Baku & Gabala Golden Escape

You land at Heydar Aliyev International Airport and meet your local guide. A comfortable vehicle takes you for a short panoramic drive around central Baku. You see the modern flame towers rising above the old city walls. The view from Upland Park offers your first stunning Caspian Sea panorama. After the tour, you check into your hotel and relax after the journey. A welcome dinner introduces you to Azerbaijani cuisine.

You start the day in Icherisheher, the ancient walled inner city. You walk past the Maiden Tower and explore the Shirvanshahs Palace complex. Then you visit the bustling Fountain Square and the grand Nizami Street. The guide explains Baku’s blend of Islamic and European architecture. After lunch, you see the majestic Heydar Aliyev Cultural Centre designed by Zaha Hadid. The evening is free to enjoy a local tea house or a seaside promenade.

After breakfast you drive west towards the Greater Caucasus mountains. The road passes through green valleys and small villages with roadside markets. You stop for photos at the scenic Shamakhi Observatory area. Arriving in Gabala by afternoon, you check into a resort surrounded by forests. You can take a short walk to hear the quiet sounds of the river nearby. Dinner is served at the hotel with views of the peaks.

You board the cable car up to Tufandag Mountain for sweeping alpine views. You explore Gabala’s old ruins, including the ancient Albanian church. A visit to the Nohur Lake lets you row small boats or simply relax. Lunch features fresh local trout and mountain herbs. Afterwards you see the Gabaland amusement park (seasonal) or enjoy a forest hike. The evening is free for a traditional sauna at your resort.

After a relaxed breakfast you depart Gabala and drive back toward the capital. You make a brief stop at the Diri Baba mausoleum carved into a cliff. The route then passes through the picturesque Shamakhi city with its Juma Mosque. You arrive in Baku by early afternoon and check into your city hotel. The rest of the day is yours to shop at the Taza Bazaar or rest. You can also walk along Baku Boulevard as the sun sets over the Caspian.

You drive to the Absheron Peninsula to see the burning Ateshgah Fire Temple. Then you visit Yanar Dag – the mountain that never stops burning. After lunch you travel south to Gobustan National Park’s mud volcanoes. You view prehistoric rock carvings (petroglyphs) dating back 40,000 years. Your guide explains the ancient rituals and the natural gas fires. You return to Baku in the evening with lasting memories of fire and stone.