Protected Areas and National Parks in Iran Iran with different wet and dry lands with a combination of high mountains, desert lands, forests, and seas has created a special ecosystem in the Middle East and the east of Asia. It is located in the southern part of the Caspian Sea and north of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. There are two long mountain ranges named Alborz (900 km) and Zagros (1400 km) located in the north and west of Iran. In addition, the two main deserts of Dasht-e Kavir (77,600 km2) and Kavir-e Lut (51,800 km2)- the first Natural UNESCO site in Iran- are other natural attractions of the country. Rivers and lakes, wildlife, and the Hyrcanian Forest (UNESCO Natural Site), besides the different types of birds, a wide range of medical and therapeutic plants, Islands, and lagoons create the protected areas and national parks all over Iran. Here, we have listed the ten most beautiful ones below: 1. Golestan National Park 2. Kavir National Park 3. Lar National Park 4. Turan National Park 5. Tandoureh National Park 6. Dena National Park 7. Khar Touran National Park 8. Khojir National Park 9. Jahan Nama Protected Park 10. Alborz Markazi Protected Area
Protected Areas and National Parks in Iran Iran with different wet and dry lands with a combination of high mountains, desert lands, forests, and seas has created a special ecosystem in the Middle East and the east of Asia. It is located in the southern part of the Caspian Sea and north of the Persian
Lar National Park Mountain Biking Lar National Park MTB video is about one of Adventure Iran’s mountain biking trips in one of the most beautiful national parks of Iran. it is located in the northeast of Tehran province, only 70 kilometers (43 mi) from the capital. Lar national park is a protected region so it is not open to the public. About Lar National Park It’s managed by the Iranian Environmental Organization. Travelers need to get a permit for entering the park and the mentioned organization issues them for interested travelers. We apply for the certificate one month in advance as it takes a couple of weeks of paperwork. The gates of the park are open only during the summertime. Stockbreeders and cattlemen enter for their summer KOOCH from lower altitudes to upper altitudes, their seasonal move. KOOCH is a Persian word meaning seasonal relocation of accommodation and most tribes, nomads, and villagers of Iran still do this to this day. They relocate with their hordes of animals like sheep, jotas, dogs, hens, and roosters along with their family for better weather conditions and food for their animals. Lar is the key location for most tribes around Tehran capital during the summertime. At the end of the summer when the weather is getting cold, they will move again to warmer locations in lower altitudes till the end of spring of the next year. Lar National park with 30,000-hectare pf property is home to a wide range of flora, fauna, and wild animals. Along with its rich nature, there is a big dam inside of the park called Lar dam. it is created by the high mountains of central Alborz and is fed by many spring waters of the surrounding region. This reservoir of water is a source for a huge
Lar National Park Mountain Biking Lar National Park MTB video is about one of Adventure Iran’s mountain biking trips in one of the most beautiful national parks of Iran. it is located in the northeast of Tehran province, only 70 kilometers (43 mi) from the capital. Lar national park is a protected region so it
Mountain Biking in Lar National Park This video is about a part of a long cycling trip with a Swiss mountain biking group who started their trip from the southern part of Iran towards the north of it and this part was the end of their adventure in Iran. The location is Lar National Park which is located in the north east of Tehran Province. This adventure started from a village on the west side of the park and finished in Polour village which is located in Mazandaran province. Polour is located in the south face of Mt Damavand nearby Haraaz road. The trip was performed in the month of May in 2019. Many tours were planned by us in the park during May in the years and we have never seen huge volumes of snow on the way but in that year we had a lot of snow in early spring in April and it made some good challenges for the group in the canyon. We knew such a thing would happen and sent two of our guides to check the route before we sent the group. We had a session the night before with the group and we explained the situation to them. and prior to that month of the year, water levels are a bit high and there’s a lot of river crossing to do so a few numbers of people skipped this part and we send them to the Lar valley through another gate with our 4x4 cars. You can see in the video that the scenery changes after the canyon is passed and from the snowy situation of the canyon which looks like winter, we enter another region which looks like spring with green fields. In general, this situation made for an amazing trip for
Mountain Biking in Lar National Park This video is about a part of a long cycling trip with a Swiss mountain biking group who started their trip from the southern part of Iran towards the north of it and this part was the end of their adventure in Iran. The location is Lar National Park
Ultra Trail Mount Damavand The video is made of the highlights of our two races in the Junes of 2017 and 2018 . The race was an ultra-trail running through Iran’s famous national park of Lar towards Damavand Mountain which is the highest peak in Iran. Lar is a protected area located in the south west of Damavand and it’s managed by Iran Environmental Organization and needs a permit for entering. It was an international race and people joined us from different countries. The trip starts from Tehran and finishes in Tehran as well. The group slept one night inside the park and a night in the Damavand shelter in the base camp which is located at the south face of Damavand nearby Polour village. It was a combination of running and adventuring in Iran during a three days race. The runners carried a small bag with all of their requirements for the three days and with crossing Lar reveres, passing through the nomadic region of the valley and seeing the local with goats and sheep, hiking in a canyon, sleeping in the nature in the park and the spectacular view of Mt Damavand they were very pleased by the whole thing. Hope you enjoy the video and if you like it subscribe to our channel to see more of the beauty of our country. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cq6vTmMu2TI https://www.adventureiran.com/mount-damavand/ https://www.adventureiran.com/lar-national-park/
Ultra Trail Mount Damavand The video is made of the highlights of our two races in the Junes of 2017 and 2018 . The race was an ultra–trail running through Iran’s famous national park of Lar towards Damavand Mountain which is the highest peak in Iran. Lar is a protected area located in the
MT Damavand with bicycle The video is about an expedition mountain biking trip to ascent Damavand Mountain (5610m) which was performed in July of 2019. Mt Damavand is Iran’s highest peak and it’s the highest volcanic mountain of Asia. The mountain is in the southern coast of the Caspian Sea and is in the north west of Tehran province. The group was from Slovenia and the Adventure Iran’s team led this expedition trip. It was a one-week tour starting and finishing in Tehran. The journey started with a two days MTB tour in the Lar national park as a warm-up. Lar is a protected area located on the foothills of MT Damavand and it's in the south west of the mountain. They also slept one night inside the park in high altitudes which is perfect for acclimatization when you come around the sea level. After finishing the Lar trip they continued cycling towards the southern part of Mt Damavand and slept one night in the Mount Damavand shelter which is the first camp of Damavand and The next day transferred the bicycles to the 2nd camp. From there they loaded all of the camping equipment and other stuff to the mules and started mountain biking from the 2nd camp at an altitude of about 3100m toward the 3rd camp(4200m). In our original plan the next day was acclimatization day, the day we generally ascend with bicycles up to 5000m and then leave the bikes somewhere in the mountains and descend to the 3rd camp. On this trip the physical fitness of the group was very good and they decided to skip the acclimatization phase. They woke in the dusk and packed to ascend towards the peak. They were at the summit around noon and all of the group reached
MT Damavand with bicycle The video is about an expedition mountain biking trip to ascent Damavand Mountain (5610m) which was performed in July of 2019. Mt Damavand is Iran’s highest peak and it’s the highest volcanic mountain of Asia. The mountain is in the southern coast of the Caspian Sea and is in the north
Ultra Trail Mount Damavand in Iran UTMD (Ultra Trail Mount Damavand) is an Ultra Trail Marathon in Iran conducted in the Lar National Park and on the west side of volcanic Mt Damavand (5,610 meters, the highest mountain in the Middle East). Adventure Iran started organizing this approximately 100 km race in 2017. It is an annual summer competition, with many runners from all over the world participating in this contest, simultaneously enjoying the race itself, and the experience of being in the foothills of Damavand Mountain. The race takes place in the beautiful Lar National Park, run by the Mountaineering Federation of Iran. This is a race for everyone: UTMD 100 km, PLP 61 km, and PGP 22 km. Both the start point and finish point are at the Polour Mountain Federation hut. The race route covers some of the most stunning scenery of Lar National Park and Mt. Damavand, including remote and unspoiled grasslands, nature trails, Lar reservoir, and exquisite steep hills. This is a unique, unparalleled, and challenging running competition for trail running enthusiasts. It is also a great opportunity to participate in an unforgettable event. The race has a website that is organized by Adventure Iran and other co-organizers since 2018. https://www.adventureiran.com/lar-national-park/
Ultra Trail Mount Damavand in Iran UTMD (Ultra Trail Mount Damavand) is an Ultra Trail Marathon in Iran conducted in the Lar National Park and on the west side of volcanic Mt Damavand (5,610 meters, the highest mountain in the Middle East). Adventure Iran started organizing this approximately 100 km race in 2017. It
Dasht-e Havij in Iran Dasht-e-Havij or Gor Chal plain, at an altitude of 2,700 m, is situated 400 meters above Afjeh village in Iran. It is one of the most famous attractions in the Lavasanat district (northeast of Tehran in the central Alborz Mountains). Havij means Carrot and Dasht-e Havij means literally a ‘big carrot field’. There are various legends about this name’s origin, which probably indicate that large parts of this vast land were sown with carrot seeds. Today, there is no sign of anything left to reinforce it. Gor Chal in ancient Persian means fireplace, being the combination of two words; Gor means fire and Chal means place. It is said that it got its name for it being so hot compared to the surrounding places being so cold, but there is no evidence to support this assertion. Dasht-e Havij is surrounded by a cluster of high-altitude peaks between 3,000 – 4,000 m which protects this area from the wind. During the Safavid dynasty (400 years ago), it was an important hunting area with some beautiful cascades called Passchoobak, Saboosetan, and Charand. A couple is still in existence, depending very much on the snowfall of that year. In addition, there are numerous maple trees and, of course, a variety of fruit trees in this unspoiled region. The remains of Safavid Caravansaries can be seen along the path at the end of the valley, near the rock wall. There is also an old bath dating back to the Safavid era which is, surprisingly, still in use and is presently enjoyed by rural people. The Qajar dynasty (200 years ago) used this path to reach the Lar National Park going through the countryside. From Lar, there was an ancient mule road stretching towards the Caspian Sea. 3 Peaks in
Dasht-e Havij in Iran Dasht-e-Havij or Gor Chal plain, at an altitude of 2,700 m, is situated 400 meters above Afjeh village in Iran. It is one of the most famous attractions in the Lavasanat district (northeast of Tehran in the central Alborz Mountains). Havij means Carrot and Dasht-e Havij means literally a ‘big carrot
Tehran Mountain Biking Numerous mountains surround the area North of Tehran City with heights over 3,000 to 4,000 meters making perfect centers for selected adventure activities such as mountain biking. There are protected areas and national parks situated in the central part of the Alborz Mountain range. Varjin, Alborz-e Markazi protected areas, and Lar National Park are located northeast of Tehran and are just perfect for mountain biking. So far, the majority of Iran’s visitors have not received sufficient information about these regions. They travel to Iran believing they must go far afield for mountain biking, while near Tehran, in the heart of central Alborz, there are many areas for all types of mountain biking. There are various options for both moderate riders and advanced downhill bikers. There are also a number of districts for cycling in the northeast of Tehran. The biking terrains also vary depending on the region. They are a combination of asphalt, dirt, single-track, and age-old mule routes. In spring, the villages in Central Alborz are particularly picturesque, not only are they surrounded by different species of plants and flowers, but it is also interesting to observe the water level rising in the rivers from the melting snow. Cycling in Lavasanat countryside - Northern Tehran is one of the moderate mountain biking tours we offer in the spring as well as the Single-Track MTB in northern Tehran in the Alborz Mountains. During the summer, when most of the regions have hot temperatures, we can recommend a few trails in high altitudes to avail of the best weather for mountain biking. As mentioned, there are some mountains above 3,000 m in northern Tehran, which are ideal for this sport. Mountain Biking alongside Shemshak ski resort, a moderate short mountain biking tour in the high altitude of central
Tehran Mountain Biking Numerous mountains surround the area North of Tehran City with heights over 3,000 to 4,000 meters making perfect centers for selected adventure activities such as mountain biking. There are protected areas and national parks situated in the central part of the Alborz Mountain range. Varjin, Alborz-e Markazi protected areas, and Lar National
Hiking in Iran Hiking in Iran is one of the most attractive activities for many individuals, especially considering Iran is a mountainous country with many of them over 4,000 m. Hiking is a popular sport for Iranians at weekends. Iran is a vast country with two huge deserts, where even from the desert area it is possible to see these staggeringly beautiful 4,000 m mountains in the distance. There are also a lot of hiking routes in the country. As you may know, there are two long mountain ranges in Iran. Alborz mountain range with around 900 km length to the south of the Caspian Sea and Zagros Mountain Range with 1,500 km length starting from the northeast of the country and stretching to the southeast. There are also numerous high mountains over 4,000 m in other parts of the country for hiking. Most travelers from all around the world come here for hiking, with Iran hiking becoming the most popular activity for many adventurers. You cannot find an IRAN HIKING MAP here as the one you may see in your home country. There are a few organizations and companies that print Iran maps, but, unfortunately, they do not provide a special Iran hiking map for our mountains, or a topographic hiking map with contours and nature signs. On the north side of the capital city of Tehran, there are a number of hiking routes that go up to Tochal Mountain, where the long ridge line is nearly 4,000 m. There are plenty of characteristic cafés and shops around here where hikers have the opportunity to stop and have breakfast on the trail and take in the stunning scenery. There are also a bunch of trails for hiking outside of Tehran city in the country parts. Most
Hiking in Iran Hiking in Iran is one of the most attractive activities for many individuals, especially considering Iran is a mountainous country with many of them over 4,000 m. Hiking is a popular sport for Iranians at weekends. Iran is a vast country with two huge deserts, where even from the desert area it
Alborz Mountain Range Alborz mountain range is a major mountain range in Northern Iran, located south of the Caspian Sea. In Persian it’s called Resht-e Kouh-hayeh Alborz. There are various spellings of these mountains as follows: Elborz, Alburz, Albourz, and Elburz. The length is around 900 km, stretching from Azarbaijan, (“northeast Iran”, close to the Turkish border), all the way to the Khorasan region in “northwest Iran.” There are many rivers, hot and cold springs, lakes, amazing canyons, national parks, protected areas, wild life, birds, a wide range of forests similar to Hyrcanian forests, “UNESCO natural sites”, waterfalls, and ski resorts in this enormous mountain range. In addition, there are human settlements inhabited by nomads. The mountains, alongside the south side of the Caspian Sea, formed a special ecosystem with particular weather conditions. Surprisingly, the flora on the northern side of the mountain range are quite different from that of the south. There is an abundance of high-altitude mountains above 4,000 m which is the home base for Iranian adventurers; e.g. trekking, mountain biking, Ultra Trail Running, ice climbing, mountaineering, rock climbing, rafting, ski and ski touring. For those who thought Iran to be a flat, desert like country, it’s interesting to know there are 148 mountains above 4,000 m registered in Iran, the majority being located in the Alborz mountains. The three main highest peaks are in this range. There are several mountain clubs in this country catering for all types of mountain activities during the yearly seasons. Iranian climbers are also active in ascending the renowned Himalayas. Alborz mountain range is categorized as three different segments due to its geographical sector, Western, Central, and Eastern Alborz. Each section of this mountain range has its own unique beauty. Adventure Iran conducts a variety of activities in
Alborz Mountain Range Alborz mountain range is a major mountain range in Northern Iran, located south of the Caspian Sea. In Persian it’s called Resht-e Kouh-hayeh Alborz. There are various spellings of these mountains as follows: Elborz, Alburz, Albourz, and Elburz. The length is around 900 km, stretching from Azarbaijan, (“northeast Iran”, close to the
