Climbing Mount Ararat and Aragats 2020

10 day trekking trip to Mount Ararat

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Trekking Mount Ararat and Aragats

Climbing Mount Ararat and Aragats tour is a great chance to climb the tallest summits of Armenia and Turkey in 2020.

Mount Ararat is more than a mountain and the journey to its top is more than just a trek. It is an ancient volcano covered with eternal snow. It is the highest summit of the Armenian Highland and located in Eastern Turkey, near the border with Iran and Armenia. Though it is 5165m high, it doesn’t require technical climbing, but you need to have a good physical preparation, which makes it perfect for all the people wishing to climb 5000m+ summit. Traditionally, Ararat is associated with the mountain on which Noah’s Ark came to rest at the end of the Flood.

Mount Aragats is the fourth highest mountain of Armenian Highland and the highest one of the Republic of Armenia. It has four summits and the tallest one is the Northern with a height of 4090m. A huge crater is situated between the peaks, with a depth of 350m and a width of 3 km.

Tour starts from Yerevan, Armenia. To make your climb to mount Ararat easier and more pleasant, you will have an acclimatization hike and sleep on Aragats mountain, the tallest mountain of Armenia.

Mount Ararat Tour Details and Map

Available dates

21-31 July, 2020 | 20-30 August, 2020

Group size

Small group experience; Max 15, Avg 10

Tour duration

10 days, 9 nights

Tour start and end

Start: Yerevan, Armenia | End: Van, Turkey

Accommodation

5 nights in 3* hotel, 4 nights in tents

Physical Rating

5/5 - Challenging

Age requirement

18+

Ararat and Aragats trekking tour itinerary

Day 1: Arrival

Arrive to Zvartnots International Airport, transfer to your hotel in Yerevan.

Day 2: Mount Aragats

Drive to Lake Kari and start climbing the Southern summit of Aragats, 3887m. From the top of the mountain we will have spectacular views to Ararat, the other summits of Aragats. The plan is to sleep on 3200m above the sea level in tents. This is a great acclimatization before climbing Ararat Mountain.

Day 3: Yerevan city tour

Transfer to Yerevan and start tour in the capital of Armenia. Explore the important sightseeing places of 2800 years old Yerevan city including the Republic Square, Opera House, Cascade Park. Enjoy evening near singing fountains in the Republic Square.

Day 4: Yerevan – Ani – Dogubayazit

Early in the morning transfer to Turkey via Georgia. Crossing borders between Armenia and Georgia, then Georgia and Turkey, we will continue our tour and stop at Ani, a ruined medieval Armenian city. It is known as the “City of 1001 Churches”. After the sightseeing in Ani, continue to Dogubayazit town.

Day 5: Dogubayazit – Mount Ararat 1^st camp on 3300m

After breakfast in the hotel we will drive to Eli village, 2200m, from where the trekking to Ararat will start. After 4-5 hours of continuously walking, we will reach to 3300m, where the first camp of Mount Ararat is located. Equipment will be transported by horses. Rest and overnight.

Day 6: Climbing Mount Ararat 2^nd camp on 4200m

For the second day of Ararat trekking tour we will walk from the 1^st base camp to the 2^nd, located on 4200m above the sea level. It will take us about 5 hours to climb. Equipment will be transported by horses. Rest and overnight.

Day 7: Climbing Mount Ararat Summit, 5165m

Wake up very early in the morning (1 a.m.) to start climbing to the top of Ararat. After 5-7 hours of climbing we will reach to the top of Biblical mountain. Return to camp 2, little rest and continue descending to camp 1 for the overnight.

Day 8: From 1^st camp to Dogubayazit

After breakfast in the camp 1, we will start descending to Eli village on 2200m, where our vehicles will wait us. Transfer to hotel in Dugubayazit. After little rest we will have a sightseeing visit to Ishak Pasha Palace. Delicious dinner with the celebration of the climb will be a great ending of the day.

Day 9: Dogubayazit – Lake Van – Van

For the last day of the tour we will have cultural sightseeing visits to Berkri waterfall and city Van. Visit Van fortress built by the ancient kingdom of Urartu during the 9th to 7th centuries BC. Continue to Lake Van and take a boat to get to Akhtamar island. Akhtamar is home to the 10th century Armenian Holy Cross Cathedral, which is a great example of Armenian medieval architecture. Overnight in Van.

Day 10: Departure

Depart from Van Airport to Istanbul. Have a safe flight home.