Bisheh Waterfall

Bisheh is a waterfall of about forty-eight metres, some ten metres wide, dropping over a mossy rock face in a narrow oak-wooded gorge in Lorestan, and what makes it distinctive is the approach: the Trans-Iranian railway, itself a World Heritage Site, runs through this valley on one of its most spectacular sections, and Bisheh has a station a short walk from the falls, so the classic way to arrive is by train through tunnels and over bridges rather than by road. The water is strongest with spring snowmelt from the Zagros above and reduces considerably by late summer. The gorge is green and shaded, which is unusual for Iran, and the walk from the station passes through village orchards.

The landscape

• The mossy rock face - a fall of about forty-eight metres in a shaded gorge.
• Arrival by train - the Trans-Iranian line with a station at the falls.
• Oak-wooded gorge - green shaded valley unusual in Iran.
• Spring snowmelt flow - the water at its strongest in April and May.

When to go

April to June for the strongest flow and the greenest gorge. Half a day. Train times are limited and need checking well ahead; the road approach is winding. Iranian holidays crowd the site.

Before you go

The fall is narrow and photographs make it look broader. Train services are infrequent and timetables change. Weekends bring crowds, stalls and litter. Flow drops sharply after early summer.

Nearby

The Trans-Iranian railway runs through the valley; Dorud is north-east.

Key facts