Mount Ararat Summit Climbing – Climbing 5137 Meters for Amateurs

Climbing Mount Ararat, the highest peak of Turkey and the highest peak of our country, with a height of 5137 meters, is the dream of almost everyone who is involved in hiking and mountaineering. I too have dreamed of this climb for years. In August 2023, with a team of eight people who are passionate about traveling Mount Ararat summit climbing we did. For amateurs who want to climb Mount Ararat, the necessary materials, things to consider, who can climb, the best time and much more are waiting for you in this article!

Mount Ararat Summit Climbing Video

If you would like to watch our climb to Mount Ararat in detail, the video is below! If you liked the video, don't forget to subscribe to my channel!

Day by Day Experiences While Climbing Mount Ararat

Dreams that started to be formed years ago, plans that gradually took shape as we started sharing these dreams with friends, naming them, setting dates, and then finding ourselves at the airport with a wonderful team of eight people! 

This is exactly how our story of climbing Mount Ararat began.

While coming from Istanbul to Iğdır Airport, we all had a sweet excitement but also a concern that we would not be able to see the summit. Especially since I had been sick for the last week and with my nose stuffy, I was dreaming of climbing to the summit of 5137 meters, where oxygen is far below sea level. 

We flew from Istanbul to Iğdır with a team of eight people. The company we agreed with for the summit climb picked us up from Iğdır Airport and brought us to Grand Ağa Hotel in Doğubeyazıt, where we would stay. The package we bought included airport transfer, hotel and camp accommodation, and a last-day cultural tour. Our hotel was clean, tidy and 1.5 km away from Doğubeyazıt city center. After a short tour and dinner in Doğubeyazıt, we retired to our rooms early with the excitement of the climb that would start the next morning.

I will not share the information of the company with which we climbed Mount Ararat summit throughout the article, because we were not satisfied with the service they provided.

While stating the climbing days below, I also gave the exact date so that it can be more clearly understood in which season these occurred.

Mount Ararat Climbing 1. Day – 3200 Departure to the Camping Area – Monday, 21 August 2023

After having breakfast at the hotel in the morning, we checked our bags for the last time and set out with the shuttle vehicles towards the point where we would start the climb. We got out of the vehicle after a journey of approximately 45 minutes. Our big backpacks were loaded onto the horses here, we only took our bags with us that carried our daily needs.

Our summit climb started at 2200 meters. We take a break every 45 minutes. We reached our first campsite at 20 meters, passing through volcanic dirt roads and stony rocky paths that had turned into fine dust for about 3200 km. Snacks welcomed us at the campsite, and I was very happy to see watermelon on the table. Meals are cooked at the camp, and everything I ate that evening was delicious.

The weather was clear, the day was sunny, we stayed here for the first night. We stay in a tent. The tent and mat were provided by the company we agreed with, and we also rented the sleeping bag, so we did not need to carry almost any camping equipment. In the photo above, you can see the tent we stayed in and the water tank we used to wash hands/face at the back. In the photo below you can see our makeshift toilet at camp 3200. We complained about this toilet, but when we went up to 4200, we saw that there was no toilet, so we searched for it.

In my opinion, this was one of the most difficult days of our walk. A steep 20km, 6-hour walk before I got used to the altitude, and constantly getting stuck while walking on the dusty road, was quite a challenge for me.

Mount Ararat Climbing 2. Day - acclimatization Day – Tuesday, August 22, 2023

This was the easiest day of the climb. To adapt to high altitude (acclimatization*), we hiked from 3200 meters to 3700 meters, covering a total of 6 km. My blocked nose seems to have opened up a bit. It is a little difficult to get used to the altitude, you are deprived of oxygen with every step, you are out of breath with every step.

*Acclimatization What Is It?: As the altitude increases, the oxygen level and pressure in the air changes. The process of our body adapting to this new situation is called acclimatization. If you experience symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, or difficulty breathing during the climb, descending/ascending from your current level will help your body adapt. The reason why we ascend to 3700 meters and descend again to 3200 meters is to prepare our body for the new situation.

It was my pleasure to end this calm day with a magnificent sunset. I fell asleep in our tiny tent, saying "I'll make this summit"...

Mount Ararat Climbing 3. Day – 4200 Departure to the Camping Area – Wednesday, August 23, 2023

Bags and tents are packed and we are starting to ascend again.

We are ascending from 3200 meters to 4200 meters. Terrain conditions became difficult. The path will last 8 km; A path filled with stones, rocks and fine dust like powder. Herds of horses carrying loads pass us frequently, they always have priority. When we reach around 4000 meters, we take a break at a point overlooking Mount Ararat. Our guide says that climbing Little Ararat is more difficult than Big Ararat, and we wave from afar.

Seeing people return from the top along the way is incredibly motivating. Seeing tired but happy faces increases our feeling of "I can succeed too."

Camping areas start from 4100 meters. Those who came with their own tents set up their tents near the fixed camps. Even though I was happy for a moment when I started to see the tents, when I realized that our camp was 100 meters higher, I got a little depressed, my pace slowed down, and I said to my husband, "You go out, I'll come back slowly."

Climbing from 3200 meters to 4200 meters costs 8 km and 4 hours of climbing. 1000 km of trail just to climb 8 meters is quite ambitious.

When we reach the 4200 camp we realize that the conditions are quite different from 3200. There is no water to wash hands and faces, no toilets, no electricity. We are back to the stone age. Our tents are among the stones, on the edge of the cliff, if you were to lie a little crazy, you would fall down.

We had our fill of food at the camp and retired to our tents around 18:00. Those who can sleep will sleep, those who cannot sleep will rest their bodies. I couldn't sleep at all. My nose became very blocked again, and I began to have difficulty breathing. I died on this climb, not because of the altitude, but because of the cold.

Mount Ararat Climbing 4. Day – Summit Day – Thursday, August 24, 2023

The big day has arrived.

We wake up at 12:00 at night, eat something for breakfast and start walking at 01:00 at night. I'm sleepless, I'm having trouble breathing, a thousand pieces falling off my face. I think the photo below shows how bad I feel from my sullenness.

The weather is around -15. We wore our windproof gear, but when I couldn't balance my breathing at the first ascent, my whole body started to sweat due to stress. I had to do the 11km walk soaking wet. The moment we stop I start shaking. I stopped wasting time to wipe my running nose, my face, eyes, hair and head are covered in snot.

While I was struggling with fatigue on one side and the cold on the other, as the sun began to rise, I suddenly saw the shadow of Mount Ararat when I looked towards Doğubeyazıt. It was one of the most impressive views I've ever seen in my life. Even though I knew my hands would freeze when I took off my gloves to take photos, I wanted to immortalize this moment.

When we reach 4900 meters, we wear crampons, or rather we need to, in order to easily cross the snow and ice around the summit. However, since our company does not have enough crampons, some of our friends have to walk on ice with only one crampon and some of us without crampons. There is a lot to say on this subject, but anyway…

I'm shaking while wearing crampons. Our guide says, “don't wait, keep walking, you will freeze.” I start walking on the ice ground without stopping. My husband is right behind me. “We are here,” he says, “we are at the top, you continue ahead.” At that moment my eyes fill with tears. We are at the Ataturk Summit! I turn and hug my husband, “we did it,” I say, “without you, I would never have made it to the top when I couldn't breathe properly and was about to freeze.” The entire team we go with reaches the top, we have no wastage. "We should celebrate this!". 

The peak is around -10 degrees, the weather is clear but there is a very strong wind. With the surprise of being at the top, I took a few photos and hugged my friends that I could see. We also have to wait in line to take photos at the far end of the summit, so we wait. Our aim was to unfurl the Ataturk Flag at the summit, we did, we are proud!

Our aim was to unfurl the Ataturk Flag as a whole team, but as we all reached the summit at different times and were astonished, we could not come together and take photos. We immediately took a team photo with those we could gather at 4900. Of course, the justified pride of having seen the summit of Mount Ararat and the fatigue of climbing steep slopes in the cold for hours are reflected on their faces.

After a short few minutes of shivering, we head back. As we return from the 11 km road we came to in daylight, I think, "If I had seen this road on the way there, I would never have been able to get out, it's a good thing we went out in the dark." It takes 4200 hours to ascend from 6 and 5 hours to descend. It seems like the descent is harder than the ascent. Along the descent path, we encountered many hikers who fainted, vomited, and had difficulty walking, but fortunately, we were strong as a team.

It was so annoying to see the campsite at 4200 meters from above but not be able to reach it. Falling on your ass many times, stumbling, pain in your feet, the wind that never stops...

We are finally unfurling our flag, which we could not raise together at the summit, at the 4200 camp! Finally, the whole team is together again!

The work does not end when you reach 4200 meters. After resting for a while, we start descending 8 km down to the 3200 camp. All my toes have blisters, making the descent even more difficult. I must say that you lost 6 toenails after your return.

The 30 km ascent and descent takes approximately 14 hours in total. I can't feel my toes anymore, but I have the most peaceful sleep on the mountain here. 

Mount Ararat Climbing 5. Day – Return Day – Friday, August 25, 2023

We are tired but happy!

The morning we woke up at 3200 meters, the top of the mountain was covered with clouds. The summit ascent could not be made for the next 2-3 days due to bad weather. We were lucky!

We have another 3200 km walk from 2200 meters to 20 meters. It does not matter anymore.

I've seen the summit, I've walked for miles, my nose area is irritated from wiping and snot, my lips are chapped, I've developed a huge cold sore, I'm sure most of my toenails will fall off, but I'm very happy. We did it! 

My traveling companions, my husband and I, we all did it together. We succeeded without even thinking for a second that "we can't do it", by supporting each other, by getting cold and tired together, and by saying "you are great, you can do it". 

There's a reason why we're doing this climb in 2023. The summit of Mount Ararat is the "Ataturk Summit". We climbed that summit to commemorate Ataturk and his comrades in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of our Republic, to keep their names alive, and to show our belief that our republic will live forever in line with Ataturk's principles and reforms. We did it.

After coming down from the summit at noon, we go to the place where İshakpaşa Palace and Noah's Ark Trace are located, as part of the package we received. In the photo below, you can see the entire group with which we climbed to the summit, with the trail of Noah's Ark behind us.

For those who stay; İshak Pasha Palace ve Places to Visit in Ağrı I recommend you to read my articles.

Who Can Climb Mount Ararat? 

My climb to Mount Ararat is the result of a 10-year dream and mental preparation. If you look at the companies climbing Mount Ararat; They say, "Anyone over the age of 12/13 without any health problems can climb, no mountaineering license is required." As someone who has experienced summit climbing, is not a professional mountaineer, and is completely amateur, my perspective is different.

If you want to climb Mount Ararat;

• You definitely need fitness. My advice is to take regular nature walks with steep ups and downs before coming to the mountain. It's not like saying I can walk 20 km comfortably in the city. You can also do exercises such as cycling and/or running to develop your leg muscles. It would be a good idea to get advice from experts on the subject. 
• Just physical preparation is not enough; it is very important to accept that it is a mentally challenging climb and to believe that you can achieve it.
• It is very important to have fortitude on the mountain, not to give up too soon, and to find the strength to continue even if you are tired, cold, or breathless. Do you have this strength, make good use of it.
• Our group of 8 friends consisted of people aged 40, 43, 45, 53, 58, 63. We all reached the top. However, 22 people out of the 4-person team we went with could not reach the summit, even though they were much younger. Age is definitely not a criterion, what matters is your physical and mental performance. 
• Our group consisted entirely of travelers. Coping with difficult situations, not giving up, patience, perseverance, and contentment were common characteristics of all of us. Most importantly, he had full faith that we would all see the summit. These have been our biggest advantages. If you are going out with your friends or partner, it is very important that the people with you are people who will influence you positively.
• If your blood pressure is low, you do sports that require breathing control such as running or diving, and you are underweight, these will definitely give you an advantage for climbing.

We saw hundreds of climbers during the Mount Ararat summit climb. The youngest climber we saw among them was the Ukrainian girl in the photo above. It went up to 4800 meters, halal…

Our Mount Ararat Climbing Team

We were incredibly lucky in terms of the people we climbed with. Everyone was positive, everyone supported each other, we did not experience the slightest negativity, I would like you to get to know these sweet people, I am adding the links to all of their Instagram accounts, please follow them.

• Of course, my husband, who climbed the mountain like a mule, Özgür Uzun
• traveler friend Gratitude, Şükran shared her experiences pustoodunya.com Be sure to check out his blog. The Mount Ararat notes are also great.
• Şükran's older sister, who is as sweet as herself and a true Albanian girl. Turkan SisterI swear he came out like a goat.
• Despite turning the world upside down, it is the pinnacle of modesty. Esra, we are very lucky to be able to catch him in Turkey and go to Ağrı together.
• Another traveler friend of mine, the lover who climbs calmly and with determined steps. Hanif.
• My dear, who is a complete mountain goat both physically and characteristically. Nazmiye, he never gave up!
• The most energetic member of our group is Mustafa (he does not use social media). We didn't see much of him climbing because he was always at the front.

Equipment Required for Climbing Mount Ararat for Amateurs

Before going to Mount Ararat, we watched a lot of videos, talked to a lot of people and prepared a list of the materials we needed to take with us as a team.

I would especially like to remind you that our summit journey is in the 3rd week of August. The best month for departure is the period with the least snow/ice/cold and storms. Don't forget that we determine our ingredients accordingly!

When we went there, we heard a lot of words like "Wow, you thought of this well". That's why I prepared a list of necessary equipment for amateurs to climb Mount Ararat.

• Sweat-wicking, thin and long-sleeved t-shirt to wear when climbing up to 4200 degrees. Even if the weather is sunny, a long-sleeved t-shirt will prevent you from getting sunburned.
• Socks suitable for walking. You may think, aren't all socks the same, but they are not. I recommend you buy socks suitable for hiking from companies that sell outdoor equipment. Foot comfort is important for such a long and steep walk.
• Comfortable, sweat-wicking underwear.
• Fleece jacket for evening wear. As of the date we went, the weather was fine during the day, but when the sun went out in the evening, it got cold.
• Raincoat/poncho as a precaution. We did not encounter rain during the walk, but it might have, so I carried a raincoat as a precaution.
• ankle walking shoes
• Hiking trousers for days up to the summit
• sunglasses
• Hat
• Slippers to wear while camping
• Buff to protect your neck, balaclava for summit day.
• Beanie for summit day.
• Underwear to wear while climbing to the top. The summit day will be the coldest day of the walk. Thermal underwear is a must.
• Wind-blocking technical jacket for summit hiking. Your equipment must definitely be a wind breaker because the wind at 5000 meters destroys people, pay attention to this issue.
• If you have one, use a summit boat for the summit climb. If you are going out in August, a sturdy ankle boot will do the trick, even if it is not this type of boot.
• Windproof Softshell trousers for summit hiking
• Wind-blocking snow gloves for summit hiking. Yes, you need two separate gloves.
• Fleece gloves for summit hiking

Cleaning & Maintenance

• Your personal care supplies
• Plaster
• Tiger balm or whiskey
• Sunscreen
• Tissue
• Nasal strip – breath-opening tape.
• Cologne
• Toothbrush & paste & floss
• Towel

Daily Needs

• Energy-boosting snacks to eat while walking.
• Duct tape. It is used both to close the mouth of the sacks and to repair any tears etc.
• Garbage bag
• Glass to use at the campsite

Camping tools

• Sleeping bag (-10 comfort level). We rented it from the company.
• Pocket warmer. It works great both for sleeping at night and for warming the feet while climbing to the top.
• Earplug. It is on the list for those who cannot sleep due to noise in the camp, but I do not use it.
• Pillow
• Head lamp. You will need it both for the night camping and the summit hiking day, it is a must.
• Toilet paper. There was no toilet paper in our camping areas, so we were glad we brought it with us.
• Wet wipes
• Duffle bag or backpack for your equipment and clothing
• Sack and oversized bag for equipment bag. Since the bags are transported by horses, they are exposed to a lot of dust and horse sweat. We kept our bags clean by putting them first in a garbage bag and then in a sack.

Hiking Supplies

• Thermos. Essential for hot tea/coffee.
• Canteen. Needed for water.
• Baton
• Daily hiking bag (20-25 It is enough)
• Rain cover for daypack

electronics

• The most important thing is to buy enough power banks for all your electronic devices for 4 days.
• Your personal electronics such as phones and cameras

The list seems long but don't be intimidated, it's easy to prepare.

Best Time for Mount Ararat Summit Climbing for Amateurs

Mount Ararat is a cone-shaped mountain with a height of 5137 meters, which has a glacier at its summit every month of the year, and is known as the roof of Turkey. 

The best time for amateurs who want to climb to the top of Mount Ararat is said to be between 20 July and 20 September. Based on the research I did for this date range and the peak ascents I followed, I came to the conclusion that August was the best period. It is best for us amateurs to go out when the weather is clear, there is no rain and there is less wind. 

As a team, we made our debut in the 3rd week of August. When we climbed the summit, it was sunny, the weather was clear, but it was quite windy and the temperature was around -10 degrees. 

The summit was covered with clouds for the two days after us and the groups could not ascend due to security reasons. So, even if you go at the best time, you can see the summit if the mountain gives it to you. It would be useful to keep this in mind, too. Those who came a week before us saw +10 degrees at the peak.

Choosing a Tour / Agency / Company to Climb Mount Ararat

After deciding to climb Mount Ararat, the next step is to decide "with which company and how" you will climb. I tried to summarize what method we followed and what you should pay particular attention to;

1. COMPANY SELECTION: To Mount Ararat; You can go there through local companies, tour companies in your city and/or mountaineering clubs. My suggestion is that if there are mountaineering clubs or agencies you know and trust in your city, you should choose them. 
2. PACKAGE CONTENT: Whichever way you go, be sure to clarify the services that are included and excluded in your tour package beforehand.
3. MOUNTAIN DISEASES: Be sure to do your own research on this subject before you go. Get an idea about many issues such as high altitude, fatigue, foot injuries. Evaluate yourself accordingly.
4. CLEANING: Unfortunately, there is a serious garbage/dirt problem on the mountain. Companies may not be honest about the cleanliness of camping areas, so it would be a good idea to look at the comments of the company you will go to and get opinions from those who have been there. 
5. BATHROOM: Some camping areas may have showers and hot water, if you are sensitive about this, choose a company accordingly. This is a route where there is often no opportunity to shower for 4 nights and 5 days. 
6. WC: Find out if there is water and WC in camp 4200. You may say that you should not look for water and toilets on the mountain, but when there are camping areas that are available, why would you choose the ones that do not? Moreover, the lack of a toilet has created a serious stool problem and causes tissue dirt. Since no place is shown, there is feces everywhere. A truly terrifying sight. The fact that the incoming climbers also created this mess is even worse. 
7. ELECTRICITY: Ask if there is electricity in the camps, take a power bank with you accordingly. 
8. FOOD: Breakfast and dinner are eaten in the camp, lunch is usually carried as a ration. There are snacks in between. If you are sensitive about this issue, it would be a good idea to inform the company in advance. 
9. TENT: They carry tents and other materials to the camping areas by horses. While some camping areas are permanent, in some camps the tent setup/removal operation is left to the hiker. It's really hard to deal with this on top of walking fatigue. I recommend you confirm in advance who will set up the tents. 

Climbing Mount Ararat is a challenging climb, the more professional the company that takes you, the more comfortable and safe you will feel. By the way, no matter what you ask the company you choose, there is a high probability that they will say "we can handle it". For this reason, good preliminary research, finding the people who left and getting information, and reading the comments are very critical. 

My advice on choosing a company; Climbing to the summit of Mount Ararat with mountaineering clubs and/or hiking groups/clubs in your city. This way, you will have the opportunity to hike with these groups and see your own performance before going to Mount Ararat.

Mount Ararat Summit Climbing Prices

If you climb Mount Ararat with a local company like us; Prices vary depending on the season, the number of people you go with, and the services provided by the company you choose. Companies offer services in a wide range between 5 thousand TL and 20 thousand TL. Some companies do not provide any service to Turkish groups.

I have stated above what you should pay attention to when choosing a company. Mount Ararat is not an easy route, I recommend you to prioritize your safety rather than price and choose a company that you trust and feel comfortable with.

Frequently Asked Questions About Mount Ararat Summit Climbing

There were many questions on social media about the Mount Ararat summit climb, most of the answers are in the article above. I share the missing parts below.