Four Main Damavand Trekking Routs
There is no room for question that Mount Damavand, the highest mountain in Iran and the whole Middle East, is one of the first choices for mount climbers and nature lovers in Iran and the world.
The Damavand region is indeed so beautiful and eye-catching that even if you are not a climber, you still see it worthwhile to take a Damavand trekking tour and visit the area.
Every year, a large number of professional mountaineers and also common visitors from different parts of the world go to the Damavand region.
They take Damavand tour packages and start their journey to enjoy this marvelous natural beauty and conquer this fantastic peak to make beautiful memories.
Different Damavand trekking tours from different travel agencies in Iran may choose different routes to reach the Damavand peak. But in general, there are four main trekking routes to Mount Damavand.
In the present article, we have tried our best to introduce each one of these main routes in a rather detailed description.
We highly hope that by reading this article to the end, you will get useful information about these trekking routes and their important features.
Therefore, reading this article will be a great help for you if you wish to take a trekking tour and go to the Damavand region to climb or just visit Mount Damavand. So stay with us to the end please.
- Where is Mount Damavand and how high is it?
Mount Damavand is geographically located in the northern part of Iran in the Mazandaran province. The beautiful peak of Damavand can be seen from the cities of Tehran, Qom and Varamin, all of which are central cities on the map of Iran.
Damavand Peak is the highest semi-volcanic peak in Iran and the whole Middle East. It is also the 12th highest peak in the world.
There are several accounts about the exact height of Mount Damavand. But the generally agreed account is that the height of Damavand Peak can approximately reach 5609 meters.
Every year, the Damavand region attracts a large number of visitors and climbers from different parts of the world to take Damavand trekking tours and embrace the marvelous beauty of the area.
To reach Mount Damavand, Different Damavand trekking tours may suggest different routes, but four of them are the most well-known, and each of which we will explain in the rest of this article in sufficient detail.
It is also good to mention here that it would ideally take 3-5 days to get to the peak of the mountain.
- What are the four main Trekking routes to reach the Damavand peak?
To ascent to the Damavand peak, you can take four different routes, each of which has its own features and characteristics. These four main routes include the southern route, the western route, the northern route, and the northeastern route.
1-2 Climb from the southern front
Reaching the peak of Mount Damavand from this route is the oldest way to climb Damavand peak, and of course, mountaineers say that it is the easiest way as well.
This route is easier mostly because of the existence of more shelter facilities for climbers and of course the simplicity of the route to take compared to other routes.
The main goal for most of the mountaineers in Damavand is to successfully climb the peak. And as they usually do not have the opportunity to come agian, travel agencies in Iran usually guide them towards the southern route.
To do so, you first need to take the road between Pleur and Rine villages to access the route.
There is a dirt road between these two areas through which climbers and visitors can find Bargah e Sevom, the best-equipped basecamp in Damavand. The route then goes through a river and then the second river and climbers should continue to the right to get to the base of the peak.
2-2 Climb from the western route
The western route is one of the four ways to climb the Damavand peak and make unforgettable memories in the path. If you want to reach the summit from the western route, you have to take the Haraz road for an hour to reach an area called the Pleur village.
The altitude there is nearly 3400 meters. There, you continue the way to find a hut at 4200 meters called the Simorgh basecamp where you can have access to drinking water and restrooms.
You start moving about 2 to 3 hours, depending on the speed of movement. Then continue your way on the western edge where you will pass a glacier and continue the way among the rocks and sulfur soils.
With its steep slope and high-speed winds, this route is considered a difficult one to climb Damavand. However, take into account the fact that the western route is considered the most beautiful to trek Mount Damavand.
3-2 Climb from the northeastern route
This route to get to the peak of Mount Damavand is longer than the other routes. Climbers can choose two different paths to take this route and reach their destination.
The first one passes through a village called Gozaneh that crosses a river nearby. Another path passes through Nandel Village.
Of course, these two routes meet at one place known as the Takht Fereydoun basecamp, and after that, the ascent from the northeastern front has one single route.
Some believe that the ascent through the village of Gozaneh is longer and that is why they suggest Nandel village route. After passing the basecamp, you need to cross a steep slope for nearly two hours.
Then you will get to the northern route as they reach the summit together. Many say that this route is the most beautiful one mostly because of the unique view that it offers along the way.
As said above, the northeastern route is the longest route to climb Mount Damavand, so is more suitable for experienced mountaineers.
4-2 Climb from the northern front
The starting point for reaching the peak of Mount Damavand from this route is a village called Nandel in the northern part of Damavand. There, you have a gentle slope in front of you that goes between two glaciers named Sioleh (on the right) and Dobi Sel (on the left).
After passing this path, you reach the basecamps. Two basecamps are available on this route with the first one known as Chahar Hezar at 4700 meters of altitude and the second one called Panj Hezar at 4600 meters.
After passing the second basecamp, you have to gently head northeast, and after crossing the volcanic rocks, you will reach a path that is the same as that available from the northeastern front to reach the summit.
The northern route is one of the hardest routes for a Damavand trek. This is mainly because the path is steep and rocky, the camps are not well equipped, and you cannot find water very easily. That’s why travel agencies usually suggest it to experienced mountaineers who like not very crowded routes to reach the peak of Mount Damavand.
- Why Damavand trekking tour would be an unforgettable memory?
Climbing the highest semi-volcanic peak in Asia and the 12th highest mountain in the world will surely be an unforgettable experience for anyone with any taste.
In fact, no matter what route you or your travel agency chooses for you to get to the Damavand peak, you can enjoy the spectacular views of the area in general. From the very first moment of the journey to Mount Damavand to the last, you visit a mesmerizing nature of dazzling rare glaciers, waterfalls, plants, animals, etc.
Mount Damavand is indeed a symbol of strength and resistance based on Iranian folk stories. Therefore, taking a Damavand trekking tour and visiting the area can be considered as a cultural adventure too.
In the present article, we tried to make our best effort to provide you with the most important and necessary information you might need to know on how to trek Mount Damavand.
To do this, we introduced you to the four main trekking routes to the peak of this beautiful mountain and explained how visiting Mount Damavand can be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
No doubt that trekking Damavand is no easy task at all and it requires good physical and mental strength. After all, it is a long trekking tour and you will have to walk a lot! But if you can make sure of that, then having second thoughts about taking a trekking tour package and visiting Mount Damavand is a pretty big mistake.
All in all, when you are in Mount Damavand, you would feel as if you are trekking a tour over the clouds and you’re are on top of the world. So stop hesitation, call an Iranian travel agency, and book a Damavand trekking tour package for your next holiday! Be sure that you won’t regret it.
