Located in the South-east of Iran, Lut Desert is an exemplar of this geographical feature involving a variety of desert landforms in a comparatively small area. It located in Provinces of South Khorasan, Sistan and Baluchestan and Kerman. Kaluts or yardang that are massive corrugated ridges are the most touristic attraction of the west of Lut Desert and in the east of the desert ergs and varied huge dunes prevail.

Gandom Beryan is a vast plateau of the Lut Desert covered in dark lava that according to NASA often records the highest earth temperature of around 70°C. Gandom Beryan meaning toasted wheat in Farsi probably gained its name when a load of wheat left in the region was scorched by heat after few days.

Mighty wind between June and October creates massive and awe-inspiring Kaluts. Kaluts of Shahdad are so stunning that resemble an imaginary city from a perspective outlook. Sunset and dawn offer a breathtaking view of these of natural castles of shimmering golden sands. The Kaluts of the Lut Desert reach to 155 meters high and are amongst the highest yardangs on the earth.

Lut Desert is also well-known for its active and moving dunes that at some point soar to 500 meters. Lut houses various forms of dunes such as linear-shaped, crescentic-shaped, star-shaped, and funnel-shaped dunes beside nebkas with the shield of plants. Similar to its yardangs, dunes, and nebkas of the Lut are of the highest of their kind on the earth.

The Desert also contains a wide variety of salt landforms such as playa or salt pans with polygonal fractured crusts, white crystalline riverbeds, gypsum domes, tepee fractured salt crusts, salt karren, and small salt blisters. Alongside salty features, there are some other desert landforms in Lut including hamada that is a type of stony desert pavement, bajada or alluvial fans, and gullied badlands. Besides, despite the low precipitation rate and harsh weather conditions, resistant flora and fauna live in this arid desert.

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Darius the Great (reign: 522-486 B.C.) has referred to the Baluchestan region in the Behistun and Persepolis Inscriptions as “Mecca”. According to the mythological history of Iran, Sistan was the birthplace of Rostam, a character in the epic masterpiece of Shahnameh written by Ferdowsi. Rostam was the ruler of Sistan that encompassed Zabulistan, Bast, Ghazni, and Kabulistan regions. The natives called this area “Zarnak”, while after the invasion of the Scythians, the name was replaced by Sakestaneh or Sajestan meaning the Land of Scythians.

Ardeshir Babakan, the founder of the Sassanid Dynasty (224-651 A.D.), conquered the Sakestaneh region, and later in the aftermath of the conquests of Muslims, Yazdegerd III (reign: 632-651) escaped to Sistan after his defeat in Kerman city. Importantly, Sistan became a part of the territory of the Samanid (819-999), Ghaznavid (977-1186), and Seljuk (1037-1194) Dynasties. When the Safavid Dynasty (1501-1736) came to the throne, Shah Ismail I seized Sistan.

After the death of Nader Shah (reign: 1736-1747) during the Afsharid Dynasty (1736-1796), a disagreement between Afghanistan and Iran over Sistan in 1835 led to the intervention of Britain and the establishment of a new border between the two countries.

Baluchestan was attacked several times since the advent of Islam in 651 through the Qajar Dynasty (1796-1925). For example, following the attack of Seljuk to Kerman, the Baluch people apparently migrated from Kerman to Makran district. In the Qajar period during which Baluchestan was totally inside the borders of Iran, this area came out of the authority of Khanate of Kalat (Baluchestan province in current Pakistan). In 1835, the Kalat border with Baluchestan of Iran was determined and a part of Baluchestan attached to Pakistan.

Of the historical attractions of the province include the remains of the early civilizations in Dahan-e Gholaman, Mount Khajeh, and other ancient hills distributed in the area. Furthermore, the natural attractions of the region include wetlands, deserts, Martian mountains, Taftan Summit (the only semi-active volcano in Iran), mud bubbles, Oman Sea coasts, rivers, and protected areas of Bahu Kalat as the habitat of the short muzzle crocodile (Gando). Chabahar Free Trade Zone, Hara jungles, pink lake, and Machi windmill are among other attractions of this province.

Meanwhile, the Lut Desert and Shahr-e Sukhteh (burnt city) have been registered on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

The province’s handicrafts include different kinds of traditional jewels, musical instruments, Lenj (a form of a traditional boat), saddlebags, mat weaving, embroidery, coin, and mirror sewing, Balochi needlecraft, wall hangings, pottery (Village of Kalporagan), and curtain.

The most common souvenirs in the province are different kinds of tropical fruits like date, mango, bananas, papaya, olive, Indian white shrimp, lobster, and various fish. Local cuisine also includes Tanoorcheh kebab, yellow curd, Pekore, Shilanj, Kahli, Halkary bread, Qalifi, Zaboli curd, and Baluchi stews.

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Its neighbors are Khorasan Razavi, Semnan, Isfahan, Yazd, Kerman, and Sistan and Baluchistan provinces. The major ethnic groups in this region are the Persians who speak Farsi with their local dialect. It is one of the arid areas of the country with hot summer and cold winter but a small part of it enjoys mild temperature. Lut Desert as one of the warmest deserts of the world covers a large area of the province, influencing significantly the temperature of the province.

Qahestan or Quhistan was a region in grand Khorasan stretching from the south of Nishabur to Sistan and at present, South Khorasan includes a great part of it. It is believed that the history of Qahestan villages dates back to pre-Islamic historical eras. During the early conquests of the Muslims, Hephthalites (440-710 A.D.) ruled Qahestan but the Arab Muslims conquered it when Umar (reign: 634-644) became the Caliph.

Years later, a big uprising under the leadership of a person named Qarin happened but the Arab commanders quelled it. Qahestan later became a part of grand Khorasan with Nishabur as its center and Muslim governors ruled it until the invasion of Mongol to Persia in 1219. By the arrival of Mongols, Qahestan was destroyed and never returned to its previous glory. During the next centuries, the region was in total chaos but finally, the independent local rulers were suppressed by the Qajar Dynasty (1796-1925) and the region became once again a part of Iran.

Unique nature, ancient, cultural, and religious sites can be found all over the province. The impressive landscape of Lut Desert, waterfalls, spas, saffron, and barberry farms have made South Khorasan an excellent place for tourists and nature lovers. The historical attractions of the province include Tabas Citadel, Mostofi House, Mansion of Boshruyeh Windcatcher, Nehbandan Watermill, Jameh Mosque of Qaen, and Madreseh Elmiyeh Oliya.

Particularly, Lut Desert, Akbariyeh Garden Complex, and Qanat Baladeh Ferdows have been inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage List.

In terms of handicrafts, the most prevailing ones include embroidery, Jajim weaving, Giveh making, felt making, basket weaving, and pottery. The main eatable souvenirs of the province are also saffron, barberry, jujube, pomegranate, black dried curd, and Persian olive.

The local foods are Abodardar Aash, Omaj Aush, Balgour Polo, Fenugreek Eshkeneh (a kind of Persian soup), Plum Abgoosht, and Saveri. Among the most notable figures of the province, we can mention to Bozarjomher Qaeini (poet), Badi’ozzamān Foruzānfar) contemporary literary critique, linguist, and culture expert).

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