Mount Ararat Expedition, Turkey June 2025

A report by Helen Harris

• Elevation: 5,137 m
• Duration: 10 days
• Route: Southern Route from Doğubayazıt
• Camps: Camp 1 (3,200 m) and Camp 2 (4,200 m)

The Mount Ararat expedition began with an acclimatisation climb on Mount Arto (3,560 m) near Lake Van — a windswept volcanic ridge.

Mount Arat

The team, which also  included Colmciller Jackie Wade, then travelled east to Doğubayazıt, the frontier town beneath Ararat’s immense snow dome and drove up rough tracks to the trailhead and began the ascent to Camp 1 (3,200 m). 

Camp 1

To prepare for the summit push, the team made a rotation from Camp 1 to Camp 2 (4,200 m), carrying light loads and spent a few hours there to acclimatise, taking in the sweeping views over Armenia and Iran before descending back to Camp 1 for the night.

Summit Day

Three of the team left Camp 2 in darkness with headlamps and crampons donned

The final 1,000 metres to the top were a slow, rhythmic grind in the thin air. By around 8:00 a.m the summit of Mount Ararat (5,137 m) was reached under clear skies. The view was extraordinary: the white cone of Süphan Dağı to the west, the peaks of Iran to the east, and far below, the green patchwork of the Aras Valley.

After taking photos and a few quiet moments on the summit, the long descent back to the trailhead began. Unfortunately, the descent on rotation between camp two and camp one  brought an unexpected and serious challenge. I sustained a fall on loose scree, suffering a fractured tibia and fibula with ankle dislocation.

Descent by Horse

With no official mountain rescue service on Ararat, our guide acted quickly. After stabilising the injury a horse was brought up from the lower slopes, allowing for a difficult  evacuation to the roadhead. From there, I was transported to Doğubayazıt Hospital for emergency treatment and surgery 

Mount Ararat gave us everything a great expedition should: beauty, challenge, and humility. Yet the accident was a sobering reminder of how quickly things can change in remote, high-altitude environments