Travel to Northern Iran and Gilan Province in 2024 and you'll find a GREEN paradise of Caspian Sea towns.  .  In this video we leave Tehran to travel North over the  range, passing Tonekebam and Lahijan on the way to RUDKHAN CASTLE.

Also known as Roodkhan Castle, it's a brick and stone medieval fortress built to defend against the Arab invaders during the Muslim conquest of Persia. With the fall of the Sasanian Empire, this area became a defensive position against the Arabs in the then-newly established Tabarestan.

Here I climbed 1,000 steep stairs to reach the castle and then some more to get to the top.  Along the way I met so many friendly Iranians and Persian people who were excited to meet an American tourist in Iran.   I also tried Lavashak, Persian Yogurt and Ash Reshteh (Ash-e-reshteh), which is delicious and thick Iranian soup.

Then we visited super green TITI Caravanserai a 600 year old green trading post on the Silk Road. since the days of the Safavid dynasty.

Next stop was Masuleh, a beautiful sloping mountain village dating back over 1,000 years. Here the roofs of many of the houses connect directly to, or even form part of the street serving the houses above.   I also found beautliful WATERFALLS welcoming me into the old town.

Finally, at Gardane Heyran (Heyran Road Pass), we ended our night hanging out with some lovely campers who set up their tents in the most beautifully green location.  The rolling hills and mist made it look like SWITZERLAND in IRAN!