Saholan: A beautiful water cave in northwest
Saholan Cave, Iran’s second water cave, is a potentially attractive site for tourists and nature lovers.
A beautiful water cave in Iran, Saholan is second only to Hamedan’s Ali Sadr Cave, which is the world’s largest. The cave’s scenic view makes it attractive for nature lovers and eco-tourists alike, Tasnim News Agency wrote.
Saholan cave is located near a village by the same name, 43km to the east of Mahabad, in West Azarbaijan Province. The cave, which sits on a hillock of limestone, has two entrances and has been created by the corrosive impacts of water.
Geomorphological evidence from within the cave suggests that it was formed under phreatic conditions by still water and not running water. Throughout the cave, there are horizontal ledges of calcite deposits along the walls which indicate higher water levels in the past.
Atrip to the uncharted desert and the fantastic city of Kalout, in the southeastern province of Kerman, is a special treat, cherished even by native Iranians. You will experience the walk among the fantasy-land structures, carved out of sand dunes through the whistling of gusting winds.
Shahdad Desert is 100 kilometers from Kerman. From the east, it is 30 kilometers from Dasht-e Lut overlooking a plain called Tekab that makes up the main part of Khabis, according to Tasnim News Agency.
You will let yourself roll down the supple sand dunes, see the Nebka’s (the flower pots of the desert), the incongruent citrus gardens in the heart of the desert and old fortresses.
You will explore the historic cities of Kerman, Mahan and adjacent villages and visit the lush green Bagh-e Shazdeh (Prince Garden) known as the ‘Paradise of the Desert'.
The inner tranquility that will descent upon you by spending a night or two under the dark and starry skies of Shahdad, in the heart of Lut Desert surrounded by the deep silence of the desert, will add so much more to the pleasures of your trip.
Lut Desert is divided into three sections: The northern, central and southern sections. The central section, which is the largest stretch of Lut Desert, also attains its lowest altitude. There are several kalouts, a moving sand castle that is built one day and relocates on the next, in this region that extends from central Lut to the west.
These kalouts are located in an area 40km east and northeast of Shahdad. They have been generated by the intense soil and water erosion and extend from northwest to the southeast of the region. The kalouts cover part of the western fringe of Lut Desert with an average length of 145km. There is little vegetation in the desert region. In the addition to the kalouts, there are other beautiful attractions to the east of Kerman, the lowest point of Lut Desert to the east of a salt mine called ‘Gowd-e Namak’, which is located in the western region of the kalouts.
At this point, the altitude is a mere 56 meters above sea level and is recorded as the lowest region in Iran and not only the hottest place in Iran, but the hottest place on Earth. They call this place ‘Gandom Beryan’, which means roasted grain. The temperature in Lut Desert can exceed 70°C in the shade, which makes it even hotter than the ‘Death Valley’.