Doğubayazıt

Doğubayazıt (Kurdish: Bazîd) is a town in Eastern Anatolia, Turkey.

İsmail Beşikçi Avenue

Landscape

Understand

When going towards east to Iran, this is the last Turkish town you'll come across.

Get in

Coaches running Trabzon - Van line don't pass Doğubayazıt, the closest town to Doğubayazıt on that route would be Agri. From where it's possible to get on a minibus to Doğubayazıt for 15 TL/person.

• 🌍 Bus station (Otogar). Main bus station used for distant destinations, like a 24-hr coach from Istanbul. Minibuses to Ishak Pasa Palace also depart from here. 
• 🌍 Minibuses to Iğdır. From Kars, there is no direct bus. First you have to take a minibus to Iğdır (6 TL) and transfer there to another minibus (15 TL) (from the same place you have been dropped). Road between Igdir and Doğubayazıt passes by Mt. Ararat, offering fine views. 
• 🌍 Minibuses to Van. There are several minibuses a day going to Van. 
• 🌍 Minibuses to Iranian border. Iranian border (Gurbulak) is 35 km from town. 

It can be difficult to leave after about 14:00 as most buses depart in the morning.

Get around

You can walk to most places in this fairly small city of about 70,000 inhabitants.

See

• 🌍 Beyazit mosque. 
• The ancient Armenian cemetery.

Further afield

Ishak Pasha Palace

• 🌍 Ishak Pasa Sarayi (Ishak Pasa Palace) (on a hill, 5 km to the south outside the city). This ancient fortress, castle and mosque is stunningly beautiful, and is a must see when in Doğubayazıt. Try to go on a dry, sunny day. entrance fee: 3 TL.  
  • For a taxi from the town centre, expect to pay approximately 10-15 TL one way. Worth considering asking the taxi driver to wait at the
  • There is a dolmush service to the Palace; but hitch-hiking was quicker both going up and coming down so no idea about the price.
  • Alternatively, it's a very stiff walk all the way up (or down); in summer it may be dangerous.
• Eski Beyazit (Old Beyazit) (across the valley from the Ishak Pasa palace, just trek a little bit further up from the palace). Old town probably built during Urartu times at 800 BC. It has the tomb of Ahmedi Xani, the famous Kurdish poet and philosopher, and also the ruins of the Urartian castle and a mosque. 
• Mount Ararat (15 km from Doğubayazıt). One of the best views of the mountain are from Doğubayazıt. 

Durupınar site

• 🌍 Durupınar site (up in the hills east of town and south of the main highway). This area is famous for the rock formation assumed to be the remains of Noah's Ark.  
• Balık Gölü (60 km from Doğubayazıt, near Taşlıçay). A lake in a lava bed 
• The Ice Cave (on the side of Little Ararat near the village of Hallaç). 
• Meteor crater (in the vicinity of the Iranian border). 

Do

Mount Ararat from east of Doğubayazıt

• Climb Mount Ararat (5,137 metres/16,854 ft), on the border of Turkey and Iran, supposedly where Noah's Ark landed. Guides and vehicles are available in Doğubayazıt. The climb is long, but there is a fairly easy route from the south in late summer for climbers who are familiar with the use of axe and crampons. Snow covers the last 400 m (¼ mile) year-round. There are two possible campsites on the mountain, and the glacier begins around 4,800 m (15,750 ft). International climbers need a climbing permit that can be obtained through the Turkish embassies or, the easier option is to let your guide's company do it. Expect the authorities to process your permit application in two months. You also need a licensed guide to accompany you on the trek. People most often attempt to climb upp to the summit and return to Doğubayazıt in 4 days. However, you may need more time to acclimatise, so it can be wise to add an extra day.

You may also want to climb other mountains in the region, such as Mt Suphan, as part of your acclimatisation.

Some local experienced guides that you can contact ahead of time are erkan sedef [e-mail] mobile:[phone]

Buy

Eat

Try to get a rare Abdigor Kofte. It is a fist size meatball on the pilaf but it difficult to find because not many people know how to cook it. This dish cannot be found anywhere else. It is a local delicacy that can be found only in Doğubayazıt.

• The Yöresel Yemek Evi (formerly Doguş Restaurant) is not bad, but is overpriced and often crammed with tour groups.

Drink

• Cafe shop on Kermelsi Rd. in the centre of Doğubayazıt
• Pure fruit juice shop, makes nice pure juice! Istanplak Avenue in eastern Doğubayazıt

Sleep

Hotels are numerous. Not all places provide air conditioning.

• Hotel Ararat, Belediye Cad. No:24, ☏ [phone], fax: [phone], ✉ [e-mail]. This hotel not so expensive and it was remodeled with new owners. It is very clean. Single 50 TL, Double80 TL, Triple 110 TL. (updated Jul 2014)
• Hotel Erzurum, İ. Beşikçi Caddesi. This hotel has clean rooms with shared bathrooms. 
• Hotel Grand Derya, Abdullah Baydar Caddesi 203, ☏ [phone], fax: [phone]. This three-star hotel is run down, but has air-conditionıng. 
• 🌍 Hotel Isfahan, Emniyet Cad. No:26, ☏ [phone], ✉ [e-mail]. This hotel has spacious although quite basic rooms and a somewhat worn lobby area. Friendly stuff, good breakfast, adequate price-value ratio. Some rooms come with balcony. WiFi. 
• 🌍 Hotel Nuh, Çiftepınar Mah. Büyük Ağrı Cad. No:55, ☏ [phone]. It has an impressive lobby area but a bit shabby rooms. The rooftop restaurant has views of Ararat. Free WiFi 
• 🌍 Hotel Ortadoğu, Ağrı Caddesi 105, ☏ [phone], ✉ [e-mail]. Carpet floor rooms with en-suite bathrooms, TV. Next door to convenience store, very close to bus stops. Staff are helpful, speak some English. From 30 TL.. 
• 🌍 Hotel Tehran, Büyük Ağrı Caddesi 124, ☏ [phone], ✉ [e-mail]. Hotel Tehran is inexpensive and very basic hotel with surprisingly clean but small bathrooms. They also provide depository service for unnecessary stuff when doing a trip across the border to Iran or up to Ararat. Manager speaks very good English and is very helpful about all things local. Laundry service is 3 TL per kilo and very quick (can give laundry in the late evening and get it back semi-dry in the morning). Good breakfast with some view. Occasional problems with Internet. From 193 TL for a twin room ensuite with breakfast. (updated Jun 2017)
• Hotel Urartu, Abdullah Baydar Caddesi (across the street from post office), ☏ [phone]. Urartu is reasonable with friendly staff. 
• Hotel Yayla Palas, ☏ [phone]. Hotel Yayla Palas — anything but a palace. 20TL single - 70s decor, cleanish rooms with sink, relatively clean (though smelly) shared bathrooms, perfect for budget travellers. On the main pedestrian shopping street. 
• Butic Ertur Hotel, Gurbulak Cevreyolu uzeri, Dogubayazit Otogar Karsisi. Smallish but clean rooms. Good reviews 

Go next

Routes through Doğubayazıt

Erzincan ← Erzurum ←

W  E

→ Ends at Turkish-Irani border