Azerbaijan, the nation and former Soviet republic, is bounded by the Caspian Sea and Caucasus Mountains, which span Asia and Europe. Its capital, Baku, is famed for its medieval walled Inner City. Within the Inner City lies the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, a royal retreat dating to the 15th century, and the centuries-old stone Maiden Tower, which dominates the city skyline.
Day 1 – Baku
Arrival in Baku: After passing passport control you will be met and transferred to hotel.
Check-in at the hotel
Overnight in Baku
Day 2 – Baku City Tour Baku Sightseeing tour:
Panoramic view of Baku city and Baku Bay from Highland Park - Martyrs Alley, marvelous view of Flame Towers Later, visit Old city – Icheri Sheher: Entrance gates of Old Baku; fortification tower; Caravanserai complexes – Bukhara and Multan; Maiden Tower (under UNESCO protection); old mosques; bathes; Miniature Book Museum; Shirvanshahs’ Palace (under UNESCO protection); narrow small cobbled stone streets Continue with Nizami Street – large pedestrian and shopping street in downtown Baku Visiting National Museum of History of Azerbaijan: the former mansion of Azerbaijani oil magnate and philanthropist H.Z.Tagiyev Walking on Baku Boulevard, Boat Tour on windless weather Back to the hotel
Overnight in Baku
Day 3 - Baku – Guba - Khinalug Passage to Baku – Guba route: After 1,5 hour drive to Guba change of transport to 4x4 cars. 1 hour drive to Khinalug village (2500 m high). Khinalug is ancient Azerbaijan village on top of Grand Caucasus Mountains going back to Caucasus Albanian period. It is the highest settlement in Europe. Walking in the village Lunch at local family After lunch drive back to Guba. Visiting Red Village – Mountain Jew village Visiting Juma Mosque (outside); Guba Carpet Weaving Center Drive back to Baku
Overnight in Baku
Day 4 – Gobustan tour In and around Gobustan Visiting Mud Volcanos near Gobustan – Mud volcano is landform created by the eruption of mud, water and gases. Several geological processes may cause the formation of mud volcanoes. Mud volcanoes do not produce hot lava. The Earth continuously exudes a mud – like substance. Visiting Gobustan National Park (under UNESCO protection): primary people carved their daily life styles on rocks. There are more than 6000 carvings on the rocks near the Caspian Sea Side. Visiting the Bibiheibat Mosque – which is a historical mosque in Baku. Visiting Azerbaijan Carpet Museum Arrival to Baku
Overnight in Baku
Day 5 – Absheron Peninsula tour Absheron Peninsula Sightseeing tour:
Fire Worshippers’ Temple – Ateshgah: The temple was built over a pocket of natural gas that fuelled a vent providing an ‘eternal’ fire which Zoroastrians used to worship. Visiting Qala Archaeological and Ethnographic Museum Complex: the open air museum where monuments are preserved in the territory of the Qala Village. Petroglyphs covering the period from 3rd and 2nd millennia B.C. to the Middle Ages, gavaldash, ceramics, domestic and adornment items, weapons and coins, conserved remnants of an ancient residential complex etc. found in the Absheron Peninsula were placed at the Complex. Visiting Ramana Castle (outside) Continue with “Yanardag” – “Fire Mountain”: is a natural gas fire which blazes continuously on a hillside on the Absheron Peninsula near Baku which itself is known as the “land of fire.” Flames jet into the air 3 meters from a thin, porous sandstone layer Visiting Oil Derrick Forest – the guide will give you information about oil history of Azerbaijan Visiting Heydar Aliyev Center (from outside) Back to the hotel
