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Damavand, Ararat and Kazbek — 16-Day Three-Summit Expedition

Height (m): 5033, 5137, 5610
Duration: 16 days
Difficulty: Challenging
Continent: Asia, Europe
Children: Not suitable for children
Accommodation: Hotels, huts and tents

Price on request

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Program Services For private groups Documents Weather Household issues Insurance Gear

Damavand, Ararat and Kazbek in one trip — a 16-day high-altitude trip that joins three independent ascents, in Iran, Turkey and Georgia, into one sequence.

The combination is designed for a participant with mountaineering experience who can manage several long summit days in succession and recover between flights and road journeys. The earlier summits build the acclimatisation for the stages that follow, but they do not remove the glacier technique that Kazbek demands, moving in crampons while roped up, or the need to act on the guide's decisions.

Organised road transfers link the three mountain stages and give participants time to recover between summit days. Flights to the start and from the end of the trip are arranged by participants themselves.

Important

The trip is not suitable as a first climb
Kazbek requires the skills to move in crampons while roped up
Three consecutive summit blocks require a confirmed high-altitude record and good recovery

About the three-summit trip

The trip joins three volcanic and glaciated summits into one sequence: Damavand first, then Ararat and finally Kazbek. That order uses the altitude adaptation already gained, but it does not turn the later mountains into easy walks. After each ascent there is a descent, a road journey or a flight, and preparation for a new route.

Damavand provides the first step of altitude and nights in mountain huts. On Ararat the trip moves to tented camps and an early summit start. Kazbek adds the glacier, roped movement and compulsory technical equipment. It is precisely this change of terrain and conditions that makes the combination harder than three separate short trips.

The acclimatisation is built cumulatively, but it is assessed afresh on each mountain. A successful ascent of Damavand does not guarantee clearance for the summit of Ararat, and two previous summits do not remove Kazbek's requirements. The guide manages the pace, the recovery and the signs of deterioration at altitude, and may change the plan within the reserve or turn a participant back.

A candidate needs a record of ascents at around 5000 m, confidence moving in crampons while roped up, good endurance and the discipline to keep going after several days of load. The trip is not suitable for a first encounter with mountaineering. Before booking, a participant declares their real high-altitude experience, any chronic limitations and their skills with technical equipment.

Ordinary organised transfers between Damavand, Ararat and Kazbek are provided as part of the trip. Those journeys also do recovery work: participants change country and receiving team, dry and redistribute their equipment and prepare for the next kind of terrain. Mountain Guide does not sell air tickets and does not process visas.

If the three-summit combination does not match your experience or your schedule, the safer choice is the separate trips for Damavand, Ararat or Kazbek from the south.

Damavand, Ararat and Kazbek, 16 days

Day 1. Arrival in Tehran.

Participants fly independently to the agreed Tehran airport. A member of the team arranges the transfer to the hotel, the introduction to the guide and the check of documents and personal equipment. The day is needed to recover from the flight and to put right any shortcoming before the departure for Damavand. Night in a hotel.

Day 2. Drive to Polur, 2270 m.

After breakfast the group drives to the mountain hut at Polur. A quiet day without significant load starts the adaptation and allows the baggage for the mountain section to be sorted. Participants prepare clothing and equipment for the next stage. Night in the hut.

Day 3. Walk to Bargah-e Sevom, 4250 m.

We drive up to the start of the walking section at about 3040 m and then continue to the upper hut at Bargah-e Sevom. The stage takes about 4–6 hours and is walked at a steady pace, because a rapid gain in altitude calls for close attention to how everyone is feeling. After settling in we rest and rehydrate. Night in the hut.

Day 4. Acclimatisation excursion.

We make an excursion above the hut and return to sleep at Bargah-e Sevom. The purpose of the day is to check the body's reaction to altitude, the group's pace and the readiness of the equipment before the summit attempt. The high point and the length of the excursion are set by the guide. Night in the hut.

Day 5. Ascent of Damavand, 5610 m.

We set off early in the morning. The climb and the decision to continue depend on the weather, the pace and how the participants are feeling. Reaching the summit is not guaranteed; a safe descent takes priority. From the highest point reached we return to Bargah-e Sevom. Night in the hut.

Day 6. Reserve and return to Tehran.

The day is used as a reserve in case the attempt has to be moved. If the ascent is complete as planned, the group descends through the lower hut and Polur and returns to Tehran. Hotel accommodation and recovery before the journey to Turkey. Night in a hotel.

Day 7. Journey from Iran to Turkey.

After breakfast the group travels by organised transfer from Iran to Turkey and continues to Dogubayazit. The journey is used to recover after Damavand and to prepare for the next mountain stage. After checking in, the guide reviews how the participants are feeling and the equipment set for Ararat. Night in a hotel.

Day 8. Climb to the Ararat high camp, 4200 m.

After breakfast we transfer to the village of Eli at about 2200 m and start the walking section. The group passes the lower camp and continues up to the high camp. That schedule is possible only because of the acclimatisation gained on Damavand and only if everyone is well; the final decision rests with the guide. Night in tents.

Day 9. Ascent of Ararat, 5137 m.

We set off early in the morning. On the upper part of the route crampons and an ice axe may be used. The turnaround time is determined by the weather, the state of the snow and ice, the pace and how everyone is feeling. After the attempt we descend through the high camp to the lower camp at about 3200 m. Night in tents.

Day 10. Reserve and return to Dogubayazit.

The day is left for moving the summit attempt. If the route was completed the day before, the group descends to the village of Eli and returns to the hotel. The evening is used for rest, for drying kit and for preparing the journey to Georgia. Night in a hotel.

Day 11. Journey from Turkey to Georgia.

After breakfast the group travels by organised transfer from Turkey to Georgia and continues to Stepantsminda. The day is needed to recover after Ararat, to change the equipment set and to prepare for the glacier part on Kazbek. After checking in, participants rest while the guide checks crampons, harnesses, karabiners and ice axes again. Night in a hotel.

Day 12. Climb to the meteorological station, 3600 m.

After the lift to the start of the route we climb through the area of the Saberce pass to the meteorological station. The stage takes about 7–9 hours. The guide manages the pace after the cross-border journey and checks the glacier equipment again. Night at the meteorological station or in tents, according to the confirmed accommodation arrangement.

Day 13. Acclimatisation and technical excursion.

The group makes an excursion to roughly 4000 m and returns to camp. The day is needed to check rope work, crampons, ice axes and how everyone is feeling before the night attempt. On return, participants rest and prepare their personal kit. Night at the meteorological station or in tents.

Day 14. Ascent of Kazbek, 5033 m.

We set off before dawn and move roped across the glacier. The stated duration of the climb and descent is about 8–10 hours, but it depends on the state of the glacier, the weather and the pace. The summit is not guaranteed. After the attempt we return to camp. Night at the meteorological station or in tents.

Day 15. Reserve and descent to Stepantsminda.

The day is used to move the attempt if conditions are unfavourable. If the ascent is complete as planned, the group descends to Stepantsminda and checks into a hotel. The final schedule is set by the guide, with the safe return of the whole team in mind. Night in a hotel.

Day 16. End of the trip.

After breakfast the trip ends in Stepantsminda, or at another point agreed in advance. A transfer to the airport and any further services are provided only if they have been separately confirmed. Participants arrange their international tickets themselves, once the logistics have been agreed.

What's included

A Mountain Guide lead guide throughout the trip, and additional assistant guides on the summit days according to the confirmed composition of the team
All the group transfers expressly set out in the itinerary
Accommodation as set out in the itinerary, in hotels, mountain huts and tented camps
The permissions and registrations required for the confirmed routes
Meals during the mountain stages and breakfasts at the hotels, as set out in the itinerary
The group camp, communication and protection equipment provided for the three routes
Horses to carry the group equipment and up to 15 kg of personal baggage per participant on the Ararat and Kazbek stages

What's not included

International and domestic flights
Visas and any other entry or transit permissions
Mountaineering medical insurance covering the altitudes of the route, search and rescue and evacuation
The participant's personal equipment
Lunches and dinners during stays in the towns, unless they are separately specified in the confirmed offer
Rescue operations, medical costs and evacuation
Additional costs if the route changes because of the weather, a participant's condition, transport delays, border requirements or other circumstances outside the trip
Single occupancy and room upgrades
Personal expenses, drinks and tips for the local team

Private groups

The Damavand - Ararat - Kazbek sequence can only be arranged for a closed group whose participants have confirmed altitude and technical experience. Dates, the Russian-speaking leadership and local guides, transport and the logistics between the three countries are all agreed individually.

What can be changed is the international entry and exit points, the standard of town accommodation and extra recovery days. The order of the mountains, the compulsory acclimatisation days, the technical preparation for Kazbek and the reserve are not cut to make the trip shorter.

Before we quote, each participant tells us their climbing experience, maximum altitude, skills in crampons and on a rope, and their readiness for several summit days in succession. If a group's level is uneven, Mountain Guide may recommend separate trips rather than the combined sequence.

The price is worked out from the dates, the number of participants, the guiding team and the standard of town accommodation chosen.

Documents you need

The trip runs in three countries, so requirements are checked separately for Iran, Turkey and Georgia, against your nationality and your transit airports. Check your documents before buying non-refundable tickets, and again before you fly.

Mountain Guide does not sell air tickets and does not arrange visas, but it does provide the booking confirmations it holds and the host teams' documents.

Documents

A valid passport
Visas or other entry permits for Iran, Turkey and Georgia, where these are required for your nationality
International and regional air tickets following the confirmed plan
Medical insurance covering mountaineering, a maximum altitude of at least 5610 m, search and rescue, and emergency evacuation
Your policy number and the insurer's 24-hour emergency contact details
The documents needed for local permits, where the host team requests them
Digital copies of your passport, visas, tickets and insurance on your phone and in cloud storage
Waterproof wallet for your original documents

The first name and surname on every ticket, visa and insurance policy must match your passport. Carry the originals in your hand luggage.

Weather and seasons

The season for the trip as a whole is set not by one mountain but by safe conditions being available on Damavand, Ararat and Kazbek at the same time. Dates therefore cannot be carried over from the calendar of a single climb without re-checking the whole sequence.

Every stage can bring wind, precipitation, poor visibility and sub-zero night temperatures. On Ararat the state of the snow section changes through the season, and on Kazbek the group works on the glacier. The actual set of crampons, ice axe and footwear is agreed before the trip.

Reserve days let you move an attempt within each mountain block, but they do not guarantee any summit and cannot fully make up for a long spell of bad weather or a breakdown in the logistics between countries. The forecast and the state of the routes are checked before the start and updated as the trip goes on.

Accommodation and meals

The trip combines town hotels, mountain huts on Damavand, tented camps on Ararat, and the meteorological station or tents on Kazbek. The exact properties, room category and how participants are allocated are confirmed once the dates are agreed.

Breakfasts are listed at the town hotels. While you are in the mountain camps, meals are included to the extent set out in the confirmed itinerary. Lunches and dinners in the towns are paid separately.

Tell us about food allergies, a vegetarian diet and medical restrictions before booking. The scope for special catering in the huts and tented camps is limited and is confirmed by the local team.

Facilities on the route

Showers and toilets. Town hotels have the usual facilities. Conditions in the huts and at the meteorological station are simpler, and hot water may be limited or absent. The tented camps use a field arrangement for sanitation.

Power and charging. You can charge devices reliably in the towns. Whether charging is possible in each hut is confirmed before the trip. For the mountain sections you need your own power banks and spare cells.

Internet and phone signal. Signal is usually better in the towns, but on the slopes of all three mountains there can be long stretches without mobile internet. Neither the team's working communications nor daily access to messaging apps can be treated as guaranteed.

Laundry and drying. Plan laundry for the towns, and only where there is time. Regular laundry is not possible in the mountain camps, and drying depends on the weather.

Baggage. Baggage limits and airline rules are checked separately for each segment. A limit that applies on one mountain or one flight cannot be assumed for the whole trip.

Insurance

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This calculator is provided by an external provider and uses a Russian-language interface.

Equipment and useful extras

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You bring all of your own personal equipment. Before the trip, agree with your guide your footwear, crampons, ice axe, harness, sleeping bag and the amount of baggage for each stage. The set must suit the high-altitude paths of Damavand and Ararat, nights under canvas, and travel on the Kazbek glacier.