Small-group boat trip · Gevaş
Boat Trip to Akdamar Island from Gevaş
- Duration
- 2.5 hours
- Schedule
- 10:00–12:30
- Departs from
- Gevaş
- Languages
- EN
- Payment
- On the day, no prepayment
Overview
Small boats leave the Gevaş pier on the southern shore of Lake Van and reach Akdamar Island in about 20 to 25 minutes. The island's landmark is the Church of the Holy Cross (Akdamar), built in 915-921 for King Gagik of Vaspurakan and known for the reliefs on its outer walls. After visiting the church you can climb to the island's high point for views over Lake Van and Mount Artos. In early April the almond trees on the island blossom. There is no accommodation on the island, so plan to catch a return boat before the site closes.
Boats running this tour
1 boatPick a boat to see its times, photos and booking form. You pay on board on the day.
Route
Gevaş Akdamar Pier, Akdamar Island pier, Akdamar Church (Holy Cross), Island's summit, Gevaş Akdamar Pier
- 10:00
- 10:25
- 10:30
- 11:30
- 12:30
Times and stop order are a sample itinerary; each boat sets its own schedule and the skipper may adjust the route for weather and sea conditions.
What's included
Included
- Round-trip boat
Not included
- Akdamar Monument Museum entrance fee (Museum Card valid)
- Food and drink expenses on the island
Who it's for
Suitable
- Families with children — no age limit
- Solo travellers and small groups — per-person seats
Not suitable / ask first
- Pets — no boat lists them as allowed
- Wheelchairs — access not listed, ask in advance
- Alcohol — no boat lists it as sold or allowed, ask first
Compiled from the details each boat gives on its own profile.
Good to know
- Meeting point
- Gevaş
- Hotel pick-up
- No hotel pick-up listed; you make your own way to the meeting point.
- Season
- April - October (in winter, if the weather permits)
- Prices
- Adult ₺510 · Child ₺300Prices are each boat's current rates.
- Cancellation
- More than 24 h before: free cancellation
- 12 h–24 h before: late cancellation
- Less than 12 h before: counts as a no-show
- Weather
- If wind or waves make the trip unsafe, the operator postpones or cancels; you are never charged for an operator cancellation. You pay on board, so there is no prepayment at risk.
- Local notes
- Boats depart from morning till evening; frequency increases in summer and on weekends.
- The island gates open at 08:30 and close at 17:00; visitors can stay until 17:30.
- Trips may be cancelled on windy and stormy days; service is irregular in winter.
- Under 18 and over 65 Turkish citizens enter the museum for free; foreign visitors pay a separate fee.
- Van Metropolitan Municipality's Edremit Marina - Akdamar ferry services appear to be temporarily suspended on the municipal website.
- Stop times show typical schedule; exact times vary by operator.
- Some stops (small bays, open sea piers, fishing spots) do not have coordinates verified in geographic databases and therefore do not appear on the map; they are included in the program.
Guest reviews
- Captain & crew—
- Cleanliness—
- Food—
- Value for money—
- Safety—
Reviews are left for the boats on this route after the trip and are moderated.