Rasht, being the capital of Gilan province, is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the north of the country, and traveling there will provide you with an unforgettable memory. You will be fascinated by the places to visit in Rasht, ranging from the beautiful green parks to the historical houses; however, if you are keen on visiting unspoiled places far away from the city, you can go on a day trip from Rasht and drive around the city. You can camp in a forest park near Rasht, take a walk by a beautiful lake or historical site, enjoy listening to the sound of a magnificent waterfall, or watch the roaring waves of the sea in less than half an hour.

As a rainy city with a spring full of greenery and freshness, a hot and comfortable summer, autumn with foggy and cloudy skies, and a mild winter, Rasht is among the best destinations to visit on different days of the year. The people of this city are extremely welcoming, friendly, and hospitable. As such, Rasht is among those cities that you fall in love with after visiting it and you will visit it again without a doubt. So stay tuned to learn more about the tourist attractions around Rasht.

Introducing pristine and alluring destinations for a day trip from Rasht

The city of Rasht is a land of greenery, rain, and tea. Whenever you travel to this beautiful city, you are going to find a very charming and pristine attraction. Having tea prepared on the fire along with hot and fresh cookies in a forest cabin will be very relaxing and memorable. That is why Rasht city could be one of the main travel destinations in the autumn and winter season and can give you exciting memories. In the following, we are going to introduce 7 perfect places for a day trip from Rasht. These places are also good for a Rasht one-day tour.

Masal

Masal is a city located in Gilan province and surrounded by mountains and forests, through which flows a beautiful river originating in the mountains of Shah Moallem and which reaches Manjil and Roudbar after passing through several towns and villages. Masal's special geographical features have brought many natural and spectacular beauties such as waterfalls, caves, and a green cover to Masal, while as far as the eye can see, thick green grasslands and plains surround Masal.

The astonishing nature of Masal, which has made one of the ancient dreams of people to witness and maybe even touch the clouds at close range come true, makes everyone amazed at its infinite beauty. The cloud ocean phenomenon happens when we are at an altitude higher than the height of cloud formation. You can see such a sight in Masal in almost every season of the year. But the cloud ocean of Masal is just an example of the famous sights of Masal, which include wooden huts, watery rivers, high waterfalls, and many caves and bungalows connected with the history of Iranian resistance against arrogance.

Some of the most important natural sights of Masal include Sueh Chaleh, Kheridool, Shanberah, Aridol, and particularly Olesbelangah. Located at higher altitudes than the clouds, these areas provide unique perspectives because of the clouds that form at a lower altitude than them, making Masal a perfect place for a day trip from Rasht.

Masal is respectively 45, 60, and 24 kilometers away from Rasht, Talesh, and Some’e Sara. It takes about five hours to travel between Tehran and Masal. When traveling to Masal from Tehran and the central and southern provinces of Iran, you should best go to Tehran and choose the Qazvin-Rasht highway. To travel by car from Tehran to Masal, take the Tehran-Qazvin highway after the Fardis Karaj Bridge and keep going until the road signs indicate your arrival in Masal. Just after Rasht police station and heading towards Emamzadeh Hashem, take Saravan road to reach Masal. This way you don't have to go to Rasht, Fooman, Tulem Shahr, and Some’e Sara.

Gilan Rural Heritage Museum

One of the most attractive places to visit in Rasht is the Gilan Rural Heritage Museum. You can learn about the architecture, culture, lifestyle, local food, handicrafts, clothing, and so on of the people in the different regions of Gilan Province in this museum. There are 28 residential complexes and other rural spaces like rice fields, hayfields, chicken coops, etc. reconstructed in the museum. For any visitor, the Gilan Rural Heritage Museum is an immersive experience, which makes it a perfect place for a day trip from Rasht

Located on an area of 263 hectares, Gilan Rural Heritage Museum is regarded as one of the most popular spectacular tourist attractions in Gilan. Offering a small but real example of the lifestyle and traditional culture of the villages in Gilan, this museum is a perfect place to visit. The museum's architecture section is made up of a collection of buildings that average of 150 years old. Forming 28 ensembles, these buildings encompass residential and outbuildings from different regions of the province. These buildings have been identified in different parts of Gilan and were documented, decorated, and repainted in the museum.

The Gilan Rural Heritage Museum, being one of the best places to visit near Rasht is located in Saravan Forest Park at kilometer 18 of the Rasht-Qazvin highway, which is not far from the police station, at kilometer 3 of Saravan-Shaft road. For getting there, take the Rasht-Qazvin road and after about 18 kilometers take the Saravan-Shaft (Saravan-Fooman) road. You will find the museum by the signposts.

Saghalaksar Dam Lake

Saghalaksar village and its renowned earthen dam are among the sights of Rasht that you should not miss while traveling to this city. Saghalaksar village is a very unique place offering good facilities, which is not located far from Rasht. This blue lake, which is a transparent mirror of the surrounding beauty, and the reflection of the dense trees in it provide tourists with a strange peace and calm. For all of these reasons, you should pay a visit here as one of the best places for a day trip from Rasht.

Located near the village of Saghalaksar is an earthen dam of the same name, which has created a unique lake in a forest area and is surrounded by many oak trees. Covering an area of 15 hectares, this lake is 600 meters long and 500 meters wide and draws tourists from near and far. The altitude of Saghalaksar Lake is 64 meters above sea level and its water is supplied by atmospheric waterfalls and springs in the region.

Walking around the lake is one of the best ways to relax at Saghalaksar Lake. You can discover all the beauties of the lake while walking around it and you will be escorted by friendly dogs. On a walk around the lake, you will come across some grazing domestic animals such as cows and sheep. During the summer season, if you travel to this area when the lake is low, in some parts of the lake you will see tree trunks sticking out of the water, which has created interesting scenery.

To reach Saghalaksar village from Tehran, you should drive towards Rasht city via Tehran-Karaj, Karaj-Qazvin, and Qazvin-Rasht highways. After you pass the Rasht toll and traffic police, before reaching Rasht, drive towards Fooman at the intersection with the overpass. Continue on Fooman Road for about 14 km until you reach the Agha Seyyed Sharif Shrine. Take a left turn and drive to the village of Saghalaksar. Keep going and follow the signs until you reach Saghalaksar Dam.

Sarvelat

Several hundred-year-old villages near the town of Chaboksar, Sarvelat is amongst the perfect places for a day trip from Rasht. The village is a cozy, clean and basic place with a unique view of the forest, the mountains, the Caspian Sea, the gardens, and the surrounding countryside. The summer village of Sarvelat is a magnificent place for sightseeing, especially in the hot seasons. You can expect a pleasant climate with low humidity, welcoming people, tasty local food, and gorgeous nature in this village.

Many entertainment and sightseeing opportunities are waiting for you in Sarvelat village, which is located in the heart of the green forests of Gilan province. The road leading from Sarvelat Square to the village itself has wonderful views, which are very pleasant to behold. Needless to say, visiting Sarvelat village or witnessing the mountain and forest scenery as well as the unique view of the sea and the city is also one of the best experiences you can have in Sarvelat.

A walk through the winding streets of the village, particularly in the early morning hours or towards evening, is among the experiences that you cannot miss in Sarvelat. By walking through the village, you can learn about the culture and the people of Sarvelat; moreover, you will have the chance to better enjoy the landscape and enjoy smelling the clean mountain air.

To get to Sarvelat village, you must first go to Chaboksar town in Gilan province. To reach Chaboksar, you may drive from the town of Ramsar in Mazandaran Province or you can get to Chaboksar via the Gilan Province route (after passing through the eastern towns of this province, including Lahijan, Langroud, Roudsar, and Kalachai). Both of these routes will take you to Sarvelat Square.

Did you know that for visiting Sarvelat and other Rasht attractions on this list you can rent a car in Iran using the car rental in Rasht services of Navaran? Car rental in cities of Iran has never been challenging thanks to the Navaran services.

Saravan Forest Park

Covering an area of 1487 hectares, Saravan Forest Park is situated in the western part of the road from Rasht to Tehran. Considered one of the oldest forest areas in Gilan, as well as a perfect place for a day trip from Rasht, this forest park is famous for its rich flora and fauna. Having a great variety of plant species, this park is a rare sight in the country and the world. Compared to other forest parks in the region, this park is particularly important.

Saravan Forest Park's tree resources are divided into two parts: the natural forest and the artificial forest. The first rural heritage museum in the country, Gilan Rural Heritage Museum, is also located in a part of this natural park. Some of the favored recreational activities in this area include boating on Saravan Lake, paintballing in Saravan Park, four-wheeled motorcycling, and photography.

Having said that, the charm of Saravan Forest is not only limited to its thick and green trees, but its rushing river and beautiful lake, which dazzle tourists with its green color, make this park stand out from other forest parks and attractive to travelers. Taking a boat ride on Saravan Lake while you are surrounded by trees will provide you with a very interesting and different experience.

What is good about Saravan Jungle Park is that it is very attractive to all tastes and has good facilities. Kids can play and have fun for hours in the playground dedicated to them. Those who love nature can enjoy unforgettable and happy moments in this green park and can take beautiful photos of the various effects of Saravan's nature.

Saravan forest area is situated at km 17 of Rasht Qazvin highway. If you have traveled to Rasht and wish to go to Saravan from there, you must drive about half an hour from Rasht to Saravan forest. Its proximity to Rasht (the capital of Gilan province), its direct route, and easy access have turned this forest park into one of the major tourist attractions in Rasht.

Read More: Car Rental in Rasht, Best prices for rent a car in Rasht

Pir Bazar Village

Pir Bazar village is located 6 kilometers north of Rasht city and regarded by many as a part of Rasht city itself and for this reason, some consider it among the Rasht tourist attractions. Having a traditional structure, an old market, and pleasant weather, this village is a favorite tourist attraction in the Rasht area and amongst the perfect places for a day trip from Rasht, which you will need about two hours to visit.

Historically, Pir Bazar was renowned as the first and most wealthy trading port on the Caspian Sea in Gilan because of the connection of the Pir Bazar waterway with Anzali Lagoon and Anzali Ghazian. Interestingly, the first railroad line connected this area with the Rasht city center 200 years ago, allowing this historic waterway to transport goods from Rasht to Anzali Lagoon and ultimately to Europe.

During the 19th century, European travelers went to Iran from the port of Pir Bazar. Most Russian goods at that time were transported from this port to Rasht and from there to Qazvin, Zanjan, Hamadan, Tehran, and Mazandaran. After the Rasht road was built, the shipping traffic to Pir Bazar port was restricted to Anzali, and this area started to lose its port status.

The distance between the city of Rasht and the village of Pir Bazar is about 10 km, and to reach this beautiful village you have to drive almost half an hour. From the center of Rasht, you should go north and take the Rasht-Pir Bazar road. After passing the village of Kamakol, which is in the middle of the route, you will reach the beautiful and historical village of Pir Bazar.

Anzali Lagoon

Anzali Lagoon in Gilan is considered one of the most beautiful and important natural freshwater wetlands in the country and a perfect place for a day trip from Rasht, which is located in the southwest of Bandar Anzali city and the Caspian Sea. Because it has a unique landscape, and biodiversity and dates back to 15 thousand years B.C., it is considered one of the most popular destinations for nature tourism in Gilan province. Water lilies, reeds, and sea tulips in the lagoon create a breathtaking sight that you can never get enough of. Boating, fishing, and bird watching are some of the most popular activities you can experience in this area.

Migrating birds are drawn to this wetland because of the diverse vegetation and choose it as a site to spend the winter, lay eggs and raise chicks. Located on the migratory route of northern birds, the Anzali Lagoon is an important shelter for migratory birds in cold seasons. Some birds that seek refuge in the Anzali Lagoon on cold days and winter here include cormorants, gray pelicans, lesser white-fronted geese, white-tailed eagles, and gypsy roosters.

Anzali Lagoon is situated in the southwestern part of the Caspian Sea coast. To get there, you first need to take the Rasht-Anzali or Rezvanshahr-Anzali road to Bandar Anzali. When you reach the port of Anzali, you have to catch the boats that will take you to the Anzali lagoon for a small fee. You will generally find these boats in the Neyzar Taavoni area, located in front of the Fallah gas station.

Conclusion

In this article, we have presented you with 7 of the best places for a day trip from Rasht, explaining the reasons why these places are so attractive and telling you how to reach them. The city of Rasht, one of the major capitals of the northern province of Iran, has many attractions to offer. If you plan to spend more time in Rasht and Gilan province, you will surely find many more places for a day trip from Rasht besides the presented ones.

If you have traveled to Rasht by plane and need a car to visit any of these wonderful places for a day trip from Rasht, you can always rent a car from Navaran. Being one of the best companies in the field of car rental in Iran, Navaran Company made available to you a collection of modern cars with easy conditions for car rental. To rent a car in Rasht from Navaran, you don't need to present a check or promissory bill and you can rent your desired car from us by paying a deposit.