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Tochal Ski Resort
Mount Tochal is a mountain in the Alborz range, adjacent to metropolitan Tehran. The mountain has a 12 km long ridge-line. The highest peak is Mount Tochal with an elevation of 3,964 m (13,005 feet). A gondola lift runs from Tehran to Tochal Ski Resort and a modern hotel.
The resort has two-chair lifts and one T-bar. There are seven stations on the telecabin route; Tochal ski resort is located at the seventh station. There are the restaurants at fifth and the seventh stations, and a nice hotel called Tochal Hotel at the base of the resort 3550m, with 30 rooms and suites. Depending on the climate and the amount of snowfall, the ski season usually starts in November and lasts until April or even June.
Tochal Telecabin (gondola lift)
Tochal Telecabin is probably the
world's longest gondola lift lines with a length of 7500m. The project started
in 1974 and has been open to the public since 1978. It starts at the Velenjak
valley in north of Tehran at an altitude of 1900 m. and ends at the last
station at an altitude of 3740 m., near the main ridge of Mount Tochal. This
gondola lift is used for accessing ski resorts and other recreational centers
on the mountain. Beautiful landscape, mountain fresh air and a multitude of
fresh water springs adds to the freshness of the area. With upgrading the
safety standards of telecabin lines, families and sportspeople can enjoy the
telecabin ride and other facilities with joy and pleasure.
The gondola lift has four stations:
Station 1 is at an elevation of 1900 m. and located at the beginning of
Velenjak valley (end of Velenjak Street). Parking, inns and some other
facilities are available.
Station 2 is at 2400 m. and has very limited facilities.
Station 5 is at 2935 m. There is a restaurant and a rescue center. This station
is in the middle of one of the ski slopes which is open only in mid-winter but
rarely used. This station is also accessible through several climbing paths
like Shirpala shelter, Osoon valley and Palang-chal shelter. In order to get to
Station 7 you have to change here.
Station 7 is at 3740 m. and very close to the Tochal main ridge. It is the last
station of the gondola lift. This station is in the middle of the Tochal ski
slope. The Tochal main peak is a 30-minute walk from this point. This station
is also reachable from Hezar-cham climbing path from Station 5.
Tochal Hotel
Unique location, proper services, and mountainous natural beauty are the specialties of the Tochal Hotel. The hotel is located 3,545 meters above the sea.
Damavand Ski Resort
Mount Damavand Iran Ski Mountaineering and Snowboarding.
About Damavand Ski Resort
Mount Damāvand (In Persian: دماوند) also known as Donbavand, a dormant volcano, is the highest point in Iran (Persia). The mountain is located near the southern coast of the Caspian Sea, 70 km (45 mi) northeast of Tehran. It is clearly visible from Tehran.
Weather condition in mount Damavand is harsh and severe in winter time. Since the middle of October we expect snow fall in high altitudes, which means the condition is considered like winter. From the end of December till next May there is usually enough snow for skiing, but March to mid-April is the best time of the year for having enough snow. We recommend you to be informed of the snow condition in the region, before leaving for a ski touring trip to Damavand.
South Routes Physical difficulty
Alpine style trekking up to 1400 m vertical in a day. Climbs involving 1400 m+ of vertical climbing above 4000 meters. The south route is famous for its non-technical mild slopes, ascend to the peak is technically easy but physically moderate and this level demand that you should be fit enough and really in good shape, the main challenge is acclimatization and weather. There is 5 to 8 hours day-trek with big ascents and 3 to 4 hours descents. Preliminary trekking/mountaineering experience is a big advantage.
Weather Difficulty
Changing weather conditions even in the middle of summer play an important role when trekking. In summer trekking, Damavand difficulty and climbing grade is similar to Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and Mt Everest Base Camp in the Himalayan, but in winter condition it is a complete different story and it can be compared to a 7000 meters summit. Keep in mind that even in summer a successful climb is possible only in a good weather and correct timing. Off-season mountaineering specially in bad weather is very hard and dangerous.
Pooladkaf Ski Resort
About Pooladkaf Ski Reort
Pooladkaf ski resort, the second international ski resort in Iran, is located in the South of Iran, 85 km from Shiraz, and 15 Km from Sepidan. It was established in 2002. The ski resort elevation is 2850 meters from the sea level, the peak; however, is 3400m. There is a gondola lift with the length of 2100 m and also surface lifts. The hotel restaurant is under construction, but there are already a small guest house, one restaurant with traditional foods and fast food beside the resort and also one coffee shop at the top station of the gondola. In the village nearby, called Komehr, there are also some accommodation facilities like a motel, and some villas with reasonable facilities.
At Pooladkaf, you can also enjoy driving snowmobiles and ATVs, as well as riding segways, bikes, horses and pedaloes. All facilities of this ski resort (except skiing) are open to the public in non-ski seasons too. Ski season in Pooladkaf usually starts from December and lasts until late March and sometimes early April. Due to considerable precipitation of this region (about 1000 mm in less than 6 months), in some years there is 3 meters of snow at the bottom of the resort. The last but not least interesting point about this resort is the strong sunshine even in January. There, beside the ski at Pooladkaf Ski Resort, you can see the marvelous Margoon-waterfall near-by (45 km from Pooladkaf), which is unique in Iran.
Quick Facts
Altitude: 3400 m
Vertical Drop: 421 m
Lifts: 1 gondola, surface lifts
The lift length: about 2km
The lift prices: us$10.0 during the week-days and $12.0 on weekends (Fridays)
Skiing at night: Not possible
Distance from Shiraz: 85km
Darbandsar Ski Resort
About Darbandsar Ski Resort
Darbandsar ski resort is one of the newest ski resorts in the country which is run by a private company. It is located 60 km to the north east of Tehran. The altitude is from 2650 – 3150 meter high. This ski resort is less crowded than other and offers variety of skiing activities and winter sports such as mountain climbing, ice climbing, cross-country skiing, snowboarding, off-piste skiing, rock climbing, mountain biking, etc. Besides, there is a professional ski school to learn skiing.
Darbandsar ski resort is one of the 7 ski resorts around Tehran. It is located on the north face of Mt. Kashoolak (3650m). The base elevation is 2620m and the top elevation is 3150m. There are 2 chairlifts and 3 drag lifts in this resort. This is the second most challenging resort in the region after the one in Shemshak. Like Shemshak there are some nice areas for off-piste skiing. It is also possible to ski from Dizin ski resort to Darbandsar.
When you are on the top, the view is spectacular. Mt Koloonbastak (4160m) and Mt. Sarakchal (4220m) and the ridge in between look majestic. The whole area is a heaven for extreme skiers.
Lift System
2 chair lifts (télésiège), 1 drag (teleskis/surface lifts), 2 drags (hammer teleskis)
Season Availability
Skiing time: December to April
open to public on weekdays in winter
Abali (Ab Ali) Ski Resort
Mount Damavand Iran Ski Mountaineering and Snowboarding.
About Abali (Ab Ali) Ski Resort
The first ski resort to open in Iran and thus having a fundamental affect on the sports development in the country. Recently upgraded with newer lifts. Lifts are 300 to 700 metres long. Located about 57 km north east of Tehran,it is situated at an altitude of 2250 m with a vertical drop of 250 m and offers very nice slopes for beginners and intermediate skiers.
The slope stands at an attitude of 2,800 m. above sea-level in the Haraz Road and at a distance of 50 km from Tehran. This vicinity has scope for other sports like tennis, horse riding and gliding. Three restaurants, a hotel including medical facilities are also available here. The best season for skiing in this area is from late December till mid March.
Accommodation
2 hotels, a number of villas
Nearest Airport
IKA International Airport and Mehrabad Airport.
Skiing Season Period
November to April
Working Days
open to public every day during the whole year.
Other activities
playing tennis, horse riding and flying with kites in summer.
Dizin Ski Resort
Know more about Dizin. Weather, accommodation, skiing opportunity, testimonials and tour reservation.
About Dizin Ski Resort
The huge Dizin ski resort which has been established since 1969 is located in the north of Tehran in the Alborz mountain range. The ski season in Dizin also lasts longer than European ski resorts (from Mid November to May) because of its high altitude. It is one of the 40 highest ski resorts in the world as the highest ski lift reaches 3,600 m (11,800 ft). It includes three tele-cabins, two ski lifts, seven dish tele-skis and one Hammer tele-ski.
It gained its official title for its specific physical and technical features such as the course slope, length of the course and the place where the competitions and races are held, as well as amenities and other recreational facilities.
The ski activity in Dizin complex is not confined to winter. It is also an important grass-ski centre in summer. The first international grass-ski tournament was held at Dizin by the International Ski Federation with participation of some leading countries in skiing in 1996. Dizin boasts summer activities such as grass-skiing, hiking, horse riding and tennis, and a children’s playground.
Accommodation Facilities in Dizin
This resort has many comfortable accommodation facilities such as hotels, cottages, chalets, villas, private apartments and local houses, and accommodates thousands of people every year. The facilities in the area are more than enough to present a homelike accommodation place.
There are two hotels at the bottom of the slope. Since early 2008, one of these hotels has been closed for renovation, except the restaurant which is open for eating kebab and pizza.
The hotel is located just 20 m from the bottom of the slopes. The parking area is just 50 m away with a few shops that rent out ski equipments.
Gajere Hotel is also about five minutes (about 2 km) before arriving at Hotel Dizin. This hotel is slightly cheaper and will have a higher chance of having vacant rooms on weekends. It has a free shuttle bus to the slope.
Ski Equipment
It is possible to rent ski and snowboard equipment at three places: the pro-shop at the Hotel which has the newest ones and thus much more expensive, the rental places around the parking lot by the hotel and a few small places along the road at the parking lot on the top. The latter is about half the price compared to the ones at the bottom of the slopes. The same is applied to rentals in Shemshak.
Ski instructors are available for hiring. It is also possible to hire an experienced guide who can take you to other mountains and off-piste skiing.
You can rent any equipment and skiwear in the area, all kind of ski and snowboard, mono board and Alpine ski, cross country skis and accessories.
How to get in Dizin ski resort
From Tehran:
Take a taxi- always available, thus
more recommended.
Go with the group tour organized by hotel or your travel agency.
Take the minibus which leaves Tehran very early in the morning around 5A.M.,
and departs from Dizin around 3 P.M.
(The second and the third must be checked with us while planning your trip.)
There are two ways to reach Dizin from Tehran. The longest and safest way is through Karaj, the road which is usually open but takes about 2:30 hours. The quickest way is to pass through Shemshak resort directly. The road between Shemshak and Dizin is steep and frequent make this part of the road often be closed. The mentioned above minibus uses this way. Unless you are on a day trip, you are strongly advised to take the road through Karaj.
Make sure you check the weather and snow forecast before leaving, especially if you are traveling through the direct route.
Distance from Tehran by Chalus Road
( through Karaj): 124 km
Distance from Tehran by Shemshak Road: 72 km
Food
During the day, there is a SFC (Iranian version of KFC) in the middle of the slope and a snack bar at the top. The latter also serves breakfast.
At night, there are only two restaurants (also open for breakfast and lunch); one in Dizin Hotel and another in the other hotel (only the restaurant is open).
Contact
Irancell mobile network has coverage .You may also be able to use the phone at the reception of Dizin Hotel for local calls.
Working Days
In winters, this resort is open during the weekdays and in summer; it is only open on Iranian weekends (Thursdays, Fridays) and national holidays.
Getting out
You can get a taxi from the top of the slope down to shemshak which is another ski resort just 15 minutes away. Shemshak is steeper and very good for professional skiers.
Shemshak Ski Resort
Know more about Shemshak. Weather, accommodation, skiing opportunity and tour reservation.
About Shemshak Ski Resort
Shemshak is a ski resort which is located in the north-east of Tehran in the Alborz mountain range. Shemshak is considered as next in rank to Dizin ski complex and has started its activity since 1958. It includes two ski lifts, three dish teleskis and two hammer teleskis. The slopes lie at an altitude of 2550m to 3050m above the sea level. The resort includes two main slopes, each with a chair lift that apex at the top and several lifts. There are also lighting facilities for night skiing.
Shemshak has been classically provided for more advanced skiers while Dizin has drawn beginner and intermediate skiers. The slopes are quite steep and many of the runs are mogul runs. Snowboarders are welcomed to tackle the slopes, about one third of the people on the slopes are boarders. The terrain is suitable for more adventurous boarders. It is not crowded except on Iranian weekends. With an altitude of 3050m, the resort is just 60 Km northeast of the capital of Tehran, close to the Mount Damavand.
Fresh weather as well as closeness of the region to Tehran are the main reasons to attract many foreign and local tourists. You will enjoy an interesting ski till midnight by the lightened
How to get to Shemshak?
60 to 90 min (about 60 km) drive to Shemshak from Tehran by coach. After a heavy snowfall, snow chains are often necessary for the last part of the journey. There is no railway station in Shemshak, the closest railway station is at Tehran.
Skiing Season
Accommodation
There are two hotels in Shemshak ski resort, one of which is older. Both hotels are cheaper than the ones in Dizin.
