Shimbar Plain

Shimbar is a lush green plain in the northeast of Khuzestan Province, on the road from Andika to Shahrekord. It lies on the main migration route of the Bakhtiari nomads, who travel from the warm lowlands of Khuzestan towards Kuhrang and the cold highlands of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province. The plain is 30 km from Qaleh Khajeh, 100 km from Masjed Soleyman and 225 km from Ahvaz. Shimbar Plain is bordered by Mount Demeh to the east, Chal-e Manar to the southwest, Mount Qalandar and Mount Dela to the south, and the Lalro and Kotok area and the tall, snowy Kino and Leyleh mountains to the northeast. Geomorphologists attribute the formation of Shimbar Plain to a landslide that occurred near the end of the Ice Age, about 10,000 years ago.

The vegetation of the area consists of oak, wild almond, mahlab cherry, millet, maple (kikam), esfandan, wild pistachio (bane), kalkhang and jaz trees. The forested Shimbar Plain is covered with wild-growing trees such as mulberry, apple, grape, fig and jaz. In the past its wildlife was so full of bears, leopards, wolves, hyenas, herds of wild boar and large birds such as eagles and vultures that few people dared to enter the heart of the Shimbar forest. The best time to visit Shimbar is spring, as the nature of the area is more beautiful in this season than in any other.

In the Shimbar Protected Area, Shimbar Wetland lies along the Zagros mountain range. Because it is located in the highlands of Khuzestan Province, the wetland has a mountain climate and receives abundant rainfall, especially in autumn and winter. Many bird species, such as pelicans, swallows and kashimiyan, live in this wetland.

The best way to reach Shimbar is the route from Shahrekord to Masjed Soleyman. From Masjed Soleyman you need to get to a village called Shalal. This route is somewhat long and takes an hour and a half of driving, but the distance from Shalal village to Shimbar Plain is short and takes about 15 minutes on foot. This route passes through Shimbar Plain.