Snowboarding in Iran
Snowboarding in Iran
Iran certainly seems like an unlikely destination if you're going snowboarding, but the truth is that it offers some great locations. There are some mountains that lie just an hour from Tehran that offer some of the best snowboarding spots that you will get anywhere. The Alborz mountains may not have much choice in the way of expensive ski resorts and there may not be a snowboard shop for miles to see in some areas, but all of that pales into comparison when you are enjoying some of the best free riding spots in the world.
The two most popular ski resorts in Iran are those of Dizin and Shemshak. Dizin lies to the north of Tehran in in the Alborz mountain range. It is a very big ski resort and certainly the biggest in Iran; and with two hotels, cottages and many restaurants there are many options when you are considering where to stay there. In contrast to Dizin there is the great Shemshak resort; while the former is more designed to cater to beginner and intermediate skiers, Shemshak is unashamedly designed more for the advanced and is a great place to do some snowboarding as well.
Despite what you may think or even what you may hear in the news reports at times, Iran is generally a very safe place to visit. The food is amazing, the tap water is fine to drink in most places and it can be very cheap to travel around and stay there as well. This combination of factors can make it a very good snowboarding destination and a great alternative to some of the packed out venues in North America and Europe.
Skiing was introduced to Iran in the 1930's by the Germans. By 1947 the countries ski federation was formed and by 1951 the first chair lift was put into place. Since then the ski slopes in Iran have gotten more and more popular with the locals, but are still not frequented that often by ski tourists from over seas. Snowboards are a regular sight on the slopes there with about 30% of ski slope activity being down to snowboarders. The national snowboard team is also very highly skilled and recently won the International Snowboarding Competition held at their own Tochal ski resort located near Tehran.
The ski resorts and locations in Iran can be excellent for a snowboarding holiday. The season there is even a bit longer than in most places due to high altitudes and global positioning. If you are planning to go there for a snowboarding adventure most people seem to recommend Shemshak as the ideal snowboarding destination. However if you are a complete beginner it may be worthwhile looking into other options. The two resorts I have mentioned are the biggest in the country but there are about forty in total throughout. If you want to experience an exotic destination and still get your snowboarding fix, Iran certainly does sound like the ideal destination.