Dez National Park

Dez National Park is one of Iran's national parks, located in Khuzestan Province within the county of Shush. The Dez Protected Area is a larger zone covering 17,895 hectares across four counties: Shush, Shushtar, Dezful and Ahvaz. A part of this larger area, covering 5,301 hectares, was declared a national park in 1389 (2010). Rich wildlife, together with beautiful landscapes such as the river and wetlands, has made this area one of the important scenic destinations of Khuzestan Province, especially for birdwatching. These forests were the last natural habitat of the Persian fallow deer.

In the past, this national park was also home to animals such as the Persian lion, but today the area's fauna includes species such as the fallow deer, hyena, honey badger, jackal, wolf, jungle cat, long-eared bat, hedgehog, golden jackal, red fox, snakes, and a variety of migratory and native birds. The vegetation of the area consists of trees, shrubs and bushy species, including jaz, legeji, blackberry, calotropis (estabraq) and, above all, Euphrates poplar (padeh).

The best time to visit Dez National Park depends on the purpose of your trip and the weather conditions in the area. Khuzestan Province generally has a hot and dry climate, so choosing the right time for a visit is very important. In general, the best time to visit the park is autumn and winter, because the weather becomes mild and cool and is very suitable for outdoor recreation. Autumn is a good time for watching wildlife, since many species are more active in this season. Winter in Khuzestan is relatively mild, and temperatures during this season are very suitable for a visit.