Darakeh to Palangchal Trail

The Darakeh to Palangchal Trail starts at Darakeh village square in the Velenjak area of northwest Tehran, at the base of the western foothills of Mount Tochal. The trailhead is reached by a roughly fifteen- to twenty-minute taxi ride from Tajrish Metro Station; there is no formal parking area, but informal roadside space is available near the village entrance, and no permit is required for day use. From the square, the route follows the Darakeh Valley alongside a seasonal stream, passing through a stretch of cafes and fruit-juice stalls that gives the lower kilometres a busy, social character. Beyond the last cafes the valley narrows and the trail becomes a mix of dirt track and loose scree, climbing steadily toward the Palangchal refuge at roughly 2,900 metres, a gain of about 1,200 metres over approximately 10 kilometres one-way. The surface is largely dirt and rock with limited shade above the lower cafe belt, and the upper approach to Palangchal is exposed to sun and wind. Hikers seeking a shorter outing can turn around after the lower valley loop, a roughly 6 kilometre round trip that stays within the shaded, cafe-lined section and avoids the steeper upper terrain. Landmarks along the way include the string of streamside cafes near the trailhead, a series of stone crossings over the seasonal stream, and the Palangchal refuge itself, a staffed mountain hut that offers basic shelter, tea, and simple food to hikers continuing toward the higher ridgelines of Tochal. Water is available for purchase at the lower cafes and again at the Palangchal refuge, but the middle section of the climb has no reliable water source, so hikers should carry sufficient supply for the ascent.