Mount Ararat
Climb the 5,137m biblical peak where Noah came to rest
Mount Ararat (Agri Dagi in Turkish) is the highest peak in Turkey at 5,137 metres, a perfect twin-coned dormant volcano rising in lonely majesty above the high Anatolian plateau where the borders of Turkey, Iran and Armenia meet.
In the Book of Genesis this is the mountain on which Noahs Ark came to rest, and for many Christian and Jewish travellers the ascent itself is a pilgrimage. Climbed for the first time in 1829, Ararat is now a six-day expedition that requires no technical climbing skill but does demand altitude fitness and a permit from the Turkish military. We arrange the full package — Istanbul connection, Iğdır arrival, Doğubayazıt base camp, English-speaking certified mountain guide, all permits and the slow vertical ascent through pasture, scree and finally the summit ice cap.
The five experiences that make a Mount Ararat trip unforgettable
The 5,137m summit climb
A six-day acclimatisation-and-summit programme from 2,200m base camp via Camps 1 (3,200m), 2 (4,200m) and the dawn summit attempt; no roped climbing but crampons and ice axe on the final cap.
Ishak Pasha Palace
A 17th-century Ottoman-Kurdish palace perched on a cliff above Doğubayazıt — one of the most photographed buildings in eastern Turkey and the perfect rest day before the ascent.
Noahs Ark search history
The mountain is dotted with claimed ark sightings; our guides know the various viewpoints and the geology that explains the boat-shaped Durupinar formation 25km south.
High plateau wildlife
Pasture below 3,500m supports brown bears, wolves, lynx and a unique high-altitude butterfly population; you walk past Kurdish nomadic shepherd camps with their black goat-hair tents.
The right month makes the trip
Ideal: Late June to mid-September
The summit ice cap is climbable only when the lower slopes are clear of deep snow but the cap itself still holds firm ice. June can have wet pasture, August is reliable, September is usually the most stable weather. Outside this window the ascent is closed by snow and military permit restrictions.
Combine in a single trip
- →Van and the Akdamar Island church (3 hours south)
- →Cappadocia (1-hour internal flight back via Istanbul)
Mount Ararat: questions British travellers ask us
Do I need climbing experience to summit Ararat?
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No technical climbing experience is required, but Ararat is a serious mountain and you must arrive with proper fitness. The summit day is 12 to 14 hours of walking on snow and ice with crampons, gaining 900 vertical metres at altitude. We recommend a regular hill-walking habit (Snowdon, Helvellyn or the Lake District three-thousanders) plus three months of cardio in the run-up. We brief every climber 6 weeks before departure.
How do I get the climbing permit for Ararat?
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You do not — we do. The permit is issued by the Turkish military to a registered tour operator only and requires passport scans 60 days before the ascent. We handle the full paperwork as part of the package. You cannot climb Ararat as an independent traveller and any operator promising same-week permits should be avoided.
Is Ararat safe given its proximity to Iran and Armenia?
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Yes, the climbing area is fully controlled by the Turkish military and our operators have an unbroken safety record. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office advises against travel to within 10km of the Syria border (1,300km away) but normal travel to Iğdır province is permitted. We brief every client on the latest FCDO position before departure.
What is the success rate for British climbers reaching the summit?
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Around 75 to 80 percent of climbers on a properly acclimatised six-day programme reach the summit. The main causes of turn-around are altitude sickness on summit night and unexpected weather. Our guides will not push a client who is medically unfit to continue and any aborted summit attempt receives a £200 refund of the climbing fee.
What is the lowest age you accept for an Ararat climb?
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Sixteen years old, with both parents written consent and a doctors fitness certificate. Most successful British climbers are aged 30 to 60 with a regular fitness habit. We have summited clients aged 67 (a former British Army officer) and our youngest UK summit was a 17-year-old A-level student climbing with her father.
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