Mount Ağrı (Ararat): Türkiye's Highest Mountain

Mount Ağrı (Ararat): Türkiye's Highest Mountain

Mount Ağrı, known internationally as Mount Ararat, is the highest mountain in Türkiye at 5,137 metres. It rises almost alone from the surrounding plains near the borders with Iran and Armenia, which makes it look even taller than it is. Did you know that its summit is covered by a permanent ice cap, unusual for a mountain this far south?

A Dormant Volcano

Ağrı is a stratovolcano formed by many layers of lava and ash. It has two peaks: Greater Ararat at 5,137 metres and Little Ararat at about 3,900 metres, joined by a high saddle. The mountain has not erupted in historical times and is considered dormant.

Myths and history

For centuries, Ararat has been linked with the story of Noah's Ark, and many expeditions have searched its slopes. The nearby Ishak Pasha Palace, an Ottoman palace near Doğubayazıt, is one of the most photographed buildings in eastern Türkiye.

Climbing Mount Ağrı

The normal route from the south is not technically difficult, but the altitude makes it demanding. Climbers usually take four to five days, spending nights at camps around 3,200 and 4,200 metres to acclimatise. A climbing permit is required and expeditions are organised with licensed local agencies. The usual season is from June to September.

Other High Mountains in Türkiye

  • Cilo Mountains (Hakkari): with Uludoruk, over 4,100 metres and glaciers.
  • Süphan: a volcano north of Lake Van, over 4,000 metres.
  • Erciyes: 3,917 metres, the highest peak in Central Anatolia, with a ski resort.
  • Kaçkar: the highest peak of the Black Sea mountains, nearly 4,000 metres.

Mountains closer to Antalya

You do not need to travel to the far east for mountain views. In Antalya, Tahtalı Mountain can be reached by cable car, and the Bey Mountains rise to just over 3,000 metres at Kızlar Sivrisi, the province's highest point.

Seeing Ağrı without climbing

You do not have to climb to enjoy the mountain. On clear days its snowy cone is visible from Doğubayazıt and the Ishak Pasha Palace, especially at sunrise and sunset.