TEHRAN – The oasis city of Bafaq has a high capacity to become a hub for desert tourism in Iran.

“Covering more than 1,000 ha in area, Bafq desert holds the great capacity to become a hub for desert tourism in Iran,” Bafq’s tourism chief said on Saturday.

Usually, the picturesque desert of Bafaq welcomes more than 300,000 tourists during [the two-week] Noruz (Iranian New Year) holidays, Leyli Ranjbar said.

The number of people visiting the Bafaq desert is expected to increase by more than 10% this year due to the lifting of the coronavirus restrictions, the official said.

Even on winter days, when the weather is mostly mild in this region, the desert landscape can provide unique memories for nature lovers and holidaymakers, she explained.

Bafq desert, also known as Kavir-e Dar Anjir, is a desert near Bafq county, Yazd province. It is seventy-five-kilometer long and twenty-kilometer wide, spanning one hundred and fifty square kilometers.

Argillaceous minerals and salt marsh make up sixty percent of the soil in this desert. In fact, the south and northwest of this desert are covered in argillaceous mineral lands.

Though deserts can be some of the most discouraging places for travel. However, there is a growing number of people across the globe flocking to arid regions for hiking, camping, rock climbing, and natural photography.

Those looking for a change of pace have increasingly turned to desert tourism over the years. Unexpectedly, the desert is a great place to defrost and soak up the sun during the chilly winter months.

Iran offers some of the best places for desert travel, and the most popular destinations include, Dasht-e kavir, Maranjab Desert, Rig-e Jenn (“Dune of the Jinn”), and Shahdad Desert.

Some say the cold season doesn’t feel or appear to be present during the winter. Moreover, the splendor and beauty of uninhabited deserts are unmatched anywhere else on Earth.

AFM