Sidoa National Park

Sidoa National Park is located in the northwest of Semnan Province, in Mahdishahr County. It was declared Iran's 30th national park in 2015 (1394 SH) when part of the Parvar Protected Area was upgraded. The name "Sidoa" comes from two words in the local language: "sid", meaning hunt, and "va", meaning wind. It was chosen because of the constant, fast winds that sweep across the wide plains of the area, and because of its diversity of animal species. Covering about 7,300 hectares, the park is one of the most important wildlife habitats on the southern edge of the Alborz.

Sidoa National Park is home to valuable animal species such as the Persian leopard, brown bear, gazelle, wild goat and ibex, wild sheep (urial and mouflon), various canids and felids, reptiles and birds. The area is known as one of the key wildlife monitoring zones, and many images of the Persian leopard and its cubs have been recorded in the park.

To reach Sidoa National Park, you can use the paved roads that lead into the protected area from the southwest (Rezaabad) and the northeast (Fooladmahalleh). The best time to visit is spring and early summer, when the landscape is at its most beautiful. When visiting, you are advised to follow the principles of responsible nature tourism, such as not damaging vegetation or wildlife, taking your litter with you and staying on the designated trails.