UKH

Hi all,

I'm currently looking into doing Mount Ararat from the Turkish side unguided together with my partner in July.

From what I can see online you need a permit to climb it, which is fine, but I can't find any reliable information about doing it unguided.

Did anyone here do this mountain recently unguided?

Thanks

Unless things have changed recently, you are not allowed to be unguided. Arrange with a guiding company a few months in advance as they will be arranging your permit

... got a very interesting night with the Turkish border guards once going into the mountains around Agri unguided. No fun at all. This information is not recent ... 1989 ... but I doubt the general attitude of Turkish police has changed much.

Thanks for your reply. That's a shame, it's definitely the type of mountain I wouldn't hire a guide for..

There are a several large military bases in the area, I think the whole of Ararat and little Ararat may be designated military zones, so just do not risk it. I had a guided ascent about 10 years ago, enjoyed it, especially the sightseeing afterwards. It helped that my Turkish wife was waiting for me at the bottom

Türkiye / Iran / Armenia border area.  Hence the need for guides.

As others have said, you're not allowed to climb Mt Ararat without a guide and your guide will arrange your permit.

Having said that, when I climbed it in August 2020, I did meet 2 Ukrainians on the mountain who were climbing it independently without a guide or permit. They said they didn't encounter any queries about this from the driver who dropped them off at the trailhead or the guides they passed along the way, although they sensibly camped well away from the guided groups. Quite a risk though.