Maranjab Desert

The Maranjab Desert is one of the tourist attractions of Isfahan Province, located north of Aran and Bidgol County. The desert is bordered by the Masileh Salt Lake to the north; the Masileh Desert and the Abshirin (Fresh Water) Desert to the west; the Posht-e Rig Desert and Kavir National Park to the east; and the Band-e Rig Desert and the shifting sand dunes to the south. The Maranjab Caravanserai, a historic building from the Safavid era, stands in this area and today can be used as accommodation for travellers. The caravanserai is square, with six towers in its walls, and covers an area of 3,500 square metres.

Thanks to its special location, the Maranjab Desert displays unique natural attractions in different seasons of the year. The second half of the year is the best time to travel to this area because the weather is moderate then. In winter, however, especially at night, temperatures drop sharply, so it is best to bring warm clothes. In addition, the beginning of Farvardin is also a good time to visit the desert, as it is not yet very hot.

In the Maranjab Desert there are a variety of activities such as safari, camel riding, quad biking and stargazing at night. The sights of this area include Chah-e Konjeh, the salt lake, the Wandering Island, the Maranjab Caravanserai and Karshahi Castle. Also, because the desert is close to the city of Kashan, visitors can see the historical attractions of this ancient city as well. The area has diverse flora and fauna, including tamarisk, saxaul, Zygophyllum and other plants, and animals such as the Asiatic cheetah, wolf, jackal, fox and sand cat.