Gol-e Zard Cave

Gol-e Zard Cave is one of the most beautiful and technically demanding limestone caves in Iran. It is located in the Polur region, in the pastures north of Manzarieh village. To reach the cave, drive about 65 kilometres north along the Haraz Road until you come to a 4-kilometre dirt road. This dirt track starts just after the well-known avalanche barriers at the foot of the Imamzadeh Hashem Pass, before the Manzarieh road maintenance station, and ends at a mountain hut. From the hut, a walk of about 30 minutes through the mountain landscape brings you to the narrow, tight entrance of the cave.

Entering Gol-e Zard Cave requires good physical fitness and caving equipment, because the entrance is very tight. You first have to crawl on your belly and then move in a squatting, duck-walk position for about 10 metres. The route inside the cave is clear and needs no guide rope or route marking. Even so, the cracks and small water channels along the way call for care and caution so that you do not stray into dangerous side passages. Along the cave there are pools with depths of up to about 4 metres, as well as underground streams, which add to the beauty and the challenge of the route.

The interior of the cave, with its varied limestone formations, stalactites, stalagmites and clear underground streams, creates an enchanting, dreamlike atmosphere that captivates every nature lover. The vegetation around the cave consists mostly of milkvetch (gon), kama, wormwood (artemisia) and other plants that tolerate cold and high altitude. As for wildlife, you may encounter animals such as bats, mountain birds and small reptiles. The best time to visit Gol-e Zard Cave is spring and early autumn, when the weather is mild and risks such as cold, rain or frost are at a minimum. A full round trip through the cave usually takes about 3 hours.