DAY 1 - CHECK IN TO HOTEL
Pick up from Istanbul Airport or Sabiha Gokcen Airport and transfer to your hotel.
Accommodation in Istanbul Sultanahmet
DAY 2 - FLIGHT TO VAN - AKDAMAR ISLAND - MURADIYE WATERFALL
Transfer from your hotel in Istanbul to Istanbul Airport or Sabiha Gokcen Airport to catch an early flight to Van. Pick up from Van Airport. First, we will visit Akdamar Island to see an Armenian church. After that, we will drive to Muradiye Waterfall. Then, we will drive to Dogubeyazit.
Accommodation in Dogubeyazit
DAY 3 - DOGUBEYAZIT - BASE CAMP (3200m)
After breakfast, we will transfer you to the starting point of the expedition (2.200 m) by a truck. Then we will start to walk up to the Base Camp (3.200m). We will load all packs to the mules except our daily-pack. Today, we will walk about 4-5 hours on soft inclined path to reach the Base Camp which is also called Green Camp because it the only area that has grass. Drinks and snacks will be ready when we arrive at the Camp. You will have free time until dinner which is cooked by our cooker.
Overnight at the Base Camp in a tent
(Total trekking time 4-5 hours, average ascent 1000m)
DAY 4 - ACCLIMATIZATION DAY (Base Camp (3200m) - Camp II (4200m) - Base Camp (3200m)
Today we will only walk for acclimatization. The route to Camp II will be harder yet shorter than Base Camp Path. We will reach Camp II in 3 hours trekking time and then return back to Base Camp in 2 hours trekking time.
Dinner and overnight at the Base Camp in a tent
(Total trekking time 5 hours, average ascent/decent 1000m)
DAY 5 - BASE CAMP (3200m) - CAMP II (4200m)
Today, we will leave the base camp and walk to Camp II by following yesterday's route. First, we will pack all equipment and load the mules again. After 5 hours of trekking time, we will reach the Camp II. We will relax with drinks and snacks while getting a briefing about how to use crampon, rope, ice axe and the other technical information by your guide. Then you can enjoy the perfect view of the Camp II. You can see Little Ararat, Dogubeyazit and Iran at the same time. Tomorrow is the summit day. So we should rest and sleep early.
Dinner and overnight at the Camp II in a tent
(Total trekking time 5 hours, average ascent 1000m)
DAY 6 - CAMP II (4200m) - SUMMIT (5137m) - BASE CAMP / CAMP II*
Summit day! We will start to climb early in the morning. Then we will wear our crampons where the Glacier starts about 4900m. After 7 hours of trekking time, we will reach the peak of the highest mountain in the West European and Anatolian. We generally can not stay for a long time on the Peak due to strong wind; therefore, we will return 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 not climb to the peak due to bad weather condition, we can try tomorrow again.
Dinner and overnight at the Base Camp or Camp II*
DAY 7 - 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 once again. A truck will be waiting for us to take us back to our Hotel. After resting and cleaning, we will celebrate our achievement of reaching the Mt. Ararat Summit.
**If bad weather condition did not let us climb to the peak yesterday, today we will try "day 6 schedule" again. In this case, we have to turn back to our Hotel in the summit day.
Accommodation in Dogubeyazit
DAY 8 - DOGUBEYAZIT TOUR
We will start visiting Ishakpasa Palace which has 336 rooms, tomb, mosque and also harem. This palace was built by Ishakpasa who was the governor of Ottoman. After that we will see the trace of the Noah's Ark and then the second largest crater of the World (60 m depth and 35 m width). Return to your hotel.
Accommodation in Dogubeyazit
DAY 9 - FLIGHT TO ISTANBUL - HOME
After breakfast, transfer to Van Airport.
END OF OUR SERVICE
NOTES
• Programmes may change due to bad weather conditions.
• The cost of this tour is changeable according to your travel dates. Please let us know your travel dates to check package tour cost.
• You can make any changes on the programme, if our programs are not suitable for you. We can work together on your itinerary.
• We can also arrange ticket bookings for domestic flights. Flight fares are changeable according to your travel dates.