Azerbaijan is truly a country of stories and surprises, so let us help you explore everything it has to offer: from its mountains and mud volcanoes to its forgotten ancient villages and modern capital, from its mausoleums and fortresses to its nature reserves and eco farms. During this 10-day tour you will get a wealth of information about familiar haunts seen from fresh angles and hidden gems waiting to be discovered.
PLACES TO VISIT
1st Day: 
Highland Park, Flame Towers Baku, Alley of Martyrs, panoramic view of the city
2nd Day: “Gala” State Historical Ethnographic Reserve and Open Air Museum; “Ateshgah” Fire Temple, “Yanardag” State Historical Cultural and Natural Reserve; Heydar Aliyev Centre, Icherisheher (“Old City”); Philharmonic Park
3rd Day: Guba province, Beshbarmag Mountain, Juma Mosque, Sakina-Khanum mosque, Carpet Weaving Factory; Gyrmyzy Gasaba (Red Settlement); Khinaliq village
4th Day: Gobustan Historical-Artistic Preserve & Museum; Mud Volcanoes; “Citrus Valley” farm with tea break; Lankaran city: Lankaran Fortress, Kichik-Bazar mosque, The Palace of Mirakhmad Khan; Hirkan National Park, Lake Khanbulan
5th Day:Shamakhi, Diri Baba mausoleum in Maraza village; “Yeddi Gumbaz” (“Seven Domes”) mausoleum, Juma mosque, AzGranata Winery + degustation, Ismayilli, Lahij village.
6th Day: Sheki city: Sheki Khan’s Summer Palace, local workshops, Karvansaray; Albanian church in Kish village; Bio Garden.
7th Day: Ganja city, Mausoleum of Javad Khan, Juma Mosque, Ganja fortress (“The Shield of Asia”), Bottle House, State Goygol Reserve, Goygol Lake, Goygol city (former Helenendorf), Shamkir city (former Annenfeld), Lutheran church, ruins of medieval Shamkir, Naringala fortress.
8th Day: Gabala province, Nij Village, Gabala Shooting Club, “Tufandag” Winter-Summer Tourism Complex.
9th Day: Gabala, Nohur Lake, Yeddi Gozel waterfall, authentic bucket bazaar,
10th Day: Baku
1st Day: BAKU
Arrival to Baku, meeting at the airport. Transfer to the hotel, check in (14:00).
Want to have a close look at the Baku`s most popular landmark? Baku business and hotel complex Flame Towers Baku is composed of 3 buildings. The surface of the Towers is fully covered with LED screens reflecting different visual characters in motion, easily visible from the far corners of the city in the evening. Walk along the Alley of Martyrs which is usually being included in the protocol visits of the foreign officials. Enjoy the panoramic view of the city and its bay from Baku’s Highland Park (also called Upland Park), the highest point in the Azerbaijani capital.
Free time.
Free time suggestions:
Return to the hotel. Overnight.
2nd Day: BAKU & ABSHERON (map link)
Breakfast at the hotel. Pick up from hotel at 09:30 for Absheron tour (40 min drive from Baku).
Let`s begin our interesting tour around “Land of Fire”! Our excursion will start with visiting Gala village (40 min drive from Baku), which today is the State Historical Ethnographic Reserve and Open Air Museum offering the opportunity to see the original lifestyle of Azerbaijani people dated back to 10th-19th centuries. It is a unique place where you can not only make a tour into the past, but also try to bake bread in ancient oven “tandir”, weave a carpet, smear with clay in a pottery workshop or feed camels and horses.
Our next stop is Ateshgah Fire Temple in the village of Surakhani that for centuries has been attracting crowds of thrill seekers. Built in the 17th–18th centuries around naturally burning flames which were previously worshipped by Zoroastrians, the site then had become an important place of pilgrimage for fire-worshipping Hindus until the 1880s. Today it houses a well-designed open air museum.
And the final stop of our “fiery tour” is State Historical, Cultural and Natural Reserve “Yanardag” (literary “Burning Mountain”), a complex built around the hill located on the top of the natural gas pocket causing continuous flame eruption. Most probably the fire has been burning in Yanardag for over 20,000 years. These natural flames were described by Marco Polo in the 13th century and continue to mesmerise those who visit the site.
After coming back to Baku we will stop to observe Heydar Aliyev Centre designed by world-famous architect Zaha Hadid. It is vast and jaw-dropping majestic statement of fluid 21st-century architecture forming abstract waves and peaks that seem to melt together. The real delight is simply pondering and photographing the extraordinary exterior from ever-changing angles. Make a stop next to the popular “I love Baku” sign to take some photos.
Lunch time.
Then we proceed with the Old City Tour: Icherisheher (Inner City), known as a “Fortress” or “Old City”, a unique historical and architectural conservation area in the center of Baku. This is one of the most ancient places of the country where archaeological excavations revealed burial vaults of the Bronze Age. Maiden Tower (12th century) and The Palace of Shirvanshahs (13th-16th centuries) are the best known historical monuments located in the Old City. Besides them there are a lot of other unique monuments such as mosques, minarets, the remnants of caravanserais “Multani” and “Bukhara“, ancient baths, etc. Stroll down the paved streets of this ancient city and drop to some of the numerous souvenir shops where you can buy national clothes, kerchiefs, scarves and caps, dishes and handmade carpets.
In the end of our excursion you will have a walk through the Philharmonic Park, formerly known as the Governor´s Garden, that goes up the hill towards the Azerbaijan State Academic Philharmonic Hall (1910-1912) built in Italian Renaissance (exterior) and German Rococo (interior) styles. You can make nice photos next to a French-style Baroque fountain while listening to the classic music.
Back to the hotel. Overnight.
3rd Day: GUBA & KHINALIQ (Northern route map link )
Breakfast at the hotel. Pick up from hotel at 08:00 for tour to Guba city, Red Settlement and Khinaliq village.
Guba (2 hour drive from Baku) is one of the favorite tourist destinations because of its shady woods and gorgeous mountains. Famous for carpets and apples, the town of Guba sits on a cliff top overlooking the Qudiyalchay River.
Our first stop on the way to Guba will be Beshbarmag (Five-Finger) Mountain known for its mythical stories where locals coming to pray for strength and good fortune.
In and around Guba city there are still several significant historical places. Juma (Friday) Mosque is one of the oldest mosques in Guba, built from the red bricks in 1802. It has a cylinder shaped structure and the form of regular octagon, typical for Guba mosques. In fact, inside the mosque is larger than it seems from the outside. Another mosque that is worth seeing is Sakina-Khanum mosque, built in 1850 by the wife of Abbasgulu Agha Bakikhanov, in the name of her husband, famous historian and writer, one of the founders of Azerbaijani literature.
And, of course, excursion to Guba is not possible without visiting a Carpet Weaving Factory! Guba carpets feature intricate designs that take inspiration from nature and geometric patterns, plus a variety of vivid colors. Here people aim to bringing back the art of carpet weaving and reviving the skills and knowledge needed to keep this ancient art alive. After visiting the factory you can drop to a carpet-shop to buy some souvenirs and authentic carpets.
We will also visit Gyrmyzy Gasaba or Krasnaya Sloboda (Red Settlement) that has got its name because of distinctive red-tiled roofs. It is considered to be one of the biggest Jewish communities outside Israel and the world`s only place with a high concentration of the Mountain Jews. The history of the town is dated back to 1731, when the governor of Guba, Huseyn Ali Khan, took the Mountain Jews under his wing and allocated land to them on the left bank of the Qudiyalchay River. Today it is a town with developed infrastructure, having seven synagogues, Mountain Jews Museum, Yeshiva, an information center and so on.
Lunch time.
Khinaliq village is located on a conical mountain peak at an altitude of 2300 meters above the sea level. There are about 380 houses that are 200-300 years old. Since the slopes here are very steep, the houses are built very close to each other. The roof of one house is the courtyard for another one located above. Khinalig people preserved their traditional way of life. Since the villagers are mainly engaged in sheep breeding, the weaving is widespread. Locals are one of the Albanian tribes and they speak a completely original language.
Back to Baku hotel. Overnight.
4th Day: GOBUSTAN & LANKARAN (Southern route map link)
Breakfast at the hotel. Pick up from hotel at 09:00 for the tour to Lankaran region (3 hour drive from Baku), visiting Gobustan Historical-Artistic Preserve on the way.
Have you ever seen where civilization has started? Seek no more, because Gobustan Historical-Artistic Preserve is exactly what you need! Included in the UNESCO heritage list, being one of the cradles of human civilization, Gobustan located barely one hour drive from Baku. It has an astonishing collection of over 6,000 ancient petroglyphs depicting the ways of life dating back as far as 40,000 years. Innovative technology will help you to get closer to the prehistoric times in Gobustan State Historical-Artistic Museum using its touch screens provided with special multimedia programs, educational and entertaining games, interactive displays, 3D video, etc.
Not far from Gobustan there is a second miracle that will amaze you no less than the prehistoric drawings on the rocks – these are Mud Volcanoes. NASA geologists have concluded that they are similar in structure to the hills on the planet Mars. Azerbaijan ranks first in terms of the number of mud volcanoes: 350 out of 800 mud volcanoes in the world are located here, one of which is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest in the world. (Visiting Mud Volcanoes depends on weather conditions.)
We continue our trip to the Southern part of Azerbaijan, the most special one due to its subtropical climate.
On the way to Lankaran the excursion to “Citrus Valley”: while showing around the owner of this 18-hectare farm will give a brief view of citrus gardening; you can also take an active part in fruit picking (Oct.-Dec.) or just try (and buy) local oranges, lemons, mandarins, kiwis or feijoa as well as the jams made from these fruits. Excursion will be followed by a tea break with jams made from local fruits.
Lunch time.
Lankaran is often being called a paradise city, it`s the most fruitful and oldest settlement of Azerbaijan. The city’s major landmarks are Lankaran Fortress (18th cen.) and Kichik-Bazar mosque (19th cen.). Right in the city centre we will see the perfect example of oriental architecture, The Palace of Mirakhmad Khan, constructed in 1913 by French architects. The house with its three floors was the first multi-storey building in the city.
From Lankaran city we will move to Hirkan National Park, one of the pearls of Azerbaijani nature located in the south of the country, in the heart of the Talysh Mountains. Here, you won’t find any camping areas, cafes, bars, restaurants and other delights of modern tourism because this area is home to a natural wilderness dating back 60 million years with its own truly unique flora and fauna. This region has existed since the Ice Age and could easily be called a botanical garden. The Hirkan Forest is home to another natural gem – Lake Khanbulan, and while tigers used to inhabit the area until the late 1930s, today it is one of the last habitats of the Caucasian leopard.
Return back to Baku hotel.
5th Day: SHAMAKHI, AZGRANATA WINERY & LAHIJ (North Western route map link)
Breakfast at the hotel. Check-out at 8:00 to drive to Sheki city with the tour around Shamakhi region (2-2,5 hour drive from Baku), stop at AzGranata Winery and visiting Lahij villages on the way.
Shamakhi is an astonishing place with ultra-extraordinary nature and incredible architecture, culture and unique history, interesting customs and traditions.
Your first stop on the way to Shamakhi will be at Diri Baba mausoleum, a two-story monument of the 15th century in Maraza village. Peculiarity of the construction is that it was embed in the cliff and it creates an impression that it is suspended in the air. The monument is considered to be a sacred place. Legend says that a saint named Diri Baba (living, immortal old man) was buried here and remained incorrupt for more than 300 years.
Then we keep moving to Shamakhi, an ancient city of Azerbaijan which was the capital of Shirvan Dynasty during 9th-16th century and the center of Shamakhi Khanate in 18th century. Not far from Shahmakhi city you will see “Yeddi Gumbaz“ (“Seven Domes”) mausoleum, the 18th century mausoleum of the khans of Shamakhi.
In the city you will visit Juma Mosque, one of the oldest Muslim temples in Azerbaijan, as well as in the South Caucasus and the Middle East and the biggest mosque of the Caucasus.
After leaving Shamakhi we will visit AZGRANATA Winery. So, well-known for its excellent winery with a wide range of products AZGRANATA is a great choice to uncork the mysteries of the Shirvan region and its unique wines. Indigenous grape varieties Madrasa, Bayanshira and Shirvanshahi create harmony with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Saperavi and Muscat. Azgranata company has grape and pomegranate gardens with an area of 850 hectares.
You will relax at AZGRANATA`s peculiar degustation hall and enjoy the picturesque view from terrace with a glass of wine. During winetasting (5 types of wine with snacks), as you try different wines including pomegranate one, the masters of wine will teach you how to pair them with food. It`s an event that will challenge all your senses!
After lunch, we are on the way to Ismayilli. Located on the southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus, surrounded by dense forests and majestic mountains, Ismayilli region is one of the most beautiful regions of Azerbaijan. A large number of ancient monuments of various periods have been preserved here. The colorful authentic villages deserve special attention and we will visit one of them this time. Beautiful Lahij village built on the canyon of Girdimanchay river. This small village is considered a cultural reserve and a popular touristic destination of the Great Silk Road. It is known for its production of copper items, decorated with carved ornaments. Traditional appearance & production processes remain the same till today, as they used to be throughout the centuries. In the numerous souvenir shops, you can buy hand-made copper, knitted and weaved goods, wood and leather ware, souvenir knives and many more.
Reaching Sheki city (2-hour drive from Lahij). Check-in to the hotel.
Overnight in Sheki.
6th Day: SHEKI, BIO GARDEN (North Western route map link)
Breakfast at the hotel. Pick up from hotel at 10:00 for the Sheki City tour and visiting Bio Garden farm.
Sheki is one of the most ancient and majestic cities of Transcaucasia, rich with many historical and architectural monuments, considered the country’s capital of handcrafts and an important stop on the Great Silk Route. Local craftsmen have managed to preserve their secrets till today, passing them from generation to generation. We will visit several workshops to see how they make “shebeke” (handmade frescos), “pakhlava” (special sweet famous in Azerbaijan) and “tekelduz” (a kind of weaving popular in this area).
The absolute must-see is Sheki Khan’s Summer Palace all covered in amazing miniature paintings from floor to ceiling. Thousands of small pieces of glass were used to produce its “shebeke” window mosaics. Next stop will be Karvansaray, a historical complex of two magnificent Caravanserais: “Yukhary” (“Upper”) and “Ashaghy” (“Lower”). Castle walls, ethnographic museum and handicraft shops are also very popular places of attraction. Sheki has been a major silk producer over the past four centuries, and is famous for its various silk products.
You will also visit ancient Albanian church in Kish village, a quiet spiritual place included in UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites located approximately 5 km north of Sheki.
Lunch time.
After lunch you will spend time in Bio Garden, an eight-hectare expanse of idyllic gardens containing over 100 different types of fruit trees, most of which are found in Azerbaijan. It aims to increase interest in agro-tourism in Azerbaijan. Fish and poultry are also raised here, and a range of exotic birds have been imported from other countries. You can pick the fruit and veg yourself (seasonal) and also learn how to cultivate them. Peaceful paths with plenty of nice places to sit offer opportunities to relax, while rural food and traditional tea sets will help you refuel your energy.
Return to the hotel. Overnight in Sheki.
7th Day: GANJA, GOYGOL LAKE, HELENENDORF, SHAMKIR (Western route map link)
Breakfast at the hotel. Pick-up at 08:00 for the tour in Ganja city, Goygol and Shamkir regions.
Ganja, with a history of over 2500 years, is the second largest city in the country, a monument to its ancient culture, the industrial center of western Azerbaijan and the home of the great poet Nizami. You will visit Mausoleum of Javad Khan, the last ruler of Ganja Khanate, located on the territory of Juma Mosque in the center of Ganja. Also, you will see famous Ganja fortress, known as “The Shield of Asia” and built by the order of the Turkish Sultan Murad III in 1588. Another point of attraction is a two-storey Bottle House built in 1967 by local architect Ibrahim Jafarov from 48000 glass bottles.
Then we will proceed to Goygol district, one of the most picturesque regions of the country. The State Goygol Reserve, established in 1925, is located on the banks of the famous Goygol Lake at an altitude of 1600 meters above sea level. Lake Goygol is considered to be the cleanest among other mountain water reservoirs of the Caucasus. The main city of the district was founded by German colonists in 1819 on the site of an ancient village and was called Helenendorf which was renamed as Khanlar during Soviet days until it finally became Goygol in 2008. Thanks to German settlers who planted the vineyards and started the family business of winemaking till today Goygol remains one of the famous wine brand names in Azerbaijan.
Lunch time.
We are moving further to Shamkir region. Shamkir has a rich history long predating the German period. To discover it, step inside the local History and Ethnography Museum located at the back of the Lutheran church that charts the city’s development, beginning with the Persian Achaemenid Empire (550BC). Better still, head 10 kilometres east of the city to investigate the ruins of medieval Shamkir, located north of the village of Muktariyat on the left bank of the Shamkirchay river. Here, a fortress and citadel thrived on the Silk Road between the 8th and 13th centuries, when it was sacked by the Mongols and never fully recovered. Excavations beginning in 2006 have made it possible to see significant chunks of a fortress called Naringala.
Modern Shamkir began life as the German colony of Annenfeld which was founded in 1819 and went on to become a hotbed of winemaking in Azerbaijan. The Germans were tragically deported from here in 1941 but today the city center has kept a uniquely Germanic feel – think long straight streets with original German country housing, a Lutheran church dating back to 1909, and a German park with café, paths and benches.
Drive to Gabala (3 hours). Check-in to hotel. Overnight in Gabala.
8th Day: GABALA (North Western route map link)
Breakfast at the hotel. Pick-up from hotel at 09:00 for the tour in Gabala region.
Gabala is one of the most beautiful provinces of Azerbaijan with rich and ancient history. For 600 years the city named Kabala used to be the capital of Caucasian Albania, an ancient state that used to exist on the territory of modern Azerbaijan back in the days. The ruins of the ancient city and the main gate of Caucasian Albania had survived until today.
Located just over 20 kilometres south-west of Gabala, the village of Nij is home to the largest population of Udi people anywhere in the world. Udis are a Christian people directly descended from one of the main tribes living in Caucasian Albanian, an ancient state existing across much of today’s Azerbaijan from about 3BC to 8AD. In fact, they still speak an endangered language that is essentially the same as that of the ancient Albanians. Explore the history and culture of this warm community by visiting the beautifully restored 17th-century Albanian church (Chotari Church) which sits shaded by magnificent plane trees not far from the village center.
At Gabala Shooting Club in the village of Bum you can improve your aim and enjoy its beautiful natural surroundings. It is a multi-purpose and world-class shooting facility that can serve both as a recreational and entertainment center.
Lunch time.
Spend time in “Tufandag” Winter-Summer Tourism Complex, it provides skiing in winter, going up to the mountains by cable cars in summer, as well as many other types of entertainment not mentioning breathtaking panoramic views.
Return to the hotel. Overnight in Gabala.
9th Day: GABALA (North Western route map link)
Breakfast at the hotel. Check-out from hotel at 09:00 to drive back to Baku. On the way to Baku we will make several stops:
Gabala region is rich with natural assets. Nohur Lake has a fabulous location with a spectacular view to the Caucasus Mountains. Here you can enjoy boating or fishing. Yeddi Gozel (Seven Beauties) waterfall is situated near Vandam village in a mountainous area with dense forests. The name of the waterfall comes from the seven cascades falling from the highest peak of the mountain. Wooden stairs are leading to the very top. In spring and summer teahouses dot every mountain road, where guests can enjoy tea with traditional types of Gabala jam (for example, walnut or white cherry jam).
We will pass so called Russian forest, river valleys, the famous Chestnut forest and numerous picturesque villages. Make a stop at authentic bucket bazaar to buy some fruits and vegetables which are measured and sold by bucket, not by scale.
Reaching Baku. Check-in to the hotel. Overnight.
10th Day: BAKU. Breakfast at the hotel. Check out, transfer to the airport.
9 nights accommodation in 4*hotels on BB basis: Baku – 5 nights, Sheki – 2 nights, Qabala – 2 nights
Breakfasts at the hotel
Transfers: airport-hotel-airport and intercity
Excursions & transportation according to the program
Professional English-speaking guide during excursion days
Entrance to “Citrus Valley” farm
1 lunch with tea break with local jams in “Citrus Valley” farm
Interactive mini masterclass for pottery, carpet weaving and cooking lavash
Entrance to Hirkan Park in Lankaran region
Entrance to “AzGranata Winery” in Shamakhi
Wine degustation (5 wines) with snacks at “AzGranata Winery”
Entrance to BioGarden
Entrance tickets: Gala Ethnographic Museum, Ateshgah, Yanardag, Gobustan Museum, Diri Baba Mausoleum, Sheki Khan Palace, Albanian church in Kish village
Special off-road transport to Mud Volcanoes, Khinaliq village, Kish village & waterfall in Ilisu
1 bottle of 0.5L water per day
Flight tickets
Visa
Insurance
Lunches and Dinners not mentioned in the Inclusions
Entrance tickets to museums/ entertainment places not mentioned in the Inclusions
Any extras / Tips in the hotels
The organizer reserves the right to change the hotel to the different one of the same category.
The organizer reserves the right to change the order of excursions in case of necessity.
Check-in to the hotels: 14:00 (can be 15:00 in some cases).
Early check-in before 06:00 in the morning is subject to 100% of the room rate, early check-in between 06:00 and 14:00 is subject to 50% of the room rate (please confirm with our reservation managers before booking).
You can extend your stay, add more excursions and/or change the hotel category for additional payment (please confirm with our reservation managers before booking).
Comfortable shoes are strongly recommended during excursions.
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