Like to discover one of Iran’s top natural attractions near Isfahan? Varzaneh Desert would be a great choice. Named after the town that neighbors it, Varzaneh desert is filled with amazing beauties like sand dunes, and a considerable flora and fauna. Animals like sand foxes and common buzzards, and plants like Calligonums, Haloxylons and other sand loving plants have enriched Varzaneh’s ecosystem. Follow me on this blog to find out all you need to know before you travel there.
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About Varzaneh Desert
Varzaneh is covered with vast sabulous (sandy) lands which include sand dunes. These lands stretch from north to south and are located about 45 km to the southwest of Gavkhuni Wetland. The width of about 35 km of Varzaneh’s northern parts reduces to 500 m in the southern part. The northern side curves ovally and high sand dunes have covered the oval. The height of the dunes reach to up to 100 m, but it lowers significantly on the edge of the oval. What distincts Varzaneh from other deserts in Iran is the various shapes different types of winds have given to the sand dunes. The curving, longitudinal and pyramidal shapes of the dunes have given an incredible beauty to this desert.
Of the best parts of having an adventure in this desert is going to the top of the eastern hills to get a nice view of Gavkhuni Wetland. The abundance of sand dunes makes this desert a great place for off-roading and enjoying the thrill of speeding down sandy hills and using this great potential is what Vaheh Eco Camp has been doing.
Why Travel to Varzaneh Desert
- The beauty of Varzaneh is one of a kind and this beauty doubles the pleasure of discovering the desert and walking on the hot sand
- The biodiversity makes coming across with different plants and animals an interesting possibility
- Iran’s biggest desert resort, Vaheh Eco Camp, is located in Varzaneh
- It offers exciting experiences like off-roading, 4-wheel motorcycling, camel riding and zipline.
- The desert is beside the beautiful historical Varzaneh Town and Gavkhuni international Wetland. The wetland isn’t filled with water all year round, but the town offers numerous attractions.
Things You Should Do in Varzaneh Desert
In Varzaneh, you can experience excitement in the real sense of the word!
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Walking
If you haven’t taken a walk in the desert, you couldn’t possibly imagine how amazingly pleasant the peace and the touch of hot sand against your bare feet would feel.
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Sandboarding
Riding across or down a sand dune is as exciting as skiing on snow. To experience this extreme sport in Varzaneh, all you need to do is rent a sandboard at a very reasonable price.
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4-wheel motorcycling
The coolest thing you can do in Varzaneh is having an exciting ride down the sand dunes with a rental 4-wheel motorcycle. Don’t forget to wear glasses to protect your eyes against the sand.
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Ziplining
Enjoying the top view of the desert on the 400-meter zipline of the eco camp is really fun.
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Buggy Off-roading
Buggies are simple vehicles built for 1 or 2-person off roads. Unlike SUV off-roading in which you’ll only be a passenger enjoying the ride, with these fuel-efficient buggies you can double the joy and excitement by riding on your own.
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Paragliding
How about spicing things up with an exciting flight over the golden sand of Varzaneh? The center even offers beginner to professional training.
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SUV Off-roading
Riding across and down sand dunes in an SUV is probably the first thing that occurs to one’s mind when they hear the name of a desert tour. Vaheh eco camp too makes this adventure a possibility for visitors. Yet since driving an SUV in the desert requires special skills, an expert driver will give you the ride.
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Skywatching
What follows the orange spectacle of the desert is even more charming. With or without telescopes (which are available at the resort) the sparkle of innumerable stars in the desert night is astonishing.
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Night Sky Photography
Taking high-quality photos of the desert’s luminous sky requires certain equipment and skills:
- Having a full-frame camera is almost a necessity because the high noise other types of cameras create will give you a photo of low quality.
- To keep the shutter open for a long time, a shuttergrip is a necessity.
- An astronomy calendar of celestial events will help you choose the best time to visit. For example, if there is full moon, you can have almost nothing of your night sky photography.
- Bring on a tripod and wide-angle lenses
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Enjoying the Sunset
The coming down of the sun brings a world of fantasy to the desert. The sunset you catch sight of in the desert is like no other sunset you’ve watched in your life.
Camping and Staying Overnight at Varzaneh Desert
To spend the night, there are 2 choices. Either take refuge in the eco camp and experience an amazing but simple overnight, or camp in the desert. You can get away from the light pollution of the eco camp and enjoy the incredible sky of the desert. For camping in the desert, 2 things should be considered: 1. Do not camp at heights and try to set your camp in the low lands. 2. Do not let the fire go out even for a moment. Do not count on finding wood in the desert, and bring along wood for making fire.
Necessary equipment:
- Sunscreen, sunglasses, Sun hat
- Camera
- High top shoes to protect you against insect bites
- Necessary medicine
- Water, food, snacks
- Lightweight and loose clothing in a light color
- Cash
- Identity Documents
- Charger and extra battery
Varzaneh City
The City Clad in White
The city Varzaneh Desert got its name from is a small city on the edge of desert and inside the border of Isfahan Province. The first thing that attracts you in Varzaneh is the white clothing of its natives. Almost all women wear white veils instead of the typical black veils worn in Iran, and men prefer white clothing to other colors. This preference might come from the ancient Iranian fondness for white and/or the fact that white clothing makes the heat more tolerable than dark clothing.
Visit Information:
Hours: 24-hour
Admittance: Free
Varzaneh Attractions
Varzaneh is an old city with numerous historical and natural attractions; attractions that will be yours to discover on our Varzaneh Desert Tour.
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Gavchah
Long before the time of modern water pumps and piping systems, water wells were the most vital part of the natives’ life in desert regions. So, they invented different methods for extracting water from the wells. Gavchah is one such method. If it weren’t for the efforts of one of the natives in Varzaneh, this traditional method of drawing water with the help of strong cows would have been totally forgotten. He repaired one of these Gavchahs and put it for public viewing. Now the Gavchah he saved has become an attraction of Varzaneh Desert.
Visit Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Admittance fee: free
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Varzaneh Mosque
The mosque is one of the town’s top sights. Like the other monuments there, it is simple and free of extravagant ornamentation. Believed to have been built over a Zoroastrian temple in Timurid Era (600 years ago), the historical mosque has been renovated by Iranian artists several times.
Visit Hours: Prayer times
Admittance fee: free
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Historical Bridge
There are different speculations over the origin of the bridge. Some considered it to have been built in 2 stages, the first in Daylamian and Seljuqid era and the 2nd at the end of Qajar era. On the other hand, others believe it to have been built in Safavid era. When Isfahan was appointed as the capital, several bridges were constructed over Zayandeh Rud (a river that passes Isfahan and ends in Gavkhuni Swamp). Varzaneh’s historical bridge is one of them. Built of rocks, bricks and Sarooj, the bridge includes 11 columns and is still in use. It is probably the last bridge built on Zayandeh Rud.
Visit Hours: 24-hour
Admittance fee: free
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Ghoortan Citadel
Located in a village with the same name and 10km away from Varzaneh, Ghoortan Citadel is actually an ancient city that dates back to 1000 years ago. The mud-brick complex includes old houses, watch towers, bathhouses, mosques, bazaars and pigeon towers. A few families still live in the ruins of the southern corner.
Visit Hours: 24-hour
Admittance Fee: free
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Ghoortan Pigeon House
One of Ghoortan citadel’s well-preserved structures is the pigeon house. Typical around cities like Yazd and Isfahan, these kinds of buildings were traditionally built to house and feed pigeons for their manure. Ghoortan pigeon house is made of mudbrick and like the others of its kind, it features a very interesting architecture.
Visit Hours: 24-hour
Admittance Fee: free
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Khaara Salt Lake
Khaara is Varzaneh Desert’s other name and so the salt lake that’s hidden inside it is also called Khaara. The beauty of the lake has made it one of the main attractions around the village and its huge reservoir of salt has made it one of the country’s main salt mines. Beside the beauty, what makes visiting the site worth it is the healing powers of salt.
Visit Hours: 24-hour
Admittance Fee: free
Where is Varzaneh desert
105 kilometers to the southeast of Isfahan, somewhere between Yazd and Isfahan, you can find Varzaneh Town and Varzaneh Desert.
Like to Go on an Adventure in Varzaneh Desert?
Then hop on our 1-day Varzaneh Desert tour.
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