Parvar Protected Area

Parvar Protected Area is located in Semnan Province, with a small part extending into Mazandaran Province, 20 kilometers north of the city of Shahmirzad. The area covers 64,844 hectares. Situated in the eastern Alborz, it is bordered by Sari County and Savadkuh County to the north, Shahmirzad to the south, Damghan County to the east, and Firuzkuh County to the west.

Parvar Protected Area is influenced by the climate of the northern Alborz as well as the weather conditions of Iran's central plateau. Precipitation decreases from north to south and from east to west. The area has a permanent river that originates outside the area on Nizva Peak, flows through it from the west and leaves it to the north, forming one of the branches of the Tajan River. Large parts of Parvar Protected Area are covered by juniper (a plant) and Hyrcanian forests. The villages of Rudbarak, Parvar, Kavard, Tamam, Talajim, Finesk and Malade are located within it. Natural landscapes, a variety of animal species including bears and wildcats, numerous summer pastures, a wide range of medicinal plants, various historic structures, and Ebrahim Khan Palace in Malade are among the area's tourist attractions.

The maral mating season is in late summer, and this is undoubtedly one of the best places to experience the deer rut (known locally as "gavbangi"). During this time, park rangers set up numerous tents in the heart of the mountains and forest to provide extra protection for the red deer. The best time to visit this area is therefore late summer.