Sertan Usanmaz

Sep 24, 2022

Agri Dagi (Mount Ararat) Summit Hike (Standard Route)

What inspired me to climb Mount Ararat/Agri Dagi

Mount Ararat is a snow-capped and dormant compound volcano in the extreme east of Turkey. It consists of two major volcanic cones: Greater Ararat and Little Ararat. Greater Ararat is the highest peak in Turkey standing at an elevation of 16,854 ft (5,137m). The Turkish name for Mt Ararat is Agri Dagi, which means mountain of pain and rightfully so! This successful summit officially marks the tallest mountain I’ve climbed to date, beating Mont Blanc from earlier this summer by over 1,000 feet in altitude. Being a Turkish national, this mountain had been on my bucket list for a long time but due to the international travel shutdowns with the onset of COVID-19, I had to delay this trip. The trip was a part of a longer 3-week vacation trip that I had planned to Turkey earlier in year. The best part about it was that I made new friends along the way!  

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Preparing to climb Mount Ararat via the Standard Summit Route  

Mount Ararat’s standard summit route is a difficult ascent which involves an elevation gain of over 11,000 feet from the base of the mountain to the summit and I knew that I would need to be excellent shape to tackle such a difficult endeavor. For me though this wasn’t as much of an issue because I tend to stay in shape year-round but one of the ways I’d recommend one improves their physical abilities is by going to the gym and hopping on the Stairmaster. The Stairmaster is an excellent workout to help improve one’s physical abilities and strength as it relates to climbing a mountain. I personally spend 45 minutes a day and 3 times a week on the Stairmaster. I did also hike Mount Erciyes two days before in the Turkish province of Kayseri as a warm leading into this trek, which was a 12,800~ peak and proved to be a good warm up for Ararat (it was done as a single day trek). 

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Friends who Joined me for this Adventure

My long-time childhood friend Emre Turan joined me on this trek. He is a Turkish-American national like me who is studying Business Management in Athens, Greece. This mountain does have some red tape though due to going border disputes and political tensions in the area. The Turkish government only allows climbers to climb up the mountain with the company of a local guide, which can range anywhere from $300-$500. This fee also takes care of all the permitting requirements so you can hike up the mountain. Feel free to contact me if you’re interested in climbing this mountain and I can refer you to the mountain guide I used on my trek. 

Anyways, the mountain guide that I arranged wit the help of some locals was a tour company called Two Ararat and our guide’s name was Resul. He was an awesome Turkish-Kurd and we really enjoyed each other’s company on the mountain. They took care of all the permitting, food and sleeping arrangements, and even offered to help us carry our belongings up the mountain. But I know this would be considered cheating, so I politely declined and carried my own pack up the mountain. In my opinion, the trail was very will defined and easy to follow so I could have easily reached the summit without a mountain guide but it’s always better to stay safe due to the political tensions in the area.

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Overview of Mount Ararat’s Standard Summit Route

The climb started at about 6,000 feet along the outer city limits of Dogubeyazit near the village of Cevirme Mahallesi. The scenery along the way was remarkable. At the base it starts off is a desert with a lot of loose rock, gravel and dirt. As we slowly made out way up to the first base camp at 10,000 feet, the scenery remained pretty much the same, but it was evident that we had gained quite a bit in elevation when we looked down at the trailhead and village below us. The hike up to the second base camp at 14,500 feet things started to change a bit. We encountered larger boulders, and the terrain became more primitive. We also began to encounter snow and steep drop offs at certain sections where a fall would prove to be fatal which made us a bit wearier of our footholds. During the final push to the summit where we gained an additional 2,350~ to reach the summit, the terrain changed drastically to snow and ice so we had to put on our crampons to ensure a safe passage to the summit since we were traveling on a frozen glacier. The views and scenery from the summit were northing short of breathtaking, I had never been above 16,000 feet before, so it was quiet a view from the summit. The summit was broad and flat, and we had room to walk around but the temperatures were well below freezing and super windy so we did not stay up there too long.

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Duration of Mount Ararat’s Standard Summit Route

This ascent took 4 days/3 nights and we gained a total of around 11,400~ feet in elevation from the base of the mountain to the summit, the standard route is not very technical but at 43 miles round trip, it was definitely a long haul to the summit but nevertheless, it was an awesome experience! This hike could have been completed in two days in my opinion but we had 5 members in or group and three of those members were on the older side so we spent an extra day at the first base camp (10,000) to acclimatize to the higher altitudes on the mountain. The last day was the most difficult part of the trek because we got caught in a blizzard on the final stretch to the summit where everyone in our group ended up turning back except for Emre and I. This was also the hardest part of the trek because we had to go all the way back down to the base of the mountain were we had started from on this day as well which took an incredible toll on our knees but it was a great workout nevertheless! 

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Most Challenging Aspect about this Climb

I think the most difficult aspect of this climb is the fact that the summit stands 16,854 feet which is just under what Everest Base camp sits at (17,500). Somewhere between 18,000 – 19,000 feet, the human body begins to enter a state of decay and the summit of Ararat will remind you of what that may begin to feel like. I think another aspect of this climb which makes it quite difficult is having the will power to continue pushing forward once you hit about 15,800~ feet because the weather begins to deteriorate, and glacial travel begins. My toes and fingers were frozen at this altitude, and it felt very uncomfortable – this is also the altitude at which our three climbing partners turned around and so did our guide in order to escort them down the mountain safely. That’s when I assumed command and lead my friend Emre to the summit, I don’t shy away from a challenge, especially when it comes to assuming a leadership role whether it may be in the mountains or in the office!

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Number One Highlight of this Experience

The number one highlight from this climb were the epic and insane views from the summit. you can see 360 degrees in every direction. Since Turkey borders five other countries to its east, it was pretty remarkable to see deep into the lands of these countries from such a high vantage point. I personally really enjoyed the views from the top and the challenge of it all. I could not feel the tips of my toes after the climb, but the sensation came back a few weeks later. I think I had a mild case of frostbite, which is why you should make sure to wear the proper gear when you are attempting this trek. I think I list sensation because my body frozen when we got caught in the blizzard. Don’t let this comment scare you though! We attempted this climb towards the tail end of the summer climbing season in late September, so the weather patterns began to change, and the weather started to cool down. Weather patterns tend to be a lot more stable during the summer months of June, July and August so that is something to consider when you are planning your ascent. 

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Where to Stay near Mount Ararat

On my arrival into the Turkish province of Doughbeyazit, I stayed at a hotel called Dogus Hotel. On the day before my trek as well as after my trek. The hospitality was great, and the rates were very affordable ($18~ per night). This was also the location which our mountain guide Two Ararat picked us up from and escorted us to the trailhead via a private vehicle. Campsites and tents on the mountain were provided for directly from the guide service that we used and we didn’t have to carry any of this equipment ourselves which was definitely a plus most of the gear on the mountain was transported by mules and livestock.

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Need to Know Before you Go

Do not go solo and hire a professional guide, especially due to the political tensions in the area, you want to make sure you stay safe, plus they take care of all the permitting requirements! You can contact Two Ararat via their website linked here, let them know I referred you!

The cost of a mountain guide ranges from about $300-$600, which is very affordable considering meal service and shelter is provided at no additional cost to you on the mountain. They even provide the crampons!

Acclimatization is a very important step when attempting this climb so make sure you acclimatize properly in order to avoid altitude sickness as you ascend the mountain.

You should know how to use a map and possess general route finding experience if snow is present.

Permits are required from the Turkish Government if attempting to climb Mount Ararat but you do not have to worry about this if you hire a mountain guide because they take care of this process.

Carry a satellite communication device in case of an emergency (like a Garmin in Reach).

I recommend a minimum 42 litter backpack for this trek to carry all your gear and personal belongings.

If you have further questions about this climb, you can reach out to me via the contact me button st the top of my site.

Also, follow my Instagram account @sertanusanmaz – and shoot me a message! You can watch my Instagram story highlight of this trek by clicking here.

You can also watch this hike on my YouTube Channel (please subscribe!) by clicking here.

Happy Trails!

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz

Mount Ararat Summit Hike © Sertan Usanmaz