Discover a unique manifestation of nature in a vast land covered with volcanic rocks in the middle of Iran’s charming Lut Desert: Gandom Beryan. Standing 125 meters above its surrounding land and stretching out for over 150 km2, this rare beauty gives an incredible view of Kal Shur River, the only river flowing in the heart of Lut Desert.
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The Stunning Piece Called Gandom Beryan
Gandom Beryan (meaning roasted wheat) or Rig-e Sukhteh (meaning scorched gravel) is a collection of hills covered with volcanic lava. This amazing attraction of Kerman Province is 80 kilometers to the north of Shahdad town and in the west of Lut Desert. Having a really high temperature and being located on the east of a Salty river known as Shur River has bared this place of any kind of life.
Why is this Plain Known as Gandom Beryan?
The locals in Shahdad (the nearest town to Gandom Beryan) believe that Gandom Beryan used to be beside the Silk Road. And that over years, a lot of trade caravans passed there. During their summer trips, caravans would frequently witness the wheat the were carrying become roasted by the high heat. That’s why from ages ago, they picked this name for this region.
Things you’ll see From Shahdad To Gandom Beryan
1. Desert Trees
Leave Shahdad and make your way toward Nehbandan. On your way there, you’ll pass by a village and see a lot of tamarisk trees. These trees, with a heap of sand gathered around them like vases that keep flowers in them, are standing along the way to Deh Seyf. These heaps of sand and the plant they embrace are known as Nebka trees. The tallest Nebka tree in the region is a 15-meter one in one of Shahdad’s villages. The more you go further, the land’s vegetation gets less and less. Only 5 kilometers after Deh Seyf (30 km to Shahdad), there is no trace of vegetation and you’ll be surrounded with an endless desert as long as the eye can see.
2. Kaluts
Moving on, you can see a large city of sandy towers. These towers are kaluts: ridges of sand formed by erosion. After 45 kilometers on the main road, you’ll find a dirt road on the left. The path is not very distinguishable and you’ll need a local guide by your side to find your way through the region.
Following this path will get you to the Kaluts. There, with no metal, rock or color, nature had created a city that dazzles you for hours. Walking through the Kaluts is like walking through a clod city. A city that is 145 km long and 85 km wide. A city with no people that is larger and more beautiful than the world’s large cities.
3. Egg-shaped Salts
75 km after Shahdad and 30 km on Shahdad-Nehbandan main road, you’ll find the egg-shaped salts. The factors of being close to Shur river and heat have together created this interesting sight. Over time, the salt water left from Shur River evaporated and the salt expanded, creating small domes that look like eggs.
4. Shur River
After 1000 meters, you’ll reach a place covered with white salt: Shur River. To reach the hill, you’ll have to pass the river. But the swampy bed of the river will trap your car. So, you’ll have to continue on foot.
There it is! You can finally see Gandom Beryan with a black edge on the right side of the river. Walk along the river toward the hill. For passing the flowing salty river, choose a part of the bed that has harder salt.
5. Gandom Beryan Hill
Walking on sand is exhausting. So, you’d better travel with a light backpack to be able to travel faster and more comfortably. After hiking for a short while, you’ll reach the bottom of the 150-meter hill. From down there, you can see what looks like a beautiful staircase covered with black volcanic rocks. The further you go, the more the greatness of the hill will impress you. The path gradually gets more slanting but the 1-hour uphill hike will take you to the top of Gandom Beryan hill.
The hill is covered with black volcanic rocks that each have their own special look. Over years, wind erosion has created indescribable sceneries of rock and sand.
Is Gandom Beryan the Hottest Place on Earth?
There is a lot of rumor of Gandom Beryan being the hottest place on earth. But the father of Iranian desertology, Professor Kordovani, insists that the central pit in Lut Desert, which is 75 kilometers to Shahdad Desert, is confirmed by NASA researchers to be the hottest place on earth and the lowest point in Lut. There is no doubt that summers are extremely scorching in this region and the temperature reaches up to 71° C, but Gandom Beryan is never recorded as the hottest place.
Regions Near Gandom Beryan
On your way to gandom Beryan, you can find Shafi Abad village. There, you can visit Shafi Abad Caravanserai. Plan your trip in a way that you’ll be able to spend a fabulous night under the starry sky of Shahdad Desert. Plus, if you’d like to enjoy a pleasant weather, I recommend Deh Bakri, a village 50 kilometers to Gandom Beryan, between Jiroft and Bam. Located in a green valley on the mountain skirts has blessed this village with a wonderful weather and different kinds of trees.
Finding Gandom Beryan
To go to Gandom Beryan, you’ll first have to leave Kerman toward Shahdad-Nehbandan Road. This road connects the western part of Lut desert in Kerman Province to the northeastern part of Lut Desert in South Khorasan Province. To get to your destination through this road, 40 km after Shahdad town, you’ll have to get into the left and continue on a dirt road for 35 kilometers until you get near Shur River. Gandom Beryan is on the other side of Shur River on a 150-meter platform. The road that leads toward Shur River from Shahdad-Nehbandan road is only distinguishable from car traces.
Things You Should Know
- Passing the dirt road that leads toward Gandom Beryan takes about 2-3 hours. Considering that you’ll spend some time on walking and you’ll need some time to get back, you need to allocate a full day to your trip to Gandom Beryan. Plus, because your trip is during the colder seasons of the year and it gets dark earlier, you’d better start early in the morning.
- Finding your way around might be difficult at some points and you’ll need either a local guide or a GPS. Considering that this place is far from villages and cities, and there is little or no cell-phone reception, you’ll need to make sure about your equipment and supplies before you go.
- To go there, you’d better spend the night before in Shafi Abad and set out on your journey since morning. To stay in Shafi Abad, give the director a call on +989137057851.
- Considering the road situation and the many bumps, you can’t travel through this region with normal cars. The only choice is 4×4 cars.
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