Istanbul & Kackar Mountains After an exploration of exotic Istanbul’s labyrinthine bazaars and ancient mosques, you will fly to the Kackar Mountains to begin your trek. The Kackar Mountains rise from the shores of the Black Sea. A little-visited area, its mountains have a rugged appearance after years of glacial and water erosion and are the perfect acclimatisation for your Ararat trek. The aim here is the summit of Mt. Kackar at 3937m. Mt. Ararat Trek Moving on to the Ararat area, you begin your four-day climb to the summit at 5165m. This mountain trek not only passes through beautiful scenery, but is believed to be the final resting place of Noah’s Ark following the Great Flood. On the last push to the snow-capped summit, you will need to use ice axes and crampons acclimatisation and familiarisation provided. You’ll then head back down to Van and on to Istanbul. Responsible Travel Adventure Company staff are recruited from mountain villages, providing essential income. During the trek, attention is paid to the environment and especially to avoiding the pollution of natural water sources. Money also goes to national parks for conservation initiatives. | 
