Khorramabad is the capital of Lorestan province, a city of about 330,000 people sitting at roughly 1,200 metres in a broad valley of the central Zagros Mountains, and it has been inhabited for a very long time. On a rock in the middle of the city stands Falak-ol-Aflak, a castle with Sasanian foundations and later additions, which today houses a museum of the region's archaeology, including the remarkable bronzes of Lorestan, decorated horse bits, pins and animal figures made by people who lived here three thousand years ago. Nearby, a number of caves, including Yafteh, have yielded stone tools of the Paleolithic, so people were here tens of thousands of years earlier.
The Kashkan river runs through the valley, and the old Sasanian stone bridge, Pol-e Shapuri, still spans a dry bed. The Lur people, with their own language, music and tribal traditions, make up most of the population, and are known for their hospitality.
For riders, Lorestan is a pleasant surprise. The roads from Khorramabad toward Borujerd, Aligudarz and Dorud twist through green valleys and over high passes, often lined with oaks and wild pistachios, and the railway to Tehran passes through an astonishing series of tunnels and bridges built in the 1930s. In spring the slopes are green and covered in wildflowers, and in winter snow can close the passes. Summers are warm, but the altitude keeps nights comfortable.
Fuel and services are all in the city, with stations on the main roads, and many restaurants serving ash soup, grilled kebabs and fresh bread. Be careful on mountain roads, where trucks are slow and visibility can be limited by fog or dust. Local people are keen to talk, and a rider who stops will almost certainly be invited to share tea. Start early, and check road conditions in winter.