Let's climb Mount Ararat (5136 m)!
Completed 9/12
Places:
Full: 👩🧓🧑👨🦰👦👨🦱👶👨🦲👵
At least two famous people are known to have climbed Mount Ararat. One of them was Noah. He went there a very, very long time ago, because he was only from the tenth generation of mankind after Adam. Noah visited Mount Ararat with his animals after the great flood. And just before that, he sailed the world's oceans for 150 days in a ship, being 600 years old himself! Another famous man is the former rector of the University of Tartu, Friedrich Parrot, who was the first known mountaineer in Estonia. Almost 200 years ago, he was the first person in the world to climb the peak of Great Ararat. So, a mountain with a mighty history.
We are also going to climb Mount Ararat (5136 m) this summer. In our immediate area, this is one of the easiest ways to set foot on a mountain peak over 5000 m high. Technically, it is a fairly easy mountain - you don't need complicated climbing equipment, it's more of a hind leg job. At the same time, on the snow and glacier at the top, you can get a great feel for high mountain alpinism. In addition to Ararat, we will first climb another peak, Mount Zor (3178 m), to acclimatize to the altitude, from where there are beautiful views of Ararat.
Who is this trip for?
Beginner mountaineering enthusiasts. Ararat is one of the easiest 5000+ meter mountains in our vicinity. And the high snowy peaks there give a very good taste to the mouth!
Mountain enthusiasts who have already climbed mountains here and there, but have not yet conquered Ararat or the 5000+ meter mark remains unreachable.
Elamus+ The mountaineering group also went to the top of Ararat last year! Watch the exciting video of this trip here:
Overview - short & sweet
Goal: Mount Ararat (5136 m)
Dates: 18.07-27.07.2022
Activity: mountain climbing, even on snow and glaciers!
Adventure guide: Marko Aasa
Technical difficulty level: 2/5 (suitable for beginners)
Physical difficulty: 3/5 (moderate effort)
Group size: min 4, max 12
Early bird (until 25.03.2022) — 950€
Less dizzy chicken (from 26.03.2022) — 1050€
Please note: For community members discount of -5% applies
Travel cost
Price includes - the entire mountain program and the accompanying
Entire trip organization and on-site guidance
With long-term mountain experience Elamus+ giid
Local mountain guide with experience in climbing Ararat and Mount Zor
Local transportation in Turkey and all transfers from the airport to the bottom of the mountain and back
Horses and mules to carry equipment to Ararat Base Camp
All overnight stays throughout the trip (we will stay in tents on the mountain, in hotels in the city below)
All food and cooking on Ararat - there is a chef in the local support group who takes care of this; on Zor everyone brings their own snacks and drinks
All climbing and camping equipment (including climbing crampons, tents and mats for camping)
Mountain permits to Mount Ararat
Stylish Elamus+ sports shirt for each participant
Group pharmacy (including high-altitude medications) and health assessment
Price does not include - flights, personal belongings and optional activities
Flight tickets Tallinn-Agri-Tallinn (~500€), overnight stays in Istanbul if necessary
Insurance (travel insurance and mandatory sports insurance suitable for mountain hiking)
Personal hiking equipment, no personal specific climbing equipment required
Meals off the mountain (downtown)
Tips for on-site helpers
Unscheduled excursions, transportation, etc. (or if you want to do something extra)
Registering for the tour
Before registering, please read travel conditions. To secure your place on the trip, a deposit (3%) must be paid within 20 business days of receiving the confirmation and invoice by email; if there are less than 30 days left until the trip, the total cost (100%) must be paid. Read more: frequently asked questions ja package tour information sheet.
If the trip is canceled due to circumstances caused by the coronavirus pandemic, we will refund the advance payment in full!
Schedule and activities
DAYS 1-2 - JOURNEY DOWN THE MOUNTAIN
To get closer to Mount Ararat, you need to fly to Eastern Turkey - one suitable destination is Agri Airport (AJI; a couple of other airports are also nearby, so we'll check before buying tickets). The easiest way to get there from Tallinn is with Turkish Airlines. If we fly this way, we'll probably spend one night in Istanbul on the way - so it's a good opportunity to include an evening city tour of Istanbul in the itinerary and see popular places such as Sultanahmet Square, Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace. We'll reach our final destination, Agri, the next day, then take a bus to the city of Dogubayazit, which will be our main base camp near the mountains. Dinner and then check out of the hotel to rest.
DAY 3 - LET'S START ACTIVELY NOW, STILL UP!
In the morning we pack our things for the day trip and drive down the first mountain. Today's goal is to climb our first mountain - Mount Zor (3178 m) to acclimatize and test our physical fitness. A pleasant hiking mountain, from the top of which there are beautiful views of Ararat. By the evening of the same day we will reach the bottom of the mountain and enjoy dinner again in the familiar town of Dogubayazit.
DAY 4 - FIRST DAY OF ARARAT
In the morning we pack all our mountain gear back into the minibuses and then head down Mount Ararat - we drive to an altitude of 2200 m. But from there we have to put on our backpacks and start hiking up ourselves. Horses help us carry our equipment, so we can enjoy the surroundings more happily. When we reach the first camp (3200 m), hot food and drinks are waiting for us on site and after that we can crawl into the tents to rest.
DAY 5 - ADJUSTING TO THE ALTITUDE
Since the altitudes are already quite high compared to the Estonian average and some participants feel a little dizzy or complain of a slight headache, we will take the day easy and adapt to the altitude, or acclimatize. Since it is not very effective to lie down in a resting position, we will ascend the slopes of Ararat at a leisurely pace and with a light backpack to an altitude of about 4000 m and descend back to the first camp to the tents (3200 m) in the evening.
DAY 6 - STILL UP?
Now we have slept for two nights at an altitude of 3200 m and it is time to move the camp further up. Because we still have a long way to go to the summit, it is quite a long way! So breakfast in the stomach, bags on our backs and we climb to the second camp, which is already at a decent altitude of 4200 m. Dinner (as usual, we leave this to the local chef, convenient!), camp life and overnight stay in tents again.
DAY 7 - FINALLY TO THE TOP!
We wake up very early, already at midnight, and get our bags and equipment ready for the summit climb. A quick breakfast and then there's nothing left to do but to head for the summit! The weather gets windier and crisper with altitude, but the views get more and more beautiful. At the end, we also look for cats to crunch up along the snow and glacier. We reach the summit around 6 am, when the views are at their most scenic!
After the summit, we descend to the second camp (4200 m), have lunch and rest, and then descend further to the first camp (3200 m), where we will stay overnight again.
DAY 8 - DOWN TO REST!
After breakfast we hike down to the cars and drive back to Dogubayazit, where we can sleep between the sheets at the hotel again. We arrive in the city around noon, so after a light rest and laundry we have time to visit the main local attractions and get acquainted with the lifestyle and cultural values. For example, you may come across a palace or fortress. Or maybe a nice place to eat or drink.
DAY 9-10 - MEETING ENDINGS AND GOING HOME
Everything comes to an end. So does our mountain trip. Last views of the city and the mountains and we are already being taken back to the airport. There we have to start acclimatizing back to civilization. The plane flies again through Istanbul, where depending on the flight schedule there may (or may not) be another opportunity to spend another evening or night in Istanbul.
NB! There may be minor changes to the schedule and planned activities - for example, due to weather and conditions or passenger requests.
Don't worry, let's do it!
My altitude record is Munamägi. Can I still do it?
Yes, you can. Going straight to the top of such a high peak may seem daunting at first glance, but it's not that bad at all - especially if you have a good hiking guide at your disposal. A little practice and preparation.
But I don't have any hiking gear, who can afford to buy it?!
You'll still have to spend a little, but not much. Hiking and climbing equipment can be rented for a very reasonable price, and you can also borrow some from friends. In addition, you can use any kind of clothing you have - for example, a ski jacket is also very good for the mountain. The more resourceful can manage almost without additional expenses.
Will I survive?
It's an extreme sport/hobby, but you shouldn't be too afraid here. Of course, there are certain dangers in the mountains and you have to take that into account, but at the same time, you could get hit by a bus walking across the street tomorrow. The most important thing for the group leader is to ensure the safety of the participants - to do this, we learn and use correct mountaineering techniques and turn around if the weather gets too bad. The point is still to have an enjoyable experience and not let this mountain go away. ;)
Okay, I registered. Now what?
Well, theoretically you could just vanish into thin air and appear on a plane. That's possible, but we highly recommend taking part in preparatory events - it's part of the fun. We organise preparatory hiking training, advise on suitable insurance and equipment, where to rent cheaply, what to train for, etc. We will definitely review the equipment you have collected just before the start of the trip and send reminders about important things.
Read more also frequently asked questions.
Travel documents and Covid information
The participant is responsible for the validity and orderliness of their travel documents. The following documents are required for this trip:
passport(no visa required);
sports insurance suitable for mountain hiking (read more on the FAQ page). A suitable sports insurance policy must be carried and is a prerequisite for participating in the mountain hike;
travel insurance;
If Turkey (or any transit country) requires a Covid test or other related documents prior to travel, these costs will also be borne by the participant.
If the trip is cancelled due to circumstances caused by the Covid pandemic, we will of course refund the advance payment in full.
Any more questions? Feel free to ask the adventure guide!
