Ararat Climb with a Local Guide, 7 Days

Ararat is a stratovolcano of 5137 m in eastern Turkey and the highest mountain in the country. It is known for the biblical story of Noah's Ark, but what matters more to a participant is a practical feature of the route: the height is gained quickly, and only a few days pass between the town and summit day.

The classic trip starts in Igdir and runs through Dogubayazit and the village of Eli. From the lower camp the group first makes an acclimatisation outing to 4200 m and descends to sleep, and the following day climbs there again with the camp. This climb-high, sleep-low scheme prepares participants for the summit better than the short blitz format, which is a separate trip.

The technical difficulty of the classic route is low, but the snow and ice on the upper section change with the season. Crampons and an ice axe may be compulsory. Participants must walk confidently in mountain boots, keep the pace over a long day and follow the guide's instructions. Horses carry the agreed baggage between the camps, but they do not remove the personal load on the stages.

The local guide sets the departure time, the pace, the order in which equipment is used and the turnaround points. A Russian-speaking leader is not part of this package. Before booking it is necessary to confirm the working language and to report previous altitude experience, chronic conditions and level of preparation honestly.

Ararat can be treated as a first serious high-altitude summit, as preparation for Kazbek or Elbrus, or as an active continuation of a journey along the Lycian Way. Those trips are booked separately and require their own schedule.

Day 1. Arrival in Igdir.

Participants make their own way to Igdir airport, where a representative of the local team meets the group. Arrival via Van is possible, but that transfer is paid separately and agreed in advance. After hotel check-in there is an introduction to the guide, an equipment check and a briefing. Unsuitable items must be replaced before departure for the mountain. In the evening, dinner and rest. Night in a hotel.

Day 2. Trek to the first camp, 3340 m.

After breakfast the group travels to the village of Eli at 2200 m and begins the walking part of the route. The climb takes about 5 hours at the steady pace needed for gradual adaptation. On arrival participants set up camp, rehydrate and prepare for the acclimatisation outing. Night in tents.

Day 3. Acclimatisation outing to 4200 m.

The group climbs from the first camp to 4200 m, rests and has a light snack, then descends to sleep back at camp. The outing applies the climb-high, sleep-low principle and lets the guide assess the pace, the wellbeing and the readiness of each participant for the high camp. Night in tents at 3340 m.

Day 4. Move to the high camp, 4200 m.

After breakfast the group climbs the familiar route again to the high camp. A steady pace helps conserve strength before the early start. After making camp participants rest, eat and prepare clothing, a torch, water and technical equipment. The guide announces the departure time in the light of the forecast and the state of the route. Night in tents.

Day 5. Ascent of Ararat, 5137 m.

The group sets off early in the morning. The start time and the tactics are set by the guide according to the weather, the state of the snow and ice, the pace and the wellbeing of the participants. Crampons and an ice axe may be used on the upper section. Reaching the summit is not guaranteed: safety and the return take priority. After the attempt the group descends to the high camp for a short rest and a snack, then continues down to the lower camp at about 3200 m. Night in tents.

Day 6. Reserve day and return to Dogubayazit.

The day is provided in case of unfavourable weather or a change in the state of the route. If the attempt took place the day before, the group strikes camp, descends to the village of Eli and returns to Dogubayazit by transfer. In the evening a visit to a local family and a celebratory dinner are planned. If the reserve is needed for a second attempt, the guide will adjust the onward schedule, the return and the evening activities. Night in a hotel if the mountain part finishes according to the main plan.

Day 7. End of the trip.

After breakfast there is a group transfer to Igdir airport. The departure time is determined by the flight schedule and by the time needed for the journey and check-in. A transfer to Van airport is possible for an additional charge and is confirmed in advance. At the airport participants check in independently.

• A local guide
• A hotel in Dogubayazit, in twin or triple rooms. The number of nights according to the itinerary
• The transfer Igdir to Ararat to Igdir
• Three meals a day throughout the trip. Dinner on the first day and breakfast on the last day
• All the necessary permits and registrations
• Group equipment: tents, ropes, ice screws, radios, satellite navigators and a first-aid kit
• Horses for carrying the group load and personal load, 15 kg per person

• International flights
• Personal equipment
• Additional costs connected with departure from the itinerary
• Medical insurance and the costs of evacuation in the event of an accident
• Personal expenses such as drinks, internet and telephone calls
• Any costs connected with change to the itinerary

The Ararat climb with a local guide can be arranged for a closed group of friends, a club or a corporate team, with no one else joining. Dates, the make-up of the guiding team and any extra services available on the route are agreed individually.

A closed group can agree its own dates, transfers, single occupancy and extra days in Doğubayazıt. This product is run with a local guide; a Russian-speaking leader is quoted separately and confirmed only if one is available.

The full acclimatisation scheme is kept even for a private group. A shortened format suits only participants with confirmed recent experience at altitude, and is set up as a separate trip after their readiness has been assessed.

The price depends on the number of participants, the dates you choose, the make-up of the team and any extra services confirmed.

Document requirements depend on your nationality and can change. Check them before you buy non-refundable tickets, and again before you fly. The first name and surname on every booking must match the spelling in your passport exactly.

Mountain Guide does not sell air tickets and does not arrange entry visas, but it does provide the booking confirmations it holds and the documents issued by the host team.

Documents

• A valid passport
• A visa or other entry permit for Turkey, if one is required for your nationality
• International and domestic air tickets, or e-ticket receipts, for the trip
• Medical insurance covering high-altitude mountaineering, a maximum altitude of at least 5137 m, search and rescue and emergency evacuation
• Your insurance policy number and the insurer's 24-hour emergency contact details
• Your booking confirmation for the trip and the organisers' contact details
• Passport copies and photographs in the format requested for the climbing permit
• Documents for a participant under 18, where these apply
• Digital copies of your passport, visa, tickets and insurance on your phone and in cloud storage
• Waterproof wallet for your original documents

The documents needed for local permits, and the deadline for sending them, are confirmed for each departure. Carry the originals of your passport, insurance and permits in your hand luggage.

The main season for climbing Ararat runs from June to September. Departures early in the summer usually meet more snow, and the state of the upper route, and whether crampons and an ice axe are needed, are determined immediately before the trip.

It can be dry and warm on the lower slopes while the high camp and the summit see strong wind, snow, ice and a sharp drop in temperature. Once the sun is on it the snow softens, so an early start matters for both pace and safety.

The weather may mean a later start, the use of the reserve day, or turning back. The final decision rests with the local guide. Having a reserve day does not guarantee a second attempt or reaching the summit.

In Doğubayazıt participants stay in a hotel in twin or triple rooms, for the number of nights set out in the itinerary. Single occupancy, early check-in, late check-out and extra nights are confirmed separately.

The mountain section is spent in tented camps. Tents are part of the group equipment; you bring your own sleeping bag and the rest of your personal equipment.

Three meals a day are provided, from dinner on the day you arrive to breakfast on the day you leave. The menu in the camps depends on what food is available and on what the local team can prepare.

Allergies, vegetarian meals and medical restrictions must be reported before booking. Whether a special diet is possible is confirmed separately.

Showers and toilets. The hotel in Doğubayazıt has the usual town facilities. In the tented camps the washing facilities are basic; a shower and hot water are not guaranteed.

Power and charging. Reliable charging is available at the hotel. The mountain camps may have no mains electricity, so you need a power bank, battery packs and spare batteries for your torch.

Internet and phone signal. There is a mobile signal in town, but it is unreliable on the mountain. Continuous internet during the mountain section is not guaranteed.

Laundry and drying. There is no regular laundry on the route. You need a supply of dry underwear and socks, and dry bags to protect your kit.

Baggage. Horses carry up to 15 kg of personal luggage per participant, within the terms confirmed. You carry your own day pack with water, warm clothing and personal items.

You bring all of your own personal equipment. Before the trip, agree your footwear, sleeping bag and technical kit with the guide, taking the season and the actual state of the route into account.

Documents

• Passport
• Air tickets or e-ticket receipts
• Medical insurance covering the stated activity and the maximum altitude of the trip
• We recommend keeping digital copies of your documents on your phone and in cloud storage

Personal equipment

• Rucksack of 30-50 litres
• Sleeping bag with a comfort rating of -10 °C or lower
• Trekking poles, which must have baskets of at least 70 mm
• Crampons (needed on trips before June) 
• Ice axe (needed on trips before June) 

Clothing and footwear

• Double mountaineering boots - plastic or leather. Among plastic boots we recommend the Scarpa Vega - probably the warmest of all the double boots for climbs up to July. Trekking boots with a crampon fitting, for climbs in July and August
• Trainers
• Waterproof shell: jacket and trousers. The market runs from simple 5,000/5,000 membranes through to Gore-Tex garments
• Fleece top and bottoms
• Base layer, top and bottoms
• Down jacket with a hood
• Thick gloves
• Thin gloves
• Bandana (as well as sun protection in the valley, it can keep your throat or face warm in the cold)
• Warm hat
• Warm trekking socks for summit day

Other items

• LED head torch with at least 12 hours of battery life
• Sunglasses
• Ski goggles
• Vacuum flask, 1 litre. Preferably without a push-button lid
• A 1-litre reusable water bottle, ideally one that will take hot liquids
• Windproof face mask for the lower face (a scarf will do at a pinch)
• Gaiters
• Sun cream and lip balm
• Chemical hand warmers (not compulsory, but they can be very useful)
• Personal first-aid kit
• Elastic bandage and/or a support brace