Lut desert

Lut desert and its famous Kaluts

The Lut Desert is located in southeastern Iran and benefits from a subtropical continental zone characterized by a rich variety of spectacular desert morphologies. Lut is surrounded by a buffer zone of 1,794,134 hectares, and in the Persian language ‘Lut’ means bare land, without water or vegetation. The area is located in an interior basin surrounded by mountains, so it is a rain shadow and with the high temperatures the climate is hyper-arid. The region often experiences the highest temperatures on the planet such that a temperature of 70.7 ° C has been recorded in mid-summer in this area.

A strong north-south pressure gradient develops in the region in spring and summer, causing strong winds between June and October. These winds lift the sand grains at high speed, transferring sediment and creating colossal-scale wind erosion. As a result, the region boasts what are considered the best examples of Yardang in the world: the Kaluts. Yardangs are earth elements, sculpted and molded by sandblasting. They cover about a third of the surface and appear as massive and spectacular ripples across the landscape, with ridges and corridors oriented parallel to the prevailing wind. That is why this part of the planet is called Earth’s Mars, perhaps.

If you are passionate about mountains, hiking, mountaineering, desert camping, anthropology, historical landscapes and the fascinating culture of the Middle East, SITO Travel will help you organize your trip to Iran. Get in touch with us because our experience is born and developed in this field.

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