Iran has many natural freshwaters steams weather as sea, river or even lake. Regarding lakes, Iran has a collection of the unique lakes around the world whether by their water, location or by their environment. Through visiting these unique lakes, you can nourish your eyes and soul. In this article, we will review five famous and eye-catching lakes in different parts of Iran, that you should not miss them.

Valasht Lake

One of the most beautiful lakes in Iran is Valasht Lake that it is located in the southwest of Chalus and northeast of Kelardasht. It can be considered as one of the ten Iranian freshwater lakes that host many migratory birds, fish and other aquatic species during different seasons. To a large extent due to its unique position, it is far from the tranquil area. Valasht is 1000 meters above sea level, therefore it has a different temperature than Kelardasht. The water of this spectacular freshwater is provided by the springs that are located inside it. In addition, rainwater and snow are also accumulated in this freshwater. Therefore, it is not far from the expectation that Valasht’s water level will be lower during the warmer months of the year and higher during the rainfall months. Numerous tourists visit Valasht due to its beautiful view, so they can relax, enjoy nature, fishing along the pond, walk and swim or diving in it. Of course, as it was said, the depth of Valasht is high and it’s not recommended to swim if you are not a professional swimmer. It is no wonder that Valasht is more suitable for temporary and one-day tours because there is no vegetation or special shelter around the Valasht. There are only a few trees around the Valasht and you really need to be lucky to have a shelter as tree shadows are usually preoccupied by other tourists.

Valasht Lake a lake in the south west of the city Chalus And in the northeast Kelardasht

Marmisho Lake

Another most beautiful sightseeing in Iran, is Marmisho Lake, known as a lost paradise. Marmisho is a place where everyone is astonished by shockingly attractive sceneries including spectacular freshwater in the heart of Marmisho Mountain. Marimisho is located in forty-five kilometres of Urmia at the border of Iran and Turkey in the northwestern province of Iran, West Azerbaijan province, Urmia. The reason why this lake is in our list is its indigo colour, forest cover and abundance of willow, quince, walnut, pistachio, oak, bayonets, jujube, pears, hawthorns, almonds, tamarisk, spruce, alfalfa trees, whitefish and marten as well as fishing opportunities. Apart from these, the nomadic tents add to the beauty and liveliness of the area.

 

Poplar, oak and walnut trees are the vegetation around the lake

Ovan Lake

Another beautiful and attractive freshwater reservoir is Ovan Lake. This lake is a small alpine in Alamut region, in Qazvin province of Iran. If you want to see Alamut Castle one day, do not forget the Ovan as this it is near Alamut Castle. It covers more than 70,000 square meters, is located at a height of 1,800 meters above sea level, and is fed solely from groundwater sources in its bed, and only a small part of it is fed by rainfall which is superficial and low. The only river that pours into it is Ovan stream, which comes down from northern mounts. Its permanent currents make its water smooth and bright. The deepest part reaches 5.7 meters in the southeast, although some officials estimate the depth of Ovan between one to twenty meters. There is also a small stream of water from Ovan’s water, which is used by the farmers in the near villages. In the summer, Ovan is a suitable place for fishing, paddling and sailing, and in the autumn, it is a shelter for migratory birds such as swans, geese and ducks and in winter due to its frozen surface it a suitable place for skiing.

Ovan Lake Located in Qazvin province and in the famous area of Alamut

 

Urmia Lake

Urmia Lake is the largest permanent water catchment area in western Asia, located on the northwest of Iran’s plateau. Urmia Lake is fed by 13 rivers. Its size is around 700sq km, which covers about third present of the total area of ​​the country. Interesting things about this natural attraction is that the amount of salt dissolved in it is twice as large as the oceans, and because of this, no fish and Mollusca are available, only crustacean group are living in this pond. The water of this reservoir will never freeze, and no one will drown in it and swimmers can float on top of the water. During the recent years, Urmia was in danger of severe drought but recent prolonged and severe rains have increased Urmia’s water level by 59 centimetres and have put the Uremia on its way to revival.

 

Urmia Lake The 25th largest lake in the world is in terms of area

Sabalan Lake

Sabalan Lake is located on top of Sabalan. Actually, this freshwater stream is the mouth of the Sabalan volcano, and today it appears as a beautiful freshwater spot in the warm seasons. Sabalan is one of the highest mountains in Iran. The height of Sabalan is 4811 meters. It is located in the northwest of Iran, in the province of Ardebil. Sabalan as a volcanic inactive mountain is the third highest peak in Iran (after Damavand and Alamkouh). Sabalan is a tourist attraction due to the natural spas that are available at the range of mountain, the beautiful summer nature and the Alvares ski resort. Sabalan is one of the important permanent water catchments of the Azerbaijan Rivers. Its northern slopes lead to the Gharasu Valley and Ahar Chay and its southern slopes to the Aji Chay River. Therefore, Sabalan provides a large portion of the waters of the Aras river basin and the Uremia Lake. There are abundant spa springs and mineral springs on the slopes of Sabalan, which are used by Meshkinshahr residents and tourists in different seasons.

 

Last but not least, remember that Iran has endless sightseeing’s and beauties, therefore it’s better to schedule your trip in an appropriate way, to enjoy all these beautiful places that are part of the unseen world.