An Unforgettable Drive to Kandovan Pass in Iran

Kandevān Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.989m (9,806ft) above the sea level, located on the boundary of Alborz and Mazandaran provinces, in Iran.

Set high in the Central Alborz mountain range, the road to the summit is mostly unpaved but navigable by all passenger vehicles. Located between Karaj and Chālūs rivers, the road is 12.1 km (7.51 miles) long. It is usually impassable from late October through late June or early July.

Tucked away in the northwestern corner of the country, the road is very steep, hitting an 8% of maximum gradient through some of the ramps. In 1939, the climb was bypassed by the Kandovan tunnel, part of the Chalus Road, one of the busiest roads in Iran. The Kandovan tunnel was built in four years from 1935 to 1939.
To the west of the summit (36.161089, 51.280750) a minor gravel road climbs up to 3.335m (10,941ft) above the sea level. The summit hosts many abandoned facilities.
Pic: mohammad ali Dabbaghchian