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Turkey is crossed southwest – northeast by a line of volcanos, which follow a major fault line. Starting at the Datca peninsula, the volcanic line includes Erciyes, Hasan, Suphan, Nemrut, Tendurek and Agri (Ararat) Daglari; all are of basalt, with huge blocks sometimes strewing the lower slopes, and andesite at higher altitude. Some of them were active quite recently; Tendurek blew its top in historical times, as did Nemrut. Ararat last erupted in 1840, a mere 160 years ago.

The cones themselves vary; Suphan, at 4,434 metres, miraging out of the surface of Lake Van, has a comparatively gentle gradient like Agri but with more intervening false summits. Nemrut, whose eruption blocked the outlet of the Lake Van basin, raising the lake to its present level, also has a wide crater which shelters lakes, warm water mineral springs, and lush grazing to flocks for long seasons.

Except for Erciyes, all the volcanos present non-technical climbs; Erciyes is only technical for the last 35 metres. However, water is usually scarce during the summer months, and suitable equipment is necessary all year round. Middle Earth Travel offer guided trips to five of these volcanos.