Sisakht

Sisakht is a small town high on the southern slopes of the Dena range, about thirty kilometres north of Yasuj, the provincial capital. It lies above two thousand metres, at the foot of the great limestone wall of Mount Dena, and for many Iranians its name means cool summers, snowy winters and some of the finest mountain scenery in the Zagros.

The town is surrounded by water. Springs rise from the base of the mountain and run through channels into orchards of walnut, apple, pear and vine, and into the fields of the plain below. In spring the trees blossom against a backdrop of snow; in autumn the walnut harvest is gathered and the slopes turn gold. Waterfalls and pools in the valleys around the town are favourite picnic places for families from across southern Iran, who come to escape the heat of the plains.

The people of Sisakht and its surroundings are mostly Lurs of the Boyer-Ahmad, a tribal confederation whose history, until the mid-twentieth century, was largely nomadic, moving between the warm lowlands in winter and the cool pastures of Dena in summer. Many families still keep that connection to the mountain, and the seasonal movement of flocks is part of local life.

Sisakht is also the main base for walkers and climbers heading up Dena, whose summits reach well over four thousand metres. Trails begin close to the town and climb through oak woodland and alpine meadows, and in winter the slopes draw skiers and snow-walkers. The town is a place where village life, farming and the mountain all meet.