Ever wondered about what skiing in Iran’s snowy highlands feels like? It’s fascinating that withal the vast hot deserts in Iran, it also has the most breathtaking mountains brimming with soft snow. But what is the best time to ski in Iran? From mid-December to late May would be ideal for sliding down the pristine white slopes of Alborz Mountain ranges. If you want to know where to ski, here we will tell you about some of the best ski resorts in Iran that are excellent spots for you to choose for your vacation.
Iran is one of the few countries that have many high-altitude ski resorts. In the following, you will get to know some of these popular ski resorts where you can enjoy skiing and snowboarding with your friends and family.
On top of the Alborz Mountain range is the largest and the most equipped international ski resort in Iran. If you take the Chalous road, the Dizin ski resort is 70 kilometers away from Tehran (the northern part of Tehran city). The whole place is perfect for skiers, families, and friends to feel refreshed by the pure air of the heights, alongside many exciting activities. Dizin provides 23 different pistes, and they vary in steepness:
The highest slopes in Dizin are around 3,600m above sea level, and the lowest is 2650m. The complex also offers tutors; some of them are skilled athletes. You may also rent equipment if you don’t have any. In Dizin, you can find hotels, cottages, villas, private apartments, and restaurants. Thousands of skiers of various nationalities gather at this top-rated ski resort in Iran for its exhilarating facilities. Not only does it have ski tracks, but you can also do mountain climbing, mountain biking, a chairlift or a gondola lift, etc. International completions do take place in Dizin, so you might like to participate or be part of the audience in these thrilling events.
Darbandsar
Just near Dizin is another excellent place for ski lovers. Darbandsar Ski resort is 60 km to the Northeast of Tehran in the Seechal mountains of the Alborz ranges, and it is known for being the best resort after Dizin. Rest assured that this spot won’t run out of snow even if there are any climatic changes because Darbandsar is the only ski resort with snow-making machines. Skiing in this place would be superb due to the suitable soft snow made, ready for the skiers.
The resort offers a variety of facilities, like four-person and two-person chairlifts, cable cars, restaurants, and coffee shops. In 2008, Darbandsar received international approval from the World Ski Federation, and recently it hosted several ski racing competitions. Skiing at night is also made possible in Darbandsar with the floodlights switched on from 7 PM, offering a completely different experience.
Tochal
Tochal is not only a great place to hike and climb mountains, but in its seventh station, at 3,962m above sea level, there is a spectacular ski resort with chairlifts and a gondola lift to take you up there. You will find many amenities in Tochal, such as Escape rooms, Zip lines, a mountain coaster, a shooting club, a pool club, tennis courts, restaurants, a nice hotel, and wooden huts for staying overnight. This has made Tochal one of the best locations for recreation and athletic activities. Tochal has the longest cable car in the world, approximately 7.5 kilometers in length, and it stops at four different stations, where the last station is where you will step into the world of skiing.
Shemshak
Shemashak, one of the oldest ski resorts in Iran, is still actively used by the natives. The resort is only an hour away from the east of Tehran and is easily accessible. Shemshak ski resort offers a hotel (Barin Hotel) with two entrances, one opening to the Ski piste and the other to the main road. You can access four restaurants, two platter lifts, two-button lifts, and two chairlifts.
One of the zones called the “Aftab Track” is made specifically for beginners and younger skiers to learn skiing with the help of skilled tutors. Shemshak has a steeper piste, so it would be trickier for amateurs to use these zones. The length of the long-distance skiing track (The Mahtab Track) is 1950 meters, and it would certainly excite you during the night to ski down on slopes of snow glowing with lights.
Virgin Powder Fields for Ski Touring
Snow quality is one of the most critical factors in ski resorts. In rainy weather, skiing must be avoided because the tracks will be slippery and unsafe for anyone to use. Skiing is most enjoyable in freshly fallen powder snow, which is suitable for both beginners and professionals. In Dizin and Darbandsar, these virgin powder snow fields will be prepared by a piste machine, evening out the snow on the slopes. Because Dizin Ski Resort is located at a very high altitude, the snow is always at its highest quality, making it one of the best ski resorts in Iran.
Very Affordable
Iran Adventure Tours has introduced two sensational Ski Tours for you to pick from at affordable prices, and the difference between the tours is where they will come about. The Damavand Tour is in the Alborz Mountain ranges, which are situated in the Northern part of Iran and the Zagros Tour is by the Eastern side of the country. Because Damavand is a volcanic mountain, depending on the winter and early spring snowfall, it is a perfect place to ski with your friends. The tour is more than two weeks with four cities to visit, along with hotels and meals. There will be a pause between the itineraries, where you will sightsee the magnificent cultural sites in Iran. Our Zagros Ski tour is at least ten days with seven cities to stay in, and ski in Mount Dena, the highest peak of the Zagros ranges, along with other heights. We will provide you with the accommodations and meals for all our tours. If you like to read more about these adventurous tours, click on “Things to do” from the top menu. We will be pleased to see you here!
The kindness of its people
Throughout the tours, you will stumble upon many locals and natives around the ski resorts. You’ll be surprised by their heartwarming welcomes. Iranians tend to be very indulgent towards foreigners, so be sure to have fun during your holiday trip to Iran. We will take you to cozy local houses to lodge and relax after a long day of skiing. What’s more? You will also get to know the lifestyle and customs of local families living outside the big cities. Wouldn’t it be nice to escape the noisy, polluted cities and ease up your week with the beautiful nature in the highlands?
Iranian Cuisine
With numerous restaurants at hand in these exceptional ski resorts, you will have the chance to taste the delicious Iranian cuisine. If you like to try out Persian food in Dizin, you should stop by the “Snack Bar” restaurant. They open from 10 AM to 10:30 PM, serving all customers the best “Ghorm-e Sabzi” (a famous Iranian dish that includes rice and a veggie stew with beef). In addition, Snack Bar contains a coffee shop where skiers can take a break with a cup of coffee and appreciate the snowy scenery.