Natural attractions around Damavand Mt.

Damavand peak isn’t the only natural attraction of the Damavand region. There are great and breath-breaking natural scenes around the mountain but less known.

IRMTravel is here to introduce the best natural highlights around Damavand Mt.

• Shahandasht Waterfall

Shahandasht Waterfall consists of eight waterfalls; The first waterfall is approximately 15 meters long.  The second one, approximately 30 meters long, ends in a beautiful place where the back door of Malek Bahman Castle can be seen from there.  The third, fourth, and fifth waterfalls consist of three consecutive steps that can be rappelled once. The sixth waterfall with 25-meter is one of the most beautiful waterfalls on this route.  After passing this waterfall, we reach the seventh waterfall, which is about 20 meters long. The length of the eighth waterfall is 35 meters.

There are two ways to reach Shahandasht waterfall:

- Route one: Haraz road, not far from Shangoldeh, Shahandasht village road. You can park the car along the Haraz River and walk for 45-minutes to the waterfall.

- Second route: Haraz road, not far from Shangoldeh, crossing Vana village bridge, Shahandasht village road. It takes only 15 minutes from the parking to the waterfall, which is more convenient.

Zaman Canyon

River trekking is one of the exciting pastimes that can quench your thirst and tiredness in the heat of summer. Of course, for river trekking in the Zaman Canyon, you will need a good level of fitness.  In some parts of the canyon, the water depth is about one and a half meters, so walking in it will be a big challenge.  The trail is a combination of walking on land and water. 

For this purpose, it is better to choose a suitable dress so that you do not worry about getting wet!  The best season to travel should be considered as the only summer season. Of course, those who can withstand colder can travel to this beautiful area in the spring. But as expected, the weather in the canyon is cold and mountainous, and access to it is completely blocked in the second six months of the year. To access the Zaman Canyon, when you see the entrance sign of Polour city on Haraz road, you must leave the main road and go to the side road of the city. After walking a bit, you will see another side road on your left that leads you to the Lar River. You have to follow this path to reach a stone bridge. Your journey to the canyon will start from the same stone bridge.

• Elias Tangeh Cave

The name of the cave is derived from tomb of “Darvish Elias”.  The air inside the cave is humid and has a good cool. The main entrance to the cave is a small hole due to the fall of the rock and it is difficult to enter. Due to the geographical conditions of the region, the best time to visit the cave is spring and summer. Elias Tangeh cave is located along Shahandasht valley. After reaching Malek Bahman Castle passing Elias Imamzadeh and resting next to this Imamzadeh, continue on your way to the southwest.  It doesn’t take more than 45 minutes to reach the mouth of the cave.

• Azoo Plain

Nava village and Azoo Plain have colorful attractions such as lush nature, colorful orchards, flower-filled pastures, and wild tulip plains. The village is located on the way to Azoo plain and walking from the village to the plain is one of the most beautiful parts of traveling to this area. The best view of Damavand Peak from this plain attracts many photographers to these areas every year. In spring and summer, the greenery of the plain increases, and in spring, yellow flowers appear across the plain. The beauty of the night sky of Azoo plain is stunning and that is why many enthusiasts are camping in this area. Access route: Mazandaran province, 88 km Haraz road, Nava village side road, Azoo Plain.

• Lar Plain and Lake (Dam)

Lar Plain is located on the border of Tehran and Mazandaran provinces in the central Alborz near the southwestern slope of Damavand and at a distance of 70 km east of Tehran.  Lar region has an area of ​​about 735,000 hectares, of which about 31,000 hectares are famous as Lar National Park. This temperate region has a pristine nature that has a spectacular view of Damavand Mt. Lar Lake was created in 1982 as a dam and is known as the highest lake in Iran. 

This dam is 2,531 meters high and has an area of ​​29 square kilometers and its water is supplied through the rivers of the region. If you are interested in wildlife and plants, Lar Plain is the best option for you to get acquainted with different species. There are about 400 plant species in the Lar region, of which only 35 species are founded endemic in Iran. Various plant species of this region include Astragalus, Rabbit, Thyme, Sage, Onion, Sugar Cane, Chicory, Wild Mushrooms, Yarrow Chamomile, Barberry, Angelica, Licorice, Turmeric, Mountain Tea, and Purple Lily. This area is home to 100 different species of birds, including Grus (Crane), Flamingo, Eagle, Quebec Dari, and other birds. Mammals in the Lar region also include Otters, Rabbits, Rams, Goats, Leopards, Brown Bears, Central Alborz Bowes, Foxes, Wolves, Feral Cats, Boars, and other animals. 

You can use several routes to reach Lar plain. At the beginning of this section, it is necessary to know that you can only go to the observation post with your car, because Lar is a protected area, and therefore any vehicle is prohibited from entering this area.

- The first route is on Abali Road and on the way from Tehran to Amol; In the city of Polour, there is a route called Lar Road, through which you can reach Lar National Park. 

- The second route is dirt and a relatively difficult route for tourists, which is possible through the Lavasan Bozorg area. 

- Third route: You can access the west of Lar National Park through Garmabdar village (in Shemiran city, Rudbar Qasran district). 

This route is difficult to cross and was used by ranchers before tourists reached the area.

IRMTravel as a Damavand tour operator can organize the best travel to all these mentioned attractions near this amazing mountain.