Mount Ararat

Greater Ararat, at 5,137 metres, is Turkey's highest peak and a dormant stratovolcano rising from the Armenian Highlands near the border tripoint of Turkey, Armenia, and Iran. Its Kurdish name, Çiyayê Agirî — 'the fiery mountain' — recalls its volcanic past; the summit carries permanent glaciers year-round. In Abrahamic tradition, Ararat is identified as the resting place of Noah's Ark, making it a pilgrimage destination and the target of numerous expeditions over the centuries, none of which have produced scientifically accepted evidence. For Armenian cultural identity the mountain functions as a near-sacred national symbol, its silhouette on the Armenian coat of arms, despite lying outside the country's borders since the early 20th century — a politically charged reality that persists today. Summiting requires high-altitude mountaineering experience, a Turkish government permit, and at least two days via the standard route starting from camps above Doğubeyazıt.