Darbandsar Ski Resort

Darbandsar is a ski resort in Iran, opened in 1982. It is located in the Alborz Mountains, about 60 km north of the city of Tehran and close to the other Iranian winter resorts of Dizin and Shemshak.

Darbandsar is the only ski resort in Iran whose slopes are equipped with snow cannons and therefore can be prepared artificially. It is the second-largest and most modern ski resort in Iran. The resort was founded by a private company. Since 2008, after being officially recognized by the International Ski Federation, international competitions are held here.

The ski season lasts from December to April. The lowest point of the slopes is 2650 m above sea level, the highest is 3150 m, the displacement is 530 m. The high altitude and abundant precipitation create good conditions for skiing and snowboarding. The snow cover is of high quality, up to 2 meters thick at the foot of the slopes and up to 4 meters thick at the top.

In 2011 a 12-seat gondola elevator with a length of 1830 m, built with the joint participation of the local administration, a private company, and the Ski Federation of Iran, was put into operation. In addition, there are 2 chairlifts and 3 ski elevators.

How to get to Darbandsar Ski Resort

This ski resort is located near the village of Darbandsar, about 60 km northeast of Tehran, and can only be reached by road. In winter, you must use snow chains on the last section of the road.

Darbandsar ski resort is located 2 km from Shemshak and 10 km from Dizin. From Dizin you can go down to Darbandsar, but there is no way back. Nearby is an attractive platform for climbers on the icy rocks. In addition to the alpine skiing trails, there are areas that are also used for cross-country skiing. To the north of the resort is the Tal Tange Valley, which has ski slopes in June and July.

The resort has 3 restaurants and cafes, but no hotel or inn. In the resort, Darbandsar is a unique wooden restaurant in Iran with an area of 400 square meters on one and a half floors, which is made entirely of Finnish spruce wood.

The resort area is suitable for hiking and mountain biking. The place is used by climbers for training and acclimatization before conquering the Demavend Mountain (5670 m).