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Katale Khor Cave

Katale Khor Cave is a combination of wet and dry caves located in Khodabandeh, in the province of Zanjan. The Katale Khor cave is one of the most fascinating limestone caves in the world, considered one of the only caves among all due to its age, size and number of floors.

Katal means “low mountain” and Khor is short for khorshid (sun). As the sun rises from behind the mountain, it is known as Katale Khor.

The cave is made up of beautiful stalactites and stalagmites and huge rooms and corridors. It consists of three parts, of which only one can be visited by the public. The length of this section is about 2 km and covers only a third of the total area of ​​the cave. Another part is the natural room that is used to celebrate various ceremonies and festivals. The third is the one used by athletes, cavers and mountaineers. It is about 4 km long and has yet to be fully explored. The presence of very clear water springs around this cave is its peculiarity. Another wonder and beauty of this cave is the multiplicity of floors. These types of caves are very rare in the world.

Studies by archaeologists and geologists show that the Katale Khor cave is one of the longest in Iran joining that of Alisadr. In addition, one of its unique characteristics is the existence of large limestone columns, which are the result of the union of stalactites and stalagmites acting as columns for the structure of the cave.

If you are passionate about caves, mountains, hiking, mountaineering, historical landscapes and fascinating culture of the Middle East, SITO Travel will help you organize your trip to Iran. Get in touch with us because our experience is born and developed in this field.

Karaftu Cave

The Karaftu cave is a natural limestone cave that has been modified at different times for its use and habitability by man. It was excavated in the heart of the mountain with a four-story rocky architecture, probably formed during the Tertiary Geological Era.

Karaftu Cave enjoys a special reputation among caves around the world due to the changes, transformation and creation of hall and corridor spaces during human accommodation in this cave. At the front, a suitable place for windows and doors has been created in order to offer more security to each part, showing a kind of advanced architecture.

The rocky Karaftu cave has a four-story architecture and is located in the heart of the mountain. At the entrance to a room on the third floor there is a Greek inscription, for which the cave is called the Temple of Hercules. This cave has a complex architecture among the artisan caves of Iran. The entrance to the cave is about 25 meters from the mountainside. In the past, a relatively difficult and arduous path led visitors up the mountain, but today, crossing the stairs, it is possible to reach the entrance of the cave. The Karaftu Cave was underwater at the beginning of the Mesozoic era and emerged from it at the end of this period. There is still water in the cave, making the discovery of some parts possible in boats.

If you are passionate about caves, mountains, hiking, mountaineering, historical landscapes and fascinating culture of the Middle East, SITO Travel will help you organize your trip to Iran. Get in touch with us because our experience is born and developed in this field.

Kalmakareh Cave

Lorestan, considered the cradle of Iranian civilization, enjoys a mountainous climate in the heart of Zagros Mountains. The discovery of bronze objects, the existence of caves like Mirmelas, Pasangar, Gararjaneh and bridges like Kashkan and Pol Dokhtar affirm its importance.

Kalmakareh Cave is located on Mahleh Hill, at a height of 650 meters above sea level. After passing through the Bagh Darreh village, there is a mountainous path that took us three hours to travel to reach the entrance of the cave. This natural cave has many stalactites and stalagmites that have been badly damaged by human intervention. The existence of huge clay pots, freshwater wells and clay objects (used for funerals) are proof of prehistoric life in the cave. There are four continuous rooms, of which only the first is slightly illuminated by the sunlight from the entrance, the other three are completely dark. The second room is reached by crawling down a hall 80 centimeters long.

Some believe that the cave had a ritual function. The discovered objects (13 wild goats, 8 bulls and 2 eagles) are recognized as the symbol of Mehr and the scene of the lion’s victory over the bull is believed to indicate the ritual of the slaughter of the bull in the Mehr cult. Kalmakareh comes from two words: Kalma, which means the refuge of the goats, and Kareh, which means the wild fig tree, both symbols of Mehr.

If you are passionate about caves, mountains, hiking, mountaineering, anthropology, historical landscapes and the fascinating culture of the Middle East, SITO Travel will help you organize your trip to Iran. Get in touch with us because our experience is born and developed in this field.

Ghiri Kenar Cave or Behdeh

This cave is located north of the Behdeh village, in the Hormozgan province. It was excavated to transfer the water to the plain. In addition to the cave, there are dams and other channels that lead the water into the cave. The water flows into the Behdeh plain supplying the needs of its inhabitants for years.

Ghiri is a mountainous area southwest of Behdeh, right next to the fifty farm fields. In ancient times, the inhabitants of the area dug a tunnel to carry rainwater to the valley. This system was built with special engineering and they also built a dam. This work of extraordinary beauty is considered today one of the most valuable historical monuments.

The presence of medicinal plants such as thyme, hawthorn, cherry and other plants has contributed to the beauty of the area, while the beautiful mountains and incredible trails attract the attention of mountaineers.

If you are passionate about caves, mountains, hiking, mountaineering, historical landscapes and fascinating culture of the Middle East, SITO Travel will help you organize your trip to Iran. Get in touch with us because our experience is born and developed in this field.

Hotú and Kamarband Caves

One of the prehistoric human settlements was found in two caves called Kamarband and Hotú, 8 kilometers from Behshahr. The two caves are only a few tens of meters apart.

A group of archaeologists from the University of Pennsylvania, under the supervision of Carlton and Stanley, came to Mazandaran in the 1950s to study and investigate the cave in detail. Their goal was to discover objects inherited from the Stone Age, especially the Paleolithic, when people made necessary stone tools. But what they found in these caves was a truly incredible discovery: three skeletons; a man and two women! In addition to stone tools and skeletons, they also found many pieces of clay. In excavations at Kamarband, dating back to the Neolithic, 174 pieces of clay were discovered. The Neolithic is an important period in the history of human civilization, during which man began to practice agriculture and domesticate animals.

If you are passionate about caves, mountains, hiking, mountaineering, historical landscapes and fascinating culture of the Middle East, SITO Travel will help you organize your trip to Iran. Get in touch with us because our experience is born and developed in this field.

Garmsar Salt Cave

Garmsar Salt Cave, known as Garmsar Naft Darreh Cave, was created as a result of flooding and washing of the rocky cliffs in the area. The cave atmosphere is healthy due to the excessive presence of layers of salt. Its temperature, in the heat of summer, is very mild and maintains a certain constant freshness. One of the beauties of this salt cave is, when the salt was extracted in the heart of the mountain, a magnificent tunnel was created and, with the passage of time, the humid air of the interior and the different colors of the mineral salt have created an incredibly unique scene.

The salt rocks of the cave have a great variety of colors, so that the stones at the entrance to the cave are dark in color, becoming more and more clear as you find out about it. Another striking feature of the cave’s interior is the abundance of salt stalactites that hang like spears from the ceiling. Also, a winding corridor of 5.1 km in length opens before the eyes that is in the middle of the salt mountain and remains a mysterious place.

If you are passionate about caves, mountains, hiking, mountaineering, historical landscapes and fascinating culture of the Middle East, SITO Travel will help you organize your trip to Iran. Get in touch with us because our experience is born and developed in this field.

Ayub Cave

The Ayub cave is located 16 kilometers southwest of the city of Dehaj, in Shahr-e Babak, in the province of Kerman, on a mountain of the same name.

Inside the cave there is a source of water flowing out through a network of pipes. In the past, people believed that the prophet Job, who suffered from some kind of skin disease, was cured after bathing in the water of this spring.

The opening of the cave is 80 meters long and 60 meters high. Of all the known caves in Iran, Ayub is the one with the largest mouth and the highest ceiling.

In this cave there is another small mortar-shaped basin called Howz-e Arezú (basin of desires). According to local belief, if a fisherman throws a stone into the basin and it falls into a hole, his wish will be fulfilled.

If you are passionate about caves, mountains, hiking, historical landscapes and fascinating culture of the Middle East, SITO Travel will help you organize your trip to Iran. Contact us because our experience is born and developed in this field.

Alisadr Cave

Alisadr is the only aquatic cave in Iran, linked to the Jurassic period (the second geological period). Forming one of the wonders of the country with its seemingly endless labyrinths, it is located in the town of Alisadr, in the province of Hamadan. It is worth mentioning that the Alisadr cave is the largest water cave in the world.

This incredible cave is located at an altitude of 1980 meters on Mount Zagros. The cave was discovered by a team of Hamadan mountaineers and cavers in 1962 and 1963. The cave area consists of many winding corridors and a large lake, created by several streams, barely observable in cave circuits that take place in pedal boats. The lake water is clean and clear, but not drinkable due to the presence of abundant limestone salt in the water.

The ceiling, which in some parts reaches a height of 10 meters above the water level, is covered with pure calcium carbonate and in some places it is mixed with other elements. Along the way we can see stalactites and stalagmites, rocks and sculptures with strange shapes and similar to animals. The view inside the cave is truly unique and the climate is cool in summer and pleasant in winter.

If you are passionate about caves, mountains, hiking, mountaineering, anthropology, historical landscapes and the fascinating culture of the Middle East, SITO Travel will help you organize your trip to Iran. Get in touch with us because our experience is born and developed in this field.