Heyran Pass

The Heyran pass carries the road from the dry Ardabil plateau over the Talysh mountains down to the humid Caspian coast at Astara, and the transition is abrupt: within a few kilometres the landscape changes from bare high steppe to dense Hyrcanian broadleaf forest, and cloud pushing up from the Caspian side frequently fills the valleys below the road, so drivers come over the top and look down onto a sea of cloud. The road is a series of switchbacks with viewpoints, and a cable car runs from near the summit down into the valley, giving the view without driving. Villages along it sell honey, fruit and local produce. It is a drive rather than a destination, and the weather makes or breaks it.

Highlights

• Cloud filling the valleys - the Caspian humidity backing up against the pass.
• An abrupt change of vegetation - bare steppe to dense forest in a few kilometres.
• The cable car - running down into the valley from near the summit.
• Roadside produce stalls - honey and fruit sold by villagers.

When to go

May to October; snow and fog make the pass difficult in winter. Half a day for the drive with stops. Mornings often have the best cloud effect. The cable car runs seasonally and in good weather only.

Practical notes

The whole point depends on weather: in clear conditions there is no cloud sea, in bad conditions you see nothing at all. The road is busy with trucks and the driving is demanding. The cable car closes in wind. Roadside development is untidy.

Nearby

Astara and the Caspian are north-east; Ardabil lies south-west.