Adventurous Ararat hiking tour on two beautiful volcanic cones: Big Ararat (5137 m) and Little Ararat (3896 m) combined with visiting historical treasures of the region.
According to Anatolian legend two peaks are two sisters who were turned into rocks because of their harsh characters and constant quarrels. At the spot, where the sisters have stood, two mountains rose out of the plain.
During Little & Big Ararat trekking tour you will have opportunity to reach both Ararat mountain peaks and especially enjoy view of Great Ararat from its smaller sister’s top (Big Ararat looks absolutely fabulous from the summit of Little Ararat). You will visit also places connected with legend about Ark of Noah and stunning Palace of Ishak Pasha.
*Turkey's highest peak (5137 meters)
*Place of where Noah's Ark landed
*Rise up at the border of Turkey, Iran and Armenia
* Sixth highest mountain in Turkey (3896 m)
*Until 1932 was on the Iranian side of the border
*Has almost perfectly symmetrical shape
*Choose summer months for your trekking. The best weather condition is in July and August.
*Climbing Mount Ararat require permission from Turkish local government in Dogubayazit.
For more information about climbing permit, please click on the LINK
*All our guides who will lead you during this trekking tour were born on the slopes of Mount Ararat and each guide climbed Mount Ararat many times.
Our guide will pick you up from the airport in Van, Agri or Igdir and you will drive to Dogubayazit. Check-in at a hotel and rest time. At the evening you will have dinner with your guide and other climbers in one of local restaurants.
Early in the morning (about 6 a.m.) we will drive from Dogubayazit to Silekos village, located near to the foot of Little Ararat. We will take our backpacks, water and lunch packets and start our trekking to the summit. After reaching the summit of Little Ararat (3896 m) and short rest we will back to the place, where we left our car.
We back to Dogubayazit, to the hotel.
Dinner and overnight stay.
This relaxing day will help us to regenerate before trekking on Big Ararat (5137 m).
After breakfast at the hotel we will drive to see Ishak Pasha Palace – Ottoman’s palace built in 17th century, which is a mixture of Ottoman, Seljuk, Persian, Armenian and Georgian styles.
From the palace we will walk to ruins of ancient Urartian fortress and then we will go to tomb of Ahmad Khani: first Kurdish writer, poet and philosopher.
Afterwards we will drive to museum of Noah’s Ark. Behind museum, on the hill, we will see Durupinar Site (canoe-shaped area, which is, according to some scientists, ‘foot print’ of the Ark).
Last point of the tour will be Meteor Crater, located near to Iranian border, which is second the bigges meteor crater in the world.
Dinner and overnight stay in Dogubayazit.
We will eat breakfast at the hotel. Then we will pack our equipment on minibuses and start to drive to the foot of Mount Ararat. We will stop near to Cevirme village.
Porters will pack all the equipment on horses. We will take our small backpacks, water and lunch packets and will start to ascent to Camp 1, located at an altitude 3300 m. We should reach the campsite after 3,5 – 5 hours. At the campsite we will pitch our tents, drink hot tea and coffee and eat some snacks and fruits. Till dinner, which will be served about 7 p.m., we have free time.
After breakfast we will pack our equipment (which horses will carry till Camp 2), will take our small backpacks and lunch packets and start to walk to Camp 2, located at an altitude 4200 m. Trekking will take about 4-5 hours.
On the campsite we will pitch tents and have small refreshment prepared by our cook. Later is rest time. We can use this free time for preparing our equipment for the following day and taking some photos.
That day dinner will be served about 6 p.m. because we should go to sleep as early as possible. Next day we will have very early wake up.
We will wake up about 1-2 a.m. (depends on the weather conditions). We will eat breakfast, take our lunch packets and thermoses with hot tea and start our ascent to the summit of Mount Ararat. We should reach the summit after 5-6 hours. There we will have time for taking photos and celebrating.
After short break we will start to walk down. On Camp 2 hot tea, coffee and lunch will wait for us. We will also have opportunity to rest a bit (1-2 hours). Later we should pack our equipment and walk directly to Cevirme village, from where driver will take us to Dogubayazit.
Farewell dinner and overnight.
After breakfast we will take you by our minibus to the airport in Van/Agri or Igdir. End of tour.
Please, Contact us for your questions or booking your trip with us. We will be glad to hear from you.
