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Kurdistan

Palangan Village

QomChoghai Castle

Zarivar Lake

Hawraman Takht Stepped Village

Karaftu Cave

Kurdistān province has an area of 2937 square kilometers in western Iran. The province is located on the slopes and ridges of Zagros, north of the provinces of west Āzerbāijān and zanjān, From the south to Kermanshah province and from the west to Iraq. The center of the province is Sanandaj city.

Palangan Village

Palangan (which means ‘leopards’) is located about 50 km northwest of the city of Kamyaran in the Kurdirstän province. According to the latest census, about 1000 people live here, mostly employed in the local fishing industry. In the middle flows the Tangi-Var River which eventually pours into Sirwan River and flows into Eastern Iraq. Connecting both sides of village are several narrow bridges. Like most of Kurdistän, the surrounding nature is filled with endless scenic spots to explore, have picnic, or just relax. Palangan is most famous for the distinct terraced structure of the stone houses. The roof of each house is the yard of the one above it. This ecofriendly design makes the entire village look like a steep staircase carved into the rocky chasm. The nearest tourist attraction to palangan is Palangan castle

QomChoghai Castle

QomChoghai Bijār Castle is located 5 km west of Qomchoghai village and 6 km north-east of Bijār city near a valley that was formerly known as Darreh Shahans, and the terrible rocks of the mountain where the fortress was built with high abyss makes it very difficult to climb and reach for the castle. The streams around the building have made deep valleys that the height of some parts is more than 200 meters. Access to this castle is from the north side due to lower heights, with widespread remains of a wall made up of mortars and semi-cylindrical towers.

Zarivar Lake

Ab-shirin or Zarivar Lagoon is one of the precious lagoons/lakes in the west of iran and is considered a tourism hub. This stunning ecosystem is a combination of water, canebrake and wildlife with an area of about 3000 hectares, which is located in the western border of Marivān. By ongoing attempts from the Department of Environment in Kurdistän and according to the decisions of the Cabinet, this lagoon is in the process of being registered in the list of international lagoons. Numerous species of native fish such as Capoeta trutta, capoeta damascina, barred sicklefish, sauce fish, Chalcalburnus Mossulensis and Gambusina live in this lagoon. This lagoon is an important aquatic ecosystem in life cycle due to seasonal migration of a number of birds. It is like a beautiful jewel with potential ecotourism capabilities.

Hawraman Takht Stepped Village

Haweaman (also Húrmän) or Ōrämän or Avroman is a Stepped Village (Slope-terrace houses) on a mountainous region located within the provinces of Kurdistän and kermänshäh in western Iran and in north-eastern Iraq within Iraq’s Kurdistän region. In Iran, the region includes the cities of Paveh and Marivan and in Iraq, Halabja. Hawraman has many springs and rivers that most their water mainly flows into Sirwan River. Bil spring (Kani Bil) is one of these springs which has a discharge about 3000-4000liters per second. The River is the shortest river in the world with a total length of 15 meters.

Karaftu Cave

The Caves of Karaftu are a series of chambers that were carved into the cliff face of a mountain in the Kurdistän Province of Iran. The caves were formed naturally, but were modified by inhabitants over the centuries. In ancient times, these caves were important from an economic point of view, as they were situated on the Silk Road. Today, the caves are also significant for a Greek inscription found in them, as this is one of the few examples of such a script preserved in Iran.