HOW TO
GET
THERE /
PERMITS

HOW TO GET THERE

The nearest town to Ararat is Dogubeyazit, which is the base for climbing expeditions.

By air
The nearest airport is Agri (120km), but Van airport (200km) has more flights. Turkish Airlines serves both airports.
Istanbul – Agr:i 2 flights per week, on Tues and Sat; 3hr 40, via Ankara.
Istanbul – Van: 4 flights per week, Mon, Weds, Sat, Sun; 3hr 15 via Ankara.
Ankara – Van: every day, 1hr 40 mins.

By Bus
The nearest bus terminal is at Dogubeyazit.
Buses from some major towns are as follows:
Istanbul – Dougubeyazti: 1 daily at 11 am, 24 hours.
Ankara – Dogubeyazit: 1 daily at 1 pm, 16 hours.
Antalya – Dogubeyazit: 1 daily, 24 hrs.
In addition, buses run frequently from Erzurum (4hr 30), Van (3 hr), Diyarbakir (7 hr) and Kars (3 hr 30).

By Train
For a leisurely approach to te mountain, take the slow train from Istanbul to Kars or to Tatvan; both services are very slow and you will need to take a bus to complete your journey.

PERMITS Ararat is in a sensitive frontier zone; military permission is required to climb it. At least two months before you want to climb, you have to apply for permission to the Ministry of Tourism or (if you are abroad) the Turkish Embassy in your country; they forward the application to the military authorities. A copy of your passport and other documents will be required and a permit document will be returned to you. Permission is most easily processed through one of the reputable tourism firms offering climbing expeditions, but even they have to allow two months. Do not believe local operators who say they can get permission in a short time, and do not part with the original of your passport.