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Azerbaizan is a transcontinental and land-locked country bordering between western asia and eastern europe bordering the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to the south. This was my first coutry in list of 3 countries (Azerbaizan, Armenia, Georgia)  I was covering in this trip. I arrived Baku early morning via a overnight flight from London Heathrow by Azarbaizan Airlines .

Day 1 Baku :

I arrived Baku at early morning . I was provided a free airport transfer by booking.com which was nice. My hotel was in the old town , Sazeli Old Town hotel . It was near double gate, location was great and room was nice and comfy. I had to spend few hours at a nearby park as it was too early to check in . However  after checking in and freshing up spent the rest of the day roaming in Baku Old town. I visited palace of the Shirvanshahs, a 15th-century palace complex that was the seat of power for the ruling family of northern Azerbaijan, the Maiden tower. I also walked in old town around fortress wall and visited nerve centre of Baku , Nizami street , full of restrurants cafes and vibrant night life.

 

 

 

 

 

Day 2: Gabustan Mud Volcano and Fire Temple  

I woke up early morning today. The bus was from near my hotel around 7 in the morning.  First we left for mud volcanoes in Gobustan. On the we switched to 4 X 4 vehicle , toward the volcanoes area.  Mud volcanoes are created when fluids and gases that have built up under pressure inside the Earth find an escape route to the surface via a network of fractures. The fluids move up these cracks, carrying mud with them, creating the mud volcano as they escape. Azerbaijan has the most mud volcanoes of any country, earning it the title of “mud volcano capital of the world”. These unique geological features, known locally by names like yanardagh and pilpila. Watching these bubbling eruptions amidst the desert landscape is truly a unique experience.

We spent here about one hour or so walking around and then we left for the Gobustan National Historical and Artistic Reserve. This is a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its ancient petroglyphs, which number over 6,000 and depict human life from the Upper Paleolithic to the Middle Ages some dating back as far as 40,000 years, depicting scenes of human life, rituals, and animals. The reserve also includes archaeological evidence of ancient settlements and “musical stones,” which are stones that produce sound when struck. 

 

We visitied museum and open air reserved walked amongst ancient rock carvings and petroglyphs. Next, visit the First Oil Well, a historic site marking the start of the world’s oil industry.  There is a fascinating history of Baku and how oil transformed Baku and story of many rags to riches.
Then, visit the Bibi-Heybat Mosque, an impressive reconstruction of a 13th-century mosque, offering a blend of traditional Islamic architecture and modern design. This mosque is not only a place of worship but also a significant cultural and historical landmark. After exploring these remarkable sites, stop for a delicious lunch at a local restaurant, where you can enjoy authentic Azerbaijani cuisine and recharge for the second part of the tour.

The journey continues to the mystical Yanar Dag, also known as the “Burning Mountain.” This natural gas fire has been continuously burning for thousands of years, offering a mesmerizing and otherworldly sight. Finally, we visited the Ateshgah Fire Temple, a place of ancient worship for Zoroastrians. The temple is renowned for its eternal flame, which has attracted pilgrims for centuries. This sacred site provides insight into the fire-worshipping practices of ancient cultures and only surviving one in Baku.

Day 3: Candy Cane, Guba , Khinaliq village

This is another big day in Baku. I started from my hotel in morning at approximately 8:00 AM. The notable site was Besh Barmag Mountain. We drove along the M1 motorway connecting the capital of Azerbaijan with the largest cities of Russia, we saw the mountain Beshbarmak, located near the coast of the Caspian Sea. First stop was Candy Cane Mountain. The Candy Cane Mountains are shale mountains in the Khizi and Siyazan districts of Azerbaijan, part of the Greater Caucasus mountain range. The ‘Candy Cane Mountains’ were originally dubbed so by travel author Mark Elliott in his guidebook ‘Azerbaijan with Excursions to Georgia’. The mountains’ colors are produced by groundwater that alters the oxidation state of the iron compounds in the earth. Next we saw  Red Village – Known as the only all-Russian settlement in Azerbaijan, Red Village is famous for its unique culture, traditional wooden houses, and scenic views of the surrounding mountains. Visitors can explore local architecture.

 

 

 

We stopped at Qechresh. Qechresh is one of the largest villages in the Guba region.The area is covered with forest on all sides. Qechresh is famous for its natural springs and plants. In Qecresh forest we will need to switch to a Soviet off-road vehicle to reach Khinalug! We had about 40 min here . I tried traditional streetfood called qutab (meat in thin flat bread) . On the way to Khinalug village there were various stops and amazing view. As we went further from Gechresh forest, we were Tengealti . There are various view points in the Gudyalchay canyons: steep ascents and descents of the road pass through the steep walls of the gorge. Then there is Eagle Top. Here we stopped to enjoy the panoramic view of the Cascade Mountains. From this point, one can see the entire beautiful landscape. Also it is common to see Eagle and pray birds .

 

 

Finally we reached Khinaliq, The mountain village of Khinalig, which is included in the list of UNESCO historical monuments of world importance. With its inaccessibility, unique language, unique architectural appearance, and culture, the village attracts tourists from all over the world. Since 2007, Khinalig has been declared an ethnographic reserve. On the way to Khinalig, one can often see eagles flying overhead, wild horses galloping along the banks of stony rivers and clouds descending so low that sometimes they can even be touched.

At  Khinaliq I enjoyed a full traditional lunch prepared by a local family in the heart of Khinaliq village. This is not a simple snack or a basic plate – it’s a complete meal with four different homemade dishes, showcasing the rich flavors of authentic mountain cuisine. Spent about 1 hr or so to walk around the village , reached the highest point which has mosque . It is easy to get lost due to meandering alleways .

 

Then it was pretty much same road back tp Baku. Throughout the trip from Qechresh to Khinaliq the driver is a local from Khinaliq . I was sitting next to him and he tried to bring up a conversation multiple times ( which did not progress much due to language barrier) . A laminated picture of a very handsome young man in his earlry twenties was hanging from the dashboard . He told me that this is his son who was martyred in the war with Armenia in 2021 during Nagorno-Karabakh conflict . A grim reminder , that no matter what causes a war ordinary ppls from both sides are always the looser.

I finally arrived back around 11PM at night had some food and then straight to bed. One thing worth to note is Baku remains alive whole night , there are eateries , grocery shops which remain open throughout night and you never run out of options .

Day4: Shamakhi, Ismailli, Gabala and Sheki 

We visited 4 regions of Azerbaijan in 1 day! I saw about 28% of all interesting places of Azerbaizan. History, culture, nature – everything just in several hours. However it was very rushed and did not do justice for these places .

First stop was , Juma Mosque in Shamakhi. It is the oldest mosque in Azerbaijan and the second oldest in the Caucasus, originally built in 743 AD. Over its long history, the mosque has been destroyed and rebuilt multiple times due to earthquakes and conflicts, with the most recent major restoration completed in 2013. There are dresses available to borrow if one wants to go inside. Our next stop was  Hanging Bridge in Ismayilli, a suspension bridge in the Ismayilli region of Azerbaijan that offers a thrilling experience with scenic views of a gorge and surrounding mountains. It is an adventure tourist spot, often reached via a short, somewhat uneven hike, and is best visited during spring and summer. Then we went to Gabala region and had our dinner .

 

 

From Gabala we went Sheki, considered cultural capital of Azerbaijan. We visited Albanian churches, Sheki Khan palace and Caravansarai. Sheki Khan palace is an 18th-century architectural masterpiece located in the city of Shaki,  and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It served as the summer residence for the rulers of the Shaki Khanate. The Sheki Caravanserai is a historic complex in Sheki, Azerbaijan, consisting of two 18th-century, fortress-like buildings (the Upper and Lower Caravanserai) that served as vital stopovers for merchants and travelers along the ancient Silk Road. We also walked around the old town before heading for next stop.

 

We started out retyrn journey from here . On the way we stopped at Yeddi gozel waterfall in Gabala. It was pretty much dusk at that time. It was a nice cascading waterfall . Well after evening we also stopped at  Nokhur Lake in Gabala. It was very dark and hardly could see anything.

Then it was a long bus ride back to Baku. I arrived my hotel weel past midnight.

Day 5: Around Baku

This day was planned for Scuba , however dive was cancelled because of weather concern. So , I decided to spent it in Baku in leasurely manner. This is the first day I could have breakfast at the hotel as they start pretty late but it was good.

I visited Heydar Aliyev Center the architecture is unique and exibits are interesting . There was also a classic car exibition going on . I spent half day there then came back to old town center ,walked around a little and had lunch.  After lunch tried some baklawa, which were very different from Turkish ones. In the afternoon walked to the old port area and had a boat trip . It was amazing to see skyline from from the sea. In the evening walked along the little venice and then at night walked up to highland park to watch the view of night time city.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 6: Depart Baku

In the morning took Uber to airport toward’s next destination Tbilisi .