Shahrud, a heaven for nature lovers
Iran is a four-season country, however since the country’s lack of water is often discussed, the general perception is that Iranians live in the middle of a desert and are constantly facing drought and its subsequent problems.
But in every corner of Iran you can find an amazing landscape and a pristine nature.
The city of Shahrud, in Semnan Province, is the only place in Iran from various directions of which you can reach a mountain, a forest and a desert in 30 minutes, and a sea in less than three hours, IRNA wrote.
Shahrud, which is the second largest city of Semnan Province, lies on the route linking Tehran to the holy city of Mashhad.
From the north, it is surrounded by the Alborz Mountains, and from the south, by the arid salty deserts. The river of Tash, after crossing this town, reaches the south deserts.
The weather on its mountainous areas is cold, while it is somewhat temperate in other parts of the city.
If you travel south for 30 minutes from Shahrud, you will reach a vast desert called Torud, having beautiful palm groves, the residents of which make a living from camel breeding.
And if you travel north for 30 minutes, you will encounter a forest like those spread across the northern provinces of Gilan and Mazandaran.
There is a cold and snowy region at a distance of one hour from the east side of the city, the climate of which is similar to that of Kurdestan and Lorestan provinces.
In the city of Mojen and the Tash-e Olya village, located at a short distance from western Shahrud, you will encounter people wearing jackets and warm clothes in late July and early August. They have to turn on heating devices at night.
Cloud Forest (Abr Forest) is among the well-known natural attractions and one of the most extraordinary sights of Shahrud; it is a place where the sky seems to have approached the earth.
The forest is one of the oldest in the world, dating back forty million years, belonging to the Jurassic period. It is a continuation of the lush forests of the north, and has an area of 35,000 hectares. One of the main features of this forest is its high altitude; as it has low temperatures in hot seasons.
The average maximum temperature in this forest is 20°C, while the nights and early mornings are very cold.
Shahrud, with numerous green and old plane trees, has several beautiful parks which are among its well-known attractions.
The oldest plane tree of the city, called chenar-e sookhteh, (chenar means plane tree) is located in the middle of a square with the same name. The tree has been registered on Iran’s National Heritage List.
A variety of animal and plant species live in the forest which is covered with clouds for most days of the year.
All the valleys leading to the villages are full of fruit orchards.
If you go there in the summer, various types of seasonal fruits such as apricots, peaches and cherries will delight your eyes.
Khaar Turan National Park, located in the region, consists of three major parts: a protected area, a national park, and a wildlife refuge. It is the second-largest protected area in Iran, having rare animal and plant species.
The biosphere reserve of Khaar Turan National Park, known as the Africa of Iran, is the largest in Iran.
No matter where you are in the country, you have access to at least one direct road to Shahrud. Moreover, the Shahrud railway is one of the busiest in the country.