The Great Agri
Mountain “5137 m."
“Mt. Ararat"
Rising from the
common borders of Turkey and Iran, Mt. Agri (Ararat),
an inactive volcano capped year round with ice and snow, reaches 5137 meters.
The Old Testament records that it was on this mountain that Noah’s Ark came to
rest after the great flood. Southwest of the mountain, the Little Mt. Agri
(Ararat) reaches up to 3896 meters. The Serdarbulak
lava plateau (2600 m) stretches out between the two pinnacles. Whatever your
motivation for visiting this region and exploring the mountain range, climbing
the spectacular Agri (Ararat) is a challenging and
rewarding experience.
In the summer,
the weather in the area and on Mt. Agri (Ararat)
itself is sunny, warm and dry. However, in the winter and spring, cold and harsh
conditions prevail, and mountain climbers occasionally face blizzards and
turbulent weather. July, August and September are the months when most world
mountain climbers come to the area and when the climb up Agri
(Ararat) is most enjoyable. Despite the usual sunny and clear weather at that
time of year, high altitude mountain weather prevails above 3000 meters. The
Southern face of the mountain offers the easiest and safest ascent to the
summit with the best routes and communication, transportation and safety
considerations. It is not advised to climb Mt. Agri
(Ararat) alone and without a guide.
Getting There
The Trabzon-Erzurum-Tehran international transit highway, an
excellent asphalt road, skirts the Western and Southern flanks of Agri (Ararat) before heading into Iran. Dogubayazit,
270 km from Erzurum, and nearby lgdir,
the two closest towns to the mountain, are situated on
this route. Daily planes, trains, and buses connect Erzurum
with Ankara.
Regional
Attractions
The area
surrounding Agri (Ararat) has retained its natural
beauty and the local population still engages in the traditional lifestyle.
During the summer months, whole villages move to the yayla,
the summer pasture, to find fresh grazing for their herds of sheep, goats,
cattle and horses. Women continue to weave carpets and kilims
in time-honored designs; Ortülü vilIage
is particularly renowned as a center of beautifuI
handicrafts. Other nearby tourist attractions include
the lshakpasa Palace, a fabulous 18th
century castle of a local potentate.
