Climbing Ararat, 19 June – 3 July 2012

Mount Ararat (5137 m) is the highest peak of the Armenian Highlands and the Lesser Caucasus. It consists of two extinct volcanoes fused at their bases, Greater and Lesser Ararat, and lies in Turkey, 16 km from the Iranian and 32 km from the Armenian state borders. The mountain stands on the territory of the ethnogeographic region of Kurdistan.
It is a place of cult, wrapped in legends. According to the Bible, Noah’s ark, which had escaped the worldwide flood, came to rest on the summit of the Ararat mountains, and Noah, stepping out of the ark, built the first altar after the Flood and made a sacrifice, thanking God for his deliverance. According to the Bible, on Mount Ararat God made a Covenant with Noah and promised that he would never again punish humanity by destroying people with the waters of a new flood, if people stopped destroying one another. According to a surviving legend, Noah planted a grapevine on Ararat, and when from the harvest he got, instead of ordinary grape juice, young wine, he became drunk for the first time on fermented grape juice, thus founding winemaking. To this day scholars of different countries argue and expeditions are fitted out in search of the remains of the legendary ark.

On 27 September (9 October) 1829 the first ascent was made of the western summit (5137 m) of the “biblical” Mount Ararat, which at that time lay on territory belonging to Russia. The group of pioneers was led by the 62-year-old academician of the St Petersburg Academy of Sciences Johann Friedrich Parrot, a Russian physicist of German origin who had worked in Russia since 1800.
From the summit of Greater Ararat there is a magnificent view over Armenia, Iran and Turkey.

Why are we going to Ararat?
We decided that in 2012 we simply must climb to the place from which “this light” began after the flood.
The biblical catastrophe and the predictions of modern oracles will meet for us at the point 5137 at the end of June 2012.

There are a few more reasons:

1. The climb is simple: easier than Elbrus, though the height is almost the same.
2. It is warmer there, and the equipment needed is simpler.
3. We want to hire cars in Istanbul (one per participant) and drive across Turkey, looking in at the most beautiful places

The programme of the journey.
Day 1:
Flight Kyiv – Antalya. Night in a hotel.

Day 2:
Buying food and gas. Car hire, a journey along the coast. Overnight in the Ceyhan area. Swimming in the sea. Overnight on the coast in tents.

Day 3:
The journey to Lake Van. Sightseeing, swimming. Overnight in the same place.

Day 4:
Doğubayazıt. Transfer to the village of Eli (2200 m). Agreement with the guide. Trek to the first camp (3200 m). Overnight in tents.

Day 5:
Acclimatisation day. Going up to 4200 m. Return to camp at 3200 m. Overnight in tents.

Day 6:
Trek to the camp at 4200 m. The luggage is carried by mules or horses. Sessions on the use of the equipment needed on the climb. Checking of equipment. Overnight in tents.
For those who are not climbing, walks in the surroundings.

Day 7:
Around 1 a.m. the start of the climb to the summit of Greater Ararat (5137 m). From a height of about 4500 m snow and ice begin. Descent to the foot of the mountain (7–12 hours). Transfer to Eli. Overnight in tents.
For those who are not climbing, descent to Eli.

Day 8:
Trabzon. Rest by the sea. Overnight in tents.

Day 9:
A drive along the coast to Samsun. Sightseeing, getting to know the country. Overnight in tents.

Day 10:
Transfer to Karasu. Rest by the sea. Overnight in tents.

Day 11:
Istanbul. Sightseeing. Overnight in a hotel.

Day 12:
Troy, Ephesus. Wonders of the world. Overnight in a hotel.

Day 13:
Pamukkale. Hot springs. Transfer to Antalya. Returning the cars to the hire company. Overnight in a hotel.

Day 14:
Antalya. Sightseeing. Departure.

Requirements for taking part in the tour:

• You need to be in good physical shape and have no heart-related contraindications.
• A special permit is required to climb Ararat, and you must apply for it no later than two months before entering the country!
• Your passport must be valid for 6 more months after the planned date of entry into the country.

The cost of the trip;
We hope to keep within $1500 per person. (This is without air tickets!!!) That is, quite an economy option 🙂 And complete freedom of movement!

JOIN US!!!

Registration and information: 050 0136686, 097 4151497, 095 4631179, 096 3377199