In Norway, the nature is considered an important place for recreation and physical activity, and forms part of the Norwegian cultural identity. As Turkey, Norway is a mountainous country, and especially in the summer-season you meet Norwegians of all generations walking in the mountains. With this background it was natural for Immigration Attaché Laila Førsund and First Secretary Eirik Nestås Mathisen to seek to Turkey's highest mountain. Both Førsund and Nestås Mathisen serve at the Norwegian Embassy in Ankara.
- The view from the top was amazing, says Førsund, newly returned from the four-day trek.
She explains that the most challenging part of the hike was the height.
- We left the camp at 2 am in the night and had to walk very slowly in order to not get sick from the thin air. This mountain is twice as high as any Norwegian mountain and is thus very different. Especially the last part with volcanic rocks and ice was very different from any mountain I have been on before.
Climb permission required
Førsund and her colleague walked with a licensed guide and had to apply almost two months in advance for a permission to climb the Mount Agri. But according to Førsund the view from the top was definitely worth the wait.
- Overlooking three different countries the view is really spectacular – even if you have been to many mountain peaks before.
With its 5165 meters above sea level and location in eastern Anatolia, Mount Agri (Ağrı Dağı/ Ararat) can be spotted from locations both inside Armenia and Iran. In fact, despite its location in Turkey, the mountain is a national symbol of Armenia and appears on the Armenian national coat of arms. The dormant volcano had its last eruption in 1840 and is today capped by a glacier. Therefore, a qualified guide and good equipment is required to do the climb. The historical importance of the mountain-massif is also evident from its appearance in various myths and legends, amongst others in the story of Noah’s Ark in the Christian Bible.