Overview
An eight day trekking holiday, fully guided and hiking with a small group, to take on Mt. Ararat, the highest mountain in Turkey, at 5,137m. The great peak overlooks not only Turkey but also Armenia and Iran, and is a strenuous but not technical trek. In order to acclimatise to its icy elevation, a starter menu hike up Mt Artos (3,537m), with views over Lake Van, the country’s largest body of water stretching for 119km at its widest point, is a pure Turkish delight. There’s also a rest day to enjoy a boat trip on the lake. After that, there are four days of trekking to Base Camp and High Camp, and then the summit itself. Accommodation is in small, locally-owned hotels and in two person tents during the ascent and descent.
- Mt. Artos
- Lake Van
- Akdamar Island
- Mt. Ararat
- Expert local mountain guide
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Van
Arrival in Van, meet your driver at the airport who will transfer you to the hotel in the city centre. Van is known for its history and culture, having been a major stop on the Silk Road. Spend the day exploring the city, taking in the ruins of the old city as well as the castle and Lake Van.
- Accommodation: Reform Hotel or similar in Van
Day 2: Mt. Artos | 3,537m
Start the day with a transfer to Gevas to climb Mt. Artos from the south. The summit offers views over Lake Van, Mt. Süphan if weather conditions are fine, and Mt. Ararat can also be seen from here. Return to Van for the evening.
- Walking for the day: 7h, ↑1,200m ↓1,800m
- Accommodation: Reform Hotel or similar in Van
- Meals included: breakfast
Day 3: Lake Van and Akdamar Island
After breakfast, transfer to Gevas to take a boat tour over to Akdamar Island and visit the medieval Armenian church. Meet the driver again to head around the lake to Dogubayazit. Once an important trading town, this town in the hills is full of Ottoman history, and we recommend a visit to Ishak Pasa Palace or the Old Beyazit Mosque.
- Accommodation: Butik Ertur Hotel or similar in Dogubayazit
- Meals included: breakfast
Day 4: Ararat Base Camp | 3,200m
Begin with a transfer to Cevirme, the starting point of the Ararat trek. After the luggage has been loaded onto horses, hike comfortably for around five hours to Base Camp at an altitude of 3,200m. From here, you get to take in views of Little Ararat and the surrounding valleys.
- Walking for the day: 4-5h, ↑1,100m
- Accommodation: double tents
- Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 5: Base Camp – High Camp | 4,200m
After a good night’s sleep, begin the climb to high camp. Here there is the option to continue hiking further towards the summit for those with enough energy. There’s an early dinner, so that you can rest and be ready for the ascent to the summit in the early hours of the morning.
- Walking for the day: 4h, ↑1,000m
- Accommodation: double tents
- Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 6: Summiting Mt. Ararat | 5,137m
Begin with an early breakfast around 02.00 before a steep climb of around 5-6h to reach the summit. The glacier begins at an altitude of approximately 4,900m and, from here crampons are required to reach the summit. In good weather and visibility, there are views out to Iran, Armenia and the Caucasus. Descend first to High Camp (3h). After a rest and a snack, strike camp and descend to Base Camp for the evening.
- Walking for the day: ascent to Mt. Ararat summit, 5-6h, ↑1,050m, descent to Base Camp – Base Camp: 6h, ↓2,050m
- Accommodation: double tents
- Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 7: Base Camp – Dogubayazit | 1,625m
Descend the final few hours of the trail to meet your driver who transfers you to Dogubayazit. Please note that this is also a reserve day for climbing Mt. Ararat if there were adverse weather conditions the day before. If this is the case, after reaching the summit, descend to Cevirme before being transferred to Dogubayazit.
- Walking for the day: 3-4h, ↓1,100m
- Accommodation: Butik Ertur Hotel or similar in Dogubayazit
- Meals included: breakfast, lunch (dinner is included if the day is used as a reserve climb day)
Day 8: Departure
Transfer to Van airport and departure.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour includes small, locally-owned hotels and traditional guesthouses. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to responsible tourism. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms. During the climb accommodation is in two person tents, mattresses are included, but you do need to bring a sleeping bag.
Click to view default hotels
- Reform Hotel (Van)
- Butik Ertur Hotel (Dogubayazit)
Accommodation is subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel or guesthouse being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Accommodation in Van is on a bed & breakfast basis. Places to have lunch are available along the way. You can have dinner at your hotel or at nearby restaurants. During the climb full board is included.
Difficulty and terrain
This tour is graded moderate to strenuous, whilst it features a lot of ascent it is not a technical hike (read more about difficulty grades). You should be in an excellent physical condition and have some experience of multi-day high mountain hiking before undertaking this trek. Check our recommended equipment list here:
When to go
This small group tour can start on any of the pre-scheduled dates below (subject to availability) between the end of June and the middle of September, when it is the best time for climbing. For more information see our blog Best time to go to Turkey.
12.07.2026-19.07.2026
02.08.2026-09.08.2026
16.08.2026-23.08.2026
30.08.2026-06.09.2026
There are limited spaces available and group sizes can range from 4-15 people.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
Our recommended airport for this tour is Van Airport (VAN).
Inclusions
Included
- 8 nights accommodation as per the itinerary
- Meals as per the itinerary
- Drinking water, tea, coffee during the climb
- Transport as per programme incl. airport transfers from/to Van Airport
- Climbing permit fee
- Camping equipment – tents, mattresses, kitchen gear, toilet tent
- Local licenced English-speaking mountain guide
Excluded
- Airfare
- Lunches and dinners, not mentioned in the itinerary, alcoholic drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable on-site)
- Tips
- Any items not specifically mentioned as included in the programme
- Printed tour materials: we now provide digital versions of the tour materials (route notes and maps) in advance, and printed copies are longer be provided
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room or tent of their own
- Entrance fees to Akdamar and Ishak Pasa Palace
- Crampon hire
- Alcoholic drinks can be purchased in the camps
- Additional nights in Van
