Long before there were gardens, or even farms, people sheltered in the caves of the Zagros. Kaldar Cave lies in the hills near Khorramabad, in the province of Lorestan in western Iran, and it was occupied by Stone Age hunters tens of thousands of years ago. Excavations have found stone tools and the bones of animals that were hunted and eaten here, and the cave is among the important Palaeolithic sites of the region. The entrance faces a valley of oak forest, one of the old forests that once covered the mountains, and the setting is as dramatic as the history.
Lorestan has a long past. The bronze objects of Luristan, finely worked animals, horse fittings and weapons, were made here some three thousand years ago and are found in museums around the world. Khorramabad, the main town, has a castle on a rock called Falak-ol-Aflak, the Heaven of the Heavens, which has Sasanian foundations and was used for centuries, and a good museum in it. The town of a third of a million people has fuel, hotels and restaurants, and makes the obvious base.
The roads around the Zagros are a joy for a rider. They twist through oak and almond woods, over passes and along deep valleys, with sudden views over ridges that fold away to the horizon. The surface is generally good on the main roads and rough on side roads, and trucks are a constant presence. In spring the hills are green, with poppies and tulips in the fields, and the villages smell of woodsmoke and baking bread. Winter brings snow, and the higher roads can be dangerous. Lorestan is also home to nomadic herders who move their flocks to the high pastures in summer.
Vasian, a small place with under two thousand inhabitants, is the closest village, and the cave is not far from the town. Fuel in Khorramabad is straightforward, and the city has many shops. A traditional meal of lamb stew with dried limes, served with fresh bread and herbs, is excellent.
Spring and autumn are the best seasons, while summer is hot in the valleys. Foreign riders should check the rules for visiting and riding in Iran before they plan.