Mount Ararat Climbing Tours FAQ | Hiking Ararat
Welcome to Hiking Ararat’s FAQ page, your go-to resource for all things related to our exhilarating Mount Ararat climbing tours. At Hiking Ararat, we are dedicated to providing an unforgettable adventure that combines the thrill of conquering Turkey’s highest peak with rich cultural experiences. Our FAQ page is designed to address common questions and concerns, ensuring you are well-prepared for this extraordinary journey. Whether you’re curious about the climbing itinerary, necessary equipment, or local customs, we’ve got you covered to make your adventure as seamless and enjoyable as possible.
- All
- Accommodation
- Best Seasons
- Camp Areas and Services
- Cancellation and Refund
- Climbing Permit
- Company Verification
- Culture
- Equipment
- Equipment Hire
- High Altitude
- Insurance
- Preparing for Climbing
- Safety
- Search and Rescue First Aid
The best time to hike Mount Ararat is between June and September when weather conditions are most favorable, offering clear skies and moderate temperatures.
The trek is considered moderately challenging, requiring good physical fitness and some prior hiking experience due to high altitudes and steep climbs.
There are two methods to identify legitimate companies. Firstly, a company must state on its website that it insures its tours with incoming travel, health, and tour cancellation insurance. This insurance is mandatory for organising tours in Turkey. This way, you can identify those who operate illegally or fraudulently. Additionally, all legitimate companies display their membership in the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies on their websites, verified by a clickable logo that redirects to the Tursab.org.tr website. Websites with non-clickable logos or those that do not reach the approval page on the Tursab site are operating illegally. By clicking the verification logo in the bottom left corner of our site or below, you can easily verify that we operate with the permission of the Turkish Ministry of Tourism and have a legitimate company website.
It’s recommended to engage in cardiovascular exercises, strength training, and altitude acclimatization to prepare your body for the trek.
No, local authorities absolutely do not permit climbing Mount Ararat without a guide. Our company does not organise any tours without local guides.
In our camping area, we have first aid and safety equipment available. We provide briefings before hikes and implement emergency protocols. Access to the camp area at 3,200 metres on Mount Ararat can be achieved using off-road vehicles. Our guides handle simple injuries; we transport the injured to the 3,200-metre camp area using mules or manpower, and from there, transfer them to the hospital by vehicle. There are no civilian helicopters available in the Mount Ararat region. In very serious accidents, when assistance is requested from military authorities, search and rescue operations can be conducted using a military helicopter. Oxygen tanks are not necessary for altitude sickness on Mount Ararat; instead, the patient is transferred to a lower altitude and then to the city.
We provide some of your equipment: a tent, crampons, and a mat for glacier walking. Additionally, you can rent a sleeping bag, climbing boots, and trekking poles from us. You must supply your own personal equipment. Essential items include hiking boots, warm clothing, waterproofs, a sleeping bag, trekking poles, a backpack, and a headlamp. For more detailed information on equipment, we recommend reading our Equipment List page.
Participants should be at least 18 years old and in good physical health. Minors may join with parental consent and guidance.
The trek typically spans 5 to 7 days, including acclimatization periods and summit attempts. Individuals with high fitness levels can ascend and descend the summit within 3 or 4 days without acclimatisation exercises. However, we strongly recommend climbing gradually while performing acclimatisation exercises.
Altitude sickness can affect hikers. We include acclimatization days and our guides monitor participants for symptoms.
Accommodation is usually in tents at designated campsites. We provide all necessary camping equipment. At our first campsite at Mount Ararat 3,200 meters, we have tents where you can stand comfortably. This area features a solar-powered generator for lighting and charging electronic devices. At the second campsite at Mount Ararat 4,200 meters, due to the terrain’s challenges and the melting ice, stand-up tents are provided along with additional dome tents. We must note that our comfortable tents only operate during periods when seasonal conditions are favourable. In adverse conditions, such as late snowmelt, accommodation is offered in dome tents. The campsite includes a kitchen tent for meal preparation and a restaurant tent for serving meals. Both campsites have shared Eastern-style toilets. We bring drinking water in sealed bottles from the city to the campsite. During the climb, our cook provides hot meals and beverages.
Note: Our tent models vary during winter and adverse conditions.
Nearby attractions include the ancient city of Ani in Kars and the Ishak Pasha Palace in Doğubayazıt. In Van, the Urartian culture and artifacts are definitely worth exploring, and the Holy Cross Cathedral on Akdamar Island is a must-see historical monument. These sites provide rich cultural and historical insights. Additionally, in Doğubayazıt, you can visit the naturally formed, ship-shaped structure believed to be Noah’s Ark and the Great Doğubayazıt Sinkhole.
While prior experience is not mandatory for Mount Ararat climbing, good physical health and preparation for high-altitude trekking are essential.
Prepare by training physically, staying hydrated, and acclimatizing at higher altitudes before your Mount Ararat climb. We recommend preparing your body for long hikes at least a month before the climb. To achieve this, you can embark on long hikes in high-altitude trails or nature areas suitable for hiking around you, with your 30-35 litre backpack.
Local authorities do not require high-altitude insurance for Mount Ararat, meaning you can climb without insurance. However, this does not mean that insurance is unnecessary. We recommend obtaining insurance for high-altitude climbs. We offer you two free insurances: one is Incoming Travel Health Insurance, and the other is Tour Cancellation Insurance, which provides coverage when the tour is not cancelled and refunds your tour fee in the event of cancellation, but you should be aware that this insurance does not cover high altitudes and only covers the city and transportation sections of the tour. We strongly advise against trusting companies that do not explain their insurance on their websites, as all legal companies organising tours and climbs in Turkey are required to offer this insurance and cannot describe it as “Climbing insurance” or “High-altitude insurance.” In addition to this free insurance, if you wish to obtain high-altitude insurance, you can explore our partner Global Rescue’s online insurance options.
You can rent some of the equipment you are missing from us. For example, you can rent climbing boots or a sleeping bag that would take up too much space in your luggage. If you contact us about the equipment you wish to rent, we can reserve it for you quickly and economically.
Yes, we prepare hot meals for you on Mount Ararat until the mountain stage of your tour is completed. Our local chef provides hot meals, snacks, and hot drinks at our restaurant tent in the campsite every day. You can bring your favourite snacks, drinks, and energy bars with you, as long as it’s in moderation. If you prefer a vegetarian meal, please inform us in advance. Drinking water, fruit juice, energy-boosting sugary snacks, and sandwiches for your daily walks will be prepared by our chef and delivered to you each day.
Yes, climbing Mount Ararat without permission is prohibited. The gendarmerie frequently checks climbers’ vehicles to ensure they have the necessary permits. The permit fee for Mount Ararat is $50 and must be paid to the Doğubayazıt Village Services Union.
For the mountain ascent, you should bring two backpacks or a duffle bag and a 30-35 litre capacity backpack. You will pack all your equipment into the large bag and have it transported by mules between camps. The small backpack will be with you during the hike and at the summit, containing items you might need during the walks, such as food and drinks, a camera, a raincoat, a windbreaker, medicines, creams, a hat, sunglasses, and a bandana. You can leave excess baggage and equipment at our hotel before the climb and collect them on your return. This service is free of charge. The capacity of your small bag can be 30-35 litres and the large one 65-80 litres. Each participant’s bag carried by the mules should weigh no more than 20 kg.
Yes, you will carry your own small backpack with a capacity of 30-35 litres. However, mules will carry your large backpack containing all your equipment and items not needed during the hike throughout the Mount Ararat Climbing Tour, both ascending and descending. Each of our customers must ensure that the bag carried by the mules does not exceed 20 kg.
We only charge a small deposit fee for our tours. As you will pay when your tour starts and you participate, you will only lose the deposit if you cancel the tour. However, you will have the opportunity to use this deposit on another tour within the year. Our tours are definitively scheduled and are not subject to cancellation. If, for any reason, a cancellation occurs, the full cost of your tour is covered by the Tour Cancellation Insurance, which we provide free of charge. We work diligently to ensure our customers are not adversely affected.