Garmsar Salt Cave

The Garmsar Salt Cave, located in Semnan Province near the village of Padeh, is one of the most remarkable natural attractions in Iran. It is actually an abandoned salt mine that took the form of a cave as a result of old excavations, and it is known as one of the largest salt mines in the Middle East. Inside the cave, winding corridors and 12-metre-high pillars with grey salt walls create a stunning landscape, and the deeper you go into the cave, the lighter and shinier the walls become.

Besides its amazing natural scenery, the Garmsar Salt Cave is also known as one of Iran's health tourism centres. Because the air inside the cave passes through layers of salt and contains negative ions, it is very clean and healthy, and it stays cool and pleasant even in the peak heat of summer. These features have made the Garmsar Salt Cave a popular destination for health tourists and for anyone interested in experiencing natural environments with therapeutic properties.

To reach the Garmsar Salt Cave, you can drive towards Garmsar from Tehran or Semnan. The cave is located 15 kilometres west of Garmsar, at kilometre 90 of the Tehran road. About 500 metres before the Qom–Garmsar road exit, take the exit on the right and continue along the route to reach the cave and the salt domes. The road is paved; only the area near the cave entrance is a dirt track, which is about a five-minute walk to the entrance of the cave.