Description
Program
⠀
- 2
Day
After breakfast, the group will embark on an excursion, starting with panoramic views of the city and the Caspian Bay from Nagorny Park. Following this, the tour will delve into the Old City (Baku Fortress). The Old City complex, covering the territory of the ancient fortress, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The tour commences at the entrance to Baku Fortress, passing through the ancient ‘Double Gates’ leading to Shemakha Road. Strolling with the guide through the historic streets, tourists will visit the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, explore ancient Caravanserais, observe historic mosques and medieval baths, and ascend the roof of the Maiden Tower. The Maiden Tower is one of the mystical structures of the ancient East. The tour concludes with visits to locations where the famous comedy ‘Diamond Arm’ was filmed.
After lunch, the exploration continues, with the next stop being the Heydar Aliyev Center. This complex structure, including an auditorium, museums, and exhibition halls, was designed in 2007 by the globally renowned architect Zaha Hadid. In 2014, it was recognized as the best building in the world and received the ‘2014 Design of the Year’ award. Inside the building, tourists will find an interactive museum of national musical instruments, the ‘Masterpieces of Azerbaijan’ museum showcasing a collection of national clothing and household items, and an exhibition of Azerbaijani carpets, among other attractions.
Overnight stay at a hotel in Baku.
- 3
Day
After breakfast, we set out for Ismailli district, specifically the village of Sulut. During the journey, the landscape outside the car window will gradually transition from semi-desert to alpine meadows. In the village, we will visit a local resident, where tourists will be offered traditional samovar tea with jam. Following the tea session, a walking tour awaits. The route begins by traversing the old part of the village, then along the bed of a mountain river, crossing it on stones. Next, we will walk through a meadow situated at the foot of rocky mountains, where we'll discover an underground storage facility dating back to the Middle Ages. We'll then enter the forest and reach the ruins of the medieval fortress called 'Gyrkh Otag' (Forty Rooms). After a photo session and a brief rest, we'll return to our hospitable hosts. A late lunch with local lamb and vegetable shashlik awaits us. Those interested can participate in preparing the shashlik and learn some cooking secrets. After lunch and a short break, a transfer will take us to the village of Lagidzh for an overnight stay at the hotel in Lagidzh.
- 4
Day
Lagidzh-Baku
After breakfast, explore the village, visiting the copper craftsmen's workshops. Lahij, a mountainous village, is a prominent Azerbaijani attraction part of the 'Great Silk Road' tourist route. Resembling an authentic medieval village, it holds the status of a historical and cultural reserve. Historically, Lahij was renowned as a craft production center, with local masters crafting copperware and carpets, preserving traditional folk techniques. This shorter but more challenging trek involves steep ascents. After lunch, depart for Baku. En route, tourists will visit a Sufi mausoleum built in the early 15th century. The two-story mausoleum, erected on the mountainside, commemorates the spiritual teacher Shirvanshah Ibrahim I. Caves around the mausoleum were once used by Sufi dervishes for meditation in medieval times. Overnight stay at a hotel in Baku.
- 5
Day
Baku-Khinalug
After breakfast, depart for the Guba region. Today, the tourists will visit the high-mountain village of Khinalug. Situated in a remote area on the southwest of the Guba region, on the slope of Mount Kyzylkaya, the northern slope of the Greater Caucasus Range, Khinalug sits at an altitude of 2100 meters. Its inaccessibility, unique language, distinctive architectural appearance, and culture attract travelers. The village houses a Fire Worshipers' temple from the Middle Ages, caves, and numerous unexplored archaeological sites. Locals consider themselves descendants of the prophet Noah. For over 4000 years, Khinalug has preserved its language, belonging to an ancient linguistic branch unique to this area. After the village tour, return to Baku. On the way back, if desired, you can witness the 'Candy Mountains.' Hills with whimsical reddish-white stripes create a fantastic landscape, a mysterious natural phenomenon shaped by rain, sun, and wind. Overnight stay at a hotel in Sheki.
- 6
Day
Absheron Peninsula-Gobustan
After breakfast, embark on a tour of the Absheron Peninsula. The first destination is the Fire Temple. In the early era, a Zoroastrian temple was built in the Surakhani settlement at the site of natural gas emissions. After the Arab conquest of Azerbaijan and the conversion of the locals to Islam, the Zoroastrian fire temple was partially destroyed. Worship of fire in Surakhani resumed after the 15th century.
Following the Fire Temple, the tourists will visit Yanar Dag (Burning Mountain), a place where fire worshippers meditated. After lunch, head to Gobustan - the museum of rock carvings. Here, explore the interactive museum and the open-air museum. The distance for the round trip is 60 km.
Gobustan's rock carvings span different eras, dating from 10,000 to 8,000 BCE to the Middle Ages. Covering such an extensive historical period, they hold a significant place among the world's rock art collections. Archaeological efforts have unveiled over 6,000 drawings on 1,000 rocks, ancient dwellings like caves and settlements, around 40 mounds, and over 100,000 items of material culture. The oldest drawings are from the Mesolithic era, but it's presumed that life existed here even earlier, making Gobustan one of the cradles of civilization.
Overnight stay at a hotel in Baku.
- 7
Day