Parau Cave; A Natural Murderer
About Parau Cave
Parau is the name of a cave at the height of 3050 meters on Zagros mountain, in the 12 kilometers in north-east of Kermanshah, which is located between Taḵ Bostan Mountain and Bistun Mountain. This cave is located 300 meters below the Sheikh Ali Khan peak or Pravo Peak. The cave was discovered more than 40 years ago in 1971. Since it is the largest vertical cave in the world, the name Everest of caves was given to Parau. Today, there are many deeper caves in the world that have lowered the rank of Parau cave in the list to 221. One of the unique features of the cave is its crater at an altitude of 3000 meters above the sea level, which is the highest level among all the caves of the world.
Parau Cave, about 12 km north-east of Kermanshah, is located near the village of Chalabat, at the height of 3050 meters on the southern peak of Mount Parw, one of the highest peaks of Kermanshah province with 3357 meters above the sea level.
The depth of the Parau cave is 751 meters and its length is 1454 meters. It has 26 wells, and the deepest well is No.16, the depth of which is 42 meters. The water flowing in the Parau cave is due to the melting of the underground glaciers of the cave itself, due to this issue and the height of this cave, the weather is very cold, Between -1 and -3 degrees Celsius, no place in the cave is colder than this. The body and stone walls inside the cave are very rough and porous, which makes caving clothes torn quickly.
The People Who Died in Parau Cave
Parau cave with its ruggedness is considered to be one of the most difficult caves in the world. So far, 5 Iranian cavemen have died while caving.
- Saeed Amini (1996) – After a successful caving in 1995, in the second time headed to the Parau cave. At this time, he was not successful and while he was caving, fell down in the third well and died.
- Amir Ahmadi and Victoria Kianirad, members of Damavand Mountain Climbing Club, could not take Saeed Amini`s dead body out, so they closed the crater of the cave.
- Khalil Abd-Nakooi (2008) – a climber and photographer, who climbed to the peaks of Mustach Ata, Lenin, Kurganoskaia, Ararat and Everest, died under the eleventh well of Parau cave.
- Pedram Buchani (September 2010), A member of an independent climbing group from the city of Dalahu, the rope he was using was torn and fell down and died.
How to Get There?
Parau cave is 12 kilometers away from Kermanshah city, so you can get there by taking a taxi.
Address: Iran, Kermanshah province, 12 kilometers away from the city of Kermanshah, Parau cave
