5-day tour: Unique Symbols of the Land of Fire5 Days | Baku, Absheron Peninsula, Gobustan, Khinalug, Lahic, Shamakhi

Take an exciting five day tour to discover Azerbaijan, a modern country that keeps ancient traditions. You will start with the Azerbaijani capital of Baku, known for its eclectic architecture. There you will enjoy narrow streets of the old town and new modern sights. The tour continues with a visit to the Absheron Peninsula, where the walls of the Zoroastrian temple Ateshgah soaked old legends of fire worshipers. The next interesting point is the ancient settlement of Khinalig, lost among the peaks of the Caucasus Mountains.

Tour itinerary:

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Day 1: Baku – arrival

Arrival in Baku. You will be met by our driver and transferred to the hotel. Check-in at noon.
Start sightseeing tour in Baku. Visit Martyrs’ Lane, called ‘Shehidler Khiyabany’ among locals. When you walk through Martyrs’ Lane, you will find a beautiful view overlooking Baku’s coastline. Continue touring new Baku and exploring architecture of 19-20 centuries: Nizami Street, Fountain Square, Nizami Ganjavi monument, Rasul-Zade Street. Move to the old part of the city – Icheri Sheher. Visit Maiden Tower, Shirvanshahs’ Palace, Caravanserai, and market square with numerous art studios and souvenirs stalls. An excellent round-up to the city tour will be visit to the iconic Heydar Aliyev center. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 2: Baku – Absheron Peninsula – Gobustan – Baku

Today you will visit the area of the Greater Baku and Absheron Peninsula. Start with Gobustan National Park. Pay a visit to the Petroglyphs Museum and explore petroglyphs dating back to 10,000 BC. Continue to the mud volcanoes in Gobustan Reserve. Gobustan is home to almost half of the world’s mud volcanoes. Later drive to Ateshgah – a temple of fire worshippers located in Surakhany village. Zoroastrians travelled thousands of kilometers from India to Ateshgah to worship fire coming out of the earth. Continue to Yanardag Mountain, where natural gas has been burning for several thousands of years. Return to Baku. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 3: Baku – Khinalug – Baku

Morning departure to the northern part of Azerbaijan – Quba region. Visit one of most ancient settlements in the country – Khinalug (210 km, 3-4 hours). The road to Khinalug is a picturesque mountain pass at an altitude of 2,000 m. Enjoy breathtaking views of the landscape. People have been continuously living in Khinalug for more than 5,000 years. Return to Baku. On the way back, stop in Quba and visit Sakina Khanum Mosque, medieval bath hammam, and carpet workshop. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 4: Baku – Shamakha – Lahic* – Baku

In the morning, departure from your hotel to Lahic. On the way, visit Diri Baba Mausoleum in Maraza. Continue to Shamakha and see the historical Juma Mosque, Yeddi Gumbez Mausoleum, and the Shirvan Shah's family grave yard. Drive through through the Girdimanchay River Canyon to visit Lahic, a 5th century place rich in its historic and architectural values. Lahic is an ancient village with charming eye-catching sidewalks inlaid with stones. It is famous for its medieval water supply and sewage systems, as well as traditional jewelry, copperware, carpets, pottery, daggers, and iron tools workshops. In the afternoon, drive back to Baku. Overnight at the hotel.
*Lahic will not be reachable during 2024 due to the road construction.

Day 5: Baku

Check-out from the hotel till noon. Free time until transfer to Baku International Airport. End of the tour.