Mt Damavand Ascent

Our Clients’ Reviews

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  colin harrow

  MT DAMAVAND ASCENT

  

  Written July 2010

  This was far harder than I had been led to expect. Confirmation of this is shown in the fact that only half the group made the summit and a rescue party had to be sent up to bring one of them down. Plus the fact that the trip has now been re-graded upwards.  However although there is no way I could describe this as "an enjoyable holiday" or any other of the overall ratings given above, it was without doubt one hell of an experience, and that to me is what Exodus is all about.Having to be rescued in the early hours of the morning when your tent starts to blow away at an altitude of 4,200m can hardly be described as "enjoyable" but it's certainly something to remember.  This may have been the most scarey one I've experienced but it's why I choose Exodus holidays and will continue to do so. 

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  What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

  Welcoming back the rescue party who brought down one of the "summiteers" who collapsed with altitude sickness.

  What did you think of your group leader?

  He really tried his best but I'm afraid the fact that unlike in other parts of the world (Morocco, Africa, Nepal etc) trekking is in its infancy in Iran, a general lack of basic support facilities and backup showed.

  He did the best with what he had, and he and his team were excellent when it came to the crunch(see "inspirational moment" above) but although you don't expect many creature comforts on this sort of trip, this was very basic - not even a mess tent for instance in some pretty hairy weather conditions for the three nights at the base camp.

  Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

  When considering this trip don't just take the altitude into consideration. The terrain is all important.  It's an extinct volcano and for much of the time you are walking on volcanic rock.  It's like trekking through broken crockery or up a 12,000 ft. scree slope.

  It is also important to be aware of the weather conditions, particularly the very high winds experienced at the base camp, which we were told were common, and make it very difficult to get a good night's sleep.  And when you are expected to make the height gains required on the final acclimatization walk, and particularly the gruelling 1,500m summit ascent, you need to be well rested. 

  Is there anything else you would like to add?

  The whole of this trip is concentrated on climbing Damavand. You arrive in Tehran in the early hours of the morning and leave for the mountain after just a few hours.  On the return you have just half-a-day to explore the city. You can see the summit as soon as you leave Tehran and it's with you all the time.

  Therefore if you don't make the summit as half of our party didn't it's an even bigger disappointment than usual because there's not much else to compensate for not having done so.