Ali-Sadr Cave

About this place

Ali-Sadr Cave is a water cave in the village of Ali Sadr in Kabudarahang County, western Iran, about 100 km north of Hamadan by road and 59 km in a straight line. Its original name, Ali Sard, means cold, and it draws visitors every year. A German-British expedition surveyed the cave in the summer of 2001 and found it to be 11.44 km long. It is one of the largest underground water complexes in the world, with a network of canals, lakes and water passages stretching for kilometres; the water is 0.5 to 14 metres deep and stays at 12 °C all year. It is considered one of the largest navigable caves in the world, and finds inside date back some 12,000 years. Stalactites and calcite formations of many shapes hang from the ceilings of wide halls, mirrored in clear water under coloured lights, and some chambers open out like underground palaces. Visitors ride small boats, paddled through the canals, then walk paths in some of the halls. It is cool and damp inside, so bring a jacket. The UK Foreign Office currently advises against all travel to Iran and warns that British nationals risk detention, so check official guidance before making any plans. We could not confirm the current state of this site.