Hoor al-Azim Wetland

Hoor al-Azim is a wetland shared by Iran and Iraq, with two-thirds of its area lying in Iraq. It is located in the west of Khuzestan Province, at the end of the Karkheh River in the Dasht-e Azadegan border region, and covers an area of about 120,000 hectares. Its geography is part of the Mesopotamian marshlands, at the point where Iraq, Iran and Kuwait meet. Hoor al-Azim is an Arabic term meaning "the great wetland"; the wetland is also called Hoor al-Hawizeh, meaning the Hawizeh Wetland.

Hoor al-Azim Lake is home to many species of birds and animals and has beautiful natural scenery, which gives it a special place in tourism. In 2015 the wetland was added to Iran's list of natural heritage sites. Plants found in Hoor al-Azim include louie (a marsh reed), sedge, reed and monkeyflower. Its wildlife includes turtles, the Shenge (otter), wild boar, water dogs and bats. Many kinds of fish also live in the wetland, such as silver carp, Anzeh, Gatan, Hamri, grass carp (Amur), Shirbit, Bunni (Himri barbel), Shalaj and others. The greylag goose, the Changar and the Aroos-e Ghaz (ruddy shelduck) are among the birds that migrate here during winter.

Autumn and winter are the best times to visit the wetland in terms of weather. In these seasons the air is mild and rainfall is low. In terms of cost, summer is the best time to visit. Because the weather in this region is hot in summer, travel costs such as accommodation and transport go down.

The best route to the wetland is the Ahvaz–Susangerd–Rafi road. This route is paved and is about 150 kilometres long. The best way to visit the wetland is by private car or motorcycle, because having your own vehicle lets you move around the wetland easily and find its sights. You can also use the services of tour operators to visit the wetland.