Ararat is a landmark peak, known according to biblical legends as the place where Noah's ark moored after the Flood. In addition, this is one of the most affordable five-thousanders and a great opportunity to test your strength before higher and more difficult peaks.
In the classical program, we propose to climb Ararat in the company of our team leaders who watch the participants, control their physical conditions and take care of them in every possible way. But if you have enough hiking experience, you speak English at a sufficient level and want to reduce the climbing budget, then you can safely go accompanied by local guides. Excellent service awaits you – a skilled chef, an experienced escort team, transportation of cargo by mules and traditional Turkish hospitality.
Attention! The language of communication in the group is English.
In addition to summer routes, we have a program climbing Ararat in winter: with cold, snow and increased equipment requirements.
Join us!
A true Turkish All Inclusive in mountain tourism. Clients bags are carried by mules, the delicious food is prepared by the chef, and the camp is set up by the support staff. All you have to do is enjoy!
The program includes high quality acclimatization which will let you get used to the altitude and enjoy the sceneries of Ararat.
We do not cancel or reschedule groups. If manager has given his approval for the ticket you may buy it without any hesitation. There will be no cancellations through our fault.
Manager has participated in many climbs and will advise you knowledgeably.
During the time of operation of the club we have worked out an algorithm allowing maximum quality organization of hiking and climbing. You can personally convince yourself of this by applying for participation.
More than 15000 participants have already been with Kuluar and 97.8% were satisfied. We are sure you will, too!
The opportunity to save money on equipment by going to climbing with Kuluar.
We arrive in the Turkish city of Van, where the closest international airport to Ararat is located. From there we take a chartered car to the town of Dogubayazit and settle in at the hotel. The rest of the day is devoted to resting after the road and getting acquainted with the team. Also a welcome dinner is on the program.
After a delicious breakfast at the hotel we will have a short transfer to the mountain village of Eli, where the hiking part of the ascent to Ararat will begin. The goal for today is to reach the base camp of the famous volcano, which is located at an altitude of 3,200 meters. We will travel light, all things will be transported by mules. We will spend about three hours en route, then we will have lunch and relax for the rest of the day.
Today will be fully devoted to acclimatization. In order to do that we will ascend to the upper camp at about 4,200m. We will try to spend here a lot of time to adapt our organisms to the altitude and make the summit climb easier. In a while we will go down the Base Camp.
We take the familiar rocky trail back up to the upper camp (camp 2) of Ararat. We have lunch there and then we make one more acclimatization hike up the slope to improve our chances for a successful ascent. We sleep early as the summit assault begins shortly after midnight.
Here comes the decisive day of our program to climb Ararat. We will be going out in the middle of the night, and it is very cold at this time. So it's important to choose our clothing carefully and take everything we need. We have to climb about 950 meters vertically, which will take about 5 hours. The guides will give us crampons and tell us how to use them. On the summit we take memorable photos and start descending to the upper camp, and then to the base camp. It is the only place where you can breathe and relax.
In the morning we will have a short transition to the village of Eli, where the group will already be awaited by a comfortable transport to the city of Dogubayazit and following check-in at the hotel. In case of bad weather on the mountain, this day can be used as a backup.
We recommend taking tickets for the evening. This will be especially relevant if we need a backup day for a successful ascent. If all goes smoothly, however, you will have time today to take a self-guided tour of Lake Van, the largest soda lake in the world.
Important! The decision on the possibility or impossibility to continue the ascent is made only by the Kuluar Guides, is mandatory in the execution and is not subject to discussion. We are interested in as many participants as possible to climb the summit, but safety is always in the first place!
Subject to weather conditions, conditions and general wishes of the group the guide has the right to make changes in the itinerary.
You must have a valid passport with you, no visas are needed.
You must have no illnesses from this list in order to participate in the hike.
Climbing Ararat opens many peaks for you. After Ararat we recommend:
We have prepared for you the "Ararat" memorable medal, which you will receive after climbing.
You need to buy your tickets in advance, as soon as we confirm your participation in the trek.
Our recommendations for flight selection services can be found in this article.
You need good insurance to participate in the program. Please do not ignore this point. It has saved some participants thousands of dollars. Our recommendations for insurance can be found here: "Insurance for Kuluar Hikes Participants".
Weather conditions are one of the most important factors in successful ascent. The weather in the mountains changes very quickly. To summarize, it is usually good in the morning and getting worse in the evening. At altitude in the evening and at night it is cold. So be sure to take warm and nice clothes! The sun is often out in the daytime, at these altitudes it is especially dangerous. The sun's rays are reflected from the snow and you burn instantly. Do not forget to take sunscreen!
We strongly recommend prepare for the ascent. Start running three months before your planned ascent. It is good if you can run 10 km at a quiet pace and not exhausted. Do not try to run fast, try to run longer. If you can measure your heart rate - run at a pulse rate of about 130-140 beats per minute. If there is no such an opportunity - run at a pace at which you can speak.
In order to take part in Ararat ascent you should have some experience from previous treks. Any hikes in the Caucasus, Georgia and other high mountains are optimal. A good option is the winter Carpathian Mountains. For example:
If you do not have the necessary hiking experience and can not get it, be sure to contact our manager and talk in person. You can go to Ararat without any previous experience, the main thing is to have a clear understanding of where you're going.
*Please note: It is not the manager's task to select an individual flight for each participant. The manager gives general recommendations, based on his experience and shares flights of other participants, so you can fly together. It's up to the participant to select and purchase his own convenient airticket. If you want the manager to buy you a ticket, book a hotel or an extra excursion, read the conditions on the page: additional services.
Full payment for the program is made on the first day of the trip to the guide in euros.
To reserve a place in the group you need to make a prepayment of 200 €. You can do it by contacting us or by using the payment form on the website.
Important: The cancellation prepayment must be paid back:
