A trip to Arsbaran forests, the lost paradise of Iran in Tabriz

If you have seen the beautiful pictures of Arasbaran and tangled trees, you must have a question Where are the Arsbaran forests? Arsbaran is a vast mountainous region that extends from the south of Ahar to the Aras River and is located on the border of East Azarbaijan province with Armenia. Arsbaran forests are also known as Qara Dagh, Qara Bagh, Qarajeh, Arsbar, Arazbar and Qara Qat in the Azeri dialect. But Arasbaran means the place where the branches of the Aras River flow into Aras. In the rest of this article from tourism magazine fly today Join us to get to know a little more about this natural attraction in northwest Iran.

Where are the Arsbaran forests?

Arsbaran is a green area with dense forests and a unique place for tourism. Fortunately, in recent years, thanks to information in the virtual space, tourists have become more familiar with this area, and the number of tourists in Arsbaran is increasing day by day.

Even this area is very popular among foreign tourists. Interestingly, a Canadian tourist describes Arsbaran like this: “Arsbaran is a unique place with a nature like England and beyond the imagination of Westerners about the desert and dry nature of Iran!”

On the other hand, the naming of this region by UNESCO as “biosphere” shows the importance of this region. If you look at the history of Arsbaran, the life of the local people of this area has always been and still is through agriculture, animal husbandry, horticulture, beekeeping and handicrafts. Of course, in recent years, the tourism industry has played a significant role in the economy of this region.

Biodiversity of Arsbaran forests

Arsbaran’s plant species and animal species are very diverse, so that the forests of Arsbaran are home to more than 215 species of birds, including Caucasian black grouse, gray partridge, black grouse, 29 species of reptiles, 48 ​​species of mammals, mountain goat, wild boar, Wolf, leopard, lynx and 17 types of fish.

A distinctive feature of Arsbaran forests is the presence of fruit trees. Beside the streams of this forest, it is full of walnut and blueberry trees. The car trees of this region play a significant role in generating income for the people of this region. Rare plants such as gooseberry, mushroom and plants with medicinal value add to the importance of Arsbaran region. Among the plants of Arsbaran, we can mention the raspberry, oak, kikem, wild pomegranate, barberry, sumac, wild apple, and Qaraqat plants.

Arsbaran forest tourism areas have great potential to attract tourists; For example, Eilat summer camps are located in this area, which are known as Arsbaran nomads. The hot and cold springs of Arsbaran are also a good reason to attract tourists to this area in the spring season.

Arsbaran forest tourist areas where is it

Arsbaran is not the only area with pristine and unique nature, and the attractions of this area are not limited to the forests of Arsbaran. In addition to its unique and unique nature, Arsbaran is very attractive for many tourists traveling to this region with its historical attractions.

Among the historical attractions of Arsbaran region are Babak Castle, Makidi Forest, Ainalu Protected Area, Jovshin Castle, Ahar Bazaar, Khoda Afarin Bridges, Dahhak Castle, Ayane Lo Palace, Sheikh Shahabuddin Ahri Tomb, Ainalu Church, Avarsin Castle, Vinaq Church and The unfinished church can be mentioned. These unique historical attractions are located in Arsbaran district and its surrounding villages.

In addition, the presence of hot water springs in Arsbaran is a good reason for the creation of the most pristine hydrotherapy area in the country. Therefore, when you can use these hot springs, it will be the best time to travel to Arsbaran.

Sightseeing places of Arsbaran forest

In recent years, thanks to the Internet and social networks, there has been a wide promotion of the attractions of Arsbaran forest. This incident made Arsbaran forest famous and encouraged tourists and nature lovers to travel to the heights of Arsbaran forest.

The rumor of the fame and popularity of Arsbaran forest has reached the ears of foreign tourists and has made them eager to travel to the northwest of Iran in recent years to face the splendor of Arsbaran forest up close. A Canadian tourist after traveling to Iran and visiting the forest of Arsbaran describes it as follows: “Arsbaran is a unique place with a nature like England and beyond Westerners’ imaginations of the desert and dry nature of Iran.”

Babak Khorramdin Castle

Babak Castle is located near Kaliber city in East Azarbaijan province. According to the findings, this castle dates back to the Parthian and Sasanian eras. What made this fort famous and prestigious was the presence of an Iranian general named Babak Khorramdin, who fought with the Abbasid caliphs in the mountainous heights of Arsbaran region for more than two decades. In addition to Babak Khorramdin, other historical and influential people such as Sattar Khan in Tabriz and Sheikh Shahabuddin Ahri have also lived in this region in different historical eras. The best time to visit Babak Khorramdin Castle in Kalibar is from the end of April to the beginning of June and the months of September and Mehr.

Makidi Forest Park

After visiting Babak Khorramdin Castle, you can continue along the castle road to “Daresi Castle” and then to Aliabad and Makidi Forest. Makidi forest is located next to a village with the same name and due to the beauty and virginity of the area, it has become a summer resort for travelers. In recent years, basic facilities such as gazebos and drinking water have been provided in Makidi and they have provided accommodation for travelers for a few hours.

Arsbaran forest churches

There are several old churches in the area of ​​Arsbarn forest, which are referred to as historical attractions of the area, Ainalo church and Vinagh mansion are located in this geographical area. In the following, we have provided you with more information about these churches.

Ainalo Church

This church is located in Kalibar city of East Azarbaijan province. This church is more than a century old and was built in 1907 by a famous Armenian businessman named Tumanyans. The reason for this naming is the metal roof of this building; Because this roof reflects light like a mirror, and the people who came to see the mansion for the first time called it “Aine Lo” which means “like a mirror”.

Vinaq Mansion

Vinaq mansion is one of the historical buildings in Khoda Afarin city, which is a function of East Azarbaijan province. This mansion was built near the Ainalo Church and its builder was the famous Armenian businessman Tomanyans. Vinaq mansion with old Kushki texture is more than hundred years old and was built in the Qajar period in Vinaq village of East Azerbaijan. This building is located on a stone hill that resembles a castle, and its central building was designed and built to control the area.

Ahar historical market

Ahar city has become one of the sightseeing places of Arsbaran region due to its proximity to Arsbaran forest. Every year, domestic travelers and tourists visit this historical market before or after their trip to Arsbaran forest.

The historical market of Ahar is also considered one of the historical and cultural attractions of Arsbaran region. The historical Ahar market, which dates back to the Qajar era, is one of the trading centers in this city. In this market, most of the handicrafts and woven carpets are presented and it is considered the shopping center of the villagers.

Hot springs in Arsbaran forest

Ersbaren forest tourism areas have a high potential to attract tourists. For example, the hot and cold springs of Arsbaran are considered a good reason to attract tourists to this area in the spring season.

Arsbaran villas on the trip to Tabriz

During your trip to Arsbaran, you can make the most of its summer resorts. Arasbaran Nomadic Villas is one of the most pristine sightseeing areas of Kalibar that you should not miss. Among the summer resorts of Arsbaran, Ill Bastamo summer resort can be mentioned. Due to its high altitude, this area is cool even on hot summer days, so take blankets and warm clothes with you when you travel.

How to travel to Arsabaran?

You have various ways to travel to Arsbaran, but of course, traveling with each of these vehicles depends on your budget and preference for the type of travel. You can choose one of the following ways to travel to Arsbaran:

1- Travel to Arsbaran by plane

To travel to Arsbaran by plane, which is of course the fastest, easiest and safest way, buy a plane ticket to Tabriz. After reaching Tabriz, you can rent a car to Arsbaran, 221 km from Tabriz. To travel by land from Tabriz to Arsbaran, you can take the road from Tabriz to Ahar. Air travel saves you time and allows you to spend more time sightseeing Tabriz tourist attractions do

2- Travel to Arsbaran by train

Traveling by train is one of the best travel experiences for anyone who loves to travel and explore. This type of travel is the most popular and most used type of travel with a vehicle after the plane. Beautiful and natural scenery can be seen from the train window and at the same time experience a safe journey with family or friends.

If you plan to travel to Arsbaran forest, just buy a train ticket to Jolfa or Tabriz-Swar and drive the rest of the way to Arsbaran from Tabriz or Jolfa.

3- Travel to Arsbaran by bus

Traveling by bus is also one of the most available public transports, and fortunately you can also use a bus to travel to Arsbaran Forest, and to reach Arsbaran Forest, you must travel by buses that go to Ahar city. Get off at Ahar and walk towards Arsbaran forest.

4- Travel to Arsbaran by private car

You can use your own car or rent a car to travel to Tabriz and Arsbaran. To go to Aresbaran by car, it is enough to first get to Tabriz and then change your direction to Kalibar. We recommend that you use Google Maps.

The best time to travel to Arsbaran forests

To travel to Tabriz, you should pay attention to the fact that the northwestern provinces of the country are cold. Therefore, if you plan to travel to Arsbaran in the cold season, you should bring warm clothes and of course suitable shoes. But if you’re not too comfortable with cold weather and want to travel in milder weather, mid-spring to late summer is a good time. Of course, the best time to travel to Arsbaran in summer and spring does not mean that you are facing hot weather. Arsbaran region is located in the heights and you can wear warm clothes even in the hottest days of summer!

Where is the best accommodation in Arsbaran forests?

When we talk about the attractions of Arsbaran forests, we should not ignore the pleasure of staying in the forest. Experiencing this beautiful natural phenomenon at night is different than you can imagine. Therefore, if you plan to travel to this area, be sure to stay in one of Arsbaran’s residences. This area has many forest lodges.

Makidi Arsbaran Forest Park is one of the best places you can choose to stay. Makidi is one of the greenest places in Kalibar city, which has a pristine and green nature. This area welcomes travelers with basic and simple facilities such as pavilions, drinking water, etc. Of course, you should bring proper camping equipment. In addition, Tabriz hotels are very diverse and in Kalibar, which is the closest urban area to Arsbaran, Various accommodation units are ready to welcome travelers. For example:

Do not forget Arsbaran on your trip to Tabriz!

When traveling to Tabriz, many people are satisfied with visiting Kandavan village and other tourist attractions of Tabriz. But if you happen to be in East Azerbaijan, we suggest that you stay in this city for a few more days and visit Arsbaran forests. We hope you enjoy your trip to the beautiful forests of Arsbaran.

Frequently asked questions about Arsbaran forests