Ofro Cave

Ofro Cave is located in Mazandaran Province, in the heart of the region's dense forests. In the local language, its name means "the place where water sinks." The cave lies on the Sari–Behshahr road, at kilometer 30 of this route, followed by 15 kilometers of dirt road to the southwest of Rostamkola. After walking 700 meters along a forest trail, you reach the cave entrance. Ofro Cave is at an altitude of 544 meters above sea level and is known as the deepest pit cave in Mazandaran Province, with a depth of 100 meters and a length of 200 meters.

The interior of Ofro Cave consists of several pits and complex passages, which makes it challenging to traverse. The entrance, 10 meters high and 2 to 4 meters wide, lies at the bottom of a deep sinkhole, and the surface water of the area flows into the cave through it. As a result, during heavy rainfall the volume of water inside the cave rises and moving through the passages becomes dangerous. The narrow, winding passages at the far end of the cave make it impossible to get back out when it is flooded; therefore, the cave should only be explored with full caving equipment and after carefully checking the weather conditions.

To reach the depths of the cave, you first descend the first pit, which is 12 meters deep. After that, the second pit, 15 meters deep, and its various twists and turns lead to the third pit, which is 16 meters deep. In this section of the cave, you must pass through pools of water, some of which are muddy. The route then continues to the fourth pit and on to the fifth pit, which is descended in stages and has a total depth of 30 meters. Along this route, you encounter flowing water inside the cave, and the challenge of passing through narrow, winding passages continues. Because of the cave's particular geographic conditions and the water that pours in during the rainy seasons, the best time to visit Ofro Cave is during the dry seasons and in summer. At these times, the risk of flash flooding is at its lowest, and exploring the cave is safer.