Filband Village
Filband village and its famous cloud forest is located 240 kilometers from Tehran, towards Amol city in Mazandaran province, in the north of Iran. This attractive, intact nature is situated in the rural area of Khoshrood in Babol City. That is why it is called Babol Filband, or the Filband of the North. To reach Filband, you need to start from Hazar main road. Near the south part of the road, you can turn eastward and you will see the green sign that reads “ Filband Village”.
This village is the last village of the Chelaav wood rural area that attracts the attention of many tourists every year because of its unique phenomenon that is called cloud ocean. This village is located at an altitude which is why it is always extremely foggy, full of loads of clouds and a high degree of moisture. It is always relatively cold and looks like a piece of cloud itself. Its weather is changing, and it’s rainy during the fall and the spring which makes it very pleasing for tourists. Surprisingly, during the summer seasons, at night times, it becomes very cold and you need a heater or have some blankets beside you.
Early in the fall, it gets colder with more rain. The local denizens usually move to warmer provinces nearby. It is not at all predictable to find out what the weather will look like in the coming hours. Moreover, the weather is so odd as you might expect cold weather in the peak of summer. Now, you may ask, what would be the most suitable time to visit this beautiful place? Normally, summertime is the best time for Filband to visit. The first six months of the year, the village is practically haunted, but during summertime, it is incredibly crowded 24 hours of the day, especially on the weekend. Because of this, it is better to visit this beautiful village in the middle of the week to enjoy its beauty. The price of accommodation is also cheaper on weekdays.
Although summertime is the ideal time for visiting this village, the spring season also is practical and pleasing. Even at the end of the fall, the weather is acceptable and it is possible to go there. Still, we need to remember that Filband is a four-season village with unpredictable weather. Compared to other villages of Mazandaran province in the North of Iran, Filband is not intolerably humid and hot. So, because of its unique characteristics, summertime is perfect.
Now that we know what the weather looks like, in Filband, the second concern is definitely where to live. There is no hotel or specific accommodation in Filband. You can rent summer houses from the locals. But bear in mind that you need to look for it and manage its booking in advance as it would be very crowded and risky for you to get one. Camping in nature is another option visitors have if they cannot find a place to stay. It is very important to have warm clothes as the weather is unpredictable indeed. In addition to renting houses, cottages, or camping out in nature, there is a ritual hall where you can rent rooms. The facilities here are limited and are very traditional in style like shared bathrooms and kitchen. As the infrastructure is very primitive, the tourists need to consume water and electricity as it might end in a power outage.
As mentioned earlier, Filband is a village among the clouds. The altitude, the mountains, the trees, the greenery, and its unique, intact nature make this village sound outstanding. The other unique feature of this village is that it has many summer houses for rent. The traditional style of such houses adds to the pleasure of your visit. You would feel like you were spending your time decades ago. If you prefer camping out, please take care of nature as it is likely to hurt nature or put it easily into fire.
You can easily find basic facilities like tap running water, restaurants and supermarkets. To experience its unique tastes, you need to try its pickles and dairies. The dishes that are homemade by locals are also the ones that you must try. The tastes of Filband dishes are unique and different from other villages and cities of the provinces of the North. Warm clothes and a raincoat are really necessary in every season. A comfortable pair of sports shoes is really necessary as it is a mountain place with slopes.
You might think that Filband is the same in every spot of it. But it has different interesting tourist spots that every tourist would like to visit. Endwar Peak is the unique beauty of Filband. Although its edges could be dangerous, if you are careful enough cautious, you can enjoy it. The very area has several eye-catching sites like Steam Mountains, Big Hat area, Pomegranate Plain, and other alluring spots that are worth seeing. Chelav Woods is one of the oldest jungles in the world and is part of the Hirkaani Woods.
It is really like a dream with an amazing rush, Oak, and other types of trees that create an unbelievable scene like Science fiction. “Gavbanki” or “Googoor” is another specific phenomenon that refers to the season when the deer mate. Eye-witnessing this unique scene is unbelievable and of course, needs the accompaniment of a forster. Laar fountain is another spectacular view of Filband village that is of healing power. The minerals that are in the water fountain are so influential for the bones. Sangchaal village is another surreal spot of Filband village which is like a painting with the green earth and the chocolate brown wooden cottages that are wonderful in contrast. Local denizens of this village wear beautifully happy colors and have specific gatherings that are indeed attractive for every visitor.
Wish you a memorable stay in the breathtaking beauty of the imaginary land of Filband.