Jiran Goli Wetland

Jiran Goli Wetland is a small wetland located in the Shirvan Dare Si habitat in Ardabil Province. It lies 20 kilometers southeast of Meshgin Shahr, near the village of Lahrud. The wetland sits in an area of exceptional natural scenery that is especially appealing to nature lovers and photographers. Shirvan Dare Si, where the wetland is located, is a deep, wide valley whose rocky walls give the area its distinctive character. The rocks in this valley look like natural sculptures, as if each had been carved by a skilled artist. These features make the area a unique destination for tourists and nature travellers.

Jiran Goli Wetland is a year-round habitat for birds such as the little grebe, the coot, the grey heron, the ruddy shelduck and the mallard. Every year in the cold months, migratory waterbirds and shorebirds also arrive here from Central Asia, the Caucasus and Siberia. Animals such as wild boar, fox, wolf, wild ram, Armenian mouflon, brown bear, chukar partridge and turtle dove also live around the wetland. The Shirvan valley and the area around Jiran Goli Wetland are rocky and stony; even so, the wetland's surroundings have vegetation of reeds, rangeland plants and herbaceous plants, which provides part of the food supply for the area's wildlife.

The best time to visit Jiran Goli Wetland is from mid-spring to mid-summer, when nature is at its most splendid and beautiful. From mid-summer to the last days of the season, the water volume of Jiran Goli decreases. In autumn and winter, because of the cold weather and the rough access roads, reaching Jiran Goli Wetland is difficult and is recommended only for professional mountaineers and canyoneers. That said, winter is also when birds migrate to Jiran Goli Wetland, which offers a good opportunity for bird-watching enthusiasts.