Gilan Tour Packages & Travel Information

Gilan Province

Gilan is one of the northern provinces in Iran, bordered by the Caspian Sea and the country of Azerbaijan to the north, Ardebil province to the west, the provinces of Zanjan and Qazvin to the south, and Mazandaran province to the east. The area of Gilan province is 14,044 square kilometers.

History of Gilan

Gilan is a region in south of the Caspian Sea.

There are various reasons why this area is named such, but the main reason is that:

Word “Gilan” is composed of two parts “Gil” and “an” that means the place where the “Gil” (a tribe) live.

No clear information is available about how old this city is exactly. However, based on the exploration and archaeology conducted in the region, it is assumed that it has a several-thousand-year-old civilization.

The best example that would prove it is the statue of a woman which dates back to 1,200 BC and is kept in Rome now.

One of the discoveries archaeologists have made about this region is the high level of wealth and welfare of its inhabitants in the past.

The gold and precious metals found in the region through exploring show the high level of wealth and welfare of people living in the area.

With the migration of Aryans and other tribes to this land and by integrating the immigrants and the locals of this region, some new tribes emerged, the majority of which were “Gil” and “Deylam” tribes.

Even when the country was attacked or invaded in different periods like in Median time or Arab invasion, these tribes preserved their independence.

Some examples of different times when these people showed courage, are when they overthrew the Medes with Cyrus the Great, attacked Baghdad and defeated the Abbasid Caliph, helped the Safavid dynasty to build their Empire, and invaded and conquered Tehran in the Persian Constitutional Revolution.

When Arabs invaded and took over Iran, they could not manage to defeat the resistance of Gilan.

The city of Rasht

Rasht is the provincial capital of Gilan Province that is the largest settlement in the southern coast of the Caspian Sea. Rasht is also the third tourist destination in the country.

 Elevation

Gilan Province is one of the northern provinces of Iran which lies adjacent to the Caspian Sea (the largest lake in the world). The elevation of Gilan varies from 0 to 3,690 meters above sea level, the highest point which is Samam Peak.

This difference in height in different parts of the province is because it is neighboring both the Caspian Sea and the Alborz mountain range.

Weather in Gilan

Gilan Province has a temperate climate with high humidity. Neighboring the Caspian Sea and being enclosed by the barrier of Alborz Mountains on the other side, this region is mostly rainy all year round.

The average rainfall in the province is different from 1,200 to 1,800 mm.

According to what mentioned above, the best seasons to travel to Gilan are spring and autumn. In spring, it has a temperate climate and everywhere is green in forests and plains and in autumn it is cool, and everywhere is yellow and orange that makes it much more beautiful and makes traveling to this Province more pleasant.

 How to reach Gilan Province

Gilan Province is easily accessible by land, rail and air:

Rasht, the provincial capital of Gilan, has an international airport, with many domestic and international flights.

It also connects to most cities in Iran through railway.

You can also reach different cities in Gilan through land routes.

Rasht

The land route from Tehran to Rasht is:

Tehran, Alborz, Qazvin, Rasht

This route is about 330 km.

Bandar Anzali

The land route from Tehran to Bandar Anzali is:

Tehran, Alborz, Qazvin, Rasht, Bandar Anzali

This route is about 365 km.

Lahijan

The land route from Tehran to Lahijan is:

Tehran, Alborz, Qazvin, Rasht, Lahijan

This route is about 355 km.

Astara

The land route from Tehran to Astara is:

Tehran, Alborz, Qazvin, Rasht, Fuman, Asalem, Talesh, Astara

This route is about 500 km.

Tourist Attractions of Gilan

Gilan is one of the main tourist destinations in Iran. This province lies on the coast of the Caspian Sea, and its mild climate and dense forests are extremely attractive to the enthusiastic tourists and nature lovers.

Gilan Province offers a great variety of beauties some of which are as follows:

Masuleh, Deylaman, Damash, Talesh, Olsabelanga mountain village, Kia Kalayeh wetland, Safra Basteh Forest Park, Vistan Lake, Gissoom Forest, Siahkal Forest, Lounak Waterfall, Paresar Waterfall, Rudkhan Castle, Asalam-Khalkhal Road, Heyran Pass, Laton Waterfall, Selke Wildlife Refuge, Saravan Forest Park, Saqalaksar Dam Lake, Anzali Lagoon, Zomorrod Waterfall, Chaf Wetland, etc.

In addition to the attractions mentioned above, Gilan Province is broadly-known for its local cuisine, and a great number of tourists travel to this province to get more acquainted with this cuisine and experience the unforgettable taste of these foods.

Furthermore, Rasht was designated as a UNESCO Creative City of gastronomy in 2015, for over 200 kinds of local foods.

Some of these foods include: Baghali ghatogh, Mirza Ghassemi, Sour Chicken, Torshi-Tareh, Gilani Sir Ghalieh, Gilani Aloo Mosama stew, Shish Andaz eggplant, Gilani Chicken Kuku, Kal Kabab, Vabishka plate, Naz Khatoon, etc.