Road project on Mount Ağrı advances with tourism, security route

AĞRI

Authorities have completed the third phase of a major road project on Mount Ağrı, creating a 75-kilometer route designed to improve access, support tourism and agriculture and strengthen security around Türkiye’s highest peak.

Coordinated by the Interior Ministry and carried out by the Iğdır Governor’s Office, the latest section connects the Korhan area on the mountain’s slopes to the Serdarbulak Plateau, a high-altitude pass between Mount Ağrı (5,137 meters) and Little Ağrı, before extending toward the Doğubayazıt district on the mountain’s western side.

Earlier stages covered 15.3 kilometers and 32.5 kilometers, respectively.

Complementary work undertaken by the provincial administration in Ağrı on the mountain’s opposite flank has now linked the entire route, giving the project a continuous corridor encircling key parts of the mountain’s rugged terrain.

Mount Ağrı, widely known in global culture for its association with the legend of Noah’s Ark, has drawn renewed interest from climbers and outdoor enthusiasts in recent years.

Authorities say this trend accelerated after security operations cleared the wider region of PKK members. The PKK terrorist organization began laying down its weapons in a symbolic ceremony on July 11 in northern Iraq, the first concrete step toward a promised disarmament, as part of the government's "terror-free Türkiye" initiative.

With access routes previously limited and often hindered by rough ground, the new road is expected to ease transportation for visitors, local herders, and security forces.

Officials hope it will also support rural livelihoods in an area where agriculture and livestock remain central to the economy.

Yüksel Kasım Çarman, secretary-general of the provincial administration in Ağrı, explained that the completed third segment, roughly stretching 30 kilometers, marks a significant milestone for the region.

“The project will contribute substantially to tourism, the local economy, and security,” he said. “Farmers and livestock herders already find the route highly useful, and Mount Ağrı is becoming a new attraction point.”

Çarman added that the road could help position Iğdır as a gateway for international visitors once the Zangezur Corridor — a transport link planned to connect Türkiye with Azerbaijan and Central Asia — becomes operational.

“From mountaineering and paragliding to off-road sports and winter activities, this area offers exceptional potential,” he said. “Opening this road will bring new momentum to all of these sectors.”