Gharghchal Reservoir

Gharghchal Baladeh Reservoir is located in the village of Baladeh, on the southern slope of Mount Shahdezh in Mazandaran Province. It is known as one of the natural and tourist attractions of the area, and lies 48 kilometres from the city of Sari. The reservoir sits among mountains and lush forests. To reach it, you can take minor and village roads to Baladeh village in Sari County, and from there continue toward this beautiful reservoir. Gharghchal is rectangular, measuring roughly 50 by 100 metres, about the size of a football pitch.

In general, a "gharghchal" is a place built to store rainwater or snowmelt. The word is used in different regions of Iran with various pronunciations. "Baladeh" means "upper" or "elevated". From this, it can be guessed that Gharghchal Baladeh Reservoir got its name because it lies at a higher elevation than the other reservoirs in the area. The reservoir was built to supply the downstream land for orchards and for cultivating the fields of Baladeh, but over the past eleven years it has remained unused.

This area is part of Kiasar National Park, a habitat of the Mazandaran leopard and the brown bear, both of which are unfortunately endangered. Near the reservoir lies the Sadva spring. It is located directly above Baladeh village, on the slope of Shahdezh, and its water is used as the village's drinking supply. The spring is also one of the sources feeding the Tajan River. The reservoir and its surroundings are a popular camping spot, and every year many nature tours and overnight tours are run here.

The best time to visit the reservoir is spring and summer, when the weather is cool and pleasant and the landscape is green and full of water. In autumn you can enjoy the colourful beauty of nature, but the weather gets colder. In winter the reservoir freezes and access becomes difficult. To reach Gharghchal Baladeh Reservoir, head toward Kiasar, then take the side road to Baladeh village. From the village to the reservoir there is about 10 kilometres of dirt road. It is passable by regular cars, but because of the poor condition of the road we recommend travelling it in an off-road vehicle or a local pickup truck.