Swap the city heat for cliffside shade: 18 of Iran’s most dramatic gorges await — from wind-scarred pillars to emerald plunge pools.
Iran has so much beauty that they go beyond what we can count — historical and cultural sites, towering mountains, roaring rivers, mysterious deserts and verdant plains and forests; but one of Iran’s extraordinary natural features is its valleys. Valleys that leave us breathless and take us into an unknown world within the depths of the earth. These valleys are sometimes so little known that few people have even heard their names. If you are curious to discover the most beautiful valleys of Iran, join us on Alibaba as we explore these astonishing natural phenomena.
The island of Qeshm is home to a gorge created by the erosion of sedimentary rocks. The Chahkooh gorge is located in the Shahab area of Qeshm County and reaches a depth of 100 metres.
Chahkooh is one of the most important tourist attractions on Qeshm Island. This gorge is broad at first, then surprises visitors with its high walls. In some places the gorge’s width becomes so narrow that passing through it is difficult. If you ever travel to Qeshm Island, remember that your trip will not be complete without a visit to Chahkooh Gorge.
Address: Hormozgan Province, west of Qeshm Island, 70 km from Qeshm City, Chahuye-ye Sharghi village, west side of the island’s northern shore.
Kool Khersan is an emblem of Khuzestan Province and lets you experience temperatures below 20°C even in the region’s scorching summer heat. When you step into this valley, you are captivated by its beauty and grandeur. The width of Kool Khersan is large at first, but in some sections it narrows so much that a single person can barely pass through. The valley ends at the Dez River — so if you plan to swim or go boating, be sure to travel with full equipment and a knowledgeable local guide.
Address: Khuzestan Province, Dezful, kilometer 28 on the Shahiyun road, left side of the road, adjacent to Bisheh-Bezan village.
Rāgeh Gorge is a unique natural phenomenon in Rafsanjan County, Kerman Province. This gorge, located on the stretch between two important provincial attractions — the Shahdad yardangs (kaluts) and the village of Meymand — draws you toward exploration and adventure. Rāgeh formed by the erosion of the perennial Giyoodari river and dates back about 20,000 years. The gorge runs roughly 20 kilometres in length, is about 70 metres deep, and its width varies from 2 metres to 180 metres.
As you explore Rāgeh you encounter sharp cones, pillars, battlements, and large and small holes and fissures that nature — and over time the people living here — have shaped. Rāgeh is free from intrusive noise; the only sounds are wild birds such as partridge and eagles. This pristine area is an ideal place for stargazing tours.
Address: Kerman Province, south-west of Rafsanjan City.
The Valley of Love in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province is one of the most beautiful valleys in our beloved country. This valley lies along the Karun River. Accessing the Valley of Love is not very easy — you must head from Shahrekord toward Izeh.
If you enjoy adventure, white-water rafting on the Karun awaits. According to local tales, long ago two lovers lived on opposite sides of the valley. Finding no bridge or path to reach each other, they threw themselves into the valley and the Karun River and lost their lives. Their enduring love led everyone to name the place “Valley of Love.”
Address: Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province, Ardal County, Moshayekh area, 110 km from Shahrekord.
Alamut Valley in Qazvin Province overlooks forested hills of Mazandaran Province. This valley astonishes visitors with its beauty. The valley ends at the castle of the same name. Visiting Alamut Valley gives you a chance to experience history side-by-side with nature.
Alamut Castle — also known as the Castle of the Assassins — requires you to climb a steep stairway to reach its entrance. The views over the surrounding valleys from above Alamut Castle are indescribably beautiful.
The route to Alamut Valley and its castle is somewhat long and challenging, but all that effort is worthwhile. Alamut is a mountainous area and summer is the best time to visit this valley.
Besides Alamut Castle, the valley also features other attractions such as Shirkuh Castle, Lambsar Fortress, the Pich-Bon caravanserai, the Alamut caves and Lake Ovan.
Address: Qazvin Province, Alamut region, Alamut Valley.
Darvishān Valley lies 3 km from the village of the same name in Mazandaran Province. A river runs through this valley and it is best known for its waterfall. The volume of water pouring from Darvishān waterfall makes it one of Iran’s most water-rich waterfalls.
The deep pool beneath this waterfall is a suitable place for bathing in summer. In addition to this waterfall, the village of Darvishān has pristine nature you shouldn’t miss.
Address: Mazandaran Province, Neka County, Darvishān village.
In the uplands between Darab and Fasa in Fars Province there are valleys and gorges hidden from view. This area is completely pristine due to extremely difficult access — you will need highly professional guides to visit Raghz Gorge.
Raghz is full of springs and many pools that even have fish. The gorge has waterfalls whose rushing waters fall into pools below. Raghz is one of the most pleasant-climate areas of Fars Province in the summer.
Address: South of Fars Province, Fasarud area, 25 km from Darab County.
Damash Sihahu is one of the most pristine and beautiful gorges in Hormozgan Province near Bandar Abbas. The Jamash (or Jamāsh) River — which springs from the Homag mountains — passes through this valley. If you love nature tourism, don’t forget to visit this gorge with its flowing waters and unique vegetation. Because of the region’s geography and high temperatures, unlike many other valleys you can visit Damash Sihahu in spring, autumn and winter as well.
Address: Hormozgan Province, Bandar Abbas, Sikhoran village.
Morteza Ali lies 30 km from Tabas and 2 km from Khur village, set among dry and desert mountains, and its gushing spring will amaze you. The remarkable spring at Morteza Ali divides into two parts: warm and cold. As you walk along the valley you encounter springs that pour from the valley walls.
The warm spring of Morteza Ali is rich in minerals, and its water runs for up to 300 metres parallel to the cold water without mixing. The warm spring sits on the right side of the valley and the cold spring on the left; when you put your foot into each one you easily feel the temperature difference. That temperature difference can sometimes reach 10°C.
The endpoint of this spring connects to the world’s thinnest arch dam, the Abbasi Bridge Dam. Along the springs of Morteza Ali valley there are Zoroastrian graves on both sides of the spring walls.
Address: South Khorasan, 30 km from Tabas, 2 km from Khur village.
Locals believe the astonishing Valley of the Stars on Qeshm Island — with its tall pillars and varied shapes — was formed when stars struck the earth. They think the soil rose and dried into those forms; the wind moving through the pillars produces eerie sounds that locals interpret as the voices of jinn and wandering spirits. Residents of Qeshm avoid entering this valley after dark.
However, it’s useful to know this gorge was created by soil erosion and is over two million years old.
Address: South-east part of Qeshm Island, near Barke Khalaf village.
Shirez is one of Iran’s most pristine and ancient gorges, formed over many millions of years by erosion and geological changes. Shiraz Gorge spans parts of Kermanshah, Lorestan and Ilam provinces and lies 50 km north-east of Kuhdasht.
Shirez is 5 km long and the walls sometimes reach 150–200 metres high. In parts of the gorge the walls are so tall that sunlight cannot penetrate. The slope of these walls begins near Godargah village at heights of under 10 metres and reaches its peak at the Haft-Raq precipice. The gorge’s end is a suitable place to rest, recover and enjoy utterly pristine nature. A stream runs through the middle of Shiraz Gorge and flows into the Seymareh River.
Address: Lorestan Province, 50 km from Kuhdasht.
Another beautiful gorge near Fars Province is Boraq Gorge, in the astonishing village of the same name, 20 km from Sedeh and 80 km south-west of Eqlid city. The unique scenery and verdant nature of the village of Boraq make this area one of Fars Province’s tourist attractions.
Boraq Gorge also creates stunning landscapes with rushing rivers, rugged mountains, powerful waterfalls and flowing springs. A dense forest fills this deep gorge; a river runs through it and the waterfalls pour into pools beneath the cliffs. Some gorge walls reach up to 300 metres high. If you ever travel to the village of Boraq, be aware that the locals speak Luri and Kurdish.
Address: Fars Province, 80 km south-west of Eqlid, 20 km from Sedeh.
Buchir Gorge — also called Buchir Chaleh or Buchir Spring — is a fissure in the heart of a mountain that you must enter by walking into the water. The water that runs through Buchir Gorge is fed by a spring at its end. The depth of that spring reaches 35 metres, so swimming there without skills is not safe.
Doctor fish (Garra rufa) abound in the water of Buchir Gorge; these fish are even thought to have therapeutic properties. Water temperatures in the gorge range from 10–20°C and feel warmer at the beginning and colder in the middle. Summer is the best time to visit this gorge.
Address: Hormozgan Province, eastern Parsian County, Buchir village.
Dam-e Asb Gorge lies 40 km south of Shiraz in the Kohmareh-Sorkhi district near Koreh-Bas village. This gorge is famous for its waterfall and is one of Fars Province’s important tourist attractions.
The gorge’s name comes from a waterfall that resembles a horse’s tail. This waterfall continues from the Dam-e Asb river, falling from high cliffs and forming a shape reminiscent of a horse’s tail. The waterfall’s height reaches 30 metres.
The entire route to the Dam-e Asb waterfall is covered with oak, pomegranate, pennyroyal and other low shrubs and plants. If you ever visit this gorge, get ready to see playful squirrels. Wildlife and birds of prey live in the area, but their sightings have decreased due to the presence of visitors.
The best times to visit Dam-e Asb are spring and summer.
Address: Fars Province, 40 km south of Shiraz, Kohmareh-Sorkhi region, Koreh-Bas village.
Kal-e Jeni, located in South Khorasan north of Tabas and around Azmighan village, is known as Iran’s Grand Canyon. Old local inhabitants feared this gorge and believed it to be home to spirits, thus the name Kal-e Jeni. “Kal” denotes a valley or channel formed by floodwaters.
When you visit the gorge you clearly see the effects of torrent rivers that once ran through here, their erosion shaping the land into this immense valley over thousands of years.
Kal-e Jeni is U-shaped in some parts and V-shaped in others. The tall side walls sometimes come so close that when you look up you can no longer see the sky.
Unlike the lush, water-filled valleys, Kal-e Jeni is arid and barren. Still, there are some small waterfalls here called shalan. Another attraction of Kal-e Jeni is the presence of old Zoroastrian houses from long ago that connect by tunnels and date back to the Sassanid era.
Address: South Khorasan, north of Tabas, Azmighan village.
Fars Province and the village of Saran Behesht Makaan host Gambil Gorge. A river runs along the gorge floor and sometimes you must enter the river to pass certain sections. After passing through the village of Saran Behesht Makaan the river flows into the Doroodzan Dam.
Gambil Gorge starts at an altitude of about 2,100 metres and reaches about 2,400 metres at its end. Flowing waters, untouched nature and birdsong predominate in Gambil Gorge. As you trek the gorge you will encounter walnut trees, raspberries, wild barberries and fig. Sunlight never reaches parts of Gambil Gorge, which makes the atmosphere in those sections very cold.
Mid-May through the end of summer is the best time for adventures in Gambil Gorge.
Address: Fars Province, Sepidan County, Saran Behesht Makaan (Bashmakan) village.
Gat Qārazam is essentially a spring in Mohammadabad village in Behshahr County, Mazandaran Province. At the end of the road into the village there is a spring called Gat Qārazam that pours into an astonishing green pool ideal for bathing. Remember, the depth of this pool is about 2.5 metres, so you should be a competent swimmer.
As mentioned, Gat Qārazam sits at lower elevations and its walking path is very steep. If you carry a lot of gear, be careful because the trail becomes very steep near the end. Gat Qārazam is so little known that only locals are aware of this beautiful gem.
Address: Mazandaran Province, Behshahr County, Mohammadabad village.
We close the list of Iran’s most stunning and astonishing valleys with Khazineh Gorge in Lorestan Province. This gorge is located roughly halfway along the Pol-Dokhtar to Andimeshk road in a village called Khazineh.
One of Khazineh’s attractions is its suspension bridge, which is among the tallest of its kind in Iran and even the Middle East. If you visit, be sure to cross this 112-metre-long hanging bridge, which is 85 metres above the river — equivalent to standing atop a 29-storey building. The bridge — built over the Seymareh River — is made from four cable ropes and wooden planks.
If you are a fan of mountaineering and rock climbing, Khazineh Gorge is a great place to experience those adrenaline sports.
Although Lorestan has a cold climate, this gorge lies in a sunlit area and the best times to visit are spring and autumn.
