Ziyarat Village

Ziyarat is a village in the Central District of Gorgan County, in Iran's Golestan Province. It lies in South Astarabad Rural District, and according to the 1385 (2006) census it had a population of 2,280 (478 households). Ziyarat is located about 10 kilometres beyond Nahar Khoran, along the road that continues from Nahar Khoran toward the mountains south of Gorgan. The village is home to the Galesh people, although the Galesh in this area are giving up their traditional herding lifestyle, settling down, and taking up farming and construction work.

Although Ziyarat is a small village, it is surrounded by natural attractions such as waterfalls, a variety of springs and lush green mountains. Some of the attractions in this area are hard to reach, so keep in mind that only some of them are accessible and not everyone can enjoy them. The village's sights include its waterfalls, a hot spring, an imamzadeh (a local shrine) and the old fabric of the village. One interesting fact about the village is that its people have a high average life expectancy, which is attributed to their natural way of life and a diet of foods from the forest.

Ziyarat attracts a great many visitors thanks to its relatively dry, cool climate. The village is expanding rapidly. Although since the beginning of 1383 (2004) the Golestan Governorate has imposed restrictions on construction without any clear plan, apartment building in the village continues at a fast pace. On a trip to this village you can see the Hyrcanian forests, enjoy the distinctive wild forest fruits, try nature photography, and, if you are an experienced canyoneer, visit the Tal Anbar waterfalls.