Malekan County

Tourism is one of the important arenas of cultural exchange and gaining economic interactions and paying attention to this industry has made various types of tourism flourish. Geotourism is a type of tourism in which, with a conscious and responsible presence in nature, in addition to enjoying the scenery and getting to know various natural phenomena, tourists learn a lot about and from nature. Many natural and historical sites exist in Iran, which are suitable for geotourism.

The geographical structure of the West Azarbaijan Province of Iran and the presence of many mountains in this province have resulted in the abundance of mineral springs, which have created very unique landscapes in many parts of this province, including Malekan County.

Where is Malekan County Located?

This county is the junction of the three provinces of East Azarbaijan, West Azarbaijan, and Kurdistan and is located in the south of Lake Urmia. The distance between Malekan and Tabriz is about 150 km. The main occupation of the people of Malkan is agriculture. This county is famous for having excellent types of grapes and most of the industries located there are engaged in the processing of agricultural products, especially grapes. Raisins are one of the main products of this region, which are exported to many countries. More than 200 thousand tons of grapes are annually produced in this county, which is equal to 60% of the grapes produced in East Azarbaijan province.

Shur Su Mineral Springs

Shur Su is a region in Malekan County the mineral springs of which attract a lot of tourists. These springs are effective in treating skin complications and knee pain and relieving mental discomfort. Shur Su region is located on the bank of the Mordaqchay River in an area called “Sheikhul Islam”.

Features of Shur Su Springs

The water and natural gas of the Shur Su spring enter a pond from its northern part, and their excess amount flows into the Mordaqchay River through a conduit located in its western part. The flow rate of the spring is about two liters per second. There is a lot of carbon dioxide in this water, which makes the spring water seem white when stirred.

There are also four other springs named “Qarah Su” (black water), “Qirmizi Su" (red water), “Guv Su” (blue water), and "Sari Su" (yellow water), near the main spring.

Nolan Gavmish (Buffalo) Valley

There is a valley near the Shur Su Spring, in the Dizaj Sheikhul Islam Village called “Nolan Gavmish”. In addition to the spring located on top of the mountain, this valley has a waterfall of several meters, which is very beautiful in the rainy season. The presence of retreats makes this valley suitable for mountain climbing and it is also one of the geotourism regions of Malekan County.

Ali Balaghi Spring

This spring has been a source of irrigating the orchards of the region for hundreds of years. There is also a historical area and a shrine next to this spring, which is located in “Aqmanar” Village, one of the districts of the central part of Malekan County. The historical sites and natural landscapes of this region attract many local tourists.

Ali Balaghi Spring is located at the end of a historical area. According to some experts, archeological explorations carried out in the historical site of Ali Balaghi denote this spring has been the source of water supply for nearly two thousand years.

Arpadarsi Spring

The distance between Arpadarsi Spring and Malekan city is 25 km. This spring is located in a village with the same name and its water is effective for doing away with kidney stones.

Malekan County is famous for having excellent types of grapes and most of the industries located there are engaged in the processing of agricultural products, especially grapes.