Western Iran · Zagros Mountains
Terraced villages on the mountain slopes
Kurdistan Province in western Iran is a land of Zagros mountains, deep valleys and a culture both rooted and vividly alive. Stepped villages, Kurdish music and dress, highland lakes and historic houses tell many stories of adaptation to nature. A journey here is a warm encounter with landscape, artistry and the hospitality of communities whose identity is inseparable from the mountains.
Western Iran · Zagros Mountains
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In the heart of the Zagros, Hawraman is a mountain landscape of stepped villages, dry-stone garden terraces and seasonal migration routes. Over millennia, Hawrami life adapted to scarce land and steep slopes; this enduring relationship between people and nature is recognised on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
Beside Marivan, Zarivar is a freshwater lake enclosed by forested mountains and fed by springs rising from its bed as well as melting snow. Morning mist, reed beds and waterbirds create serenity in warmer months, while winter sometimes covers the surface with ice.
Sanandaj’s historic bazaar developed with the city from the Safavid period onwards. Vaulted lanes, small courtyards and shops selling local crafts remain an active centre of commercial and social life in Kurdistan.
Khosroabad Mansion is a Qajar administrative and residential complex in Sanandaj. Its central pavilion, courtyard, pool and brick decoration reflect the urban architecture associated with the Ardalan ruling house.
Palangan rises on both sides of the Tangivar Valley, its stone houses stepping up the slopes so that one roof becomes the courtyard above. River sound, springs, narrow lanes and daily village life form a living landscape best experienced with respect for the people who call it home.
