15 DAYS TRANS MOUNT KACKAR & MOUNT ARARAT COMBINED EXPEDITION

DAY 1 - CHECK IN TO HOTEL

Pick up from Istanbul Ataturk airport and transfer to your boutique hotel

First night accomodation in your boutique hotel.

DAY 2 - FLIGHT TO ERZURUM - BARHAL

After breakfast we will transfer you to airport to fly to Erzurum. Arriving to Erzurum, we will drive to Barhal village. Today will be transfer and meeting expedition-mate day :)

Accomodation in Barhal (Pension)

DAY 3 - BARHAL VILLAGE - YAYLALAR PLATEAU (UPLAND - 1850m)

Today, warming up day for next few day and also imformative day about the fauna and flora of Mt. Kackar.

Accomodation in Yaylalar Plateau (Upland)

DAY 4 - YAYLALAR PLATEAU (1850m) - OLGUNLAR PLATEAU - NASTAF PLATEAU - DILBERDUZU BASE CAMP (2900m)

At last, our expedition is beginning. Firstly, we will follow Olgunlar Plateau way and then the path which takes us to Dilberduzu Base Camp. We will walk along to a stream. Nastaf Plateau will be the sign of the half way :)  And we will arrive to Base Camp in the noon. Afternoon you will get a briefing about the summit day and then we should rest for acclimatization.

(Total trekking time 4 hours, Avarage ascent 1050m, distance 12 km)

Overnight in Dilberduzu Base Camp.

DAY 5 - DILBERDUZU - DENIZ LAKE (3380m) - SUMMIT*(3937m) - DILBERDUZU BASE CAMP

Summit day! We wake up before the dawn and begin to climb to the Deniz Lake. After arriving, we will have long break at side of the lake. At the same time, we can see the Peak -if the fog doesn't hide it-. After 1 hour later we will begin to descent to pass a valley which involves a few glacial lakes and snowly passing. then we will climb again for the summit. It will be the hardest part of our expedition. After 5 hours trekking time, we are the top of the Black sea region. If it is clear, you can see other peaks of Kackar Mountains, a few lake, Black sea...etc.

After enjoying the summit, we will turn back. 3 hours later we will be at Dilberduzu Base Camp. 

(Total trekking time 8 hours, Avarage ascent/descent 1200m, distance: 26 km)

Overnight in Dilberduzu Base Camp.

DAY 6 - DILBERDUZU BASE CAMP (2900m) - DOBEDUZU PLATEAU (UPLAND - 2250m)

Overnight in Dobeduzu Camp II

DAY 7 - DOBEDUZU PLATEAU (UPLAND - 2250m) - BARHAL VILLAGE

We will turn back to Olgunlar Plateau and drive to Barhal village. Time to cleaning, resting :)

About Kackar Mountains...

DAY 8 - TRANSFER FROM BARHAL VILLAGE TO DOGUBEYAZIT

Are you ready for next step? We will drive to Dogubeyazit for Mount Ararat expedition. But we will visit a few places on the way. First stop will be Barhal Church. After passing through Kars , we'll cisit the old Armenian ruin city of Ani where is near of the border of Armenia.

At last, we arrive to Dogubeyazit and check in to Hotel.

DAY 9 - DOGUBEYAZIT - BASE CAMP (3200m)

We will transfer to 2.200 m high from sea level, by a truck. Then finaly we will start our expedition to the Base Camp (3.200m). We'll load all packs to the mules except our daily-pack. We will trek 4-5 hours on soft inclined path to reach the Base Camp which also called Green Camp because only this area is grassy. Our drinks and snacks will be ready when we arrive at the Camp. It's free time until dinner which is cooked by our cooker.

Overnight at the Base Camp

(Total trekking time 4-5 hours, avarege ascent 1000m)

DAY 10 - ACCLIMATIZATION DAY (Base Camp (3200m) - Camp II (4200m) - Base Camp)

Today we will trek for acclimatization. Route to Camp II will be harder but shorter than Base Camp Path. We will go to Camp II in 3 hours trekking time and back to Base Camp in 2 hours trekking time.

Dinner and overnight at the Base Camp

(Total trekking time 5 hours, avarage ascent/decent 1000m)

DAY 11 - BASE CAMP (3200m) - CAMP II (4200m)

Today we will trek to Camp II by following yesterday's route. After breakfast we will pack all equipment and load the mules again. After arriving there, we will relax with drinks and snacks. And then you will get a briefing about how to use crampon, rope, ice axe and the other technical informations from your guide.  By the way, view of the Camp II is perfect. You can see Little Ararat, Dogubeyazit and Iran at the same time.  Tomorrow is the summit day. So you should rest and go to sleep early.

Dinner and overnight at the Camp II

(Total trekking time 5 hours, avarage ascent 1000m)

DAY 12 - CAMP II (4200m) - SUMMIT (5137m) - BASE CAMP / CAMP II*

Summit day! We will start to climb in the very early morning. We will wear our crampons where the Glacier starts about 4900m. And after total 7 hours trekking time, we are the peak of the highest mountain of the West European and Anatolian. We generally can't stay a long time on the Peak due to strong wind and turn back to Camp II to rest and drink something for a while. After that we will continue to Base Camp for overnight.

* If we can't climb to the peak due to bad weather condition, we will try tomorrow again.

DAY 13 - BACK TO HOTEL / SPARE DAY (Second try for the peak)**

Today we are leaving from Mt. Ararat. We will load all pack to the mules again. A truck will be waiting for us to bring back to our Hotel. After resting and cleaning, we will celebrate our the Mt. Ararat Summit achievement.

**If bad weather condition did not let us climbing to the peak yesterday, today we will try "day 6 schedule" again.

**But if we don't want to lose one day, we have to turn back to our Hotel in the summit day. Otherwise we will miss "Day 8 Dogubeyazit tour".

DAY 14 - DOGUBEYAZIT TOUR

We start to visit Ishakpasa Palace which has 336 rooms, tomb, mosque, harem. This palace built by Ishakpasa who was the governor of Ottoman. After that we will see the track of the Noah's Ark. Meteor crater which is 60 m depth and 35 m width, is second largest crater of the World  and will be last stop in our tour.

Accomodation in Dogubeyazit

DAY 15 - FLIGHT TO ISTANBUL - HOME

After breakfast we will transfer you to Van airport.