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

Understand

Landscape

This is the last Turkish town you will come across when heading east to Iran.

As with many localities in the east of Turkey, this is a primarily Kurdish inhabited town.

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.

• 1 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. 
• 2 Minibuses to Iğdır. From Kars, there is no direct bus. First you have to take a minibus to Iğdır (2h30 - 80 TL) and transfer there to another minibus (1h - 45 TL) (250m from the place you have been dropped). Road between Igdir and Doğubayazıt passes by Mt. Ararat, offering fine views.From Kars to Iğdır, buses leave at 8:00, 10:00, 11:30, 13:00, 15:00 and 17:00.From Iğdır to Kars, buses leave at 7:00, 08:30, 10:00, 11:30, 13:30 and 17:00. Between Iğdır and Doğubayazıt, the first minibus which is full will leave, so try to find a minibus that already have people seated in it. (updated Jul 2022)
• 3 Minibuses to Van. There are several minibuses a day going to Van. 
• 4 Minibuses to Iranian border. Iranian border (Gürbulak) is 35 km from town. The first major Iranian town en route, Maku, is 20 km further beyond the border. 

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

From the courtyard of the palace

• 1 Beyazit mosque. 
• The ancient Armenian cemetery.

Further afield

• 2 Ishak Pasha Palace (İshak Paşa Sarayı) (on a hill, 5 km to the south outside the city). Looming high over the town, this fortified complex was commenced in 1685 by its eponymous pasha, the family of whom had its members hereditarily appointed as governors to the Ottoman eastern frontier, making it perhaps the only Turkish palace outside the political centres of the Ottomans and the preceding Seljuks. Combining the elements of Turkish, Persian, and Armenian architectures, the fortress, castle and mosque are stunningly beautiful, and are a must see when in Doğubayazıt — or perhaps even the main reason to visit the town. Try to go on a dry, sunny day. entrance fee: 20 TL. (updated Jul 2022)
  • 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 gate.
  • There is a dolmuç service to the Palace. The dolmuç leaves every 30 minutes. You can find it at the end of the pedestrian street on the road that goes to the palace, close to a taxi station. The bus is green and white. 6 TL (2022) for one way. The last one leaving the palace is at 6:30pm.
  • Alternatively, it's a very stiff walk all the way up (or down) fully exposed to the elements (at least until the roadside saplings grow into a canopy); in summer take a lot of water and a hat, due to the risk of dehydration and heat stroke.
• 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. The holiest site in the world for the Armenian people, who consider it to be the wellspring of their civilization. 

Durupınar site

• 3 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

• 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 up 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.

Mount Ararat and its satellite cone Little Ararat from east of Doğubayazıt

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

Eat

Try to get a rare abdigor kofte. It is a fist-size meatball on 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

İsmail Beşikçi Avenue

Hotels are numerous. Not all places provide air conditioning.

• Hotel Ararat, Belediye Cad. No:24, ☏ +90 472 312-49-88, fax: +90 472 312-25-23, info@hotelararatturkey.com. 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 May 2014)
• Hotel Erzurum, İ. Beşikçi Caddesi. This hotel has clean rooms with shared bathrooms. 
• Hotel Grand Derya, Abdullah Baydar Caddesi 203, ☏ +90 472 312-75-31, fax: +90 472 312-78-33. This three-star hotel is run down, but has air-conditionıng. 
• 1 Hotel Isfahan, Emniyet Cad. No:26, ☏ +90 472 312 4363, info@hotelisfahan.com. 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. 
• 2 Hotel Nuh, Çiftepınar Mah. Büyük Ağrı Cad. No:55, ☏ +90 472 312-72-32. It has an impressive lobby area but a bit shabby rooms. The rooftop restaurant has views of Ararat. Free WiFi 
• 3 Hotel Ortadoğu, Ağrı Caddesi 105, ☏ +90 472 312-42-25, hotelortadogu@yahoo.com. 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.. 
• 4 Hotel Tehran, Büyük Ağrı Caddesi 124, ☏ +90 472 312-01-95, info@oteltahran.com. 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), ☏ +90 472 312-72-95. Urartu is reasonable with friendly staff. 
• Hotel Yayla Palas, ☏ +90 472 312-78-61. 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 

Connect

As of Dec 2020, you'll get 4G with Turkcell but the town is otherwise a dead spot - the highways further out have a better signal. 5G has not yet reached this area.

Go next

Routes through Doğubayazıt

Erzurum ← Horasan ( N) ←	W  E	→ Gürbulak/Bazargan → Becomes → Maku
Ends at in Dəmirçi ( N S) ← Dilucu/Sədərək ←	N  S	→ Tatvan → Diyarbakır
Merges with ←	N  S	→ Van → Hakkari