Before you go

Your trip to Kars.

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

Kars – Kars Capital

How to get there

Kars Harakani Havalimanı (KSY) Kars · 7 km
Kars Garı 2 km

Approximate road distances. Check flights and bus schedules before you travel.

Arrive at KSY airport or Kars Garı station. From the city, arrange a driver, tour or available transport to Ani, including the return.

How many days

Two full days to separate urban visits from the excursion to Ani.

When to go

May to September is usually more favorable for walking in Kars and Ani. April and October can be cold; from November to March, snow and low temperatures mean you should prepare transport and winter clothing.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

Do you need a car?

In Kars, combine walking and taxis depending on distance. Ani requires a regional transfer and agreed return transport.

Suggested itinerary

An order that works

Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.

One day in Kars

Morning
Castle and town by the river
See Kars Kalesi, allowing time for the climb and to observe the relationship of the fortification with the urban core.
Afternoon
Regional history museum
Visit Kars Müzesi and leave Ani for its own day. The archaeological site requires a road transfer and an extensive walk.
Evening
Kars center
Dine in the center and confirm round-trip transport for Ani.

2 days in Kars

Day 1

Morning
Fortification above the river
On the two-day option, start with the fortress and the viewpoints of Kars’s old quarter.
Afternoon
Collections and cheese tradition
Schedule Kars Müzesi and Kars Peynir Müzesi according to opening periods, with transport between them.

Day 2

Morning
Medieval city of Ani
On the second day, head to Ani and reserve the morning for the walls and buildings scattered across the terrain.
Afternoon
Ani landscape and return to base
Complete the route between the accessible structures, consider the wind on the plateau and return to Kars with the arranged vehicle.

Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.

Before you go

Frequently asked questions

Can you visit Ani without sleeping in Kars?

It is possible to book an excursion depending on arrival to the region, but an overnight stay gives leeway for the road transfer and the walk at the site. Don’t count on doing Ani between a late arrival and departure on the same day.

Is the train to Kars always the tourist service?

The regular Doğu Ekspresi and the tourist modality have different sales and schedules. Identify the desired service before booking accommodation and the transport that will follow from the station.

Does Kars have things to do besides Ani?

The castle, the archaeological and ethnographic museum and the cheese museum form a complementary urban itinerary. Walks also reveal the city’s architecture between one area and another.

Which month to choose for walking in Ani and Kars?

From May to September conditions are usually more favorable for outdoor visits. Winter brings severe cold and short days, requiring a different plan for the stretch to Ani.

Back to Kars