A beautiful mountain road to Anbarkesh Pass

A beautiful mountain road to Anbarkesh Pass

Iran, asia

Length

23 km

Elevation

2,776 m

Difficulty

hard

Best Season

Year-round

Okay, adventure-seekers, let me tell you about the legendary Anbarkesh Pass in northern Iran! This beast of a road straddles the border between the Mazandaran and Qazvin provinces and hits an altitude of 2,776m (9,107ft).

Picture this: you're south of NaftChak Peak, inching your way along a 23 km (14 mile) unpaved track that connects the tiny village of Separ Deh with Viar. This high-altitude link is your ticket between Ramsar and Alamut-e Gharbi District.

Now, hold on tight! This isn't your Sunday drive. We're talking hairpin turns galore, steep drops that'll make your palms sweat, and a seriously loose surface. You'll need some solid mountain driving experience to tackle this one.

Forget your sedan; a 4x4 is non-negotiable to handle the terrain and those killer gradients. Aim for late spring or early summer (June and July) for the best chance to get through, because the Alborz Mountains can get seriously snowy and gnarly the rest of the year!

Where is it?

A beautiful mountain road to Anbarkesh Pass is located in Iran (asia). Coordinates: 32.8251, 52.4530

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Road Details

Country
Iran
Continent
asia
Length
23 km
Max Elevation
2,776 m
Difficulty
hard
Coordinates
32.8251, 52.4530

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