The Sefid Rud, the white river, is the great river of northern Iran, cutting a gorge through the Alborz mountains on its way from the plateau to the Caspian Sea. Where it breaks through, around the towns of Manjil and Rudbar in Gilan province, the landscape changes in a matter of kilometres from dry, windswept hills to the dense, humid forests of the Caspian slope. Siahroud, in the Rudbar district, lies in this transitional zone, about thirty kilometres from Manjil.
The Rudbar area is known to archaeologists for its ancient cemeteries. The most famous, Marlik, excavated in the early 1960s, yielded gold and silver vessels, bronze figures and pottery from the late second and early first millennium BC, now among the treasures of the National Museum in Tehran. Other sites in the valleys of the district have revealed burials, kilns and settlements of the same period, suggesting a wealthy culture that controlled the routes between the plateau and the Caspian. Expect excavated ground rather than a visitor attraction.
The region is also known for olives. The valley of the Sefid Rud around Rudbar is one of the few places in Iran where olive trees grow, and the roadside stalls sell olives, olive oil and a local paste made with walnuts and pomegranate. Manjil is known for its wind: the gorge funnels strong winds, and it was the site of one of Iran's first wind farms, with turbines lining the hills. In 1990, a devastating earthquake struck the Manjil-Rudbar area, killing tens of thousands of people, and its memory remains strong.
The main road from Qazvin to Rasht follows the Sefid Rud gorge and is a busy highway with heavy truck traffic, though the views are dramatic. Side roads into the mountain villages are narrower and rougher. Riding in Iran requires careful preparation: entry rules for foreign vehicles, fuel arrangements and the political situation all need checking, as does your government's travel advice. Traffic is chaotic, so ride defensively.
Manjil, Rudbar and Rasht have fuel and food. Spring and autumn are the best times to visit, when the hills are green and the weather mild.