Mount Ararat - 9 to 18 September 2022
Written by Leader, October 2022
Written by Jagged Globe team members Tim, Justina, Marcus and Aisling.
We all met in Istanbul, having travelled from the UK, Denmark and Italy! David, our Jagged Globe leader, met us there and he ensured that everything ran smoothly. Our hotel was in an excellent central location just a short stroll from the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosques at the heart of the ancient city. It had a rooftop platform with a great view over the Bosphorus. There was time to wander around and soak up the atmosphere before an evening meal that introduced us to the delights of Turkish cuisine.
Over the meal we discussed our hopes and expectations. David was great at providing reassurance about our levels of experience and fitness. My own concerns were about pace – having been on some guided walks in the past, I often find the pace too fast for me. David explained that at altitude, even on the acclimatisation walk, we would take it very slowly to ensure that every member of the team was comfortable.
The next morning we took an early flight to Van in the far east of Turkey. On the flight there were views over the spectacular Lake Van, with the snowy top of Ararat just visible in the distance. At the airport we were met by Yildirim, our local guide partnering Jagged Globe.
Van is a modern city, rebuilt after an earthquake in 2011. As with everything else on our trip, it was hassle-free and we were soon checked into the very pleasant Conforium Hotel on the edge of the city’s shopping and nightlife area. In the afternoon we took a boat trip to Akdamar Island on the lake and visited its very atmospheric 10th century Armenian church. This was a magical spot. Most members of our team also took a dip in the lake!
The next day, after a great breakfast at the hotel, we set off on our acclimatisation walk up Mount Artos, which had been in full view from Akdamar Island. It is a well-graded climb that I would compare to walking up one of the easier UK Munro peaks. A good track took us part way up, then a fine but easy ridge led to a summit cairn poised on top of a big crag, with a superb view of Lake Van. Reaching our first Turkish summit, at around 3,500m, was a confidence boost for us all and a foretaste of Ararat. The day was not over though, and after a look at some lush woodlands on the slopes of Artos, we went on to the impressive Van Castle, which gave us a stunning view of the sunset across the lake.
The next day, after a stop at the dramatic Muridiye Waterfalls in a beautiful wooded ravine, we travelled to the attractive Butik Ertur Hotel in Dogubayazit, the town at the foot of Ararat. The town is surprisingly large and interesting and we had a late lunch at a fine restaurant that is popular with the locals. As with everywhere we went in Turkey, the local people were friendly and helpful. At every street corner of the town, we could see the snowy summit of Ararat towering high about the houses.
The following day we walked to Ararat Base Camp at 3,200m. A gradually rising path took us to the camp, a grassy area nestled among big volcanic boulders. The mess tent, washing and toilet facilities are better than anything I have seen outside Europe, with the mess tent allowing us to sit and chat in the evening, rather than having to retreat to our tents in the cold and dark. As well as plentiful food, there was a non-stop supply of tea. The camp has its own life, with horses that bring supplies and dogs that guard the camp from bears and wolves – by the way, a bear or wolf has never actually come into the camp!
After a day acclimatising with a walk up to around 4,000m and back, we set off the next morning for the High Camp at around 4,200m – only 1,000m below the summit of Ararat. It was a much wilder place than Base Camp, set above big drops and with the summit of Ararat towering directly above. Facilities were also more basic! We spent the afternoon preparing for the big day ahead.
Yildirim, who knows Ararat very well, said “If you get past 4,700m, you will reach the top”. We set off at 3am, headtorches gleaming in the dark, as we climbed a steep rocky path. At many points we had to clamber over huge volcanic boulders – strenuous but not technically difficult. After a couple of hours there was a glow in the eastern sky, and we emerged onto the upper slopes. The boulders gave way to smaller stones, and the rising sun cast a gigantic triangular shadow of our mountain, stretching far into the west. It also picked out the complex crags surrounding Doğubayazıt and the smaller volcanic cones and lava flows which surround Ararat.
We reached the snow line and put our crampons on. We werealso relieved to hear David and Yildirim say that we could leave rucksacks here, and that we were within half an hour of the summit. The next section was pure joy, walking easily across the level summit ice field in the early morning light. Then a short slope led to the fine pointed summit, which we reached at 8.30am. We enjoyed stunning views across Armenia, Iran and Turkey. I think it was also a wonderful sense of achievement for us all.
The descent was a long day of walking – back to High Camp, then packing up all our kit and an afternoon walk back down to Base Camp. The unusually dry weather had created dust everywhere, which could be slippery – great care was needed in places not to trip over. As it was late in the season, we could see many signs at Base Camp of packing up the mess tents and other facilities, and teams of horses to transport the gear down to the roadhead. Tired but happy, we spent our last night under canvas here, and the next morning we packed up and descended to our waiting minibus.
Our trip was not over yet. After going back into Dogubayazit, where we visited an outdoor shop to buy Mount Ararat t-shirts, we went to the Ishak Pasha Palace on a rocky hillside high above the town. It is an amazing place, combining an ornate Ottoman Empire palace with a very atmospheric mosque, and a popular spot for locals’ wedding photos, dressed in spectacular outfits! We got back to Van in time for a fine meal and some celebratory drinks at a great bar in the town centre. For me, the next day was a long but problem-free journey from Van to Istanbul to Heathrow, followed by a night bus back to Birmingham, my head full of memories of a truly excellent trip.
The leadership, listening skills and helpful hints of David and Yildirim were fantastic. We were also lucky to be a great bunch of team members who all instantly got on – no day was complete without several wide-ranging conversations!
I have been on other climbing trips, to Asia, South America and Africa, both self-organised and using another adventure travel company. For me, the Mount Ararat trip stands out as not just a great achievement and amazing scenery, but also for being actually fun every day. The food and the cultural attractions were a much more enjoyable part of this trip than others I have done, yet all this is packed into a 10-day itinerary. The design of this trip is a great tribute to Jagged Globe’s experience and skill.
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