Marvast Desert

The Marvast Desert is one of the most beautiful desert areas of Yazd Province. It lies east of Marvast County and is part of Shahr-e Babak. To the north it is bordered by the Abarkuh Desert, to the west by Marvast County, and to the south by Herat County and the Sirjan deserts. The region's vast size and distinctive natural features, including its sand dunes and wide desert landscapes, have made the Marvast Desert one of the important tourist attractions of Yazd Province.

Covering a considerable area of about 6,000 hectares, the Marvast Desert includes sand dunes (erg), a salt plain and open rangelands with sparse vegetation. Hardy plants such as Gol-e Arsalan and wild rhubarb grow here in certain seasons and add a touch of nature to the landscape. In addition, the rare silence and the dark desert sky make Marvast one of the best places in Iran for astro-tourism and stargazing.

To reach the Marvast Desert, you can set out from the town of Marvast and enter the desert area via the Mehriz–Marvast–Herat road. The best time to visit for the sand dunes, desert flowers and night-sky views is spring, when the weather is mild and humidity is lower. When visiting this desert, responsible tourism is very important: take your rubbish with you, do not light fires in the desert environment, and avoid driving motor vehicles on the fragile sand dunes so that this natural environment is preserved for future generations.