Stage 1 of the Mount Ararat Climb covers 6.6 km from Eli to Camp 1, with 1,103 m of ascent and 0 m of descent. The highest point is 3,191 m. Allow about 5 hours of walking, plus breaks.
Distance, climb and elevation come from the Outest route data. Difficulty and time are estimates from distance and climb; your pace will vary with heat, pack weight and photo stops.
Agency tent site at about 3,290 m, 0.35 km west of the main path, mapped on OpenStreetMap; for guided groups only. Your agency decides which Camp 1 site you use.
1. Kamp (Yeşil Kamp)
The first camp, at about 3,200 m on grassy slopes, is a group of tent camps run by the licensed agencies; you sleep in your agency's tents and eat in its dining tent, and horses carry the bags up from Eli. There is no independent camping: a permit, a licensed agency and a local guide are compulsory, and the camps run from about mid-June to mid-October.
Agency tent site at about 3,220 m, 0.6 km west of the main path, mapped on OpenStreetMap; it is used by guided groups only. Your agency decides which Camp 1 site you use.
Group-only tent site at about 3,400 m, 0.45 km east of the main path, mapped on OpenStreetMap. Your agency decides which Camp 1 site you use.
Checked online in October 2026. Places marked "not confirmed by the operator" are listed on OpenStreetMap or in the news but could not be checked on an official page. On the mountain you sleep only in the tent camps of your licensed agency, which you book together with the permit; independent camping is not allowed. The camps run from about mid-June to mid-October.
Emergency: call 112. Stay with your guide. Emergency & health guide
Pharmacies, ATMs, shops and stops: © OpenStreetMap contributors. Hospitals and health centres checked online.
The full stage works offline in Outest, with the route, elevation, water and village points, and a trail guide you can ask about conditions and the next place to sleep.