Mount Ararat

Overview

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An ascent of Mount Ararat following an acclimatisation on peaks around Van

Introduction

Turkey's snow-capped Mount Ararat is a dormant volcano located in the far north-east of the country, where many people believe Noah's Ark came to rest. The mountain is 16Km from the border with Iran and 32Km south of the Armenian border and is a popular peak to climb during the summer from June to September. We avoid August when it's very busy.

The route to its summit up the southern slopes is a technically easy climb, suitable for fit hill walkers. The glacier begins at c4,800m, so the last c350m to the top is on snow and may require the use of crampons (if it is icy). Mules carry equipment to the highest camp, so team members only need to carry a day pack.

Join us on Mount Ararat

• Climb Mount Ararat with a mountaineering company that specialises in high-altitude ascents (advice from office staff who have climbed Ararat recently)
• Acclimatise on Mount Artos (3,550m) near Lake Van, prior to travelling to Ararat
• Mules are used to carry the team's equipment, so you only need to carry a daypack
• Crampons and helmet can be loaded at no extra cost
• All permit fees included in the price

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Experience Required

Mount Ararat is suitable for fit walkers who are used to trekking on rough, sometimes rocky ground for 8 - 9 hours. Summit day on Ararat might be a 10-hour round trip. It involves walking on snow which can be icy and although not steep, you may need to wear crampons. Previous use is recommended, though not essential.

Our Introductory Long Weekend in Scotland would provide good preparation for Mount Ararat.

Additional Information

If you wish to discuss any aspect of the trek or your suitability for it, please phone +44 (0)114 276 3322 or contact us.

Dates & Prices

Date	With Flight	or Meeting in	Availability
Fri 19 Jun – Sun 28 Jun 2026	UK	Van	Available Book now »
	£2,795	£2,195
Fri 17 Jul – Sun 26 Jul 2026	UK	Van	Available Book now »
	£2,795	£2,195
Fri 4 Sep – Sun 13 Sep 2026	UK	Van	Available Book now »
	£2,795	£2,195

This trek is available to book in GBP, USD and EUR.
Click to Change currency for prices on this site.

Group size: 4 – 12 people.

Single room supplement: £350

For comparison, this trek starts from £220 (GBP) per day (price Without Flights).

With Flight pricing

Our 'With Flight' price includes an Economy class return airfare from the UK. The cost is based on a group fare that we have already reserved, or individual seats that we have budgeted for. Note that in some circumstances, the earlier you book, the less expensive the airfare and the 'With Flight' price.

Know Before You Go

Jagged Globe supports the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) 'Know Before You Go' campaign. We recommend that you read the FCDO Travel Advice for Turkey on the FCDO Website.

What the price includes

• Economy class return airfares from the UK to Van (unless Land Only).
• UK airport taxes.
• One group transfer between the airport and the hotel (on arrival of your international flight and one for departure and arrival of your in-country flight). Unless Land Only.
• All road transport by private vehicles.
• 4 nights' hotel accommodation in Van on a twin-sharing, full-board basis (breakfast only on day 10) .
• 1 nights' hotel accommodation in Dogubeyazit on a twin-sharing, full-board basis.
• 4 nights' camping in tents on a full board basis.
• All porterage costs for group and personal equipment.
• Loan of crampons and helmet (if required).
• All costs for guides and local helpers.
• Jagged Globe kitbag or lightweight fleece.

What the price does not include

• Visa fees.
• Overseas airports taxes not paid in advance through the international airline ticket.
• Airport transfers in Van for those joining on a 'land only' basis.
• Bar bills and laundry.
• Travel insurance.
• Lunch and evening meals in Istanbul.
• Entrance fees to historial sites.
• Ferry transfer to Akdamar Island.
• Tips.

We can organise this trek on a ‘tailor-made’ private basis for groups of friends, families, clubs, charities or any other group. Depending on your trekking experience, you may want a Jagged Globe leader or go ‘self-led’ with the assistance of local guides. The cost of going private can be surprisingly reasonable, particularly if you take the self-led option. Please contact us to discuss the itinerary and your preferred dates. We will then send you a quote, with no obligation.

Insurance

You will need a travel insurance policy that caters for the activities you will undertake on your trip with Jagged Globe. It is a requirement of our booking conditions that you have such a policy. For a list of insurers who specialise in mountaineering, trekking and skiing, please see our Travel Insurance page »

Itinerary

Here is an outline itinerary for this trip. A more detailed day-to-day itinerary is available as a downloadable PDF »

Typical Itinerary

Day 1:	Fly London to Van Overnight hotel.
Day 2:	Sightseeing in Van This will include Van Castle, before taking the ferry to Akdamar Island, a small island on Lake Van, which is home to a 10th Century Armenian Church. Overnight hotel.
Day 3:	Ascent of Mount Artos (3,550m) After breakfast you will drive to the town of Gevas (1,800m). It takes 3 - 4 hours of walking to reach the summit, which is well-known in eastern Anatolia. There are beautiful views towards Lake Van and the Anatolian Highlands. Return to Van. Overnight hotel.
Day 4:	Drive to Dogubeyazit via Muradiye Waterfalls In the morning we leave Van and drive to Dogubeyazit (3.5hrs driving). On the way we take time to visit the Muradiye Waterfalls. After afternoon tea we carry on to Dogubeyazit. Overnight hotel.
Day 5:	Dogubeyazit to Ararat and trek to Camp 1 (3,200m) It's a 1 hour drive to reach the roadhead at Eli Village (2,000m). You gear is loaded onto mules and you trek to the first camp on a level grassy site at 3,200m (4 hrs). Overnight camp.
Day 6:	Acclimatisation day You will climb part of the way up to Camp 2 before descending to spend a second night at Camp 1. Overnight camp.
Day 7:	Ascend to Camp 2 (4,200m) You will leave the grasslands behind and start to climb the rocky scree slopes. As the track zig zags upwards it is rarely steep or difficult. After 3-4 hours of walking you reach Camp 2, a small site in a dramatic location, set on a rocky ridge with great views down into the surrounding valleys and upwards to the summit icefields (3-4 hrs). Overnight camp.
Day 8:	Summit day on Mount Ararat (5,137m) You will start very early and trek upwards on a rocky path. After 4.5 hours you reach the permanent snow and ice of the glacier. Here you may use crampons, depending on the conditions underfoot. The summit is normally reached after about 6 - 7 hours from Camp 2. Descend to Camp 1 (9 - 10 hrs round trip). Overnight camp.
Day 9:	Descend to roadhead and transfer to Van Overnight hotel.
Day 10:	Fly home Transfer to Van Airport and fly to Istanbul. Transfer to International flight for UK.

PLEASE NOTE:The above itinerary is intended as a guideline only. While we will make every effort to adhere to it, changes may be forced for reasons beyond our control. When travelling to remote locations such as this, a flexible approach from all members is much appreciated.

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Reports & Reviews

First Trek: August 2012
Total: 6 trips

Have you been on this trip? If you'd like to contribute a trip report then we'll post it up on the site.

Team Member Reviews

There are currently no team member reviews for this trip.

Leader Reports

• Mount Ararat - 9 to 18 September 2022
  “Written by Jagged Globe team members Tim, Justina, Marcus and Aisling. We all met in Istanbul, having travelled from the UK, Denmark and Italy! David, our Jagged Globe leader, met us there and he ensured that everything ran...”
  report added 19/Oct/22
• Mount Ararat - 25 August to 8 September 2012
  “It was an early meeting time at the check in desk in Terminal 3. Three members of the team would be meeting us in Turkey, for the rest of us it was a 3 and a half hour flight to Istanbul with Turkish Airlines. We arrived on time...”
  report added 10/Sep/12