Extra Pack Climb Mount Ararat
(12 Days)
From Istanbul to Istanbul
Mount Ararat Expedition Overview
Although no advanced mountaineering experience is required for the ascent of Mount Ararat, you will need to be familiar with the basic use of crampons. Mount Ararat is a strenuous mountain and can be windy and cold. However, it is a popular mountain and has a typical success rate of nearly 95%. If you are fit, prepared and acclimatized, you will have a great chance of standing on the summit of the highest peak in Turkey. Our schedule will include sufficient time for acclimatization treks, and to experience local villages, culture and geography. The schedule also includes spare days should we need to wait for the weather to improve.
Mount Ararat Extra Expedition Plan
(12 Days)
From Istanbul to Istanbul
Climb Mount Ararat Extra:
Day 1: Arrive Istanbul
Arrival to Istanbul, transfer from Istanbul airport to hotel. Today is free day.
Climb Mount Ararat Extra:
Day 2: Transfer from Istanbul to Van
Today first we will transfer you form hotel to Istanbul airport. After arrival to Van, our travel will start. First, we will go to visit Akhtamar Island, which named after tragic love tale of Tamar. While we rest in island, we will visit Cathedral of the Holy Cross, which builds, by Armenian during the 915–921. After Akdamar Island, we will drive about 2-3 hour to reach Dogubayazit. On the road, we will have some break for rest and sight seeing. Muradiye waterfall is one of these breaks. After drink and visit Muradiye waterfall, we will start our trip again. (When we back to Van, we will stop here again.) Our next stop will be Mount Tendurek lava flow on the road. If it is good weather day, we can see Mount Ararat first time at this point. After arrive Dogubayazit and place our hotel, we have rest and free time for few hours. We have meeting dinner at night. You will meet with your mountain guide and they will give you information for climb mount Ararat. Average drive from Van to Dogubayazit with our breaks 4 hours Notice: Average drive Van to Dogubayazit non-stop is 2.5 hours. Stay Hotel at Dogubayazit
Climb Mount Ararat Extra:
Day 3: Dogubayazit to Climb Ararat
Today we will reach first camp at Mount Ararat 3200m and stay there for night. We will meet 07:00 AM at breakfast.
After last control, we will start our climb.
By vehicles, we will head to Mount Ararat until 2200m. When we reach 2200m, we will load all our heavy pack, meal, and water and camp equipment for Mount Ararat expedition to mules.
We will take our small backpack for daily needs.
Then we will start first day off Mount Ararat summit climb. On the way, we will rest 10 minute every 1 hour. Our lunch also will serve on the road with lunch pack you get from your guide when you start climb.
Our camp for today is 3200m which also known as Mount Ararat Green camp. When we reach camp hot drink and aperitifs will wait us, all this drink and meals makes ready by our expedition cooker with hygiene until end of Mount Ararat climb. We have free time until dinner. Who wants can rest or travel around. If weather is good, dinner will be outside. After dinner and chat under the stars, we will go our tent and rest for tomorrow’s acclimatization climb. Stay Mount Ararat 3200m camp, Averages ascent 1000m Averages hike 4 Hour.
Climb Mount Ararat Extra:
Day 4: Acclimatization Climb to Mount Ararat 4200m
Today’s plan is go high camp at 4200m and back to 3200m camp to make acclimatization and be ready for Mount Ararat summit climb. As day before we will take our lunch pack and start our climb. When we reach 4200 m camp we will rest after we will back to our 3200m base camp again. Stay Mount Ararat 3200m camp at tent, Averages ascent 1000m Averages descent 1000m Averages climb 8 Hour.
Climb Mount Ararat Extra:
Day 5: 4200m Camp at Ararat
Our plan for today is climb to 4200m high camp again and stays there for Mount Ararat summit push. After breakfast at 08:00 am, we will start to collect our tent and equipment place for loading to mule. Then we will start to climb Mount Ararat 4200m camp as before we climb for acclimatization. When we reach camp, hot drink and aperitif will wait us. Before dinner, our guide will give you technical climb information for Mount Ararat and will teach how to use crampon, ice axe and rope. After dinner will go our tent early for rest and make everything ready for summit push. After midnight at 02:00 am, Mount Ararat summit push will start. Stay Mount Ararat 4200m camp at tent, Averages ascent 1000m Averages climb 6 Hour.
Climb Mount Ararat Extra:
Day 6: Mount Ararat Climb Summit 5137m
Today after midnight at 02:00 AM, we will start to climb Mount Ararat. Before climb, our guide will connect to ground team and get last weather report. Guides will speak everyone in team and will decide climb today or next day. On bad weather, this day will be use as spare day and climb will be in Day 7. After take everything safe climb mount Ararat summit will start. Few hours after climb, you can see huge shadow of Mount Ararat on the left, which is biggest shadow of Turkey. We will rest here for taking photograph. About 7 hour of climb, we will reach 4950m. Mount Ararat glaciers start here, we will wear our crampon and pass white big glacier plateau. Then we will reach summit of Mount Ararat. There is only Mount Ararat summit give you chance to see four countries at one point. If you turn North- Northeast, you can see Armenia and Nakchivan, East Iran and all around is Turkey. After celebrate and taking photograph we will start to descend at 4200m camp hot soup and drink will wait us when we arrive. We will rest for an hour there then descend to 3200m camp stay there for night.
Climb Mount Ararat Extra:
Day 7: Spare Day for Climb Mount Ararat
This day is spare day. If Day 6 we can not climb Mount Ararat summit by bad weather condition we will use this day for summit push.
Climb Mount Ararat Extra:
Day 8: Mount Ararat Decamp
Today is our last day at Mount Ararat. After breakfast, we will say goodbye to Mount Ararat and start descend to 2200m where vehicles wait us. We will load our climb gear from mules to vehicles then will go to Dogubayazit. After back to hotel, we will rest for a few hours then meet in dinner for Mount Ararat climb celebrations party. You will get Mount Ararat climb certificate at this party too.
Climb Mount Ararat Extra:
Day 9: Dogubayazit Tour
Today we will make cultural and historical city tour of Dogubayazit. After breakfast, first we will visit Ishak Pasha Palace 5 km far from city center. Ishak Pasha Place is one of the most important palaces in Ottoman history and only one with unique build and art. After that, we will go to visit Noah’s ark Durupinar formation, which believed Noah’s ark by many researchers. You can see many sea creations and rivets fossils founded at site and information of formation at the Noah’s ark museum. Our last stop before lunch at this area is Meteor crater. With 60m deep and 35m large, the crater is second biggest in the world. On the way of crater, we can see Iran and Turkey Iran border.
Climb Mount Ararat Extra:
Day 10: Van to Istanbul Transfer
Today early in the morning we will leave from Dogubayazit hotel. On the road of Van, we will stop Mount Tendurek lava flow again. We will watch beautiful view of Mount Ararat and say goodbye to it. We have a break at Muradiye waterfall again. Then we will go to Van airport. After our flight from Van arrive to Istanbul airport, we will go our hotel and we have free day.
Climb Mount Ararat Extra:
Day 11: Istanbul guided Tour
Today is our Istanbul city tour day. We will visit Blue musk, Basilica Cistern, Hagia Sophia, Hippodrome of Constantinople, Grand Bazaar and Egyptian Bazaar. After tour, we will back to our hotel.
Climb Mount Ararat Extra:
Day 12: Departure from istanbul
Transfer from Hotel to Istanbul airport for departure.