Arasbaran
Arasbaran or Qaredāgh, is a large almost mountainous area that borders the cities of Mesghin Shahr, Maghān, Sarāb, Tabriz and Marand (eastern Azerbāijān region).
The forest of Arasbārān with its 12 thousand km of surface, is one of the most spectacular areas of Iran that has taken the name of nature museum; a paradisiacal area that, besides a luxuriant nature, also contains remarkable historical testimonies and its beauty is made even more enchanting by the presence of numerous summer camps of nomadic tribes.
This still virgin area is home to 215 incredible bird species, 29 types of rare reptiles, 48 species of mammals and 17 species of fish.
In Arasbārān there are very important ancient remains; among the most noteworthy we can mention the fortress of Tumāsiāsh, the Nāzini church and the Bābāk castle. The hot and cold water sources in this area are particularly popular.
Over 70 thousand hectares of land in the Arasbārān area have been registered by UNESCO on the list of biosphere reserves. Mount Kamtāl, with a height of 3100 meters, is one of the most important peaks of this area; the imposing rocky chains are even more fascinating due to the fact that they have remained virgin and intact because of the steep slopes and the difficult access.
Even the biological and ecological variety has contributed to making the forests of Arasbārān among the most beautiful in Iran and the world. Here rare plant species grow and this area is the only habitat of one of the rarest birds in the world named Siāh Khorus. From a geographical and botanical point of view, Arasbārān is the meeting place of three different climates, Caspian, Caucasian and Mediterranean.