Day 1 till Day 14

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Flight to Istanbul

Arrival at Istanbul, transfer to the hotel in the city. If the flight is early, there is a possibility for a half-day tour to the sights of Sultanahmet  (the Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque and Yerebatan cistern). Overnight in Istanbul at a middle class hotel. (B)

Day 2: Istanbul - Van, Akdamar Island

Early transfer to the airport for the flight to Van. The flight takes around 1 hour and 45 minutes. After arrival at Van transfer to the hotel in the city center. In the afternoon we will drive to Gevas where we will have lunch on Van lake that with its surface of aprx.3700 square meters is the biggest lake in Turkey. After lunch we will do a boat tour to Akdamar Island where we will visit a famous Armenian church of the Middle Ages. Afterwards we continue to Dogubayazit. It will take around 3 hours to reach Dogubeyazit. Overnight  in Dogubayazit. (B)

Day 3: Dogubeyazit - Base camp

After breakfast we will drive to the city center for the last military controls (climbing permit etc.). Then we will go on for about 45 minutes over uneven streets to the small village of Eli. There we will leave our luggage to be load to mules. We will wander for approx. 3 hours to the base camp. The altitude of the base camp is variable, depends on the snow situation. It varies between 2600 -3000 m. After the camp is established in the afternoon it's worth ascending a few hundred meters. After a relaxed dinner we will go to rest in our tents early and look forwards to the next day that will bring us closer to the summit. (B, L, D)

Day 4: Acclimatization Day

After breakfast we put the skis on and ascend till around 4.000 meters for acclimatization. We spend some time there and ski back to the base camp where we will spend the night. (B, L, D)

Day 5: Base camp - High Camp

After breakfast we will pack and ascend to the high camp. The high camp is located at the altitude of 3.750 m. The camping equipment will be carried by porters. We will only carry our personal belongings. The ascend will be comfortable and will last for approx. 3 hours. Dinner will be early this evening because we will get up very early for the ascend to the summit. We will decamp by 3 o'clock because Mt Ararat has the best weather conditions and the clearest views until noontime. In the afternoon the summit is usually covered with clouds. Night most of the time is very cold. (B, L, D)

Day 6: Summit Day

Early in the morning we get up and look forward to the summit. We ascend slowly and the air is getting thinner. At the altitude of 3,900 m we come up against glaciers. Should the slopes not be windy, one can up to the summit by ski. The chance to reach the summit on skis is 50/50. In good weather the view from the summit of Mt. Ararat is spectacular. We look at the area from Iran to Armenia and further to the Caucasus. We enjoy the descent to the high camp with the steepness of about 35 °. Here we enjoy the second breakfast and rest for a while. After the break we vacate the camp and descend to the base camp. Once again our cook pleases us with delicious dinner. Overnight in the base camp. (B, L, D)

Day 7: Reserve Day

This day is a reserve day.  If the weather is bad on the summit day, we will use this day for the summit. Otherwise we descend to the village of Eli and drive back to the hotel in Dogubayazit. But if we use the reserve day for the summit then we need to go down from the summit to the village of Eli on the same day.(B or B,L,D depends on the flow of the program)

Day 8: Transfer  to the Turkish Border- Iran, Tabriz

Early in the morning we will drive to the Iranian border and cross the border. We will continue to Tabriz by the minibus that is waiting for us. Overnight at the hotel in Tabriz. (B)

Day 9: Flight to Tehran and drive to the Village of Rineh

Early in the morning we will drive to the airport for our one-hour flight to Teheran, the capital of Iran. After arrival in Teheran we will drive by bus the village of Rineh that is located at the bottom of Mt Demavend.  Overnight in the guest house in the village of Rineh. (B, D)

Day 10: Ascent  to the High Camp ( 4.300m)

After our one- hour drive on bumpy tracks, we arrive at the base camp of Mt. Demavend. Here we start to climb up to the lodge in the high camp that is situated at the altitude of almost 4,300 m and where the starting point for the summit climb is. (B, L, D)

Day 11: Summit Day

Already early in the morning we start off to the summit. The route of the ascent is about 1,400 m. After the descent from the summit, we pack our belongings and ski down to Rineh where we will stay for one more night. (B, L, D)

Day 12: Reserve day

Today is a reserve day in case we had bad weather on the summit day. If we do not use this day in the mountains, we will drive to Tehran and spend the day there for sightseeing. If the reserve day is used, the night in the guest house will be cancelled and we will go directly to Tehran. (B or B,L,D depends on the flow of the program)

Day 13: Sightseeing  in Tehran

Today we are in Tehran. We spend all the day for sightseeing of the cultural treasures of Tehran. A cultural guide will accompany us. (B)

Day 14: Flight Back Home

Transfer to the airport for flight home.

Services

• All the necessary domestic land transfers
• Flight from Tabriz to Tehran
• Middle class hotel (2-3 stars) in Istanbul, Dogubayazit, Tabriz and Tehran ( bed & breakfast).
• Meals mentioned above, shown as B,L,D (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
• Luggage transportation to the base camp, afterwards everybody takes its own personal baggage (support and help on Mt. Ararat and Mt. Demavand)
• Luggage transport by packed animals on Mount Ararat
• A rich breakfast buffet in the camp, a lunch box for lunch during Ararat  Mountain program and hot meals in the base and high camps ( 3 - course - menu) on Mount Ararat and Demavend
• Hot drinks and hot water on the mountain around the clock, different types of tea and coffee
• Camp equipment such as tents, kitchen equipment, cooking and crew
• English- or German-speaking tour guide from our company during the entire tour and a mountain guide for climbing days. For days on Mt Demavend also local guide
• Mountain ski guide from the Turkish Mountaineering Federation
• Procurement of permits and processing of visa requirement for entry to Iran
• On Demavend staying in the guest house and hut

• Flights except flight Tabriz-Tehran
• The meals and drinks not mentioned in the program
• Tips ( not obligatory but if you wish you can calculate about 70-80 Euro totally)
• Insurance (an accident insurance should be taken from home)
• Emerging costs by force majeure, sickness, rescue, flight cancellation or delay, war, disaster, etc.
• The fee of the sport visa from the Turkish consulate in your country and the fee of the entry visa to Iran
• Other transfer that did not mentioned above

Things to know

Equipment List:
With the final booking of this trip, you will get a detailed equipment list.

• For detailed explanations to the degrees of difficulty please follow this link: Explanation to the degrees of difficulty
• Information about visa and entry regulations, health information and tips for equipment, see this link: Things to know-1
• Please note our information about possible exchange rate fluctuations: Exchange rate fluctuation