TEHRAN – Iranian landscape, as you probably know, changes dramatically from region to region; snow-capped mountains, barren plains and deserts, green valleys, coastal lands and various-sized islands to name a few.

Traversing along the sun-scorched deserts, you may run into salt lakes, which have their own charms. The enigmatic Hoz-e Sultan, is one of those, which resemble a gigantic natural mirror when a shallow layer of water covers it salt deposits.

Sprawled about 40 kilometers northward of the city of Qom and adjacent to the Qom – Tehran highway, Hoz-e Sultan assumes different characteristics, sizes and shapes in various seasons of the year so that its attractiveness varies from time to time.

It is composed of two main interconnected segments. The western part is named after the lake itself and the eastern one is called Hoz-e Moreh. Both become chockfull of water in rainy season.

Covering 37,075 hectares with an altitude of about 720 meters above sea level, the lake is considered as one of the lowest parts of the Iranian plateau.

Shour, Ghara-Chai and Varamin are amongst rivers that discharge into the lake. The latter come from southern parts of Tehran Province. Melting snows and some seasonal rainfalls contribute to the inputs as well.

The region is a haven for some breeds of migratory birds, majority of them come from the north Caspian countries. There can be found footprints of houbara, pigeon, grey goose, mallard, duck, ruddy shelduck, stork, flamingo, falconers, grey goose, stork and different kinds of eagles. Mammals like rabbit, rat, fox and sometimes deer can be spotted near the lake.

Surroundings of the lake where species of valuable aerobic creatures such as algae, bacteria, and mushrooms grow.

Best time for visiting the lake usually spans from late autumn through early spring. 

AFM/MG