Iran Off-Road Tours
“Man is the master of his liberty”. This famous Shakespearean quote from The
Comedy of Errors is generally used to highlight the advantages of men over women
but today it alludes to the modern man in general irrespective of their gender.
And what better way to make use of this liberty than to exhaust the
possibilities of traveling. Off-road adventure is one such modern mutation.
Before the rise of the industrial age, such adventure was fairly limited as
horseback riding was the only possibility to roam the untrodden paths. But now
with the advent of automobiles and the resulting ease of access to previously
remote locations, there is no limit to the possibilities of off-road adventures.
Traveling agencies well know the huge benefits of this lucrative business and
correspondingly include a good deal of off-road vacation packages in their
annual agenda. There is a wide range of places to go off-roading: pristine dunes
in vast deserts, lost cascades and streams in remote mountainous regions, dense
jungles and expansive wild meadows, snow-white salt lakes, wetlands with plants
and birds of every hue, national parks packed with the animals of the earth and
the golden sands of thousands of coastlines around the globe. Iran is one of the
few countries that has all the off-road spots listed above and much more. In
what comes below we will take a look at three of these sensational sites and
leave the rest to be discovered by the limitless curiosity of off-road
explorers.
Alamut Off-Road Tour
A dark spot looms in the expansive field of a
boundless ashen sky. An eagle
scanning the dense snow-covered rocks is looking for its chief prey, mountain
snakes. Lest it falls to its death in a mortal collision, the eagle soars over a
formidable rocky wall of an edifice that strikes one as the protruding chest of
a ferocious giant; here is Alamut, the Castle of Assassins. The Nest of Eagles,
The Castle of Assassins, Nest of Punishment all refer to a place whose ominous
locale is only matched with its fatal reputation. Alamut, is a region in Qazvin
Province, Iran, known internationally for a number of fortresses and citadels in
the heart of the mountains accessible only through some of the most treacherous
terrains in the region. Alamut had been the center of power for the Shia sect of
Isma‘ilism in Iran for over 150 years. Founded by the movement’s leader Hasan-i
Sabbah, Ismailis maintained their independence through the years despite various
attempts by Seljuq kings to overthrow them. The soldiers trained in Alamut
fortresses were consummate shadow assassins and many murders of the political
figures of the age specially that of Seljuq vizier, Nizam al-Mulk and Conrad of
Montferrat, the king of Jerusalem are attributed to them. But opposed to the
largely mythical image of these castles in popular culture as the den of
ruthless murderers, the Castle of Assassins was much more than the hidden
fortress of a terrorist group. Before the invasion of the Moguls, Alamut was one
of the main centers for scientists, astrologers and men of letter. This was
largely due to the existence of astrology instruments and above all, one of the
largest collections of books in the region. When Moguls invaded Alamut, and
captured its castles they burned most of these books as productions of heretics.
Iran in general and Alamut in particular enjoyed a renewed fame at the beginning
of the new millennium thanks to the Ubisoft games Prince of Persia and Assassins
Creed. The latter which is partially based on historical facts but largely
inspired by the allegorical novel, Alamut by Vladimir Bartol was an immediate
sensation. The immense popularity of Assassins Creed and the story of Hashashins
launched the production of a Hollywood film in 2017, Assassins Creed starring
Michael Fassbinder as the protagonist. But Alamut off-road tours render much
more than exploring legendary citadels. Most of the historians of the time have
mentioned the ancient city of Qazvin and its surroundings including the
mountainous regions of Alamut. Many ancient villages are formed in the foothills
of Alamut since antiquity and that includes the beautiful Gazur Khan Village
whose great cherry orchards offer the best in the world. And finally, Ovan Lake,
an alpine lake at the altitude of 1800 meters further enriches the already
spectacular set of natural sites in Alamut with its icy cold water and flocks of
boisterous migratory birds.
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Alamut Off-Road Tour
Masuleh Off-road Tour
There's a feeling I get when I look to the west
And my spirit is crying for leaving
In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees
And the voices of those who stand looking
Led Zeppelin, Stairway to Heaven
Why Masuleh constantly reminds me of Led Zeppelin’s progressive rock hit
Stairway to Heaven eludes me. Is it the multilevel structure of the city going
up a mountain as if surging towards the heavens hand in hand with the rural
color of the lyrics? Or is it the effervescent guitar riffs of the imperishable
Jimmy Page that is redolent of the surreal sublimity of the region? Masuleh is a
city in Fuman County, Gilan Province, Iran. Masuleh is one of the rare regions
in Iran whose weather is predominantly foggy. The anonymous craftsmen of Masuleh
have probably opted for such architecture and material out of sheer necessity
but they have unknowingly created a city whose view resembles a staircase to
heaven. Masuleh, together with Abyaneh and Kandovan are places in Iran whose
unique architecture are most reflected in innumerable pictures taken over the
years by ordinary tourists and professional photographers. The easiest way to
travel to Masuleh is via Rasht (63km) or Fuman (35km). Despite its nomination as
a city, Masuleh is fairly small. However, accommodation in Masuleh shouldn’t
worry you. There is a three-star hotel about 15 km out of the city. But if you
long for staying in the famous hierarchically-constructed traditional houses,
you don’t need to pout. Mehran is the name of an apartment hotel which is
comprised of a number of interconnected traditional houses fashioned in such a
way that retains the local taste of Masuleh. Given the location of the hotel
which is placed at the heart of the old city, the amenities are pretty basic.
You shouldn’t expect luxury there but you will get a taste of local cuisine and
will have a view which is literally indescribable! History of Masuleh is also
very interesting. Although communities were formed as early as 10AD in the
premises, the foundation of the first village dates back to 1006 AD. However,
people were forced to move from the old village to the place that we know as
Masuleh today because of wide-spread diseases and war. If you are not still
convinced to travel to Masuleh just seek the photos for yourself. As you leaf
through the pictures you will gradually hear Robert Plant’s voice muttering:
“Ooh ooh ooh ooh and she's buying a stairway to heaven”.
Ilam Off-Road Tours
Ilam is one of the main destinations of
Iran off-road tours. Why is that you may ask.
The reason is of course that Ilam welcomes thousands of tours annually with its
staggering range of natural wonders. Ilam is located in the far west of Iran.
The geographical map of the region shows a marvelous diversity of natural rock
formations and woodlands creating exceptionally phenomenal sights; from the
extraordinary Tar Spring in Dehloran which is known as Dragon Blood among
natives to the fascinating heights of Kabir Kuh with its massive off-road area
near Darreh Shahr. If you are an enthusiast of off-road adventure, you will
enter the state of nirvana in here! And the amazing thing about Ilam is that its
off-road potential isn’t limited to the mountainous areas and woodlands. If you
come across the photos of Razianeh Canyon, you wouldn’t believe that such a spot
is located in the Middle-East. And if what you desire is a boat ride in green
waters across stupendous ravines, you don’t need to book an expensive trip to
Thailand; Tangeye Kaferin (Kaferin Canyon) in Ilam will satisfy your whim. Have
I missed something? Oh yes! Caves! When you imagine the point where the world
ends and the rest is just void, the most common image is that of a horizontal
opening, similar to a gash in the flesh of a gigantic rock. Well, Zeynegan Cave
in Ilam Province isn’t exactly the edge of the world but that is the view you
get at the entrance to this ravishing wonder of nature. Ilam Province is home to
one of the largest Kurd populations in the region and it is a common knowledge
that Kurds turn tasting lamb kababs into a transcendental experience! After a
long off-road journey, one could eat a horse and you don’t want to waste that
appetite on anything other than the phenomenal lamb kababs made on a bonfire
fueled by glazing chestnut coal! And if you want to try something more
adventurous, how about a spit of juicy Jigar Vaz (roast sheep liver.)
Book
an Ilam Off-Road Tour
9/7/2023 6:00:52 AM
