Sorkheh Hesar National Park

Sorkheh Hesar National Park is one of the oldest protected areas in Iran. It lies in eastern Tehran, in Municipal District 13, alongside the Shahid Yasini Expressway. Covering about 9,168 hectares, the park was used as a royal hunting ground during the Qajar era and was registered as a national park in 1359 (1980). Its proximity to Tehran and easy access have made it one of the most popular nature and recreation destinations for the capital's residents.

Sorkheh Hesar National Park is home to a wide variety of animals and plants. Among the mammals you may see here are wild goat (kal), goat, wild sheep (ram and ewe) of the central Alborz, gazelle, wild boar, leopard, hyena, red fox, jackal, wildcat, badger and hare. Birds such as the grey heron, golden eagle, imperial eagle, sparrowhawk, vulture and falcon also live in the park. The park's vegetation includes tamarisk, saxaul, milkvetch (gavan), camelthorn, harmal (esfand), wormwood, Hasan's hat (kolah-hasan), soapwort, thyme, watercress, yarrow, wild sage (kakuti), wild mint, hawthorn, wild plum and mountain cypress.

To reach Sorkheh Hesar National Park, you can take Tehran Metro Line 2 and get off at Farhangsara Station; from there, you can reach the park by taxi or on foot. Bus lines 28 and 9 also stop at stations near the park. The best time to visit is spring and early autumn, when the weather is mild and nature is at its most beautiful. When visiting, you are advised to follow the principles of responsible nature tourism, such as collecting your litter, avoiding damage to vegetation and wildlife, and keeping to the designated trails.