General Information
Istanbul + Ararat Expedition Program is a cultural mountain climbing program for travelling and having a better understanding of the western and eastern areas of Turkey, as well as it’s about mountaineering. This program is mostly preferred by the tourists who’ve never been to Turkey before. The reason for this is the programs inclusion of the cultural tours alongside mountaineering. This program where we visit Turkey from the west to the east is really entertaining and appealing to the tourists because of the fixed transfer points and the handling of transportation issues personally. So the only thing that’s left to you after this point is just packing your bags and buying a plane ticket.
Climb to Mount Ararat Tour Organization and 11 Days Istanbul + Ararat Program & Details:
1st Day: Our program will begin with our greetings to you at the Istanbul Airport.
2nd Day: This day will be a complete cultural trip of Istanbul.
3rd Day: You’ll arrive in city of Iğdır from your hotel in İstanbul via airport transfer. And then you’ll be transferred to Doğubeyazıt from Iğdır Airport.
4th Day: We’ll arrive in Çevirme Village with the altitude of 2200m in Mount Ararat. At this point, our carriers will handle our equipment to transfer them to the camp area using mules. This is also where our hike will begin. After a comfortable hike of about 5 hours, we’ll arrive at the first camp area at 3200m.
5th Day: We’ll begin our hike to the second camp area at 4200m to conduct acclimatization exercises. Even though it’s a much harder stage compared to the previous day, we’ll arrive at the second camp area in about 4 hours. We’ll rest here for one hour and make little walks around the second camp area. And then we’ll start our descent to the first camp area at 3200 meters. We’ll have plenty of opportunities to rest at the camp area before the summit climb, which we’ll reach after a two-hour hike.
6th Day: After breakfast, we’ll start our climb again to the second camp area at 4200 meters. After this climb, we’ll spend the night in the second camp area at 4200 meters. Here we’ll do our equipment check and we’ll have to prepare our bags for the summit climb we’ll start at midnight.
7th Day: After a night of rest, our summit climb will start with waking up at the time our guide has determined. We will reach the summit in about 6 hours later. After resting half an hour at the summit, we’ll head towards to the second camp area at 4200 meters. After 3 hours, we’ll reach the second camp area where we’ll rest about an hour and start our descent to the first camp area at 3200 meters, where we’ll spend our last night on the mountain.
8th Day: We’ll have breakfast. Later we’ll start our descent to the 2200 meters towards vehicle transfer point. We’ll arrive at this point 3 hours later and then get transferred to our hotel here with our vehicles.
9th Day: Today we’ll be visiting the historical Doğubeyazıt city and explore its nature then head back to our hotel.
10th Day: You’ll be transferred to Iğdır Airport to fly back to İstanbul. When you arrive in İstanbul, you’ll be transferred back to your hotel from the airport. If you can find the time, we can suggest visiting Grand Bazaar, which is not included in our tour program. That way you can shop for yourself and your loved ones before going back to your country.
11th Day: After the last night you’ll spend at İstanbul, our program will end with you being transferred to the Airport.
There is an emergency extra day in our program. Weather conditions on the mountain sometimes make the climb impossible. With a extra day, you’ll have a chance to wait in the second camp area to wait for the weather conditions to improve and then try again the next day when the weather gets better. If there are no bad weather conditions, this day will be used after the summit descent to rest at the Base Camp area at 3200 meters.
Tour Beginning Location: Istanbul
Tour Ending Location: Istanbul
Mountain Route Used: Mount Ararat South Route
Hotel accommodation: 6 Nights
Mountain accommodation: 4 Nights
Extra Day: 1
- Welcome and send off
Our climbing programs start with reaching to the mountain from the hotel by vehicles and end in the same way with returning back from the mountain to the hotel. There are no welcome and send off days in our programs because of the transportation differences of our guests.
We can welcome and send you off in the same way at the airport at your request as well as set up days for the welcome and send off days in our program schedule.
- Mount Ararat Climbing Organization Info:
We are serving at a special camp area on the south route of Mount Ararat. In this camp area, we have our camping tents and kitchen. During the climb, our firm will keep a cook at the mountain ready, responsible for preparing your hot food and drinks. On climbing days, our cook will provide your rations every morning and the climb nights for your consumption during hikes. Since camp area will be a private area, there’ll be guards securing the camp. This way the equipment you left behind will be safe and the tents will be under surveillance in the case of bad weather conditions. The equipment you won’t need during the climb will be kept by our contracted hotel to be handed back to you after your return. Equipment you’ll be bringing to the mountain will be transferred between the camps by carrier mules and you won’t be charged any extra fee for all these services.
We request our vegetarian and vegan visitors to inform us in advance about their choices.
- Attention: Please do not leave your group during the climb without informing your guide. Staying together with the group will help you to spend less of your energy and protects you from any possible accident that may happen. You should especially have a good choice of gloves and boots. Remember, Mount Ararat is a mountain that has a large ice mass that doesn’t melt throughout the year and affected by cold because of its equatorial position.
You should bring your trekking poles with you and use them during the hike. These poles will not only lower the possibility of an accident, but it’ll also help you lighten your weight so you’ll be less tired. Poles that are adjusted to your heart level will also help you to relax your circulation.
2nd Day: Istanbul Tour Day
Today we’ll be exploring the unique and historical city of Istanbul together. Our first stop will be the ruling center of the Ottoman Empire, Topkapı Palace. Right after the palace, we’ll visit Hagia Sophia. Later on we’ll visit the Blue Mosque, constructed after being inspired by the magnificent dome of the Hagia Sophia. Lastly, we’ll finish our day with Basilica Cistern, one of the oldest cisterns in the Byzantine Empire. Because the tour will take a long time to finish, there’ll be breaks in the city at the appropriate times.
Accommodation: İstanbul Hotel
3rd Day: Day of Arrival in Doğubeyazıt
Today, we’ll be transferred to Istanbul Ataturk Airport from the hotel we were staying and the mountain stage of the program will begin once we land on Iğdır Airport in the eastern side of the country. Here, we’ll be briefing you on Mount Ararat that we’ll start climbing tomorrow.
Accommodation: Doğubeyazıt Hotel
4th Day: 3200m Mount Ararat Base Camp
Today will be the first day of our expedition to the glorious Mount Ararat. We’ll head on Mount Ararat with our vehicles after a breakfast in our hotel. About an hour later, we’ll arrive in Çevirme Village with an altitude of 2200 meters. Here, our cook will provide the rations we’ll use during the trek. We’ll be handing over all of our equipment (about 20 kg) to the carriers. We’ll take the equipment we’ll use during the trek to our 15-liters backpacks. Our trek will continue with little photo breaks en route until we reach the Base camp area in 3200 meters. When we arrive at the camp area, our cook will greet us with warm food and drinks.
Accommodation: 3200m Mount Ararat Base Camp
| Average Hiking Time | Average Hiking Distance | Average Ascension | Average Inclination |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Hours | 7km | 1000m | 15° |
5th Day: 3200m Mount Ararat Base Camp, “The Acclimatization Day”
Today, we’ll climb 1000 meters and return back to our camp to adjust our body to the altitude of the mountain and to make a safe and comfortable climb possible. This way, our body will be adapted to the altitude and it will reduce any possibility of complications. After the breakfast, we’ll start our hike with our guide and occasional breaks along the way to the second camp area at 4200 meters. The route is on a dusty trail compared to the one we hiked on the first day and the foliage leaves itself to the bare land and rocky texture. We’ll rest for an hour when we reach the second camp area. Here, we’ll have the opportunity to observe the camping area we’ll use for the next day’s summit climb. And then we’ll start our descent to 3200 meters. We’ll rest in the meal time with the food our cook will serve.
Accommodation: 3200m Mount Ararat Base Camp
| Average Hiking Time | Average Hiking Distance | Average Ascension | Average Inclination |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Hours | 3km | 1000m | 15° – 20° |
| Average Hiking Time | Average Hiking Distance | Average Ascension | Average Inclination |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Hours | 3km | 1000m | 15° – 20° |
6th Day: 4200m Mount Ararat Second Camp
Today we’ll climb back to the second camp area where we’ll start our summit climb and stay the night here in our tents at 4200 meters. Our guide will share the information needed before the summit climb and will check the required equipment during the climb. The equipment you’ll need during the summit climb should be prepared that day before the climb. We request you to check your bags and batteries since it’ll take time to prepare for a climb that’ll start at night when it’s dark. Also, it’s possible that you can forget some equipment you’ll need at the summit because of the night. Please tie your crampons to your boots before the climb to test them before you start because this carries utmost importance for your safety. If you’re having any troubles with your crampons, please inform your guide.
Accommodation: 4200m Mount Ararat Second Camp
| Average Hiking Time | Average Hiking Distance | Average Ascension | Average Inclination |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Hours | 3km | 1000m | 15° – 20° |
7th Day: Mount Ararat “Summit Day 5,137m”
Today, we’ll try to reach the summit from the second camp area while occasionally crossing areas with the inclination of 25-30 degrees. We’ll start by waking up at the 4200 meters camp area. We’ll eat the hot meals and take the rations provided by our cook. We’ll start our hike with the help of our headlights. Hike usually begins after midnight between 01:00 and 02:00. We’ll reach the summit after 6 hours we left the camp. The first stage of the hike may not cause any trouble but as we ascend, the effects of the cold weather may be particularly hard. We’ll start our glacier walk when we reach 4700 meters where Mount Ararat glacier line begins. Here, we’ll fit our crampons and enter the icy plateau safely with the help of our guide. Now we’re really close to the summit. We’ll start climbing with 30 degrees inclination and will reach the summit of Mount Ararat after passing this 100 meters long area. It’s possible to see the five countries around from the viewpoint of the mountain. “Turkey, Iran, Georgia, Armenia, and Nakhchivan. After resting at the summit for half an hour, we’ll start our descent to 4200 meters. When we arrive at the camp, we’ll rest for an hour and eat. We’ll reach the Base Camp at 3200 meters after a four-hour walk and spend our last night on the mountain resting here.
Accommodation: 3200m Mount Ararat Base Camp
Extra Day: It’s possible that a climb may not happen because of the weather conditions. That’s why our program has one “Extra” day. We’ll descend to the Base Camp at 3200 meters and spend our last night here, weather permitting.
If not, we’ll stay one more night at the camp at 4200 meters and try to climb to the summit next day if it’s possible. After the summit, we’ll return back to the camp at 3200 meters and rest an hour before we go back to the transfer area at 2200 meters.
| Average Hiking Time | Average Hiking Distance | Average Ascension | Average Inclination |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Hours | 3km | 937m | 20° – 30° |
| Average Hiking Time | Average Hiking Distance | Average Ascension | Average Inclination |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Hours | 3km | 937m | 20° – 30° |
| Average Hiking Time | Average Hiking Distance | Average Ascension | Average Inclination |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Hours | 3km | 1000m | 15° – 20° |
8th Day: “Return to Doğubeyazıt”
We’ll be moving after the breakfast for our descent from the Base Camp area at 3200 meters to the transfer point at 2200 meters. We’ll be reaching our vehicles after a four-hour walk. Our equipment will already be loaded into the vehicles by our carriers before we arrive. That way, we won’t have to wait here and can hit the road to the hotel to treat our bodies to a hot bath.
In the case of using the extra day, we would lose the chance of staying at the camp at 3200 meters. Instead, we’ll have a break and descend to the vehicle transfer point at 2200 meters.
Accommodation: Doğubeyazıt Hotel
| Average Hiking Time | Average Hiking Distance | Average Ascension | Average Inclination |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Hours | 7km | 1000m | 15° |
9th Day: “Doğubeyazıt Tour Day“
Today we’ll visit the historical and the natural beauty of the foothills of the Mount Ararat. After we leave the hotel in the morning, we’ll visit the İshak Paşa Palace looking from above, resembling the castles of “Warner Bros”. And then we’ll visit a lot of Kurdish villages and see the geological structure believed to be the Ark of Noah. From there, we’ll move on to visit the Doğubeyazıt sinkhole with it’s astonishingly intimidating size and visuals. Our tour will continue with an ice cave at the foot of the Mount Ararat, which forms icicles even during the hot days of the summer. Our tour will end with the arrival at Doğubeyazıt, but the cities bazaars and the main street which is very lively in summers will be waiting for you.
Accommodation: Doğubeyazıt Hotel
10th Day: “Return to Istanbul“
Today will be the last day of our Mount Ararat and the eastern journey. We’ll have the last breakfast in Doğubeyazıt and we’ll transfer you to the Iğdır Airport. When your plane lands on Istanbul Airport, you’ll be transferred to your hotel where you’ll spend your last night in Turkey.
Accommodation: İstanbul Hotel
11th Day: “Farewell Day“
This adventurous, fun and historical tour program will end today with us transferring you to Airport. After joining this program, we hope we’ll meet with you on more different routes and cities.
Climbing Transportation,
Carrier (mule),
Climbing Permit Fees,
Crampons,
Mat,
Personal Tent (One tent is for two people),
Professional Mountain Guide,
Cultural Guide,
All the entrance fees for the museum and surrounding areas,
Hot food for the duration of the climb,
Non-alcoholic beverages for the duration of the climb,
6 Nights of Hotel Accommodations including Breakfast,
Summit Certificate,
A Celebration Dinner in the City,
