Tirkan Seven Waterfalls

The Tirkan Seven Waterfalls, also known as the Babol Seven Waterfalls, are a series of waterfalls in the heart of the Lafur forests in Mazandaran Province. The falls can be reached by a short hike through a deciduous forest, and they lie 42 km south of Babol, 51 km southwest of Qaemshahr and 35 km west of Savadkuh. The number of waterfalls in the area gave the site its name, the Tirkan Seven Waterfalls, and Tirkan is the village in which these waterfalls are located. The pastures around Tirkan village, near the waterfalls and the Lafur forest, are called Kalbokusht. They are among the greenest pastures in northern Iran, with breathtaking scenery.

The whole Seven Waterfalls complex covers roughly 200,000 square kilometers, and the tallest waterfall is up to 9 meters high. The vegetation consists of towering hornbeam, maple, Persian ironwood, Caucasian zelkova, Caucasian medlar (azgil), alder and sycamore trees. Unfortunately, two kinds of trees, the elm (maleg) and the linden, have today been lost to earthworms. The Tirkan Seven Waterfalls lie in an unspoiled area in the heart of the forest, so the first thing you must bring is a pair of shoes suitable for walking in the forest. Other things you should take with you include a towel and extra clothes for swimming, warm clothes for the cold seasons, drinking water, light snacks, sunglasses and a sun hat, sunscreen, insect repellent spray, a power bank, a camera and so on.

To reach the first of the Tirkan Seven Waterfalls, you need to hike about three kilometers through the forest. The remaining waterfalls lie beyond that point. Note that the forest trail is steep, and after the first waterfall the route becomes a little harder. The best time to visit the Babol Seven Waterfalls is spring, especially the month of Ordibehesht (late April to late May). At this time of year the weather is very mild and you can swim in the river and in the pools beneath the waterfalls. The forest is also lush, colorful and beautiful in this season, and the waterfalls are at their fullest.