Itinerary

Day 1

Fly from Istanbul to Van. You will be greeted by your guide on arrival at VAN airport, from where you will visit the beautiful Van castle. After sampling some fine Turkish kebabs for lunch you will visit Akdamar Island, taking a short boat cruise to visit the ancient 10th century Armenian Church, the Cathedral Church of the Holy Cross on the island. The church was built by Bishop Manuel under King Gagik I in the 10th Century. Drive to a campsite near the Nemrut Crater Lake. Dinner and overnight in the beautiful nature. Meals: L, D

Van today is a young vibrant university town but the history of the region goes back more than 7 millennia, and the town itself was the Urartian capital as early as the 9th Century BC. Van Castle, outside of the modern town, is a vast sprawling Urartian structure dating from the 9th to 7th Centuries BC that affords excellent views of the beautiful surrounding countryside. Don’t miss the perfectly-preserved 5th Century trilingual (Old Persian, Babylonian, and Elamite) inscription from Xerxes the Great, the only Achaemenid royal inscription located outside of Iran. The town of Van is also famous throughout Turkey for its kebabs.

Akdamar island is a small island 3km from the Shore of Lake Van, most famous for the Armenian Cathedral of the Holy Cross (a.k.a. Akdamar Kilisesi). The unique importance of the building comes from the extensive array of bas-relief carvings of mostly biblical scenes that adorn its external walls. Due to the contentious history between Turkey and Armenia the site has been the site of vandalism in the past and its restoration was never short on controversy. But the outcome is spectacular. Besides the marvellous views of the church, the island, the lake and the mountains beyond, there are ruins of an Armenian monastery which once served the church.

Day 2

After breakfast, we will pass to the west side of the Crater Lake taking a short boat cruise before starting a 4 hour trek. After rejoining the driver and vehicle you will be transferred to Mt Suphan for dinner & overnight in camp at 2750m / 9025 ft. Meal plan: B, L, D

Day 3

With an early start after breakfast, we hike up to the summit of Mount Suphan (4058 m / 13315 ft.) - with a great panoramic view of Van Lake. We descend back to camp for dinner and overnight. Average hiking time: 8 hours. Meal plan: B, L, D

Lake Van, Turkey's largest lake, is flanked by the snowy peaks of the volcanoes of Mount Suphan and Mount Nemrut. The beautiful azure waters of the lake are highly alkaline and drilling at the bottom of the lake by German palaeontologists has revealed climate data covering almost 15,00 years despite only penetrating the first few metres of sediment. It is believed the sediment may hold climate data from the last 800,000 years!

Day 4

After breakfast we drive to Dogubeyazit (average drive time: 3 hours). On the way we stop by the stunning Murradiye waterfalls and enjoy the view while enjoying a Turkish tea. After lunch, you will check into the hotel while permits are sorted and participant's equipment is checked. Rest of the afternoon free. Dinner and overnight in hotel. Meal plan: B, L, D

Day 5

Transfer to former Eli village region at 2200m / 7250 ft to start the climb of Mount Ararat. We then load the duffle bags on the horses and start the four hour trek to the Green Camp at 3300m / 10850 ft. Dinner and overnight. Meal plan: B, L, D

Day 6

Rest at camp. Acclimatization hikes up to 4000m / 13150ft for 4-5 hours. Dinner and overnight at Green Camp. Meal plan: B, L, D

Day 7

After breakfast, hike up from Green camp to the 2nd camp at 4150m / 13615 ft. (2-3 hours). Rest of the day free to relax or do some further acclimatisation walks. Dinner and overnight. Meal plan: B, L, D

Day 8

Summit day. Early wake up call at 3:30am and start for the summit at 4:30 after a hearty breakfast. You will reach the summit after 5-6 hrs of good hiking. The summit is at 5137 m / 16854 ft. It will take 2-3 hours to descend back to the camp site at 4150m / 13615 ft. Dinner and overnight in the 2nd camp. Meal plan: B, L, D

Day 9

Descend all the way down to the village road to reach the minibus for the transfer to hotel in Dogubeyazit before lunch time. After lunch, we will see a demonstration showcasing the very best of local handcrafts and handmade carpets. You will then visit the ancient and stunning Ishak Pasha Palace and experience the beauty of the scene as the sun sets. Dinner and overnight in hotel. Meal plan: B, L, D

The construction of Ishak Paşa Palace, a splendid 18th Century Ottoman complex, was started in 1685 by Colak Abdi Paşa, the bey of Beyazit province. A hundred years later, in 1784, his grandson Ishak Paşa completed the gargantuan task of its construction+. The results are spectacular. It is one of the most distinguished and magnificent examples of 18th century Ottoman architecture and is very valuable in terms of art history. The beautiful stone complex contains a mosque, a library, a bath house, dining quarters and a harem, where the women used to live. Many of the stone carvings are simply exquisite, and the location, looking out over Mount Ararat (Turkey's highest peak, standing at 5,137m) and the Armenian plateau, is simply breathtaking.

Day 10

After breakfast, transfer to Van airport for onward flight. Meal plan: B

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