Ararat Adventure
Mount Ararat (Ağrı), the highest point of both Turkey and Europe, can be seen from vast distances across the eastern Turkish plain, rising ethereally into the clouds. In 2004, it was declared a national park. Its summit, snow-capped all year, is a dormant volcanic cone covered with glaciers, the largest permanent ice-mass in Turkey. Its mention in sacred texts, in the context of the story of Noah’s Ark, makes this massif unique. Claimed to be “impossible to climb” by the famous explorer Marco Polo, for many years this majestic mountain haunted the dreams of adrenalin-addicted explorers.
Mount Ararat Walking Trek Routes
The cone of Mount Ararat is surrounded by several summits higher than 3000m. The slopes of all these mountains are covered with basalt blocks and lava flows, blown out by ancient volcanic eruptions. They harbour a variety of birds and rare wild flowers as well as small lakes.
The area attracts mountaineers and nature lovers with several well-known mountaineering routes. Known as the “roof” of Turkey, the province of Ağrı includes four of Turkey’s highest summits: Greater Ararat 5137m., Mount Süphan 4058m., Lesser Ararat 3896m., Mount Tendürek 3533m.