Journey to the far north-eastern frontier of Turkey on this daily Dogubayazit and Mount Ararat tour from Van, a full-day excursion across the high volcanic plateau to the foot of the country's tallest peak. This Van day trip gathers together thundering waterfalls, a canyon bridge, the sweeping Caldiran Plain and the fairy-tale Ishak Pasha Palace, all beneath the snow-capped summit of Mount Ararat, the legendary resting place of Noah's Ark. With a morning pick-up from your hotel in Van, it is the most rewarding daily excursion from Van into the mountains and monuments of Dogubayazit.
The day opens at the Devil's Bridge, a handsome stone span framed by a rugged gorge. From there you drive to the Muradiye Waterfall, where the Bend-i Mahi stream plunges over a basalt ledge in a broad, powerful curtain of water that is spectacular in every season. Crossing the Caldiran Plain you climb toward the Tendurek Volcanic Mountain, pausing for photographs with the perfect cone of Mount Ararat — Agri Dagi, at 5,137 metres the highest point in Turkey — rising on the horizon.
After lunch the tour reaches the Ishak Pasha Palace, one of the most beautiful buildings in the history of Turkish architecture, an 18th-century complex of domes, courtyards and finely carved portals perched at the edge of the plain as though it had always stood there. You then explore the Ahmed-i Hani Tomb and the adjoining Ahmed-i Hani City Museum, and visit a Dogubayazit Traditional House to understand the life and culture of this borderland, before free time for shopping in the Dogubayazit Grand Bazaar and the return drive to your hotel in Van. Dogubayazit marks the end of the line before the Iranian border, a picturesque land where Mount Ararat stands guard over the plain.
Your full day programme — click to see every stop.
Dogubayazit & Mount Ararat Day Tour Programme After pick-up from your hotel in Van, the tour sets off for the Devil's Bridge, where you take in a breathtaking view of the gorge and the stone bridge that spans it. You continue to the Muradiye Waterfall, where the powerful Bend-i Mahi stream pours over a wide basalt step to create one of the region's most memorable sights. The road then crosses the open Caldiran Plain toward the Tendurek Volcanic Mountain, where you stop to enjoy the sweeping highland panorama and to photograph the snow-capped cone of Mount Ararat (Agri Dagi), at 5,137 metres the highest mountain in Turkey and, by legend, the resting place of Noah's Ark. Lunch is served during the day. In the afternoon you visit the magnificent Ishak Pasha Palace, an 18th-century masterpiece of Ottoman, Seljuk and Persian-influenced architecture standing at the edge of the plain. You go on to the Ahmed-i Hani Tomb and the Ahmed-i Hani City Museum, and step inside a Dogubayazit Traditional House to learn about the city, its people and the surrounding region. The day ends with free time for shopping in the Dogubayazit Grand Bazaar before you are driven back to your hotel in Van.
Van → Dogubayazit → Mount Ararat
Modern, comfortable and fully-equipped vehicles — the same fleet we use on your tour.
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My husband and I chose Inca Tour for our honeymoon and we are so glad we did. The boutique hotel selection was beautiful and the Bosphorus dinner cruise was so romantic. Thank you for making our trip special!
It was important for us to have a guide who spoke Russian, and Ender was wonderful. He explained every detail at Dolmabahce Palace. The Princes Islands day trip was a beautiful break from the busy city.
Our guide Ender was incredibly knowledgeable about Turkish history. The hot-air balloon ride at sunrise in Cappadocia was the highlight of our trip. Everything was perfectly organized — from airport pick-up to the last d...
Ender was our Italian-speaking guide and we felt like family. He took us to local spots tourists never see. The hotel choice in Sultanahmet was perfect for walking everywhere.
10+ years later we still talk about our Cappadocia balloon ride and the Bosphorus sunset cruise. Some memories are timeless. Thank you Inca Tour!
