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🌎  Iran 🇮🇷

⭐  

4.8
(1023)

📍  Mount Damavand

✈️  Mehrabad International Airport (THR)

🚗  131.3 KM

⏱️  3 hours, 27 minutes

Mount Damavand, Iran's highest peak, offers a challenging yet rewarding mountaineering experience. Accessibility involves driving to base camps, often via shared taxis or private transport from Tehran, followed by multi-day treks. While possible for highly experienced mountaineers to attempt solo, a guided visit with local experts is strongly recommended due to the high altitude (altitude sickness is a significant risk), variable weather, and complex terrain; guides also help with mandatory permits for foreigners. The optimal climbing season is from mid-June to mid-September when weather conditions are most stable; winter ascents are extremely hazardous. A typical summit attempt, including essential acclimatization, usually spans 3 to 5 days. Costs can range significantly, encompassing mandatory permits, guide and porter fees, transportation, accommodation at guesthouses and high-altitude shelters, and gear rental, potentially totaling several hundred to over a thousand USD. Proper physical preparation, a focus on acclimatization, and respect for the local environment are paramount for a successful and safe ascent.