With all the hassles, winter remains fun and very pretty. Being a city on the foothills of the Alborz Mountains, Tehran is surrounded by a vast snow-covered landscape in winter which includes five ski resorts, World Nomads reports.
Abali
Some 60 km northeast of Tehran, Abali is a town in Rudehen district of Damavand county. It was the first ski resort to open in Iran. Recently its chair lifts have been upgraded. One is 300 meters long, and the other is 700.
At an altitude of 2,800 meters above sea level, Abali ski resort offers gradual slopes, suitable for beginners and intermediate skiers. The best ski season is from late December till mid-March.
Within the precinct of the resort, there are other sport facilities including tennis courts, maneges, and a gliding center. There are also three restaurants, and a hotel with medical facilities.
Tochal
Tochal ski resort can be reached via a cable car journey, from north Tehran. The cable car is in a recreational complex called Bam-Tehran ‘Roof of Tehran’. Bam-Tehran is at the northern end of Velenjak avenue, located to the north of Chamran highway.
Tochal has one of the longest and most inexpensive cable cars in the world. At 3,963 meters, Tochal ski resort is the fifth highest in the world, ensuring a long season from December till April and sometimes June.
At the end of the cable car, there are four ski lifts, two of which stop just short of the summit, where there are magnificent views of Mount Damavand.
Shemshak
Shemshak ski resort is in the northeast of Tehran. It is the second largest ski resort in Iran after Dizin. Shemshak became operational in 1958. There are a total seven ski lifts of various kinds in the resort.
Shemshak’s highest point is at an altitude of 3,050 meters above the sea level; and the slopes drop down to 2,550 meters. The resort includes two slopes with lighting facilities for night skiing.
Advanced skiers usually prefer Shemshak resort over others; the slopes are quite steep with numerous mogul fields here and there.
Shemshak is just about a 50-minute ride from Tehran, 10 km from the parking lot of Dizin resort, and 5 km from Darband-Sar ski resort.
Two best residential complexes in Shemshak are the old ASP building and Sepahan residential complex which was completed in late 2012.
Great Lavasan
Great Lavasan is one of the towns in Lavasanat-Shemiranat county. Shekarab is a village in Lavasanat, famous for its waterfall. The waterfall has a charming road running by a river through groves and gardens.
There is a meadow in the vicinity of Shekarab village, called Dasht-Havij ‘carrot plain’. At 25 km from Tehran, it attracts many eco-tourists. The meadow can be accessed by Tehran – Lashgarak road.
Dizin
Dizin Ski Resort is the largest in the country. It is 123 km from Tehran, and can be accessed by the road connecting Tehran to Gajereh district.
At 2,700 meters above the sea level, Dizin provides a long ski season, starting in late November and ending in late May. Advanced skiers and beginners alike can enjoy Dizin resort.
Dizin is also an important grass-ski center in summer. There are numerous lodging and sport facilities around the resort. It is 10 km from Darbandsar ski resort; 13 km from Shemshak; 18 km from Tochal; and 63 km from Abali.
