes look like stars that are shining on the plains. West of the star dunes, there is one of the most exciting geomorphological structures of Lut called Kalut. O/N Camp Kaluts, a mirage of an ancient oasis Today you will continue your exploration in Kaluts. It was created by the wind and rain, and they are the unique structures in the desert. From a distance, they look like the ruins of an enormous legendary city with grand palaces and buildings both short and high. We will also visit the world’s biggest Nebkhas with regard to the height and vastness in its west side. They are created when sand and gravel are trapped by Tamarisk trees. Then we cross the desert to Shahdad historical city and on the way visit an ancient caravanserai in Shafiabad village. O/N Adobe’s empire Early excursion drives to Bam to visit a unique mud-brick citadel of Bam*. The origins of Bam can be traced back to the 6th to 4th centuries BC. Its heyday was from the 7th to 11th centuries, having a strategic location on the Silk Roads. We will have one stop on our way to visit 1000-year-old Sirch Cypress tree. O/N Bam Persian garden, a piece of heaven On the way back from Bam, we will stop in Rayen to visit Rayen citadel. It is considered the biggest earthen structure of Kerman province after Bam Citadel. From here we will drive a few miles to Mahan. Meet Sufis who have traveled a long way to pay homage to their Sufi master Shah Nematollah Vali in his shrine. Get relax in Shahzadeh Garden*, a great example of Persian gardens that represents a high contrast between a lush garden and a harsh desert in the background. O/N Mahan Find your own treasures In Kerman, we will visit Ganjali Khan Complex which is constructed during Safavid dynasty and is included a caravanserai, a water reservoir (Ab Anbar), a mosque, a school, a square, a bazaar and a bathhouse. We will head to Maymand rocky village from here. O/N Meymand Adobes got their own memories We explore the hand-carved village of Meymand*. It is believed to have been built by primary people thousands of years ago. Due to its rocky structure, the village has remained intact. Many of the residents still live in the man-made and natural caves created by their ancestors.