From forests, lakes and hot springs to deserts, canyons and caves, Iran has a bit of nature for everyone. One of the most magnificent natural wonders that usually gets passed over, though, are the spectacular colourful mountains of Tabriz.
Located outside the city of Tabriz in the northwestern part of Iran, the Aladaglar Mountains are an otherworldly site. Like other painted mountains, such as those found in China’s Zhangye National Geopark or Peru’s Ausangate Mountains, these colorful stripes are said to be the result of minerals and sandstone being pressed together and oxidized over millions of years.
In the Azeri Turkish, the local language in Tabriz, “ala” means colorful and ”dag” means mountain. (There is a mountain range called Aladaglar in Turkey as well, but it does not feature the same colorful geological formations.) These mountains are one of Iran’s several naturally colorful sites, including the terraces at Badab-e Surt, the landscapes of Hormuz Island, and the waters of Lake Urmia.
