High in the Alborz mountains north of Qazvin, on a rocky spur above the Alamut valley, stand the remains of Lambsar, one of the strongest of the castles held by the Nizari Ismailis in the Middle Ages. To most Europeans this sect is known through the legend of the Assassins, a name that comes from distorted crusader and Persian tales. The reality was a network of mountain fortresses across Persia and Syria, ruled from Alamut, which resisted the Seljuk Turks and later the Mongols for over a century and a half.
Lambsar was taken by the Ismailis in the early twelfth century and became a key part of their defences in the region. When Hulagu Khan's Mongol armies arrived in the 1250s, most of the castles surrendered with their leader, but Lambsar is recorded as holding out for about a year longer, until disease weakened the garrison. Today the ruins are scattered on top of a steep crag, with remnants of walls, cisterns and storerooms cut into the rock. Reaching them requires a climb on foot, and the views over the valley and the mountains are spectacular.
The landscape is wild and beautiful. The Alamut region is a series of high valleys between the Alborz ranges, with rivers, orchards, terraced fields and villages of mud-brick houses. In spring the slopes turn green and the almond and walnut trees blossom; in winter, snow covers the passes. The air is clean, the light is sharp, and the silence is profound.
Riding here is an adventure. The road from Qazvin climbs over a high pass in the Alborz, with hairpins, steep gradients and long, dizzying drops, before descending into the Alamut valley. Surfaces vary from good asphalt to rough, broken sections, and landslides can block the road after heavy rain. Traffic is light, but trucks and local cars can appear suddenly on blind bends.
Practically, Qazvin is the nearest city with reliable fuel, food and accommodation; it is also an attractive place, with a fine bazaar and old mosques. In the valley, villages have small shops and simple guesthouses. Riding a motorcycle in Iran as a foreigner requires careful planning: you will need a carnet de passages, and rules about large motorcycles and travel permits change, so check current regulations and travel advice before you go. The rewards, for those who make it, are extraordinary.