While not the first destination that comes to mind for powder hounds, skiing in Iran is a growing choice for those keen to ride somewhere different in a country rich in culture off the slopes.

With sanctions easing, the country is expected to open up even further and attract even more skiers to its slopes in the Alborz Mountain Range near the capital Tehran. Moreover, the cheap prices mean that powder chasers can go easy on the hip pocket while enjoying famous Iranian hospitality.

Season dates

As the mountains are quite high, the ski areas retain their snow quite well. The season usually stretches from November all the way through to May.

Obtaining a visa to Iran

To encourage tourism, Iran now offers 30 day visas on arrival for citizens of most countries. You are able to get a visa on arrival at the airports in Tehran, Mashad, Shiraz, Tabriz and Isfahan.

Money and costs

Be aware that Iran still is not linked to the rest-of-the-world banking system. This means you can't pull money out of ATMs using your Visa or MasterCard for the moment. This will hopefully change soon with the lifting of sanctions.

A view of the Dizin ski resort with the towering Mount Damavand in the background

This means you will need to bring in enough USD or Euros to change to last you for your time in Iran. Money can be easily changed at the airport and at banks and exchange centers around the major cities.

Iran is generally quite cheap. You can get a taxi around most places in Tehran for 200,000 Rial (around USD 6). You can get a burger or pizza (favored Iranian food) for around 150,000 Rial (around USD 4). But you should always bring in extra cash just in case.

Skiing and boarding in Iran

The main resorts are located just north of the capital Tehran, in the Alborz Mountain range. There are four ski resorts in the Alborz Mountain Range.

Dizin

The biggest of the resorts is Dizin, considered to be the global resort of Iran with three gondolas and 12 chairlifts. It is 120km north of Tehran and takes around 2 hours to get there if the road is open, and around 2.5 hours to get there if the road is closed and you need to take the western route up.

Dizin reaches an altitude of 3,600 m and therefore boasts more than a one kilometer of vertical difference. Terrain at this resort is great for those intermediate skiers and boarders trying to move into that more advanced category. It also has smaller and easier hikes for skiers and boarders beginning to dabble in backcountry terrain. Overall, it is best for intermediates. It is by far the biggest resort in Iran.

Dizin is the liveliest of the resorts and is where the younger, progressive-thinking and upper-class north Tehranis go to unwind on their weekend. If you are going to stay overnight up on the mountain, this is the best place to do so.

Shemshak and Darbandsar

Along the way to Dizin, you will find another ski area where two resorts are located next to each other - Darbandsar and Shemshak. They are around 90 minutes from Tehran. Dizin is another 35 minutes on from Shemshak when the road is open. Shemshak is around 5km from Darbandsar or 10 minutes. Runs here are between 2,550m to 3,050m.

Despite Shemshak and Darbandsar both being quite a bit smaller than Dizin, they boast much more interesting terrain on-piste and towering mountains behind the ski areas that will leave avid backcountry goers licking their lips.

Shemshak has two main lifts which are double chairs. While they are quite slow, they take you quite high up the mountain and open up some nice intermediate runs on-piste and some very nice off-piste runs. The run top-to-bottom is quite a leg-burner! It is usually not too busy either, especially if you go during the week (Iranian weekend is Thursday and Friday).

Darbandsar is a little smaller than Shemshak with just one main lift. It is sloped on one side which means you are skiing on the side of the mountain a little bit. However, there is probably a little more in the way of off-piste runs at Darbandsar than at Shemshak as the mountain is very open at the top.

Enduring some of the trickier hikes that getting to the summit of these peaks involves is well worth it as it will allow for runs that can last for 30 minutes and, best of all, will be untouched the whole way down. You do have to be very careful of avalanches so it is highly recommended that people who want this kind of experience should carry all of their avalanche gear and know how to use it.

Tochal

The last of the 4 resorts, Tochal, is located much closer to Tehran. In fact, the bottom of the lift can be considered as the northernmost part of Tehran. To get up, you take two telecabins - one which takes around 30 minutes and one which takes around 15 minutes.

Cable cars connecting northern Tehran to the Tochal ski resort

This is definitely the smallest of the four resorts as it has just two lifts servicing a small area which is mostly beginner terrain. While there is a bit of in-bound hiking you can do to access some steeper terrain, there is not that much back country to be done here. Tochal is good for convenience and price, but the better terrain is found at the other resorts.

Finding accommodation

Both Dizin and Shemshak have large hotels that will almost always have space. Compared to other ski resorts, this on-mountain accommodation is quite cheap. You can find a room that contains a private bathroom and two singles or a double for about USD 50 a night.

There are also several privately-owned cottages around that can be rented out. Prices for these vary on the quality of the cottage.

If you have a large group, you might consider hiring a chalet for the night for a bit of extra luxury.

An array of chalets adjacent to the Dizin ski resort

If you don’t believe all this about Iran, check it out for yourself. In fact, check it all out for yourself next time you want to get away from the daily grind.

Hospitality off the slopes and elsewhere in Iran

One of the biggest advantages of going to ski in Iran is the experience, not only at the ski resorts, but all across the country. People say that the Persians are the most hospitable people on Earth and, after experiencing it, you will probably be inclined to say this bold statement is actually not that far off the truth.

For example, people on the street may invite you over for tea and food after just meeting you. This kind of hospitality is not out of the norm at all. In fact, barely a day will go past when you will not be in some way touched by Iranian kindness and hospitality. It seems that everyone is very keen to help travelers, which makes travelling around Iran quite easy.

As far as a party goes, as you might expect, there is not that much to be done in Iran but if you are observant enough at the ski resorts, then there is a good chance to find something happening on a Thursday night (Thursday night is the Iranian equivalent to Friday night - the end of the working week). Dizin is the best bet for nightlife.

Despite their being so much to ski in the Alborz mountain range, Iran has so much to offer elsewhere that it is really worth seeing the rest of the country while you are there.

Iran has been inhabited by many different civilizations over the past centuries (even millennia) so it is a country rich in history. It is well worth going all the way south to Shiraz to immerse yourself in some the famous literature of Hafez or Saadi. It is absolutely recommended to check out the Shah-e-Cheragh shrine or most importantly, to go to Persepolis, to see where the Persian Empire began.

Moving north into the desert (which is not that hot during the winter months, don’t even think about it during summer) you can see the mud houses and Badgirs (a kind of cooling tower) of the old town of Yazd. You could also check out some of the incredible handicrafts (maybe pick up a famous Persian rug for next to nothing) or the beautiful Persian architecture in Isfahan.

Making your way further north back to the bustling capital of Tehran, you will find a significant difference in class between the poorer south and the wealthier north. The most exhilarating experiences you will encounter in Tehran are crossing a road and getting absolutely lost in the Bazaar.

Travelling around Iran

Fortunately travelling around Iran is much easier than travelling to and from the ski resorts with every major city having bus terminals that are easy to get to and with regular connecting buses that will go for around USD 7 (not bad for a 3 hour bus ride).

You can simply turn up at the terminal and buy a ticket to wherever you want to go. Hamsafar and Royal Safar are two of the bigger bus companies which are generally reliable. Your hotel or hostel will also generally offer to book tickets for you, for an extra fee of around USD 1.

A little tip for those really long journeys (Tehran to Shiraz is a 13 hour trip, for example), take a VIP bus. With extra-wide seats that incline to 160 degrees and the extra leg-room, you will appreciate the tiny extra money you pay.

Flights around Iran are also quite cheap. You can fly from Shiraz to Iran for around USD 40. Airlines include Mahan Air (which has international flights also), Iran Air and Aseman Air.

(Source: Snow Season Central)