Abidar is the mountain that rises immediately to the west of Sanandaj, its lower slopes developed as a public park and its upper reaches accessible for hiking. At around 2,100 metres, the summit provides a panorama over the city, the valley, and the Kurdish highlands stretching into Iraq and Turkey. The park on the lower slopes has become a major social gathering point for Sanandaj residents — families picnic here on weekends, and in the evenings it fills with people walking and sitting in the cool air above the city.
The climb to the summit takes two to three hours at a moderate pace. The terrain above the treeline is open grassland and rock, typical of the Zagros mountain landscape. The views reward the effort: Sanandaj spread out below in the valley, the minarets and the older roofline visible alongside the newer construction, with the agricultural plains of Kurdistan Province extending east.
Abidar is accessible by taxi from the city centre or on foot from the western edge of the city.