Off-piste skiing in four resorts with backcountry elements and a few additional days of travel through ancient Persia!
Skiing or snowboarding in Iran? It may sound unusual, but for us, it’s one of the best destinations for a winter trip – freeride and ski touring! This is where we organized our first freeride trip, and with each year, we’ve improved it using the knowledge we gained.
You are about to experience a true snow safari, and whether you ski or snowboard, we’ll visit four resorts in the Alborz mountains, which stretch between Tehran and the Caspian Sea. As always, we’ll have the support of local guides Meysam and Mahyar, and using the lifts built by the French long ago, we’ll shred through the local powder like no other.
We’ll start our adventure with a bang – a massive descent from Tochal, at 4,000 meters above sea level, accessed by one of the longest gondola lifts in the world, which starts right in Tehran! We’ll visit the most famous ski resort in the area, Dizin, as well as two smaller resorts, which we’ll reach not by car, but via backcountry, carving beautiful lines between glacier crevasses!
This winter trip to Iran is designed mainly for freeriding, using lifts that go up to 3,900 meters above sea level. For those interested, we’ll also have one ski touring day with a climb to Abak peak (3,500m).
But that’s not all! The last 4 days of the trip will be spent intensely exploring this beautiful country. Our Iranian friends will take us deep into Persian history, visiting old villages and the vibrant city of Isfahan, where the strict rules of Islam meet the progressive ideas of the student population. Along the way, we’ll spend a day on the Maranjab Desert, where we’ll observe wild camels during a safari, and end the day with a climb up the massive sand dunes and a traditional outdoor dinner.
All in line with the Off Piste philosophy – off the beaten path!
4 Resorts
4×4 Desert Safari
Kashan and Isfahan Cities
Local Guides 24/7
Gondola up to 4,000m
Price Includes:
- 11 nights accommodation in double rooms – 3* and 4* hotels
- 6 days of skiing with local mountain guides
- Full board: breakfast, lunchbox and dinner
- Supervision by a Polish team leader
- Iranian guides 24/7
- Sightseeing program in Iran – Kashan and Isfahan cities
- Full-day desert safari in 4×4 vehicles
- All necessary road transfers within Iran
- Standard travel insurance including medical expenses, accident coverage, and personal liability. Additional insurance covering off-piste skiing is required. Many of our clients already have year-round high-altitude policies. If you don’t have one, we can provide coverage for the trip at a cost of 370 PLN.
Price Does Not Include:
- Flights
- Ski passes – approx. €12 per day
- Ski or snowboard equipment – you need to bring your own
- Avalanche safety equipment (beacon, probe, shovel) – available for rent, reservation required
- Visa and related formalities – cost approx. €90
- Extreme sports insurance, including off-piste skiing
- Tips
- Anything not mentioned in the program
ACCOMMODATION AND TRANSPORTATION
- In the mountains, we will stay in the best hotels located right by the lifts, in double rooms
- In Kashan and Isfahan, we’ll stay in traditional guesthouses in the city center, in double rooms
- We’ll travel around Iran by a rented bus and occasionally by taxi
- In the desert, we’ll have 4×4 vehicles like Nissan Patrols at our disposal
- For more information, check the TRIP PROGRAM tab
OFF PISTE – Terrain Details:
- As befits a freeride safari, we’ll visit plenty of spots, including 4 resorts: Tochal (3,950m), Dizin (3,600m), Darbandsar (3,500m) and Shemshak (3,050m)
- Our focus will be off-piste terrain, both within and beyond resort boundaries
- Some short ascents on foot or with skins will be necessary (30-60 minutes)
- Our main transport to the top will be ski lifts
- During longer descents outside the resorts, short climbs or taxi rides will be necessary
- Two epic 2-hour backcountry descents await us from the top stations of Tochal (Day 3) and Dizin (Day 6), with vertical drops of up to 2,000 meters
- For those interested, there will be a 4-hour ski tour to the summit of Abak (800m of ascent)
- Check out the drone photos – this is probably the best run in Dizin, but it requires a 45-minute ascent from the upper station (you can do it on foot)
- Each day, we’ll try to include one ascent followed by a long descent, ending at the snowline—followed by a taxi ride back to the resort
Difficulty Level: 6/10
- You’ll need reasonably good experience with off-piste skiing and deep powder. To fully enjoy the descents, you might need to do some short (30-60 minute) ascents on skins or on foot.
Trip Profile
- This is a freeride-focused trip, with off-piste riding from lifts. To extend our range, we’ll do some short ascents (either on foot or skins) and use taxis. One day is planned as a 5-hour ski tour, but those who prefer freeriding can stay in the resort.
- We strongly recommend bringing touring equipment, as you might miss out on some great runs without it.
SAFETY
- To ensure comfort, at least one Iranian guide will be with us throughout the entire trip (24/7)
- We collaborate with local guides who know the area inside out
- We’ll have one guide per six participants
- Depending on the number of participants, we will try to divide into smaller groups to operate more efficiently in the field
- The trip will be overseen by a Polish team leader
- INSURANCE:
- The trip price includes basic travel insurance. Additional coverage for off-piste skiing is required. This can be purchased from us for 370 PLN per person. We do not include this in the base price as many of our clients have their own year-round high-altitude policies.
- There is also an option to purchase Trip Cancellation Insurance, which provides a refund in case you are unable to join us due to illness or other unforeseen events.
- Participants must have avalanche safety equipment and know how to use it
- We also recommend an avalanche backpack, which can be rented from us (reservation required)
VISA
- A visa is required – the cost in 2024 was €75
- The application is submitted online: https://evisa.mfa.ir/en/
- We work with a local agency to streamline the visa process, costing €30
HOW TO JOIN THE TRIP
- Fill out the reservation form
- We will contact you to sign the contract
- Pay a 30% deposit
- We’ll complete the group, handle the formalities, flights, details, etc.
- Pay the remaining amount 30 days before departure
CANCELLATION POLICY
- If you cancel up to 60 days before departure, you can transfer your deposit to any other trip – we will issue a voucher valid for 2 years.
- We recommend additional insurance in case of illness or an unforeseen event preventing you from traveling. You will then receive a full refund for the trip. Ask us about Trip Cancellation Insurance.
- We reserve the right to change the program due to circumstances beyond our control, such as insufficient participants, snow or weather conditions, or political situations. In case we need to cancel the trip (even for reasons beyond our control), we will promptly refund all payments made.
Day 1 (February 6)
We depart from Warsaw in the morning to Tehran with one layover. After landing in the evening and completing the visa formalities, we’ll head to our hotel in Tehran.
Day 2
We’ll rest after the journey, visit a bazaar, and dine at a traditional Persian restaurant in Tehran, where we’ll try “Dizi,” a local stew. In the evening, we’ll check into the mountains, arriving at the first two resorts located in the same valley – Shemshak and Darbandsar.
Day 3
The slopes of Shemshak resort stretch out right from our hotel’s doorstep. This is a private resort and has been frequently closed in recent years, so if that’s the case, we’ll head to nearby Darbandsar for freeriding. From the top station, you can see Damavand, the highest peak in Iran (5,609m).
Day 4
In the morning, we’ll put on our skins and head to conquer the nearby peak of Abak – around 800 meters of ascent, rewarded with a long descent into the town. For those who prefer lift-assisted backcountry (slackcountry), Darbandsar offers plenty of options.
Day 5
After breakfast, we’ll gear up, grab our touring equipment, and head to northern Tehran, where we’ll ride one of the world’s longest gondolas to Tochal, a peak almost 4,000m high! No worries about altitude sickness – we’ll jump straight into a few hours of backcountry skiing with a vertical drop of nearly 2,000m! There will be short ascents with skins along the way. We’ll descend on the other side of the massif, from where it’s a short trip to our next location, Dizin resort. Our luggage will be transported by bus. 🙂
Day 6
We’ll enjoy an Iranian breakfast with views of the expansive Dizin resort – the largest in the area, featuring 2 gondolas, several chairlifts, and T-bars. After a morning briefing with the guide, we’ll head for some off-piste skiing, and there’s plenty of terrain to explore! To save time, we’ll get lunch boxes for the mountains every day. We’ll finish skiing around 3-4 PM, followed by an à la carte dinner at the hotel.
Day 7
We’ll continue exploring off-piste in the Dizin resort. In addition to near-lift freeriding, we’ll use our guide’s knowledge to set fresh lines farther from the lifts, and then return to the base by car – fantastic!
Day 8
We’ll pack up, but leave all our luggage with the driver, who will take it to Shemshak. Armed with avalanche backpacks, we’ll tackle what might be the best descent in Iran – from the top station of Dizin (3,800m) to the bottom of Darbandsar. The views are breathtaking, and passing massive ice crevasses along the way adds some spice to the adventure! The descent takes 2-3 hours. In the afternoon, we’ll change into casual clothes and start the cultural part of the trip. 😉
Day 9
We’ll dress lightly, as temperatures in the lowlands can reach about 25°C during the day. We’ll begin exploring Persian culture in the town of Kashan, with its old town full of majestic homes built by wealthy merchants of the past. We’ll stay overnight in a guesthouse right in the city center.
Day 10
Right after breakfast, we’ll head off in 4x4s for a desert safari on the Maranjab Desert. With some luck, we may spot the last wild camels. We’ll set up camp, enjoy a locally prepared lunch, and seek shade from the scorching sun. In the afternoon, we’ll climb the highest dune to watch the sunset. We’ll return to Kashan for the night.
Day 11
Two days are barely enough to explore Iran’s most culturally rich city, but we’ll make the most of it, and our guide Farshid will ensure it’s anything but ordinary. 😉 We’ll dive into the heart of the largest bazaar in the country, learn the secrets of handmade Persian carpets, and discover the famous rosewater production. Isfahan is a unique city of freedom, full of cafes, restaurants, and students.
Day 12
After a second day of intense exploration in Isfahan, we’ll transfer to Tehran’s airport in the evening to catch our night flight back to Poland.
Day 13
We’ll land in Warsaw in the afternoon.
