5 Lakes Worth Seeing In Iran

If you are planning a trip to Iran, take this chance to check out some of the country’s lakes while there. Here are five lakes worth checking out in Iran.

Lake Gohar

Running a length of slightly more than one kilometer and about 30 meters deep, Lake Gohar is located in the western corner of Iran at 2,400 meters above sea level. The lake’s crystal-clear waters are home to eel, turtle back, frog and rainbow trout, while the surrounding terrain is inhabited by goats, sheep, deer and leopards. Gohar is a popular place for beach recreation and the best time to visit is July and August, when the highland lake is filled with colored anemones and beautiful tulips.

Lake Gohar

Lake Valasht

Try not to miss Valasht, with a depth ranging from seven to 28 meters. This lake stands at 1,000 meters above sea level and is located in northern Mazandaran Province. Valasht is home to different types of trout, making it a favorite for those who love to cast their rods and relax on a beautiful spring or summer day. Visitors to Valasht can take pedal boats across its waters.

Lake Valasht

Lake Urmia

Lake Urmia is a saltwater body between the provinces of East Azerbaijan and West Azerbaijan in northwestern Iran. Urmia was the largest lake in the Middle East and the sixth largest salt lake in the world, with a surface area of approximately 5,200 square kilometers. The lake has been shrinking for a long time. Although measures are now being taken to reverse the trend the lake has shrunk by 60%. The lake and its roughly 100 islands are protected as a national park by the government. Lake Urmia is an internationally registered protected area as both a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and a Ramsar site. The waters of Urmia are said to treat various ailments, due to its saline levels and mineral content. The salty waters of Urmia recently changed from a deep green color to a rich red, likely due to algae and bacteria blooms.

Lake Urmia / National Geographic

Lake Zarivar

Zarivar (or Zeribar) measures five kilometers and is located at 1,285 meters above sea level, near the northwestern city of Marivan and nestled in the Zagros Mountains. Although Zarivar is big, its basin is fed only by melting snow that covers the surrounding mountains. In 2009, together with the surrounding area, the lake was declared a nature reserve as numerous rare plants and animal species inhabit Zarivar. The area attracts many tourists and nature-lovers throughout the year, thanks in part to the lake’s moving islands.

Lake Zarivar

Lake Parishan

Located in southwestern Fars Province, Lake Parishan ranks as the largest freshwater lake in the country. It receives only very small amounts of water from neighboring rivers. As a globally significant wetland ecosystem, the entire lake is protected by UNESCO. This water reservoir is located near mountain forests and has a length of about 14 kilometers. The charm of this region is doubled by thousands of migratory birds from some regions of Siberia and northern Iran.

Lake Parishan