Middle East - Anthony Ham [508]
DOĞUBAYAZIT
0472 / pop 36,000
What an awesome backdrop: on one side, Mt Ararat (Ağrı Dağı, 5137m), Turkey’s highest mountain; on the other, İshak Paşa Palace, a breathtakingly beautiful palace-mosque-fortress complex. Not bad for a charmless frontier town high on testosterone (read: lots of soldiers, policemen, moustached men and the occasional tout, but, alas, very few women on the streets).
A lack in charm doesn’t, however, mean a lack in character. This is a quintessentially Kurdish town that prides itself on its strong Kurdish heritage, which it celebrates during the Kültür Sanat ve Turizm Festival (Culture and Arts Festival) in late June. Doğubayazıt is also the main kicking-off point for the overland trail through Iran (the border is 35km away).
Information
Doğubayazıt is small and easily negotiated on foot. For tourist information, travel agencies including Ararat Trek ( 535-616 0267; www.ararattrek.com; Dr İsmail Beşikçi Caddesi; 8am-8pm) can help with your queries. Most banks have ATMs. Moneychangers including Nişantaş Dövız (Dr İsmail Beşikçi Caddesi; 7am-7pm Mon-Sat, 7am-noon Sun) sometimes have Iranian rials. There are several internet cafés on the main drag.
Sights & Activities
Your jaw will drop in amazement the minute you see İshak Paşa Palace (İshak Paşa Sarayı; admission TL2; 8.30am-5.30pm Tue-Sun Apr-Oct, 8.30am-5pm Nov-Mar). Perched romantically among rocky crags, 6km southeast of town, this fortress-palace-mosque is the epitome of The Thousand and One Nights castle. Built between 1685 and 1784, it blends elements of Seljuk, Ottoman, Georgian, Persian and Armenian architecture.
Minibuses (TL1) rattle between the otogar and the palace, but there’s no fixed schedule; they leave when they are full. A taxi driver will want about TL20 for a return trip, waiting time included. Walking back down is pleasant, although women in particular might feel rather isolated.
Now that the troubles in the east have died down, it is once again possible to climb Mt Ararat, although you need a permit and a guide. At the time of research you needed to apply at least 45 days in advance. You can apply through any reputable travel agency in Turkey.
Sleeping & Eating
A word of warning: the two camping ground-cum-pensions near İshak Paşa Palace are not recommended for women travellers.
Lale Zar Camping ( 544-269 1960; lalezarcamping@hotmail.com; İshakpaşa Yolu Üzeri; campsite per person TL8 incl tent rental) Yes, it looks like a bit of a schlep from downtown Doğubayazıt (on the road to İshak Paşa Palace). But this Kurdish/Dutch campsite is in a well-tended property dotted with a few grassy patches (but no shade to speak of), and its location means a multitude of stars in the night sky and quiet nights. There’s a food store and restaurant.
Hotel Erzurum ( 312 5080; Dr İsmail Beşikçi Caddesi; s/d without bathroom TL10/20) The Erzurum is an old warhorse of the Doğubayazıt backpacker scene, and it shows. But at these prices you almost expect cell-like, threadbare rooms and saggy mattresses. It’s conveniently located and the shared bathrooms won’t have you squirming.
Hotel Tahran ( 312 0195; www.hoteltahran.com; Büyük Ağrı Caddesi 124; s/d TL20/36; ) The Tahran’s recipe for success is to keep prices low, standards high and employ attentive (in a good way) staff. Although on the small side, the rooms come equipped with crisp sheets and views of Mt Ararat. Bilal, the affable manager, is well clued up on Iran. A safe bet for solo women travellers, too.
Hotel Grand Derya ( /fax 312 7531/7833; Dr İsmail Beşikçi Caddesi; s/d TL50/90; ) An ideal retreat after a few days’ clambering in knee breeches and hiking boots, this excellent venue offers comfortable rooms with all the mod cons. For Ararat views, request a room ending with 01 or 12 (avoid those ending in 02). Bring earplugs for the 5am call to prayer emanating from the nearby mosque.
İstanbul Kır Pidesi ( 312 8352; Dr İsmail Beşikçi Caddesi; pide TL1) This modest eatery serves up the best value pide this side of Mt Ararat. Choose between the cheese, potato and meat (and