Open Travel Guide
Day trips from Kars

Best Day Trips from Kars 2026

Where a single day out of Kars can take you, and exactly how to make each trip work.

By Updated Reviewed by Daniel Mercer

The short answer: start with Ani Ruins (UNESCO World Heritage Site), Çıldır Lake — Ice and Scenery and Sarıkamış — Ski Resort and Pine Forest. This guide profiles 8+ day trips in Kars, with prices, timing, and the practical notes that decide whether each one earns a place in your plan.

Kars blends tsarist Russian architecture with Caucasian highland culture and millennia of Armenian, Byzantine, and Ottoman history. The highlight for most visitors is the Ani Ruins — a haunting city of stone churches, mosques, and palaces stranded on a plateau above the Arpaçay River gorge. Back in Kars city, the castle above the Kars River gives sweeping views, the Kümbet Mosque (a 10th-century Armenian church) stands near the town centre, and the evening food scene rewards anyone who seeks out kaz (goose) stew and aged gravyer cheese. The city is small enough to walk across in 20 minutes yet rich enough to fill three days.

Top day trips

Handpicked excursions within easy reach.

45 km from Kars

Ani Ruins (UNESCO World Heritage Site)

Private car or taxi (no public transport; taxi round-trip ₺400–₺600, ~$13–$19 including wait time)
70 km from Kars

Çıldır Lake — Ice and Scenery

Private car or taxi from Kars (₺500–₺700, ~$16–$22 return)
60 km from Kars

Sarıkamış — Ski Resort and Pine Forest

Dolmuş (minibus) from Kars otogar ₺40 (~$1.25) each way; taxi ₺200–₺300 (~$6–$9) each way
30 km from Kars

Boğatepe Village — Cheese Cooperative

Private car or taxi from Kars (₺200–₺300, ~$6–$9 each way; can combine with Ani as a loop)
65 km from Kars

Ardahan — Highland City with Castle

Bus from Kars otogar to Ardahan (hourly, ₺60–₺100, ~$2–$3; 1 h); taxi ₺300–₺400 (~$9–$13) round-trip
65 km from Kars

Digor Canyon and Ruins

Taxi from Kars (₺400–₺600, ~$13–$19 round-trip); dolmuş toward Digor from Kars otogar
75 km from Kars

Kağızman — Şeytan Kalesi (Devil's Castle) Ruins

Private car or taxi from Kars (₺500–₺700, ~$16–$22 round-trip); bus to Kağızman (2 h) then taxi
80 km from Kars

Aras River Bird Sanctuary

Private car only (no bus or taxi service to the sanctuary)

Day trip tips

Make the most of your excursions.

Tip

Start early — most popular day-trip destinations get crowded by mid-morning.

Tip

Check return transport times before you leave — missing the last train or bus can be costly.

Tip

Carry water, snacks, and layers — weather and food options can be limited at smaller destinations.

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