“Rige Jenn” is the most amazing, mysterious and scary region in Iran. This desert region, which is full of sand dunes, is located in the south of Semnan. It is located in the east of Salt Lake, north of Chopanan and Anarak and west of Jandaghie in the central desert of Iran.
Past to present
Due to the large size and lack of springs or wells, in the past, caravans did not pass through this place and only in recent years, groups of researchers and tourists have visited the area.
During 1900 Austrian Alphonse Gabriel and a Swedish explorer “Sun Houdin” decided to explore the area, but none were able to cross the desert. Gabriel was forced to return to Yazd, leaving the job to curious Iranian explorers.
Houdin has written his observations in the book “Deserts of Iran”.
In his book he writes: There is a lost paradise in the center of Rige Jenn. There is a lake in this paradise, and next to it there are dense forests. The demons have left the camel’s wool there, and whoever reaches this area will become rich.
But there is no doubt that all these stories are limited to the same ancient beliefs and have no place in reality.
In 2005, Ali Parsa, a desert expert living in the United States, and Miranzadeh, the then head of the Kavir National Park, boarded a plane over Rige Jenn to prove that the area bears no resemblance to the Bermuda Triangle.
What makes traveling to Rige Jenn so difficult is the number of salt marshes that have killed many animals. This has led to the creation of local and indigenous legends. Locals, shepherds and travelers believe that if someone steps on the “Rige Jenn”, they will be hidden and sent to the heart of the “Rige Jenn” by transcendent spirits and creatures!
One of the explorers says that even the camels of desert dwellers stand and do not move when they reach this area.
The area has no vegetation or livestock, and so far, no report has been made on the animals that may live there. The vast sand dunes of this region and its swamps will frighten any human being.
If someone travels to this area without the necessary equipment, he or she will suffer from the mud and sludge of the desert and will join those who have disappeared in this desert!
Perhaps in the past if we had told others that we intended to travel to the desert, they would have looked at us in shock. But today, thanks to communication devices and satellites such as GPS, the difficulty of traveling to such places has been greatly reduced. Therefore, traveling to desert areas has become very common, and ironically, has many fans.
Due to its large area most of the Rige Jenn Desert is still unknown and it’s considered one of the most attractive desert spots in Iran, especially among photographers.