The kaluts
Wind-carved ridges.
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The Lut Desert, Dasht-e Lut or «plain of emptiness», is a vast desert in southeast Iran. What visitors come for are the kaluts, rows of tall clay ridges carved by the wind into shapes like castles and ships, among sands and salt flats. The desert covers about 51,800 square kilometres and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016. Its sand surface has been measured at 70.7 °C, the highest land surface temperature known on Earth. In its centre the wind has cut parallel ridges running more than 150 km and up to 75 m high, and in the southeast dunes rise to 300 m. People visit the kaluts near Shahdad on a trip from Kerman, watching the sunset and the stars among the ridges, and overnight desert trips are offered. The kaluts are about 116 km in a straight line east of Kerman. Only go into the desert with a local guide, and avoid the summer months. The UK Foreign Office currently advises against all travel to Iran and warns that British nationals risk detention, so check official guidance before making any plans. We could not confirm the current state of this site.
Wind-carved ridges.
Among the ridges.
At night.
Kaluts near Shahdad, east of Kerman
Yes, never go alone.
November to March.