Our Team

The strongest team of ararat at your service

At Ararat Tours, our expert guides are all in on ensuring every trip is enjoyable, memorable, and safe for you to enjoy with confidence.

Meet our exceptional team members below, ready to lead you on an unforgettable adventure through the world’s most captivating destinations.

Halis Çeven

Founder, Agency owner & guide

Speaks English, German, and Turkish

The boss of the team and the man who made his family love this profession, was born in 1953 on the Kanikork plateau …

located 3,000 meters from Mount Ararat. Halis, who made his first ascent of Mount Ararat in 1970 at the age of 18, is one of the first licensed mountain guides of the Turkish Mountaineering Federation. He is renowned as a legendary mountain climber in the Ararat region. He is highly respected in Ararat and has been guiding in the area for nearly 50 years. He has summited 1,536 peaks. Although the legendary mountaineer faced very challenging conditions and wore rubber shoes in his early years, he takes great joy in seeing his children pursue this profession today. Tourists visiting the region sometimes have the opportunity to chat with Halis Çeven and hear his compelling life story.

Mehmet Çeven

Co-founder, Agency owner & guide

Speaks English, Polish, and Turkish

Mehmet Ceven spent his childhood on an elevation of 2700 m on Mount Ararat with the nomads living there …

He was born in 1979 in Topçatan, a village near Mount Ararat, and followed in his father’s footsteps to become a mountain guide. At the age of 14, he became a professional guide. He has reached the summit of Mount Ararat many times, with his first ascent alongside his father at the age of 12.

He has summited Mount Damavand at 5,650 meters in Iran 20 times. Additionally, he reached the summit of Kilimanjaro at 6,000 meters in Tanzania. He is a licensed mountain guide and serves as the Vice President of DAKUT and the Dogubeyazit Mountaineering and Tourism Development Association.

He has collaborated with numerous travel agencies for trekking tours on Mount Ararat. In 2012, he decided to start a business with Ahmet Ertugrul (Parasüt) by establishing NUHARARAT Travel Agency.
He is also a member of the Ark Search team led by Ahmet Ertugrul, working with NAMI Hong Kong.

“I am a child of Mount Ararat. I feel joyful here and want to share my happiness with our guests. I will continue to bring people to this stunning landscape as long as I am alive.”

Metin Çeven

Co-founder, Agency owner & guide

Speaks English and Turkish

“Success is doing a job with love. I’m available for anyone who is in love with the mountains like I am.”

I was born in 1985 in Topçatan Village at the foot of Mount Ararat in Doğubayazıt.
I lived in Topçatan Village until I was 10. Mountaineering is my father’s profession, and I grew up with a love for this job, my father’s calling, and Mount Ararat, which I have always seen. As a child, I eagerly wanted to go to the mountains with my father, but I had to wait until I was 16. When I turned 16, I reached the summit of Mount Ararat for the first time with my father, Halis.
It was an incredible feeling. After my first ascent of Mount Ararat, my passion for this profession grew even stronger. I had gazed upon the summit of Mount Ararat, a place many believed was impossible to climb, and I chose my path. I aspired to be a great mountaineer like my father and my elder brother, Mehmet, who practiced this profession alongside him for many years.

I began to envision countless summits of Mount Ararat and started to realize this dream through the tours organized by my elder brother. I have stood atop many mountain peaks, but I cannot recall the exact number.

Eventually, I began exploring other mountains. In Turkey, I summited Mount Nemrut, Mount Süphan, and the Kaçkar Mountains. I also added Demavend Mountain in Iran, standing at 5,671 meters, to my experiences. Yes, I am in love with my profession. I have cherished and engaged in mountaineering for many years as an amateur. In 2009, I obtained my first mountaineering certificate from the Provincial Sports Directorate, marking my transition to professional practice. Then, in 2012, I successfully received my Mount Ararat field guidance document.

Today I am here to further develop this incredible profession I’ve embraced for years, learning from my family.

Baran Çeven

Equipment specialist, SoMe admin & guide

Speaks English and Turkish

Baran’s first experience with mountaineering was at a mere age of 6 years old!

“I was born in the Doğubayazıt, district of Ağrı, in 2001. The stories my grandfather, Halis, told me during my childhood greatly impressed me, and since that day, mountain guiding has become more than just a job for me. When I was 6 years old, my first experience was climbing Mount Ararat to 2,800 meters, alongside my grandfather Halis Çeven. Journalist Nazım Alpman wrote about me in his report: “He has his grandson Harun with him. The little six-year-old mountaineer holds his grandfather’s hand with one hand and tightly clings to his small climbing stick with the other. He will accompany us until a certain height and then return. Like his grandfather and father, he will become a great mountain guide in the future!” Inspired by my childhood heroes, especially my grandfather Halis Çeven, my father Mehmet Çeven, and my uncle Metin Çeven, I always aspired to be like them and am now stepping into their footsteps, one step at a time.”

Darja Cuden

Ambassador

Speaks Slovenian and English

“Hello, I’m Darja Cuden, I have travel experience from many different countries, but especially from Turkey.

I provide detailed information to our guests who come from Slovenia and other European countries for climbing Ararat. You will get to know me well through the activities we will undertake.

Believing is half of the journey to success.”

Freddie

Ambassador

Speaks Danish, English, and German

“My desire for the hidden gems and the authentic adventure has driven me to many remote corners of the earth …

From venturing off trail in New Zealand to scaling volcanos in the Canary Islands, but Ararat has me coming back for more every time.
From my treks and visits in Türkiye, I have learned much about myself and my own culture. For example, I had no idea that some cultures speak indirectly to each other while other cultures like my own is very confrontational. These revelations make me a more humble man able to learn more from others – that is in my opinion one of the most beautiful things (if not the very most) about travelling.
Throw yourself into unfamiliar territory. Be curious – the reward is great!”

Ararat Çeven

Guide

Speaks Turkish (and is learning English)

“Yes, my name is literally Ararat – that’s how much my family loves this mountain! Thankfully, I do too!

My profession and destiny became my name the day I was born. I am the youngest member of the team, accompanying the groups from the back as the second guide in the activities I participate in with my brother and uncle. My goal is to become a well-equipped guide by gaining experience in our family profession, climbing Ararat.

Success is refusing to give up when faced with obstacles.”

Nevzat Çeşit

Chef

Speaks Turkish (and a little English)

Nevzat has been working as a professional chef with Nuh Ararat Travel for 30 years and is one of our favourite chefs …

Nevzat loves to contribute to the Ararat Tours team with local and modern flavors. Through his career as a chef he went by the motto “If you want to be a great chef, you have to work with great chefs.” Which is exactly what he did and continues to do in many different settings.

Get in touch today

Ararat Tours operate in close collaboration with and under the legal name of Nuh Ararat Turizm Seyahat Acentası with the registered TURSAB number 7261.

Our physical location:
İran Transit Yolu 15 Km. Aşağı Tavla Köyü No 3,
04400 Doğubayazıt/Ağrı, Türkiye

Phone and Whatsapp:
+90 543 282 17 61
+90 541 710 05 67

E-mail:
[email protected]

While we strive to answer every phone call, we are sometimes all on a mountain without reception.
We will in any such case get back to you as soon as possible.