Mount Damavand is not just the highest - it is also one of the most beautiful mountains in the region, with a perfectly cone-shaped peak often wrapped in clouds. On clear days it can be seen from the capital city of Tehran, about 80 kilometres away. In winter, skiers from all over the country head to the Alborz slopes, and in summer, hikers climb the trails through wildflower meadows.
The northern side of the Alborz faces the Caspian Sea, and it catches the rain clouds that roll in off the water. This means the forests here are surprisingly green and lush for a country that is mostly associated with deserts. Ancient oak, beech and hornbeam trees fill the valleys, and the rivers that rush down the mountains feed the fields of the lowlands where rice and tea are grown.
The mountains are home to many animals: Persian leopards prowl the rocky ridges, brown bears wander the forested slopes, and golden eagles soar on the warm currents of air. The Alborz has been a barrier and a highway for thousands of years - ancient trade routes wound through its mountain passes, connecting the civilisations of the Iranian plateau with those of Central Asia and the Caspian world.