ANATOLIAN ADVENTURES :: Mount Nemrut, Mount Suphan, Mount Ararat Combined Expedition, Triple dream of sacred mountains

ABOUT MOUNT SUPHAN

Mount Suphan, an extinct volcano, is the second highest mountain in Turkey, second only to Mount Ararat (5,137 m). Suphan is located just north of Lake Van, Turkey's largest lake. The volcano's summit holds a snow-filled crater, but is generally broad and rugged from eons of erosion. The slopes, however, have retained much of their conal form, making the ascent of Suphan a straightforward one.

Throughout the winter, snow falls on Suphan reaching three to four meters. The mountain's steep slopes and snow blanket combine to make it a good location for "Heli-skiing" -- using helicopters to drop you off on the slopes for an adventure of high mountain skiing. The easily accessible southern and eastern flanks of Suphan are the preferred faces for ascending the mountain; they both offer spectacular views.

FACT BOX
Elevation	14,547 feet, 4,434 meters
Location	Turkey, Middle East
Volcanic Status	Extinct
Most Recent Eruption	None on record
Convenient Center(s)	Adilcevaz, Turkey
Nearest Major Airport	Van Airport, Turkey

ABOUT MOUNT NEMRUT

In fact, Turkey can boast of two peaks called Nemrut. The one near Adiyaman in the southeast is primarily of historical and archaeological interest, home for over 2000 years to the colossal stone heads of King Antiochus I and classical deities. The other mount Nemrut in in eastern Anatolia, the more interesting of the two peaks, is well known for its geological formation and for mountaineering purposes.

An inactive volcano, Mt. Nemrut nearby Tatvan ascends to 3050 m. It is located within the province of Bitlis, rising from the southwestern shore of Lake Van, and entering the district of Ahlat to the north. Mt. Nemrut is the most southern and youngest of the chain of volcanoes in the eastern Anatolia. A strato type volcano, Mt. Nemrut began erupting during the fourth geological era and continued to be active until 1441 A.D. As a result of the volcanic eruptions of Mt. Nemrut, the single Van - Mus river basin was divided into two separate basins. The explosion of Nemrut volcano also led the formation of Lake Van, the largest lake in Turkey.

Treks up Mt. Nemrut begin on the mountain's southeastern flank at Tatvan. The south or southeastern side of the crater can be reached after an easy hike for 4-5 hours. Those who reach this point have the rare chance to see the wondrous crater of this inactive volcano. For those who find the climb to the crater too strenuous, four-wheel drive vehicles can reach the summit from either Ahlat or Tatvan.

Mt. Nemrut is bare of vegetation, except in the south which has oak groves and birch trees. Summer (June - September) is the best season for expeditions in Mt. Nemrut. Hikers who climb to the crater and summit from the southeast or eastern face of the mountain are rewarded with wonderful views of Lake Van.

Itinerary

Day 1: Meeting at VAN city airport in eastern Turkey. After visiting Van castle we will taste the best examples of Turkish Kebabs and will leave the city for the visit of Akdamar Island with short boat cruise. We will see the ancient 10th century Armenian Church, called Cathedral Church of the Holy Cross. The church was built by Bishop Manuel under King Gagik I, between AD 915-921. Before it gets dark we will drive to camp at Nemrut Crater Lake for dinner and overnight in the beautiful nature. (2.5 hours drive with minibus)

Day 2: After breakfast, with a short boat cruise we will pass to the west side of the Crater Lake to trek for 4 hours before we meet with our vehicle at the road head to transfer Mount Suphan for dinner & overnight in camp at 2750m / 9025 ft.

Day 3: With an early start after breakfast, we hike up to the 4058 m / 13315 ft. summit of Mount Suphan. Average: 8 hours. We descend back to camp for dinner and overnight.

Day 4: After breakfast we drive to Dogubeyazit town where the starting point of the Ararat Ascent part is. 180 km, 3 hours average. On the way we will stop by the Muradiye waterfalls and enjoy the view with Turkish tea. After late lunch, permits and gear check before dinner and overnight in our hotel.

Day 5: Transfer to Mount Ararat Eli village at 2200m / 7250 ft. After 4 hours trek, Camp at 3300m / 10850 ft. We call this camp site, "Green Camp"

Day 6: Rest at camp. Acclimatization hikes up to 4000m. 13150ft. / (4- 5 hours)

Day 7: Hike up from Green camp to second camp at 4150m / 13615 ft. (4 - 5 hours)

Day 8: Summit day. Wake up at 3:30 and after breakfast we will start for the summit bid at 4:30. After 5 to 6 hours average we reach the summit at 5137 m / 16854 ft. It will take 2-3 hours to descend back. Total time: 8 hours average. Camp at 4150m / 13615 ft.

Day 9: ***Spare day in case of bad weather / Transfer back to Dogubeyazit town before lunch. After lunch we will visit ancient Ishak Pasha palace and see the art demonstration of the very best examples of Turkish handcrafts before dinner and overnight.

Day 10: We will drive to Van city for the international connection flights or continue with extension tours.

Duration	Maximum Elevation	Season	Grade
10 Days	16854 ft / 5137 m	Jun-Sept	III - IV

Inclusion List

Permit registration and permit fee
All transfers stated
4 star hotel in Dogubeyazit. 2 nights full board basis (B,L,D)
Dogubeyazit Ishakpasha Palace sightseeing transfers and entrance fees
Sightseeing costs and entrance fees in Van.
Mount Nemrut Camp full board basis.
Mount Suphan Camp full board basis.
Mount Ararat Camp full board basis.
All hot drinks on the mountains. (Tea, Coffee...etc)
Cooking service
Mountain food expenses
Mules / horse support for loads on Ararat (max 17 kg per person)
Tents (one tent for each 2 person)
Sleeping mattresses
Group technical safety equipments
Leaders and mountain guiding (english)

Exclusion List

Single supplement: 50 EUR
Special purpose visa costs
Personal climbing clothes and mountain equipments.
Personal expenses such as laundry, phone calls,minibar etc.
Unexpected costs due to any necessary changement in the program
Tips to the staff.
All drinks in the cities

You can find all the important tour details you would like to know before and after booking tours with us hereunder. Please choose the topic and it will take you to the information:

Permit Procedure
Special Purpose Visa
Insurance
Dogubeyazit Hotels
Cooking Service
Mules / Horse Support
Equipment List
Leaders and Mountain Guides

Permit procedure:

The participant will send the passport details to Anatolian Adventures by fax to +902164184522 or by email to climb@anatolianadventures.com

We prefer scanned jpeg format passport copies to be sent via email

All participants should inform Anatolian Adventures about the name/location of the Turkish Consulate or Embassy closest to their hometowns to get the Special purpose visa after the permit procedure finishes.

Refer to the link for the Special Purpose visa!

As soon as we get the passport & Consulate information we apply to Ministry of Tourism for the permit authorization with an official paper.
Ministry of Tourism applies to the other authorities for authorization. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Military. When Ministry of Tourism gets authorization from all these authorities, Anatolian Adventures will be informed about the permit.
At the same time, Ministry of Foreign Affairs will send an official paper to the Turkish Consulate or the Embassy which the participants should have informed the location before.
We then will inform all the participants to go to the consulate or the embassy they have stated in their application forms to get their special purpose visas.

Special Purpose Visa:

Because of the sensitive position of Mount Ararat, being on the border of Turkey, it is officially declared to be 2nd degree Military zone. So without any exclusion, all EU members, USA citizens and citizens of all countries which Turkey does not demand ordinary visa procedure, will have to apply for the Special purpose visa, stating sportive aim.

Insurance:

All Anatolian Adventures guests are being insured with the TURSAB travel insurance package. Being the member of TURSAB (Turkish Travel Agencies Association), Anatolian Adventures guides or the main office may keep your insurance until the end of tours.

Dogubeyazit Hotels:

Anatolian Adventures is booking the rooms from the unique 4 star hotel in Dogubeyazit. Situated at the west of the Dogubeyazit city center with exactly 5 minutes drive.
The hotel is licensed by the Ministry of Tourism of Turkey.

Cooking Service

On Mount Ararat our cooks will provide you best available food on a mountain with at least 4 course menus and teatime after all meals.
We take care of the international tastes and vegetarians in all our cooking facilities. If you are vegeterian or have any other special desire to be much comfortable with food, please inform the office staff in advance or the climbing guide the day you arrive to Dogubeyazit.

Example menu
Soups: lentil, chicken, mushroom or tomato soup.
Main dishes: Chicken schnitzel, burgers & meat balls with rice or pasta.
Salads: Mediterranean salad or authentic shepherd salads.
Desserts: Puddings and authentic Turkish dessert “Kadayif”
Fruits: Water melon, melon, peach, apple, cherry
Drinks: Boiled water, Tea, Coffee, Chocolate, fruit juices

Mules / Horse Support

During the treks up to the camps and down, Anatolian Adventures guarantees you load support with horses, limited by 20kg per person. In winter ascents we use porters for the support. This is much more expensive than the horse support and Please NOTE that Anatolian Adventures may demand some part of the costs extra from the participants due to the unexpected weather and snow situation.

Equipment list

You can download a detailed equipment list from here:
http://www.anatolianadventures.com/eng/files/Nemrut-Suphan-Ararat-Equipment-LIST.pdf

Leaders and Mountain Guides

All Anatolian Adventures professional guides have at least university degree speaking English. All of the guides, young or experienced more than 25 years, have extensive knowledge about trekking, climbing, safety equipments, first aid and navigation.

Just for the Mount Ararat treks, Anatolian Adventures is always hiring the liaison officers of Mountaineering Federation. Regardless their experience, the decisions are always taken by the Anatolian Adventures professional guides.

Istanbul Hotels and Transfers

For those who would like to have Istanbul hotels & services from Anatolian Adventures we advise you to choose your hotel in city center Taksim area to reach many unexpected needs like mountain equipment, change offices, air ticketing services, etc. We generally use 4 star or boutique class quality hotels in Taksim district. If you would like to book one of the Istanbul hotels in below list, please state the hotel name, your Istanbul arrival and departure dates within your booking form.


Seminal Hotel (4*)		*Midtown Hotel (4)**		*Lares Park Hotel (4+)**

LARES PARK HOTEL

Hotel Information
With its executive deluxe concept, Lares Park provides a complete satisfaction to your personal and intimate needs and fulfills even your unexpressed demands. You notice its distinctive quality and warm inviting welcome with your first steps into the lobby.

Facilities & Services
Open buffet breakfast, International Cuisine, Italian Cuisine, Swimming Pool, Whirlpool, Sauna, Turkish Bath, Gym. 24 hrs Room Service, Babysitting, Hairdresser, Laundry & Dry-Cleaning, Foreign Currency Exchange, Souvenir Shop, Newspaper Stand, Secretarial Service, Wake-up Service, Courier Service, Mobile Telephone Rental

Rooms
Interactive TV, Pay TV, Cable TV, Voice mail system, Minibar, Electronic Safe Deposit Box, Smoke detectors and sprinklers, Air-conditioning, Computer and fax connection

SEMINAL HOTEL

Hotel Information
Seminal Hotel is located in Taksim, the business and entertainment district of Istanbul. The hotel, with its indoor swimming pool, Turkish bath and sauna, has a very comfortable feel. The restaurant offers international cuisine.

Facilities & Services
Internet, Pets are allowed, Dry Cleaning, Laundry Service, Safety box at reception, Power generator, Parking lot, Children section, Indoor Swimming Pool, Turkish Bath, Sauna, Massage, Health Center.

Rooms
All 88 rooms have private bathroom with bathtub and shower, telephone, cable TV, music, Split A/C, heating, mini-bar, Safe Deposit Box, Internet Access, Hair Dryer, Non Smoking facility, Direct Dial Phone

MIDTOWN HOTEL

Hotel Information
Midtown Hotel, designed as a exceptional business hotel with a modern and innovative understanding of service, is located on the Lamartin Street, in the Talimhane area of Taksim, which hosts the first urban transformation project of Istanbul.

Facilities & Services
Internet, Dry Cleaning, Laundry Service, Safety box, Power generator, Parking lot, Meeting Rooms.

Rooms
Midtown hotel has 73 deluxe room, 9 with a view of Bosphorus. All rooms are equipped with a minibar, a kettle, a tea and coffee set, a 23'' LCD screen TV, cable and wireless internet access, a safety deposit box large enough to store laptops, a relaxing rain shower, a hair dryer, daily newspaper and around-the-clock room service, optionally a DVD player, a special design coffee table, chairs and working desk and custom designed comfortable furniture, beds, natural sanitary and personal care products.

For the transfer services, it doesn't matter what time you arrive Istanbul, you can book your airport transfers round trip or one way with Anatolian Adventures. Please see the rates below, and give your transfer information in your booking form if needed.

Istanbul Ataturk Airport - Istanbul Hotel transfer rates
1-2 pax	25 euro
3-8 pax	50 euro
9+	please ask for prices

Ticketing

For any international and domestic flight ticket services you can safely make your booking with our ticketing department within our A group travel agency. Generally, international tickets bought from the flight destinaton city are more expensive than tickets bought from flight departing city. So we advise you to check for prices with your local agecy first. For domestic flights needed for your extension tours within Turkey and for international flights departing from Turkey, ticket prices surely will be cheaper if you book with us.

Extension Tours and Customized Itineraries

With branch offices and strategic partnership all over Turkey, Anatolian Adventures will provide you best services within the standards you ask for. From cultural tours to blue voyage, from spa tours to religious tours you can get the best information and booking assistance from our company. Please refer to the link Cultural Tours to look at the details of our cultural tours.

2009 TRIP DATES & AVAILABILITY

10 DAYS NEMRUT-SUPHAN-ARARAT TOUR
DATES	AVAILABILITY
31 August - 9 September 2009	Available

2009 TRIP PRICES

10 DAYS NEMRUT-SUPHAN-ARARAT TOUR
PRICE PER PAX	1,200 EUR
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT	50 EUR

BOOKING FORM

To book this adventure, please fill the booking form provided below with payment details and fax to +90 216 418 45 22.

http://www.anatolianadventures.com/eng/about/bookingform.pdf

BOOKING CONDITIONS

Anatolian Adventures is the trademark of HTC Turizm Travel Agency which is established with the Act No: 1618 of Turkish Republic Laws and guarantees your reservations under the following terms and conditions.

1. To book a trip from Anatolian Adventures, you must complete the booking form provided in our website. That form must be completed by a person who is at least 18 years of age. He/she must sign the reservation form, therefore agreeing to the terms set out below.

2. Your booking will be confirmed on receipt of your deposit of the holiday/tour/trek stated within the website or by the contact person of Anatolian Adventures. If you have made your booking paying the deposit with bank transfer, Anatolian Adventures keeps the right to ask for the remainder of the price 3 weeks prior to the departure.

If you have made your booking paying the deposit with credit card via booking form, Anatolian Adventures keeps the right to charge the remaining balance from the same credit card, which is payable no later than 3 weeks prior to the departure without any further notice. If bookings are made within 4 weeks of departure, payment in full is required on confirmation of the booking.

3. If your balance is not paid at the specified time (unless previously arranged with us in writing) we reserve the right to cancel your booking.

4. If you cancel your booking, your deposit will not be refunded. However, provided you notify us of your cancellation maximum 4 weeks before departure, your deposit may be transferred to another tour listed in our website for the next year. The written notification should be done no later than 4 weeks prior to the departure date. Otherwise any direction of deposits for any other services will not be accepted. Any permit fees or advance costs like "no show" for the hotel reservations and air ticket penalties, will be deducted from the refunds.

5. Should you cancel your booking after you have paid for the holiday in full and less than 4 weeks before departure the following charges are applicable (calculated on the day written notification is received by us and expressed as a percentage of the total tour price):

More than 4 weeks prior to departure: Deposit only
Between 4 to 2 weeks before departure: 50%
Less than 2 weeks before departure: 100%

6. Anatolian Adventures keeps the right to cancel your holiday / tour service for any reason with written notification no later than 6 weeks prior to the departure date. Should we cancel your holiday, your deposit and any other payments made will be refunded in full. However, if our cancellation is due to 'force majeure' any reasonable expenses we have incurred will be deducted from your refund. (War, civil or political unrest is usually known as force majeure). All refunds and compensation are strictly limited to monies paid to us and we are not liable for any expenses you have incurred as a result of this booking. Anatolian Adventures keeps the right to make the refunds due to force majeure within 8 weeks after the cancellation with written notification.

7. We reserve the right to alter prices quoted in this web site in the event of external factors beyond our control, e.g. changes in exchange rate or government action etc. Should any price increase exceed 10% of the total cost, you are free to cancel your booking and will obtain a full refund of all monies paid, excluding the permit fees and/or advance costs. Every effort will be made to avoid any increases to the prices shown in this web site.

8. Although we are trying to arrange your hotel rooms according to your requests, bed type and smoking preferences are not guaranteed.

9. The tour leader or local ground operator who represents Anatolian Adventures has overriding authority on our tours. By signing our booking form, you agree to do this. If you commit any illegal act on a tour with us or if in the opinion of the tour leader or ground operator your behavior is detrimental to the safety and welfare of the group as a whole, you may be asked to leave the tour without any right to refund.

10. Any complaints with regard to our tours must be immediately brought to the attention of the tour leader, ground operators or hotelier so that the necessary action to rectify the matter can be taken. However, if by the end of the tour you still feel you have a valid complaint you must notify the company in writing, within 7 days of the end of your tour with Anatolian Adventures.

11. Most of the services we provide are adventure holidays organized mostly in developing countries or regions where lower standards of infrastructure and efficiency often prevail. We can accept your booking, understanding that you are aware of the risks involved in this kind of travel. Anatolian Adventures cannot be held responsible, unless as a direct result of negligence, of any mishap to you or your property. Route and hotel changes may be necessary and will always be at the discretion of the trek leaders and Anatolian Adventures. They do not constitute an alteration of your holiday and will not be compensated.

12. It is essential that you obtain suitable holiday insurance before joining one of our tours. This must cover you fully against repatriation costs should you become too ill to continue with the tour and must, above all, cover the evacuation of yourself from remote regions, should the need arise. Therefore, we recommend you to use an insurance package with a good coverage.

13. You are responsible for ensuring all necessary travel documents are in order. Many countries require passports to be valid for at least six months after entry and some do demand special documents for the visa procedures.

14. The responsibility of any airlines used is limited to the carriage of passengers and baggage in accordance with the conditions of their carriage.

15. On signing the booking form you show your willingness to accept our terms and conditions. On accepting your booking, we agree to carry out our obligations to you as defined in our web site.