(Kerman) Kalut Shahdad Desert Visit

Hello travellers,

Individual traveller here with a number of previous visits to Iran. I am wondering if any of you were successful organizing a visit to the Kalut / Shafi Abad / Lut desert + visits to Rayen and Mahan from Kerman through a local tourist organization.

All I have had so far are offers that presented too much uncertainty, not having the right number for their tours with rather costly prices and no details on their offers.

This is for end of April/1 May time period. If any of you have reliable/trustworthy contacts in Kerman for Kalut visits i will appreciate the information/names/email addresses.

I really have to firm my dates and stopovers. Hotel rooms fill really quickly now that Iran has become very popular, mostly with tour groups filling hotels in no time.

Thank you very much in advance for any help/advice you will be able to provide.

I was thinking... maybe somebody has a direct email address for the Akhavan hotel in Kerman?

I hear the Akhavan brothers organize good tours to the Kault, Bam, Rayen and Mahan.

Thanks.

I had a guide who took me from Kerman to Rayen, Mahan, the Luts (day trips) and then along the desert road to Nayband and then to Tabas. Didn't do Bam since he said Rayen was better, but I was disappointed with Rayen, perhaps opught to have gone to Bam. You'd have to negotiate with him directly but I could give you his details if you send me a message. I stayed at the Akhavan burt there was no sign of any tours being operated (must admit, though, this was Ramadan).

I had a guide who took me from Kerman to Rayen, Mahan, the Luts (day trips) and then along the desert road to Nayband and then to Tabas. Didn't do Bam since he said Rayen was better, but I was disappointed with Rayen, perhaps opught to have gone to Bam. You'd have to negotiate with him directly but I could give you his details if you send me a message. I stayed at the Akhavan burt there was no sign of any tours being operated (must admit, though, this was Ramadan).

Thank you for your answer. It could be because of Ramadan that they did not have tours.

I was told that Akhavan organizes tours taking visitors to places around the area. I have no direct contact email for the Akhavan Hotel. Every hotel reservations website Iranian or Western says they are full.

I tried a vast array of dates from now until Summer trying to reserve a room. It always says full.

visit kalouts local company can organize a nice tour for you to Rayen, Mahan and Lut desert.
we Organize special tour to The middle of the desert and you can have a different experience in the desert!! (Swimming in fish spa in an Oasis in the middle of the desert!
our website is: www.visitkalouts.com

Did you ever go on your trip to the Lut desert and Mahan? I am planing on visiting at the end of April 2018 and essentially got the same questions. I am not interested in a group but need a local contact to arrange for a week in the desert. Any reliable contacts are appreciated.

I called the hotel Akhvan to ask if they had any room and instead of staying (they had no room) I ended up going on my own with a driver in a taxi for an over night trip to Mahan, kaluts for sunset and sunrise, rayen, bam, the colouful mountains (or something like this). I presume the hotel guys took a cut of the price and I forget the price now but I thought it was good value. They are extremely helpful and efficient at organizing tours around the area in whatever configuration is feasible and/or desirable at the the time. If there are others around you might be able to share costs, or if you want to go to different places then I imagine it's possible too, it's up to you. I'm sure there are other places that can do the same thing but I found that they made it very easy. This was around the end of april/start of may last year.

This topic has been automatically locked due to inactivity. Email community@lonelyplanet.com if you would like to add to this topic and we'll unlock it for you.