How to drive the high mountain road to Great Kandovan Pass?

How to drive the high mountain road to Great Kandovan Pass?

Iran, asia

Length

8 km

Elevation

3,296 m

Difficulty

hard

Best Season

Year-round

Okay, adventure junkies, listen up! If you're craving an off-the-beaten-path experience in Iran, then Great Kandovan Pass is calling your name. Perched way up at 3,296 meters (that's a whopping 10,813 feet!), this bad boy is one of the highest roads you'll find in the country.

You'll find it straddling the border between Taleqan County (Alborz Province) and Chalus County (Mazandaran Province) in northern Iran. Be warned: this isn't your average Sunday drive! The road is completely unpaved and twistier than a pretzel. Seriously, you'll need a 4x4 to conquer this one. And if you're afraid of heights, maybe sit this one out, because there are some seriously scary drops.

The unpaved section kicks off from the Gachsar - Taleqan Road and stretches for about 8 kilometers (5 miles) to the top. Get ready for some incredible scenery, though!

Where is it?

How to drive the high mountain road to Great Kandovan Pass? is located in Iran (asia). Coordinates: 34.5005, 53.7419

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Road Details

Country
Iran
Continent
asia
Length
8 km
Max Elevation
3,296 m
Difficulty
hard
Coordinates
34.5005, 53.7419

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