Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Araz Adventure Tours
( 021-7760 9292;
www.araz.org
)
Recommended by read-
ers. Offers range of mountaineering, climbing, horse- and camel-trekking, plus cultural
tours. Director Mohsen Aghajani speaks English. Most equipment can be provided.
Kassa Mountaineering and Tourism
( 021-7751 0463/4;
www.kassatours.com
)
Trekking, rock-climbing, heli-skiing, desert expeditions and climbing tours to 'any
mountain you want to climb'. Run by experienced, English-speaking climber Ahmad
Shirmohammad.
Sepid Mountaineering Company
( 0711-235 5939, 0917-313 2926;
www.iransightseeing.com
)
Shiraz-based Abdollah Raeesi and crew organise mountain-
eering, cross-country skiing, nomad and horseback tours.
Adventure Iran
( 021-8834 2103;
www.adventureiran.com
)
Tehran-based com-
pany run by experienced trekkers and mountaineers including Reza Zarei. Can put to-
gether backpacker-specific itineraries.
Rock Climbing
Rock climbing is growing in popularity in Iran and there are several accessible and chal-
lenging climbing routes. Hiring equipment is not easy but if you are keen you'll probably
be able to turn up to many walls and be invited to join the locals (on weekends espe-
cially). You'd be wise to check with police or tourist information offices before setting out
as certain innocuous-looking climbs can overlook sensitive military posts. That said, if
locals are using the climb there won't be a problem. A good place to meet people who
know these climbs is online at
www.summitpost.org/routes/Asia/Iran
/
lists options but
adds few details.
The most appealing climbs include:
Band-e Yakhchal
Easily accessed by hiking an hour uphill from Darband in north
Tehran, there are several low walls and the 200m-high Shervin wall; there's a hut here
called Shervin Hut. The lower 25m have been set up for climbing and reports are that in
summer it's a difficult but not especially technical climb to the summit. It's busy on Fri-
days.
Farhad Tarash
(
Click here
)
Cliffs around the ancient collection of inscriptions at Bisotun
include a particularly challenging rock-face. The Kermanshah tourist information office
can put you in touch with the local climbers club for support and equipment.
