Welcome to Enchanting Journeys

Welcome to incredible Azerbaijan - a tangle of contradictions & contrasts, billing itself as the 'Land of Fire’.  Neither Europe nor Asia, it' is a nexus of ancient historical empires, but also a ‘new’ nation which has undergone an extraordinary transformation from the war-ravaged post-Soviet 1990s to an oil-enriched host of Formula 1 & Europa League football.                       

Arrive in cosmopolitan capital, Baku, the gateway to an ancient world capital city.

After you exit in the Arrival Hall at Terminal? - Baku Heydar Aliyev International Airport, subsequent to  Immigration & Customs, you will be welcomed by The Journeys representative who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to the hotel, help you settle in & provide you with some useful tips for exploring the area as well as discuss the program for the next couple of days.

Reach the hotel & Check-in.

*Check-in time is 02.00 pm. For earlier arrivals in the morning, we will request the hotel for a complimentary early Check-in but cannot be guaranteed unless reserved & paid for ‘immediate occupancy’.

Breathtaking Antiquity | Architectural Masterpieces | Soviet Reminiscence

Azerbaijan’s capital, the port city of Baku with its UNESCO World Heritage listed medieval Old City (İçəri Şəhər) contrasting with dazzling 21^st century architecture, lies on a balmy bay of the Caspian Sea.

Baku is the cultural & commercial hub of the country and is denoted as an architectural love child of Paris & Dubai…albeit with plenty of Soviet genes floating half-hidden in the background. Few cities in the world are changing as quickly and nowhere else in Eurasia do East & West blend as seamlessly or as chaotically. Yet barely 3 hours’ drive away, timeless rural villages lie amid lush orchards backed by the soaring Great Caucasus Mountains.

At its heart, the medieval Old City lies within an exotically crenelated arc of fortress wall & which contains the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, a vast royal complex & the iconic stone Maiden Tower.  

Around this, are gracefully illuminated stone mansions & pedestrianised tree-lined streets filled with exclusive boutiques. In the last decade, countless towers have mushroomed, dwarfing or replacing tatty old Soviet apartment blocks. Some of the finest new builds are jaw-dropping masterpieces. Contemporary landmarks include the Zaha Hadid - designed Heydar Aliyev Center & the Flame Towers - 3 pointed skyscrapers covered with LED screens.

Meanwhile romantic couples canoodle their way around wooded parks & hold hands on the Caspian-front bulvar (promenade), where greens & opal blues make a mockery of Baku’s desert-ringed location.

Baku is the largest cultural centre of Azerbaijan. It is the place where a national theatre, the first in Muslim East, lifted the curtain, the first opera was performed, the first Azerbaijan newspaper was published, the first Azerbaijan library was opened. Today Baku is known to have 30 museums, 7 theatres, 11 institutions of higher education, philharmonic, opera theatre, film studio, cinema theatres & libraries housed in the city’s most beautiful buildings having an interior decoration which is every bit as good as their interior cultural content.

No services are envisaged today.

However, if time permits & you wish to explore independently, we shall be only too happy to offer suggestions.

Morning, meet your Tour-guide in the lobby at 09.00 am to proceed for a 8 hour sightseeing tour of the city.

With your knowledgeable, talkative, sociable Tour-guide explaining about the culture, history & other interesting facts about Baku, you will visit different parts of city relating to various historical periods starting from middle ages to modern era.

Start the tour with a panoramic view of Baku city & Baku Bay from Highland Park passing through Martyrs Alley; enjoying the marvelous view of the Flame Towers.

Visit the main historical side of Baku, stopping at the UNESCO World Heritage listed Old Town or Walled City. 

Walk along narrow small cobbled stone streets & stop at the 12^th century Maiden’s Tower & 14^th century Juma Mosque, 15^th century Shirvanshahs Palace described by UNESCO as "one of the pearls of Azerbaijan's architecture" & the Silk Route Caravanserai complexes – Bukhara & Multan.

The Shirvanshahs Palace is one of the oldest & most fascinating monuments of Azerbaijan architecture, which belongs to the rulers of Shirvan. The Palace ensemble has attracted the attention of researchers throughout the country, because of its unique 2 story structure occupying a reasonably large space, quite simple in architectural design.

This splendid confection of sandstone walls & domes was the seat of northeastern Azerbaijan’s ruling dynasty during the Middle Ages. Mostly 15^th century, it was painstakingly (over)restored in 2003 with artefacts adding interest plus one or two entertaining Audiovisual surprises.

You will enter via the main ceremonial courtyard. A small gateway on the left leads into the courtyard of the 1428 Divanxanə, an open-sided, octagonal rotunda where Shirvanshah Khalilullah I once assembled his court: a decidedly small court it would seem, judging from the structure’s diminutive size. Amazingly, the beautiful complex beside the palace includes some Museums as well as the Bath, Mausoleum of court scholar Seyid Yahya Bakuvi, 14^th century Caravanserais, Mosques, Baths & the market square.

You may go up rooftop cafe - Floors & buy a drink or climb to the 'secret' rooftop of the Artım Art space to get a bird’s eye view.

Maiden's Tower (Giz Qalasi) is a mysterious & eccentric tower built between 7^th & 12^th centuries and may have served as a fire beacon, defensive fortification, astronomical observatory, or Zoroastrian temple. Inside the Tower at each level, an extensive & well set permanent Exhibition describes the history & myths related to the tower.

Break for lunch (not included - direct payment). You will not want to miss the chance to taste delicious, mouth-watering, traditional ethnic food in the authentic restaurants - Kebabs, Gutabs, Pastry etc.

Post lunch, you will pass by National Flag Square which ‘was’ home to the world's second tallest Flagpole, according to the Guinness Book of Records. In September 2010, the world's tallest Flagpole (then 162m) was installed at the Bulvar's southern tip. The world record was later snatched by Dushanbe, Tajikistan, then Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In 2018 it was removed but there are rumours that it will return taller than ever in 2020.

You can stroll around but not climb the huge base-mound. The area is pleasant for gentle bicycle rides for anyone interested (rental agents available near the Caspian Waterfront Mall).

Visit Government House, Old City Hall & Magomayev Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Hall - built in 1912 & inspired by the Monte Carlo Casino (which held the first casino in the Caucasus before being transformed to its current usage) housing the Azerbaijan State Symphony Orchestra amongst others

Stop at the "Governor's garden" & drive by Fountain Square - a tony area filled with the 19^th century mansions of the ‘old money’ oil magnates, Opera House, Musical Theatre & National Library.

You will also have the opportunity to stop at the Bibi-Heybat Mosque, one of the major monuments of Islamic architecture in Azerbaijan. The existing structure, built in the 1990s, is a recreation of the mosque with the same name built in the 13^th century by Shirvanshah Farrukhzad II Ibn Ahsitan II, which was completely destroyed by the Bolsheviks in 1936. Today it is the spiritual centre for the Muslims of the region & the modern restored mosque is a classic example of the Shirvan architectural school, having 3 domes decorated with green & turquoise mirrors, which are bordered with gilded inscriptions from the Quran.

Drive along the seaside boulevard, passing by Upside Hill, Martyr's Alley, Turkish Alley, Flame Towers & enjoy the panoramic view of Baku. 

Museums are the gems of the country to show artefacts belonging to various periods of history & culture. Azerbaijan having 2000 years of recorded history has a lot of things to show its guests. In Baku, there are many Museums worth visiting, if time permits (or in your free time).

Considered a treasury of Azerbaijan national culture, Carpet Museum’s unique shape will attract your attention even from outside. Designed by the acclaimed world renowned Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid & built in a rolled-carpet shape, the Museum features 3 floors full of handmade Carpets as well as applied art works. It was established for researching, keeping & displaying Carpets and the Museum has the largest collection of Azerbaijan carpets in the world, of different weaving techniques & materials;

One of Baku's charming oddities, the small Museum of Miniature Books presents books that are so small you would need a magnifying glass to read the print. The fact that so many minuscule publications have been printed at all is a surprise & amassing the thousands shown here has been a lifetime's passion for collector Zərifə Salahova who started the place in 2002.

In National Museum of History of Azerbaijan Historical Museum located in the former mansion of an Azerbaijani oil magnate, well-presented exhibits on Azerbaijan’s history & culture might miss the odd century here & there, but there is more than enough to fill several hours if you’re really interested.

Even if you are not a history buff, it is still worth a brief trot through to admire the opulent 1895 -1901 mansion of Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev, one of Baku’s greatest late 19^th century oil baron & philanthropist.

By visiting the Museum, you will see how the rich people of that time lived on as well. The Museum was restored recently & includes several interactive exhibits. Don't miss the dazzling neo-Moorish ‘Oriental Hall’ & Tagiyev's rebuilt art-nouveau bedroom.

Built in 1893 - 1902, the Italian Renaissance-style mansion is immense, taking up an entire city block & was designed by Polish architect Jozef Gosławski. There are 4 floors in some parts of the building.

On the 2^nd floor of Taghiyev's residence, side by side there are 2 major ballrooms. One is based on Oriental designs (Mauritanian) style & the other, on Occidental design. The Oriental Room has enormous plate glass windows, gilded arches, highly ornamental walls, ceilings & chandeliers. The lines in the Occidental Room are more perpendicular to each other - rectangular.

According to photographs that are about 90 years old, one of the most elaborate rooms was Taghiyev's wife's boudoir (private sitting room). All of the movable furniture & paintings in this room have disappeared. Nothing remains today except the ornate mirrored mosaic ceiling.

During the Soviet period, 4 layers of white paint were applied over the highly decorative floral designs on the walls. Still in the main Halls of the residence, the original paint has withstood the passage of time incredibly well. The paint was made of finely ground egg shell as was the practice of artists of Byzantine icons. Nearly 100 years later, the original colors with their subtlety & sophistication have neither faded nor chipped.

When the Red Army entered Baku in April 1920, Taghiyev's residence – like that of other wealthy oil barons – was immediately confiscated. Under a resolution of the USSR People's Commissariat, the residence was established as a Museum in June 1920, only 2 months after the Bolsheviks took Baku.

Azerbaijan History Museum is one of the oldest (& the largest) as well as biggest Museum. The collection & exhibits show the development of the material & spiritual culture, originals of the documents of political history & social-economic life of Azerbaijan from ancient times till nowadays.

Excavations were carried out in Khojaly, Qabala, Ganja, Kharaba Gilan, Orangala, Mingechevir & other places. The Museum’s collection consists of the materials discovered during these excavations & from other ethnographic expeditions. Undoubtedly, museum’s collection allows enriching data for a great many books & thesis.

Another interesting one is Museum Centre in a column-fronted neoclassical building has a sternly photogenic facade that looks best seen from across the Bulvar. Once a Lenin Museum, the top floor holds changing exhibitions, often good & usually free. The somewhat sparse 2^nd floor Museum of Musical Culture (AZN1) will teach you what it means to be a Tarzan in Azerbaijan. The 3^rd floor Museum of Independence (AZN5) gives a somewhat dry, if unashamedly partisan, political history of the nation.

Early morning, depart for Guba, enroute visiting a few interesting places.

Stop at Qusar.

Qusar is located not far from Bazarduzu, Shahdagh Mountains & the Russian border. Only in 1938, Qusar settlement acquired a city status. There exist many versions about origination of the city, but the most possible one is a version of Tamilla Khalilova, a notable historian.

According to historical data, the Arabs began a conquest of the South Caucasus in the 7^th century & reached a territory of present Qusar Rayon.

According to the historians’ version, the name of the river originated from Arabian Al-Qausar. In translation from the Holy Quran into English “Al Qausar - in translation, means a river of abundance that is a heavenly river, water of which is whiter than milk & sweeter than honey. Its fragrance is nicer than musk & birds with beautiful long necks like necks of camels fly around it.”   The settlement got its name from the river - Qusar

There is a Museum & an impressive new Turkish-style mosque but the ruins of Qarabulaq offer the only intriguing sight.

Qarabulaq was a 21^st century holiday retreat, designed with lots of brilliantly idiosyncratic Tolkein-esque twiddles, including concrete knights brandishing flame-throwing weapons. Then, in 2005 authorities discovered that the location had been used for criminal activities & was promptly closed down. Now, creepers are slowly overrunning its eclectic buildings and this adds further to the already bizarre atmosphere.

Next stop will be Candy Cane Mountain (or Khizi Mountains), which has a remarkable variety of landscapes.

On the flat Caspian coast, there are irrigated cattle & chicken-breeding lowlands around Shurabad & then, the Xızı road climbs gently through sharply colored semi-desert landscapes.  The Mountains are part of the Greater Caucasus range & contain numerous belemnites from the Cretaceous period. The mountains’ colors are a result of the groundwater that has altered the oxidation state of the iron compounds in the earth. Popular with the locals who consider it a sacred place & you will come across lots of visitors.

Drive on to Stop at the ethnic Laza Village, located in a mountain hollow in height 1300m, on the ancient caravan routes across the passage of the Main Caucasian Ridge.

The soaring mountain valley surrounding Laza is one of the most stunning sights anywhere. Dramatic grass-clad slopes descend from noble Shahdag (4243m) & craggy Qyzylqaya (3726m). A series of ribbon waterfalls drop over perilous cliff edges & carpets of wildflowers add to the vivid greens throughout late spring & summer

The tiny village is diffuse & its banal houses lack the striking austerity of Xynalyq’s dark stone architecture. The vicinity of the village is very picturesque, numerous waterfalls flow down from rocky walls. A rocky pinnacle beside the rusty-roofed little mosque adds foreground for photos of the mind-blowing mountain panorama.

In the ancient village, live ethnic Lezghins whose history is connected to the Caucasian Albania - one of the most ancient states in the territory of Azerbaijan.

During the centuries, there was a gradual movement of a part of the Lezghin tribes to southern, foothill & aound the Caspian zones. It is important to note that the historical destiny of the Lezghin people is closely related to Azerbaijan & the Azerbaijani.

Inhabitants of the village live a usual life of high-mountainous settlements, conduct housekeeping, and hold birds, large horned & fine horned livestock. In summer they drive away the herds on high-mountainous pastures "Shah Yaylag" & "Shah Nabat".

Inhabitants talk to each other in the native Lezghin language. They freely communicate with visitors in the Azerbaijan language. Many middle-aged men speak Russian adequately. Schoolboys study the English language since recently has grown the stream of the foreign tourists making ascensions on the highest plateaus & tops "Shahdag", "Gizil Gaya", "Tufan", "Bazar-Duzu", etc.The settlement consists of 26 houses, which about 130 inhabitants live in. There is a school with 4- year-education.

Continue on to Guba.

Reach Guba by evening & Check-in at the hotel.

Quba located in the picturesque hillsides, is one of the largest cities in Azerbaijan. It was once the capital of Quba khanate which was founded in the mid18^th century.

Indeed, the sceneries of Quba are hard to describe with words. It seems nature has collected there the brightest colors: juicy greens of the alpine meadows, white snow caps, rapid transparent-blue mountain- rivers. Guba is also called the land of apples – orchards stretching for kilometers with the most delicious & juicy fruits that have made it famous far beyond the borders of Azerbaijan.

There were 26 tribes in this empire. Today the remnants & descendants of these Tribes (Ketish, Haput, Lezgin, Tat, cCek, etc) mostly live in the Guba region & have been able to preserve their language, culture, & traditions till today. Here, you can meet original villages - a kind of ethnographic open-air museum, in each of which the peoples living in them speak their unique language - Haputlin, Kryz, Jack, Hynalyg. In these small villages, a few original houses have been preserved. The largest ethnographic village is Khinalig, deep in the mountains.

A historical city founded in the 4^th century, Guba is famous for ancient mosques & for its unique carpets.

It is Azerbaijan’s largest center of carpet weaving & Guba carpets woven here adorn museums & private galleries in many countries of the world.

The Golu Chichi carpet, made by Guba craftsmen in 1712, is now on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Guba carpets are characterized by complex geometric patterns & restrained color schemes. You can see the skill of weavers in local workshops that allow visitors. The professional carpet-making enterprises weave handmade carpets for every taste & size. When dyeing threads from which carpets are woven, only natural dyes are used.

Balance of the day is at leisure to relax or for independent exploration (we shall be happy to offer suggestions about optional programs & arrange). 

Morning, Check-out, meet the Tour-guide at 08.00 am & proceed for a 8 hour sightseeing tour of Guba & its surroundings.

Obviously due to its long history, there are many places to see here. You will visit ‘some’ of the notable landmarks.

Start with Memorial Complex.

In many countries of the world, there are monuments reminiscent of the tragic pages of its history. In Azerbaijan, it is the Memorial complex of the genocide in Guba.

The location of the Monument was not chosen by chance. In the spring of 1918, Guba County became one of the epicenters of the bloody drama organized by Armenian military units & resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of innocent people. These facts remained hidden for many years, preserved only on the yellow pages of archival documents. Until April 2007, when mass graves of people who died in the tragic days of 1918 were discovered in the region of Guba.

In 2013, at the place of mass burial, in memory of the victims of the tragedy, the Genocide Memorial Complex was erected. The monument consists of three parts – 2 structures resembling pointed knives, as well as from the main hall, in the middle of which is a Memorial Stone. The sharp ends represent a huge pain, tearing apart the heart. And the fact that they come out of the ground suggests that it is impossible to hide the truth.

Guba mosques have their own unique architecture, which will undoubtedly attract the attention of a curious tourist.

One of them is the 19^th century Juma Mosque (aka Dzhuma or Friday Mosque), erected in the city center, whose construction style is typical only for the mosques of Quba province.  It has the shape of a regular octagon, inside of which there is one large hall, crowned by a huge 16 metre diameter huge dome.

Next stop is the Sakina-Khanum Mosque, another monumental religious structure built in 1854 by the widow of Abbasgulu Agha Bakikhanov - the well-known Azerbaijan scientist, writer, historian, diplomat, military translator & an officer of the Russian army, to commemorate her late husband.

The burnt red brick building of the 9 domed Mosque is 27 meters high & is designed to looks like a faceted cylinder. Each facet has a window in the form of a semicircular arch. Top of this stately building is crowned with a big white metal dome in the shape of a multi-faceted helmet trimmed with numerous faces & decorated by a graceful thin spike. Locals claim that the mosque was built without the use of cement, and eggs were used as a fastening element.

Another interesting place next door to the Mosque is wife built, is the house where Abbasgulu Aga Bakikhanov (1794-1847) lived. He was born in the Absheron village of Amirjan, but as a child moved with his family to live in the village of Amsar of Gubinsky district.

In memory of the great Azerbaijani in 1943, the Abbasgulu Agha Bakikhanov Museum of Local History was opened in an old 19^th century house in which Bakikhanov himself lived at one time. The Museum stores about ten thousand different exhibits. There is another House-Museum in the village of Amsar, where Bakikhanov lived for many years. Here are collected unique exhibits of the 19^th century, his books & much more.

You may also see the Chukhur Hamam, the 18^th century historical bathhouse (currently under restoration). Built of red brick, it is a quadrangular building with a large dome, allowing the Keeper to regulate & keep the desired temperature & humidity in the room. The Bathhouse consists of 4 rooms & the decorations on the walls depict colorful national ornaments.

Walk around the Red Settlement, called the village of millionaires because it is from here that many rich Jews hail.

It was here that famous Russian businessmen Akif Gilalov, Zarakh Iliev & God Nisanov were born. And although they live abroad, nevertheless, each of them has their own Mansions here. The Billionaires & Millionaires also donate to the local Synagogue & participate in social projects.

In turn, Red Settlement is the only community of Mountain Jews in the CIS. The local population loves pomposity – huge villas resembling palaces are built in the village & expensive cars drive around its streets. It is known that Jews appeared on Azerbaijani soil in the 5^th century – they were orthodox Jews who professed the teachings of not only the Old Testament but also the Talmud & rabbinical beliefs and speaking the language of the Iranian Juhuro group.

Enjoy Lunch at a family home.

And now, it is time to discover what lies on the outside.

You will drive by another architectural monument - the Arched or Gudialchay Bridge, built in the 19^th century by order of the Russian Tsar Alexander III in order to strengthen the military presence of Russia in the Caucasus. 14 spans of the Bridge with a total length of 275 meters & a width of 8 meters are assembled from burnt brick. Thanks to its multi-span structure, it withstood powerful mudflows & today is the only Bridge of this design in Azerbaijan. Now closed to traffic, only pedestrians can use it & it offers a panoramic bird’s eye view of Guba & the surrounding mountain peaks.

Reach the UNESCO World Heritage listed Khinalig village declared as an Ethnographic Reserve. The most unusual sight is the unique houses located on the top of the mountain in the form of an amphitheater. They look like eagle nests: built on a slope close to each other, here the roof of one house serves as a yard for another, located above.

Khinalug is one of the most ancient & continuously inhabited places in the world, located high up in the mountains, with a history of 5000 years. The villagers call it Kyat & designate themselves as kyaty - direct descendants of the biblical Noah.

For centuries, this Village has been cut off from civilization by hard-to-reach mountains with dangerous rocky cliffs. Due to the isolation, its residents managed to survive & withstand many invasions & to preserve their unique language, not belonging to any language group, as well as traditions & customs found nowhere else. Each family has its own graveyard, its own patterns for carpets & clothing.

Having preserved their rites, traditions & national costumes, the local people also differ by their appearance. The harsh weather conditions in these areas have left their imprint by lining the faces of Khynalyg's people. The skin on their faces is chapped & toughened due to the freezing temperatures, and their cheeks are always reddened.

You will see 12^th - 15^th century Mosques & several ancient cemeteries between the mountains. The majority of the wide & long graves represent three & sometimes four burial layers. The tomb-stones' inscriptions are written in various alphabets. There are also many ancient holy caves of early humans.

In order to defend themselves in the 10^th century against the various nomadic tribes, special defence facilities, including a fortress, were built. Khinalug residents were fire worshipers, proved by the fire temples & some semi-pagan traditions not relevant to Muslim. You will see the main watchtower which included the Zoroastrian Temple. Local elders relate that the priest who lived in this Temple was called Piajomard & that he used to watch over an eternal flame burning there.

If time permits, you may also stop briefly at Agbil village where you can see some 16^th century medieval mausoleums. One of the Mausoleum has a unique design. From outside, the burnt bricks mausoleum looks like an octahedron with a high dome & wide portal entrance and from the inside it is a usual square room

The Guba explorations conclude & you start driving to Baku.

Reach the hotel by evening & Check-in.

Balance of the evening is at leisure to relax or for independent exploration (we shall be happy to offer suggestions). 

Morning, Check-out, meet the Tour-guide in the lobby at 08.00 am & depart for Lankaran.

Enroute, stop at a couple of National Parks.

Stop at Gobustan National Park, officially known as the Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape encompassing an area of 537 hectares & having one of the world's largest ancient petroglyphs collections comprising more than 4,000 petroglyphs.

The Park is actually a hill & mountain site at the southeast end of Azerbaijan’s Greater Caucasus mountain ridge.

First you will visit new & modern Gobustan Petroglyph Museum with various exposition halls. You will see ancient human bones & work tools that were used thousands of years ago during the Mesolithic period.

Later, drive high up the mountain where the stones with petroglyphs are located. At the mountain site, see rock paintings & carvings in an open-air museum. These primitive monuments of art reflect the culture, economy, world outlook, customs & traditions of the ancient Azerbaijani peoples. 

Once there, you feel yourself back in Stone Age and get unforgettable memories that you cannot get anywhere else.

In the Gobustan National Historical-Artistic Reserve, one can see the settlements of the ancient people, the remains of the large prehistoric Stone Circle & other evidences of the Stone Age & later inhabitants of the region. See the ancient rocky paintings, camp of man, tombstones & more. The most significant rocky pictures are the petroglyphs, carved by primitive peoples on the walls of caves, rocks and on stony lumps.

UNESCO World Heritage listed Gobustan petroglyphs were repeatedly investigated by the famous Norwegian explorer & adventurer Thor Heyerdahl, who recognized local boats petroglyphs as the oldest known images of pirogue in the world. These vessels, similar to the old Scandinavian ships, prompted him to make sensational hypothesis statement about the connection between Norwegians & Azerbaijanis. Thor Heyerdahl concluded that the ancestors of the Scandinavians were the migrants from Azerbaijan region.

Of special interest of the tourists is also a stone slab with a Latin inscription dated by the first century. The stone lab was left here by XII Roman legion of the Emperor Domitian, which indicates that legion had stayed here.

The next stop will be the nearby active Mud Volcanoes Azerbaijan is known for (weather permitting). . – a landform created by the eruption of mud, water & gases on the hill. Several geological processes may cause the formation of mud volcanoes. There are approximately 350 volcanoes located on shore, sea & islands. Mud volcanoes do not produce hot lava. The Earth continuously exudes a mud - like substance which is used as a raw material in chemical & construction industries as well as pharmacology.

Rich oil & gas fields have been discovered in the vicinity of these mud volcanoes of Lokbatan, Garadgh, Neft Dashlari, Mishovdagh & others.

After exploring the territory, taking the pictures, observing how bubbles of mud comes out from the ground & flows down, head to Shirvan National Park..

Shirvan National Park was founded to preserve the local Flora & Fauna, especially the goitered gazelle which is listed in the Azerbaijani Red Book of rare & endangered wildlife.

The Park covers a territory of 55 hectares & is home to the largest population of goitered gazelles in the region.

The Park’s semi-desert landscape interrupted only by a few artificial channels & extending inland from the Caspian Sea includes a shallow lake & a few mud volcanoes that provides wetland habitat for many birds & plants. The difference of mud volcanoes here are their excretion of liquid mud & oil instead of fiery lava. Bandovan Mountain is the most famous mud volcano in the park.

The Park is one of the best places in Azerbaijan for bird watching. There are 34 species of birds in the reserve, 14 of which listed in the Red Book. In autumn & winter, flocks of flamingos gather at Flamingo Lake.

Other mammals that can be seen are foxes, jackals, hares & wolves, wild cats, lizards, snakes, badgers, beavers, jerboas, long-eared hedgehogs, bats & turtles.

After spending an hour here, continue driving to the final destination of Lankaran through the green fields

Reach the hotel by evening & Check-in.

Lenkaran is one of the brightest & most beautiful cities in the country on the border with Iran, a spectacular region which holds some very special secrets. The nature of Lankaran harmoniously combines high mountain tops, fertile lowlands and pebbly sea coasts of the Caspian and the rhythm of life feels different from the rest of the country

Azerbaijani tea culture originated in Lankaran & the region displays its features proudly. Often by the side of the road, you see the pyramid-shaped silver foil packages filled to the brim with aromatic tea; almost as often you see small windows where you can buy Levengi chicken -- a local specialty -- & enormous gardens brimming with as many kinds of citrus as you can imagine.

Contrasting against all this rich greenery are the tiny red-brick houses characteristic to the area, always with some sort of ivy curling its way up the side of the home.

With a reputation for friendliness & hospitality, Lankaranis are usually ready to offer some tea & patiently explain how to get to three most intriguing parts of this captivating region

Lankaran is one of the oldest settlements in Azerbaijan & archeologists state that the area was inhabited from the Bronze Age.

Territorially & historically, Lankaran was a part of different states. In ancient times it was known as Talish area which was included in Smaller Midia or Atropatena. Lankaran was also under the rule of Seljuks, Khulaguids & Timurids.

In the 16^th century it was within the structure of Iranian dynasty of Sefevids. In the 18^th century it became a capital of independent Talish Khanate and in the 19^th century it was a part of Russia. Since the Khanate established its capitol in Lankaran, there was a great surge in trade relations between Iran, Turkey, Russia, China, India, Pakistan & Central Asia. Because of the linkages between East & West such as the Silk Route, Lankaran continued to grow as a major stopover point for caravan routes.

From antiquity, people throughout Lankaran, have been involved in animal husbandry, horticulture, aquaculture & sericulture. Trades such as blacksmithing, coppersmithing, pottery & weaving are key cultural traditions throughout Lankaran. Blacksmith, copper-smith, pottery & other trades were widely spread in Lankaran.

With the signing of the "Gulustan Treaty" in 1829 between Russia & Persia, Northern Azerbaijan was occupied by Russia & people took the lead in the development of several new industries such as viniculture, ceramics & brick making, and aided in creating trade ties between Lankaran & Russia. Through this exchange, Lankran strengthened its cultural roots, and its scientific, educational, health & industrial bases.

Balance of the day is at leisure to relax or for independent exploration (we shall be happy to offer suggestions about optional programs & arrange). 

Morning, meet the Tour-guide in the lobby at 08.00 am & proceed for a 4 hour tour of the city.

The walking tour will take you across some of the major landmarks in the “Inner City”. 

Right in the city centre, there is the House of Mirakhmad Khan - one of the most beautiful architectural monuments of Lenkaran. Designed & built by French architects in 1913, the elements of traditional Azerbaijani architecture were skillfully used during the construction of the Palace. The three-storey palace is considered the first multi-storey building in the city. Northern & western facades were made of bricks & white stones and eastern & southern ones - from red bricks. The top of the entrance is decorated with the figures of mythical animals.

The city's other major landmark is the 18^th century Lankaran Fortress with Dairevi gala" (Round Tower). The structure of the Fortress included two market places: Bigger & Smaller (Kichik). The Fortress was one of the main fortresses of the city within Talish khanate. Two mosques, biggest in the city, - "Zindan" Kichik Bazar Mosques - were erected in the early 20^th century within the complex.

According to the collected evidence, the Fortress made amazing impression with its high castellated stone walls & menacing cannons. Besides, the fortress was surrounded by deep moats which were filled with water in case of oncoming threat. The battles were fought from two towered fortifications - northern & southern, which stood quite far apart from each other. In 1812, after a bloody battle & great losses for both sides, the fortress was taken by Russian armies. After the fall of Lenkaran Fortress, Gulistan peace treaty was signed.

Walk through the National Park boulevard to see Philharmonic Hall, “Little Venice”, There are a few historical museums in Lenkaran that are both culturally informative as well as historically significant.

There are a few historical museums in Lankaran that are both culturally informative as well as historically significant. There is a historical local lore Museum containing memorabilia of Mir Akhmed of Talysh Khan in his former apartment house built in 1913. Another is memorial house-museum for major-general Hazi Aslanov in the Lenkaran region that was constructed in 1969 and another one is the Carpet Museum.

The symbol of Lankaran city, the 18^th century Lankaran Lighthouse, is surrounded by small houses, the structure is quite some way from the sea -- a fact that seems odd until you understand that the Caspian Sea has had fluctuating levels over the years. So much so, it's earned the nickname the "breathing Caspian."

A secret underground tunnel links the lighthouse to the Zindan Tower, constructed as part of Lankaran fortress & was a crucial element in the city's defense system.

Located right past the small bridge leading into the center of the city, this old circular building is hidden by enormous acacias &d fig trees - with only the top tower visible, where branches stick out of broken windows.

In pre-Soviet years, up to the early 20^th century, Zindan Tower was used as a prison & the old building seems to have changed little since it purportedly held captive one of the most ruthless rulers in world history: Joseb Dze Jughashvili, also known as Joseph Stalin.

Stalin was said to have been detained here as a young revolutionary & according to legend, he escaped through the underground tunnel to the famous Mayak Lighthouse with the help of Mammad Amin Rasulzadeh, (a central figure & source of pride within Lankaran) - the founder of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. He reached the lighthouse & made it off via the Caspian Sea.

Having fallen into disrepair, the building is sadly no longer open to visitors. Its walls hold their secrets and, for now, one can only peer above the thick wall of fig trees that block all view of the base.

A must-see cultural experience is an Azeri Toys (Weddings) party held at one of a handful Shadlig Evi _{(Wedding Palaces)}. At the weddings, delicious food & drinks are abundant, national music & dancing are showcased, grand toasts are non-stop, and the video camera is always rolling. The weddings are invitation only, but ask any local person about upcoming 'toys' and you're bound to get an invite to one. Azeris are reknowned for their hospitality and you will be welcomed with open arms.

The sightseeing concludes & you return to the hotel to Check-out & depart for Ganja.

Enroute, stop at  the 15,000 hectares Hirkan National Park which has 150 kinds of trees & bushes in the park area and 36 of them are endemic. The Fauna in the Park is not so rich, but you can see some interesting rare species there. You will see wild boars, spot antlers, jackals & Asian leopards. You will also see some endemic birds here, Woodpeckers, Hirkan tits & stone sparrows.

There are mainly chestnut leaf oak, iron-wood, the Caucasus persimmon, false nut & Lankaran acacia trees in the lower part of the park. The iron-wood tree (demir agaj) here has a very unique feature - it sinks in water. It is almost indestructible by pests & is only native to a narrowly restricted area in the Talish hills around Lankaran.

Arrive in Ganja by evening & Check-in at the hotel.

Ganja provides a feel of the real Azerbaijan away from the capital’s colossal development projects funded by oil money

An Arab established a settlement in modern-day Ganja more than 1300 years ago. According to legend, he found a treasure & became the governor. Both the Persians & Arabs destroyed the area in the 7^th century.

After passing through a series of rulers, in the middle of 10^th century Ganja became the capital of Shadadit - one of the smaller khanates on the territory of Azerbaijan. Then it was conquered by the Turkish Seljuks. In 11^th century, there was a major earthquake which destroyed the city & led to the disintegration of Seljuk state. But, as an after effect, a number of picturesque lakes were formed: Lake Gek - Gel, Lake Maral-Gel, Lake Dzheran-Gel, Lake Ordek-Gel & more, among them.

The city was rebuilt & Ganja became the second capital of Atabek state in 12^th century & in 18^th century, it became the center of Ganja Khanate.

Ongoing battles between the Turkish, Persians & Russians eventually culminated in Ganja, coming under Russian control in 1813. Renamed Elisabethpol after Tsar Alexander’s wife & later Kirovabad by Stalin and was the 2^nd biggest industrial & cultural city in Azerbaijan after Baku.

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Owing to the centuries-old history, the city became the location of numerous historical & architectural monuments with strongly pronounced Azerbaijan national color.

Among the surviving landmarks are the 14^th - 17^th centuries Gei-Imam cult complex, the 17^th century Djuma Mosque, a variety of picturesque old houses, well-known stone sculptures of horses & other pets.

Balance of the day is at leisure (we would be happy to offer suggestions).You might want to visit the local market & walk along the waterfront of the Caspian Sea.

Morning, meet the Tour-guide in the lobby at 08.00 am & proceed for a full day 8 hour tour of the city.

First stop will be at the Goygol National Park.

The Park is intended to protect the natural ecosystem of the area includes one of the most beautiful & cleanest lakes in Azerbaijan, Lake Goygol. The area is almost entirely covered by forests & has a rich flora & fauna with over 420 plant species, including 20 which are endemic to the area & there are fruit trees such an apple, pear, cherry & plum, too. There are several endemic subspecies of birds like the bearded vulture, Egyptian vulture, Eurasian eagle-owl, black woodpecker, golden oriole, mistle thrush to name a few.

The Caspian tiger once roamed these mountains, but is now extinct. Other large mammals here are the lynx, brown bear, wild boar, wolf, golden jackal, jungle cat, red fox, roe deer, badger etc. The Persian leopard subspecies of the leopard, lives in the southern regions in Azerbaijan, primarily in the Talysh Mountains, Nagorno-Karabakh & Nakhichevan regions. However it is still not clear if leopards live in the Göygol National Park.

Spend an hour in the picturesque surroundings before driving back to the city.

But one more stop on the way.

Reach Helenendorf with an interesting history.

Helenendorf (now called Goygol) was a settlement founded by German settlers from Württemberg who settled here in 1819. From the original 2 German colonies in Azerbaijan - Helenendorf & Annenfeld – near Ganja (called Elisabethpol Uyezd in 1819) the number of German settlements increased & reached 8 by the beginning of 20^th century.

German colonists worked in the field of viticulture & wine growing in Azerbaijan. The Vohrer & Hummel families ran wineries & owned several farms. Beer & cognac factories were built by the Vohrer brothers' firm in Helenendorf. Agriculture & various kinds of art also developed. In 1922, a state-owned wine-making production named "Concordia" was established here and in the 1930s, kolkhozes began to function. After the establishment of Soviet rule, the German-language newspapers "Bauer und Arbeiter" & "Lenins Weg" were published in Azerbaijan.

Education & culture in the German community were of great importance. In 1842 the first school building was built in Helenendorf. A total of 8 schools functioned in the German Azerbaijani villages & one was started in Baku. At the end of 1920, an Engineering school & in the 1930s the vine-growing & wine-making school began to function in Helenendorf.

Lutheran churches were established in Helenendorf & Annenfeld in 1854 & 1909 respectively. A Lutheran church opened in Baku in 1899.

In 1918 -1920, Lorenz Kuhn was the representative of the German population in the Parliament of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan. At that time, one of important historical events in the Germans life took place, the 100^th anniversary of the Germans' settlement & Helenendorf colony were celebrated in Azerbaijan on June 9, 1919.

In 1928, an Ethnological Museum was opened in Helenendorf by the initiative of archaeologist Hummel and a cultural club was started which included a theatre, sports associations, an orchestra, a choir & a library.

Spend an hour walking around Helenendorf, the biggest, most beautiful & richest of the German colonies in the Caucasus.

Continue driving back to the city.

In Ganja, visitors will find a blend of Islamic & Azerbaijani architecture, historical relics & an unrivalled level of hospitality. After passing through a series of rulers, each made their mark on the skyline. Minarets from 16^th century mosques sit next to Soviet residential blocks. The lavish Heydar Aliyev Park & its imposing Arch of Triumph represent the modern.

Proceed on a walking tour, visiting the UNESCO World Heritage listed Mausoleum of medieval Azerbaijani poet Nizami Ganjavi. There is 20 metre tall marble monument which has cast iron figures depicting scenes from Nizami poems. There is also a Museum, Art Gallery, Theater of Poetry named after Nizami.

You will also see a very unique Bottle House, a 2 storey building constructed of approximately 50,000 bottles, built by Ibrahim Jafarov in 1966 in honor of his brother missing in the Great Patriotic War.

Very popular with locals & visitors, are Ganja’s many picturesque alleys & parks, the largest & most beautiful of which is “Khan Baghi” (“Khan’s garden”), named so in the reign of Javad Khan (1748 -1803). Recently, the Park was renovated & as if shaking off its venerable age, has become younger and now boasts fountains with a modern lighting system, cafes, a theater & also birds: peacocks, white swans & pink flamingos.

Among the ancient monuments are: the big & small 12th century bridges & the palace of Sultan Darus numerous towers, madrasas, baths & caravanserais.

There are also several ancient mosques. You will see one of the most important, the central Juma (Shah Abbas) Mosque, A prominent Azerbaijani poet Vazeh taught for a long period at the madrasa in the Juma Mosque.

City baths are very notable by their striking colors and attractive domes. The ancient Chokak Bath was restored recently & now again functions as a traditional hamam.

Visit the Mausoleum of Sheikh Ibrahim preserved its original beauty, the restored Shah Abbas Caravanserai that has been converted into a modern hotel; See the near-by Tomb of Javad Khan.

Stop at the magnificent religious & historical 14^th century "Imamzade" complex with its blue domes. It is said that the son of 5^th Imam Mohammad Baghir Ibrahim was buried there.

There are also some beautiful churches, the 17^th century Armenian Church, 15^th century Caucasian Albanian Church which is now used by the Ganja State Philharmonic Chamber;

Finally the tour comes to an end & you drive back to the hotel.

Balance of the day is at leisure to relax or for independent exploration (we shall be happy to offer suggestions). 

Morning, depart for Sheki.

Enroute stop at Mingachevir, the 4^th largest city in Azerbaijan, known as city of lights because of its hydroelectric power station on the Kur River, which splits the city in half.   

The area has been settled for thousands of years, but the current city was founded in 1948, partly by German soldiers who were taken prisoner during World War II. A fierce battle took place between the powerful army of Roman command under Pompey & the yet army of Albanian governor.

Historical facts also prove that the ancient Silk Road passed via Mingechevir & interestingly, the road passing from here used to be called the “road of messenger” which connected lots of camelcades & caravans. Several mosques, workshops manufacturing fiber silk & silk cloth, operating in this settlement.

Mingachevir is a neat, planned city of well-tended wide green avenues, attractive parks and several interesting public statues.

That Dam created a vast reservoir of around 600 square kilometres that is now Azerbaijan’s biggest lake. Meanwhile, the river gorge through which the waters once surged is now calmed into a steady-flowing wide waterway that cuts the city in two, the Kura forming a limpidly perfect setting for Azerbaijan’s National Rowing & Canoeing Centre. The Centre is a state-of-the-art facility popular throughout the winter with Russian rowers seeking warmer climes. And the main section of rowable river lies handily close to the main bridge at the heart of town.

Just north of the bridge, a tree-shaded Park attractively filters the sunlight for tea drinkers at comparatively unsophisticated summer cafes. At the back of the cafes are a couple of jetties from which visitors can take very short pleasure cruises – daring the superstitious to ride on a boat named ‘Titanik’. A few hundred metres south of here is the main sports complex that includes a full Olympic size swimming pool and a river-view tower-restaurant which looks like a futuristic airport control tower. The city has many Parks & a couple of historical monuments

Visitors may enjoy a boat cruise here (direct payment – not included). 

The Mingachevir Historical Museum was established in January 1968 & features 2 sections - Martyrs’ Memorial & Independence Museum with 14,461 exhibits. The city is also home to Mingachevir Gallery, which includes 310 works of art by Azerbaijani & Russian artists.

East of the river the town appears to pivot around a large oval of mid-Soviet era public buildings dominated by an archetypal theatre named after Marziyya Davudova, an actress of Tatar descent who reached the height of her fame in 1949 (named People’s Artist of the USSR) just as Mingachevir was being built. To the southeast, the city’s sizeable mosque is worth a look for its oddly shaped minarets, like intercontinental ballistic milk-churns.

Drive on to Kish, one of the oldest of Azerbaijani villages, well known for the unique ancient Albanian temple.

This antique temple - mother of Alban churches, has a special status among Christian Albanian monuments. It is valuable not only as an architectural monument but also because of its outstanding historical significance. The official date of its birth is the 1^st century AD when the territory of Azerbaijan included the Caucasian part of Albania.

Historians assume that the Church was founded by Apostle Elise who brought Christianity to Albania. “Elise having received the Orient as his lot went from Jerusalem to Persia & started to preach with his 3 pupils. There, he was persecuted so he came to Kish where he founded a Church & made a bloodless sacrifice”

The Church has been of intense interest to scholars & excavations revealed that it was built in 5^th century on a site that once held a pagan Moon Temple. The Church is being renovated & will be turned into a Museum of History highlighting Caucasian Albania’s 1000 year of the existence. It is believed that the Church in Kish is one of the most ancient centre of Christianity in the entire world.

Spend an hour here before driving to Sheki.

Arrive by late afternoon & Check-in at the hotel.

Few foreigners visit Azerbaijan beyond its capital city of Baku. In so doing, they overlook a true gem in the form of Sheki.

A relatively small city, Sheki is set in a picturesque setting - it lies in the rolling, thickly forested foothills, which spread out to the south, while to the immediate north are the dramatic, snow-capped peaks of the Greater Caucasus - a mountain area rich in narrow gorges & green valleys, springs, purest rivers, waterfalls & mineral water springs framed by dense wood & alpine meadows.

But more than anything, the relaxed pace of life evident in Sheki's central market & tea houses makes the city a welcome respite from whatever cares may trouble you. Rich in Islamic architecture, Silk Road history, good food & friendly people, this is travel & leisure in the Caucasus at its finest. Sheki has its own theatre, a historical museum, the house-museum of the Azerbaijan writer & philosopher M.F. Ahundov.

Throughout its history, Sheki swung between independence & foreign domination.

In earlier centuries, Sheki was the seat of an Albanian kingdom, which was invaded repeatedly by the Persian, Roman, Parthian, Arab, Mongolian & other empires. In the past millennium, Sheki fell under the influence & often the direct rule of Persia or the Shirvanshahs of Baku. Shortly after the 18^th century collapse of the Safavid Empire, Sheki became the capital of the independent Sheki Khanate, during which the Khansarai was built. But Sheki's independence did not last long; it was absorbed in the early 19^th century by an expansionist Russian Empire.

Archeological data testify that the city can be considered one of the oldest settlements in the Caucasus; many finds on its territory are dated as old as 2,500 years. Due to Sheki's rather tumultuous political history (in a turbulent region), the majority of Sheki's preserved historic & architectural monuments date from only the 16^th - 19^th centuries.

In addition to enjoying the views & wandering the leafy streets, there are 2 sights in Sheki that you really cannot miss: the Khansarai & the Caravansarai. .

Sheki is a major center of crafts. The city still has street names that indicate the ancient professions - Duluzchular (potters), Zargarlar (jewelers), Halvachylar (confectioners), etc. By the way, be sure to try the famous, mouth-watering Sheki baklava, which is manufactured and sold in numerous family confectionary stores in the city center. You can buy jewels & engravings by local craftsmen.

There are numerous unique monuments of history that have survived, scattered around Sheki. Among those are the 18^th century “Kyumbazi” Towers in Kutkashen, Sumug Fortress & a mosque in Ilisu, a Fortress & Kish Mausoleum, a 4^th century Fortress in Ukhary -Chardahlar & numerous ruins. Depending on the available time, you might visit a couple of those.

Balance of the day is at leisure to relax or for independent exploration (we shall be happy to offer suggestions). 

Morning, accompanied by the Tour-guide, proceed for a full day excursion to Gakh.

On the way, stop at the Kurmukhi Church of St. George - a Georgian Orthodox Church located high up in the mountains, near the border with Georgia.

Some sources say the Church was originally built in the 1st century over a site that had been revered in pre-Christian times as a pagan temple. Albanian villagers would hold seasonal sacrifices at this spot to start or stop rain. The position of the temple high up in the mountains is picturesque. Indeed, the thick forest just below the Church hides a menacing black cliff face on the hillside.

The original Albanian Church was probably constructed in 12^th century. A Georgian church that was built in 1888 in the place of the ruins of the former Albanian Church when Georgia experienced a political, economical &d cultural golden age and you can still see the remnants of the first church. Its name first mentioned in Georgian Gospel, which dates back to the 14^th century & notes it was under jurisdiction of Georgian Orthodox Church.

The old Church, however was destroyed as a result of Shah Abbas I's invasions of Georgia & was rebuilt by the archimandrite Leonid (then Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia). The monastery is currently inactive but you may see people huddled in front of the cliff lighting candles & sticking them to the rock face & the smoke curling up into the fog. The Church hosts an annual Christian feast of Kurmukhoba, the festival of Saint Georgei, which is particularly interesting in that the shrine is visited by both Christians & Muslim Ingiloys.

You will also drive by Lekit village popular among foreign tourists coming to Azerbaijan in recent years

The word "Lakit" was taken from the name of Lak tribes who lived in that area in ancient times.

Some of the current population here are from the Mugals tribe & speak Turkish. The other part speaks in the language of one of the mountainous tribes of the Caucasus. Even though they all call themselves Lezgis, they emphasise that their language does not coincide with that of the Dagestan Lezgins.

The ancient village has a lot of history & there are ancient Albanian temples on a mountain near the village to prove that. The village church & its auxiliary buildings, located 1 km away from the village, date back to the 4^th – 6^th centuries. The construction & architectural style of these buildings are harmonious with the early medieval temple designs. In ancient times, temples were built on hills or on the slopes of mountains.

If interested, you can hike up to the picturesque Mamirli Waterfall.

Water has been flowing through the rocks for hundreds of years & has caused Moss to cover the rocks completely. So, local residents call it a mossy waterfall. When the water in the mountain-rivers is abundant, this Waterfall also has plenty of water, but it falls as droplets, which gives the Falls a unique beauty. In winter, this Waterfall is usually frozen.

Continue driving to Gakh city (also called Qax, Qakh, Kakhil) at the foot of the southern slope of the Greater Caucasus, on the river Kurhumchai.in the colorful northern Azerbaijani region between Russia & Georgia.

Gakh, one of the most beautiful, picturesque cities of Azerbaijan, is an ancient area of the country where from time immemorial, there have been residing Azerbaijanian tribes dealing with crafts, cattle breeding, and horticulture.

It has an ethnically diverse & multicultural population In addition to Azerbaijani Muslims, Avar, Tsakhur & Ingiloy (Muslim Georgians) tribes live here. The Georgian Ingiloy is the biggest minority group who make up some 14 per cent of the Qakh population.

Reach Gakh & wander around.

There are over 60 registered historical monuments of national and international importance in Gakh. Most of them are in nearby villages. The archeological monuments & burial mounds discovered here are evidence of bronze age settlements. You will find a great number of historical & architectural monuments - fortress ruins, towers, amphora burials, the fortress of Sumug Gala, a watchtower. Special attention should be paid to old Albanian temples of which there are many in this part. The very first Churches in the Caucasus & some of the most ancient temples are found here.

Reach the town & see the monuments of the antiquity, stroll around the surrounding hills, visit waterfalls and just wander around..

The notable places to see here are Icheri Bazar (or Inner Market) located in the center of city in the Old quarter which consists of a dozen of tiled houses & fortress walls, founded at the beginning of the 18^th  century &  renovated by the Russian troops in the 19^th century when they restored the surrounding Qakh Fortress walls.

Visit the Gakh History Museum which introduces its visitors to the diverse nature of the region & its historical past, from ancient times to the 20^th century with an exposition of interesting archaeological, ethnographic, culturological & other collections. You can see bronze & ceramic items, tools, weapons, samples of national costumes, etc.

Next door is the Caucasian Georgian Orthodox Church of St George. The ancient Graveyard in the church compound still exists.

There is also the Ulu Korpu (Old Gakh Bridge) built over the Kurmuk River on the road to Ilisu village, which has witnessed over 3 centuries of history, survived until our time & visitors have the opportunity to cross the river through this unique monument. It was built on rocky cliffs and lime & egg yolk was used as construction material. The side walls of the bridge are made of stones.

The region just outside the city has been transformed into a mountain resort area for rich people, so there are accommodation & restaurants & tea house coices. The town attracts hunters & fishermen from all over the world. In the Ilisu Reserve located not far from Qax, there are over 300 plant species, including medical herbs. You can come across Bears and a Mountain Goats, Wild Cats & Wolf, Boar or Partridge.  Hunters are offered tours to the valley of Ganyg-Eyrichaya, in the foothill forests, while those who are fond of fishing are normally taken to the rivers of Ganyn, Gapychay, Eyrichay. 

However, the pearl of Gakh region is a magical Ilisu village, located at 1200-1600 meters above the sea level in the beautiful Qaracay Valley, nicknamed Qax's 'mini-Switzerland' located amidst dense woods at the foot of the Caucasus mountains, under Mt. Ahvay, not far from the border with Dagestan (Russian Federation).

Drive on the scenic road passing by the Grand Bridge to reach the village just outside Gakh.

The small, stone-built village of Ilisu is a small place, built around a single street. A fairytale place with nature that is equally beautiful at any time of the year. The name "Ilisu" comes from the Kipchak language & means "warm water". The presence of the significant mineral sulphur healing springs in the province confirms this fact. Beside the Village, there is a unique sight of 2 two picturesque rivers - Black (Harachay) & White (Agchay) flowing parallel to each other.

It has a very rich history & was once a capital of Elisu Sultanate, an autonomous short-lived 18^th century Khanate coveted by Russia. There are several historical architectural monuments

One of the notable is the Juma mosque, which differs from all other mosques by its minimalism, absence of a dome & minaret, and a modest Mihrab (a semicircular niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the qibla).

Another historical place which you may want to see is the 17^th century Sumuq Gala. The name of the castle translates as "bones castle". The 30 meter high Castle Tower was constructed from the sea stones & lime mortar & dates back to the time when the Ilisu sultanate flourished. This Tower, which was a purely defensive fortification, was later used for living.

Ilisu also has the highest waterfall in Azerbaijan.

Ram-Rama is about 25 meters high. On the way to the waterfall, at the end of the village, there are dozens of tributaries (30-60 min climb up from the carpark but it is also possible to drive to the top).

The Ram Rama makes İlisu similar to the village of frozen waterfalls - Kriz in December, January, February. The local people call this Waterfall the diamond of Ilisu village. The Waterfall can be quite spectacular in end of March till mid-April, when there is still a dome of ice, standing & getting gradually hollowed by the falling water.

Time to go home now.

Start driving back to the hotel in Sheki.

Balance of the evening is at leisure to relax or stroll around on your own (we shall be happy to offer suggestions).

Morning, accompanied by the Tour-guide, proceed for a 4 hour sightseeing tour of the city.

The city can boasts many historical & architectural places of interest, but its pride is that magnificent work of Islamic architecture, UNESCO World Heritage Site of Khansarai - the 18^th century majestic royal palace of Sheki Khans with its magnificent wall paintings & tracery windows in the stone citadel. During the city's period of independence as the Sheki Khanate, Khan Hussein constructed the palace, its gardens, and fortifications to serve as the summer palace of the Sheki Khans. The palace is exquisite, inside & out, and the courtyard boasts panoramic views of the city & the surrounding mountain forests. It is said that during the construction of the palace, not a single nail was used. You can hardly find another Palace like this.

The other ‘must-see’ located close by is the Caravanserai, constructed by the Sheki Khans to house caravans as they passed through on the Silk Road to & from China.

Sheki was famous as the city of craftsmen & merchants. Merchants & traders from the countries of the Great Silk route used to gather there. Therefore, a great attention was paid to construction of caravanserais. Caravanserais were built with a view of all convenience & safety of merchants & their goods. In Sheki caravanserais merchants stored their goods in cellars, traded on the first floor & lived on the second. Each floor had more than 200 rooms. According to the tradition caravanserais had two & even four entrances. When closed, caravan serais turned into fortresses. This was one of 5 such stops in Azerbaijan during the 18^th & 19^th centuries, and was the biggest Caravanserai on the Silk Road in the entire Trans-Caucasus region. Only two of them have survived.

To this day, The Upper caravanserai (floor) still serves as a place for travellers to stay & eat (in addition to being a main sight, it is also one of the city's few hotel options), & also as a place where one can simply admire its beautiful architecture.

You will also be visiting the picturesque 18^th century Juma Mosque decorated with exquisite geometric designs & with its 40m spire, from which you will hear the resounding call to prayer 5 times a day.

Sheki, in addition to being on the Silk Road, has itself been a major silk producer over the past four centuries & is famous for its various silk products. Sheki's silk factory is about a 15 minute walk from the centre of town. However, it is quite difficult to gain entrance into the factory but there is a store adjoining the factory, where vendors sell very fine silk items at high prices.

Return to the hotel to Check out & depart for Gabala.

Enroute stop at Nij village.

Nij village is located in what was once known as Caucasian Albania populated with descendants of old Alban Kingdom.

The settlement of Nij is unique with its unusual planning lay out, transport system and its public, private & religious buildings where various ethnic & religious groups co-existed throughout the centuries. The large spread out village is divided into several quarters or compounds, based on the family relationships of its residents. Practically all the names of these quarters are in the Azeri language. Ancient Udi was the principal language of Caucasian Albania. Modern Udis are bilingual in both Udi & the Azeri language.

Religion is 100 per cent removed from the state here & freedom of religion is something you feel brings pride & togetherness. For a country that is 95% Muslim, the signs & support for all religions is evident. If a new Church is built for whatever denomination the heads of all other religions are invited.

The region was Christian for hundreds of years before the advent of Islam & is home to the largest population of Udi people anywhere in the world. There are only a few thousand Udi people in the world today & the majority, approx 4.000 live in this village.

After the arrival of Islam, Eastern Orthodox Christianity survived only in pockets where it had once been prevalent. The religion spread into Russia and had hundreds of years of varying support and dominance from the state. In Nij, interference from Russia was less until the time of the Soviet Empire, when Azerbaijan fell under Soviet rule, which generally discouraged all religious activity. The churches of Nij fell into disrepair.

Since the end of Soviet rule, the Russian people in Russia (& indeed the people of other former Soviet states) have been embracing Christianity with passion, rebuilding churches & cathedrals which had been destroyed or neglected.

Udis are a Christian people directly descended from one of the main tribes living in Caucasian Albania. They are the only ethnic minority retaining their affiliation to Christianity in Azerbaijan.

The forefathers of the Udi people were members of one of the 26 Caucasian Albanian tribes who played an important role in the creation of Caucasian Albania, an ancient state existing across much of today’s Azerbaijan & in the southern territories of Daghestan (currently in the Russian Federation) in the 4^th & 3^rd centuries BC.

As in their past, the tall & fair Udis today are involved in a variety of vocations, which include farming, cattle breeding, rice cultivation, sericulture, horticulture, poultry farming, craftsmanship & viticulture. Many Udi ceremonies, rites, and calendar days of the Udis are linked to farming.

Traditional ceremonies, rites, beliefs & traditions are the integral elements of an intangible cultural heritage. This is mostly reflected in the names and observance of national holidays. In their homes a flame always burns & the moon plays a great part in their beliefs, signalling that they kept some of the customs from the pagan era.

One such holiday is called Comrad, and is celebrated near a church, whereby, according to the tradition, the sacrifice of a black sheep is required. It is worth noting that this rite is similar to the Gurban (Eid al-Adha) - a sacred holiday of Islam, widely celebrated by Azerbaijanis.

Another popular holiday of the Udi people is Zhogulun Akhsibay, celebrated on the arrival of Spring when each family cooks a meal called kherse, paints eggs & jumps over bonfires. Many elements of this holiday are similar to those of the Novruz (Spring) holiday of Azerbaijani & Persian Muslims.

These unique features of the Udis’ cultural heritage have, in the past, been observed by many scholars & travelers who visited Nij.

Throughout the 19^th century, information about the Udis, particularly their language, was studied & published by Russian & Western researchers. Alexandre Dumas père, the French writer, in his book Voyage to the Caucasus (1859), provides detailed information about the Tribe’s specific economic activities, language & culture. According to these chroniclers, the Udis became politically active following their involvement in the military incursions into Greece of Persian Emperor Xerxes I. The Udi tribe was also described in the writings of Herodotus, Strabo & Pliny the Elder.

Explore the history and culture of this warm community by walking around this ancient village.

There is a beautifully restored Old House with its large backyard which has an Ethnography Museum & the Old 17^th century Albanian Chotari Church. One of earliest Christian Church in the Caucuses & the world, with mentions dating back to 5BC, this one is special as it belongs to the native Udis in Azerbaijan.

Today the Azerbaijani people are proud to have the Christian Udis amongst them, and support is now coming from the Azerbaijani government & money is being made available from Azerbaijan’s oil revenues.

Nij also was known in surrounding because of its market which the biggest bazaar in the region open only on Sundays.

After spending time here, proceed to the Savalan Winery located in the foothills of a magnificent mountain that protects the area from all winds & is nicknamed by the people as a "sleeping beauty". Stroll around the vineyards & observe the production to get an insight in the Azerbaijan wine making traditions.

Enjoy a Wine Tasting & Lunch.

Drive on to Gabala.

Arrive by late afternoon & Check-in at the hotel.

Gabala, is one of the most beautiful parts of Azerbaijan, rightly called “Azerbaijani Switzerland”, with a rich & ancient history. There is a great number of historical & cultural monuments of different eras in this region.

Sometime in the past this city (Kabbalah) was the capital of Caucasian Albania for 600 years, mentioned in the works of antique historians of the 1^ST century. Later in the Arabian sources, it was mentioned as Khazar. Up to this present time there are the ruins of the ancient city and the main gate of Caucasian Albania. Ongoing excavations near the village Chukhur confirm that Gabala from 4^th - 18^th centuries was one of the major cities with developed trade & crafts.

At first Gabala was a part of Shirvanshahs state & later Sheki khanate. The city was repeatedly exposed to devastating invasions. But despite this, Gabala has preserved material evidence of its civilized past.

The ruins of ancient Gabala are a short distance away from the present day city but the excavation finds from the ancient settlement can be seen in the City Museum. The area around Gabala also boasts of numerous historical & architectural monuments amidst the ruins of an ancient city said to be about 2,000 years old.

Among the local attractions here, are the famous 500 year old nut & chestnut forests - so called Russian forests, river valleys & numerous picturesque villages. Blooming chestnuts are a unique sight in the spring time.

Flora & fauna of the district are extraordinary rich: in the woods & mountain pastures can be found noble deer & wild boar, hare, bears, wolves, foxes and numerous birds - pheasant, grouse, francolin, etc. The abundance of game in the season attracts many hunters.

After passing through the picturesque streets of the city, you will visit the largest open air amusement park in Azerbaijan - Gabaland covering an area of 16 hectares. The town also hosts an annual International Music Festival of classical music, jazz & mugham, which is attended by bands & artists from all around the world. Not surprisingly that exactly in Gabala, is located a factory for piano manufacturing under the famous Dutch brand Beltman.

Balance of the day is at leisure to relax or for independent exploration (we shall be happy to offer suggestions about optional programs & arrange). 

You may visit the Spa complex (with its swimming pools, Turkish bath, saunas, massage, etc.) of the Qafqaz Resort hotel (where you would be staying). Or, you may enjoy a Catamaran ride on Lake Nohur.  

Morning, depart for Baku, enroute stopping at Lahij village.

Lahij (or Lahic) one of the main points on the Great Silk Road, is one of the most ancient human settlements in Azerbaijan on the southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountain.

Lahıc can feel just a little touristy at weekends when Bakuvians arrive to get photographed in vaguely preposterous sheepskin costumes. Listening to the mellifluous calls to prayers from the Mosques as mists swirl around the partly forested crags & meeting locals who, more than in any almost other village in Azerbaijan, speak a smattering of English, you will find delightful.

This medieval pretty, highland town is one of the most famous in the Caucasus and is much more beyond its trade & shopping centers. A unique living district, with its unusual planning lay out, transport systems, and its public, private & religious buildings, Lahij is an example of early urbanization & architecture, as illustrated by its cobbled streets & squares, together with its developed sewerage systems & water pipelines. Subterranean kurabandis (‘sewerage system’), made from river stones & dating back to almost 1000  - 1500  years, are thought to be one of the most ancient sewerage systems used in the world. None of the residents know where the Sewerage starts & where it ends, and by what principle it works, which does not prevent the collector from functioning for many centuries. Due to frequent earthquakes local people have developed sophisticated & authentic construction techniques.

During the Medieval Period, Lahij became an important centre of Craftsmen in Azerbaijan. Lahij master craftsmen could create 40 types of items related to Folk Art. These skilled craftsmen included jewelers, blacksmiths, carpenters, carpet makers, engravers, painters, tanners, shoemakers, sock weavers & others. Skilled potters & wood carvers make articles of copper, leather, embossing here & especially famous are the manufactured cold steel & copper utensils, decorated with engraved ornament.

The residents of Lahij are divided into 3 categories, based on their craftsmanship or professions: Baadvan, Azavarro & Araghird. Each of these categories has its own Village Square, Mosque, Hammam & Graveyard. One of the most striking features of the urban look of Lahij, are the respective village squares, which, today, still have specific roles in the public life of the village. With a population of approximately 860 ONLY ethnic Tats who speak the Tat language with a Persian dialect, Lahij is a notable place with its authentic handicrafts & traditions, particularly related to copper & weapon production in Azerbaijan in the 18^th & 19^th centuries.

Copper work is the most important of the skills developed by Lahij craftsmen, renowned for producing arms & copper items, decorated with carved ornaments. The development of copper production triggered the formation of such professions in Lahij as tinsmith, blacksmith & others, together with the creation of bituminous coal.

The structure & supplies of Copper Workshops, as well as its traditional external look & production processes remain preserved today, as they were in previous centuries.  Written sources, as well as, the rich copperware collections that may be seen in the Museums of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia & Europe, prove the existence of over 80 types of copperware equipment used in copperware manufacturing in Lahij.

Leather goods’ manufacture was the 2^nd biggest craft skill in Lahij, after that of Coppersmith. The local leather goods’ master craftsmen were expert in using shagren, tumaj & yuft as raw materials for various products such as shoes, belts, leather quilted jackets, book covers and bridles. Leather production in Lahij created suitable conditions for the development of other craftsmen, with associated skills – such as saddle makers, bridle makers, cobblers, hat makers and sheepskin makers. The village's carpet & rug crafts are also well known in Azerbaijan & South Caucasus.

Lahij, due to its unique & original features, has, throughout its history, been a centre of gravity for writers, scholars, artists & filmmakers, and, today, the residents make considerable efforts to promote the Region's cultural heritage & both Azerbaijani & foreign experts have written research papers about this unique village. Lahij & its residents have been featured in films shown at international contests & film festivals.

Spend a couple of hours here & move on to Shamakhi. 

Shamakhi was one of the ancient cities of the east. The city has a rich heritage & has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its 2 millennia of existence & it became famous as the home of many prominent Azerbaijani philosophers, architects & scientists, such as Khagani, Nasimi, Bakuvi, Sabir, Shirvani, Hajibababekov.

The town, rightly considered to be one of the most beautiful cities of the Orient, used to be the capital of medieval state of Shirvan & in 9^th – 18^th centuries, it was the capital & the center of Shamakhi Khanate of Shirvan Empire & played one of the major roles in the region until its destruction in 1717 by Dagestanian semi-states.

Under the Russian Empire Shamakhi was the capital of Shemakha Governorate, but the devastating earthquake of 1859 hurt the city. Then capital moved to Baku & the Governorate was renamed. Shemakhi is mentioned by the great Russian poet A.S. Pushkin in "The Tale of the Golden Cockerel" ("Give me to you a damsel, Shemahan queen").

Present day Shamakhi is a recognized center of Winemaking & Carpet weaving. Besides, it is a city of literature since it was the native land of many Azerbaijani poets. Right near Shamakhi there is an amazing place called Pirkuli famous for its snowy hills. It is probably the only place in sunny Azerbaijan where you can enjoy active winter pastime: skiing & snowboarding.

The main landmark of the city is Gulistan fortress (11^th - 12^th centuries) – the last refuge of Shirvan Dynasty built for the city's defense. Equally interesting are the Mausoleum of Addy-Gyumbez (The Seven Domes) with numerous burial places of Shamakhi governors, Djuma cathedral mosque (10^th century & reconstructed in the 19^th century) & numerous ruins of the 10^th - 17^th centuries.

To get to the site of excavations of Gulistan Fortress & see the remains of the towers and the camp of the fortress, a short hike out of Shamakhi, you will need to climb to the top of the ‘steep’ mountain.

Built in the 8^th - 9^th centuries & rebuilt in the 12^th - 13^th centuries, the site of the excavation contains a lot of fragments of various medieval ceramics (sometimes with traces of medieval paint), which you are allowed to take with you as a souvenir. Note: visitors have to be very careful about Snakes in Spring & Summer especially.

Juma Mosque built in 743 by Abu Muslim, is considered as the oldest one in the Caucasus after the Friday mosque of Derbent (constructed in 734). Built during the governance period of Caliphate's vicar in the Caucasus & Dagestan, the Mosque underwent numerous damages due to plundering, earthquakes & wars. It was repeatedly repaired, especially after the earthquakes of 1859 & 1887.

Strongly damaged once again as a result of the next devastating earthquake of 1902, it was rebuilt & reconstructed in 1905 -1910, by the architect Iosif Ploshko. The white-stone iron-concrete structure with iron domes also suffered as a result of a fire during the March 1918 events. In the Soviet years it was not used for its intended purpose & was repaired only in 1980. The Mosque was returned to its original appearance with the preservation of the old structure (side & rear walls, columns of the façade, etc.). In the courtyard, you can see old photographs of the Mosque.

Yeddi Gumbaz Mausoleum is situated in a Cemetery with a group of mausoleums, burial vaults of the Shirvan khans of the 18^th & 19^th centuries. Visitors can get inside only 3 of the 4 surviving mausoleums. The Tombstones inside the Mausoleums are decorated more richly than the ones outside. Also, in the Cemetery, there is the grave of the Azerbaijani poet-satirist Mirza Alakbar Sabir of the 19^th century.

Shahandan Mausoleum in the most ancient Cemetery of the city, where supposedly there is a grave of the 15^th century poet of Shahandan, brother of poet Imadaddin Nasimi. The Mausoleum was erected on this grave in the 17^th century, which has survived to this day & you can see it from inside. The grave of the Azerbaijani poet-satirist of the 19^th century Seyid Azim Shirvani is also located here.

The Museum of Mirza Alakbar Sabir, the Azerbaijani poet-satirist born in 1862 in Shamakhi was established in 1998 on the site of the house where he was born & contains 7 exposition rooms. There are about 600 exhibits stored relating to the poet and the era in which he lived & worked.

Spend time here before moving on. But another stop before your final destination.

Stop at Maraza village known for its unique 15^th century monument - the 2 story Mausoleum-Mosque of the called Diri-Baba, located across from the old Cemetery. For a long time the local residents have kept alive the legend that the Sufi Saint Diri-Baba is buried here. However, many other legends & mystical details are connected with this landmark. Therefore, since the 17^th century, it attracts pilgrims as well as curious visitors.

The building of the Mausoleum is a masterpiece of Shirvan architecture school, the beautiful creation of ancient craftsmen. The originality of this structure is that the architect "built" the Tomb into the rock on the cliff side giving the impression that the Tomb is suspended in the air in complete harmony with the picturesque environment - the landscape of rocks & green trees.

The Tomb impresses with its severity of architecture, purity of lines on the background of the rough dark rock. The light & smooth surface of its walls looks solemn & the Main Hall of the Tomb is located on the 2^nd floor. In front of the main hall, there is an ante room covered with an octahedral. Diri-Baba Tomb does not bear the complete name of the architect; there is only a piece of stone with a part of the inscription “… the son of master Gaji” & the date of the tomb construction - 1402.

Finally, drive on to Baku.

Arrive by evening & Check-in at the hotel.

Balance of the day is at leisure to relax or for independent exploration (we shall be happy to offer suggestions about optional programs & arrange). 

Morning, meet your Tour-guide in the lobby at 09.00 am to proceed for a 8 hour excursion to Absheron Peninsula just outside the city, which boasts of several interesting sites (in contrast to the ‘scenic’ routes, the scenery along this route is fascinatingly ugly - a desert wasteland with white salt flats & natural oil pools seeping up to the surface).

Fist stop will be at Yanar Dag - meaning "fire-mountain" - on Azerbaijan's Absheron Peninsula.  A natural gas fire blazes continuously on a hillside & has burned continuously for 4,000 years" even in the rain, snow, wind. The tall flames jetting into the air 3 meters from a thin, porous sandstone layer, dance restlessly across a 10 meter stretch of hillside, making a hot day even hotter.

A side effect of the country's plentiful natural gas reserves, which sometimes leak to the surface, Yanar Dag is one of several spontaneously occurring fires to have fascinated & frightened travelers to Azerbaijan over the millennia.

Baku, over thousands of years, opened its gates to millions of people from different corners of the world & became a homeland for these ancient tribes & nations. Venetian explorer Marco Polo wrote of the mysterious phenomena when he passed through the country in the 13^th century. Other Silk Road merchants brought news of the flames as they would travel to other lands. Consequently, Azerbaijan earned the moniker the "land of fire".

At one time they played a key role in the ancient Zoroastrian religion, which was founded in Iran (in Azerbaijan was part of the Persian Empire) & flourished in the first millennium BCE. For Zoroastrians, fire is a link between humans & the supernatural world, and a medium through which spiritual insight & wisdom can be gained. They believe it is purifying, life-sustaining & a vital part of worship.

Arrive at the no-frills Yanar Dag visitors' Center for the spectacle rather than religious fulfillment. The experience is most impressive at night, or in winter. When snow falls, the flakes dissolve in the air without ever touching the ground. The beauty & power of nature appears in front of the people, looking at this magnificent process. After spending an hour here, you will realize the true reason of calling Azerbaijan “The Land of Fire"!

Move on to the nearby UNESCO World Heritage listed Baku Ateshgah, often called the "Fire Temple of Baku", an ancient, castle like temple complex once used as a Hindu, Zoroastrian & Sikh place of worship, based on Persian & Indian Sanskrit inscriptions supposedly carved between the 1668 & 1816 AD..

The region had immense importance for the trading because it fell on one of the most famous ‘Silk Road” trading routes which actually connects the West to the Indian Sub-continent through Central Asia.

The Baku Ateshgah was originally a place of worship, pilgrimage & philosophical centre for Zoroastrians. The 4 holy elements of their belief were: ateshi (fire), badi (air), abi (water) & heki (earth). The Temple was built over a pocket of natural gas that fuelled a vent providing an ‘eternal’ fire. This kind of use of fire in Zoroastrian temples led to the followers of Zoroaster (Zarathustra).

The fortified pentagonal complex as seen today, which has a courtyard surrounded by cells for monks & a tetrapillar-altar in the middle, was built during the 17^th & 18^th centuries by Indian Shiva devotees, from Northwestern Indian Subcontinent, who were involved in trade with the Caspian area via the famous "Grand Trunk Road". It was abandoned in the late 19^th century, probably due to the dwindling of the Indian population in the area.

The natural eternal flame went out in 1969, after nearly a century of exploitation of petroleum & gas in the area, but is now lit by gas piped from the nearby city.

The Temple ceased to be a place of worship after 1883 with the installation of petroleum plants (industry) around the region.  The complex was turned into a Museum in 1975.

Return to the Baku by afternoon.

Balance of the day is at leisure to relax or for independent exploration (we shall be happy to offer suggestions about optional programs & arrange). 

You might want to stroll around & click some ‘memorable’ photographs of the vast & jaw droppingly original iconic internationally recognized architectural work Haydar Aliyev Center, designed by the acclaimed Iraqi designer Zaha Hadid & noted for its distinctive architecture & the flowing, curved style that eschews sharp angles.

Confounding context, scale & materiality, the Heydar Aliyev Centre, named after Heydar Aliyev, the first secretary of Soviet Azerbaijan from 1969 to 1982 & the first President of Azerbaijan Republic, adds to a repertoire of prodigious object buildings in the ambitious, oil-rich capital of Azerbaijan. The Center has become a signature landmark of modern Baku due to its innovative & cutting-edge design.

This building featured in Extreme Engineering, a documentary television series that airs on the Discovery Channel & Science Channel, is a majestic statement of fluid 21^st century architecture forming abstract waves & peaks that seem to melt together.

The real delight is simply pondering & photographing the extraordinary exterior from ever-changing angles.

Extending on 8 floor levels, the interior is impressive, too, accommodating a 1000-seat auditorium, temporary exhibition spaces, a conference center, workshops & a Museum. Arguably the best part of the permanent collection is 'Treasures of Azerbaijan', which walks you through the nation's cultural highlights.

Morning, meet The Journeys Rep & proceed to the Airport for the short flight to Nakhchivan.

After you exit in the Arrival Hall at Terminal? - Nakhchivan International Airport, you will be welcomed by The Journeys representative who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to the hotel, help you settle in & provide you with some useful tips for exploring the area as well as discuss the program for the next couple of days.

Reach the hotel & Check-in.

Naxçivan (pronounced Nakhchivan), is a semi-desert region that is separated from the main portion of Azerbaijan by Armenia to the east  & north, Iran to the south & west, and Turkey to the northwest,  is one of the most fascinating places you have probably never heard of or seen.

The Zangezur Mountains make up its border with Armenia while the Aras River defines its border with Iran. The Araz reservoir located on that river supplies water for agricultural needs & the hydroelectric dam generates power for both Azerbaijan & Iran.

A historic cradle of cultures, the area was once a major trade crossroads - but by geopolitical chance it has ended up as a disconnected lozenge of Azerbaijani territory wedged uncomfortably between hostile Armenia & ambivalent Iran.

The area that is now Nakhchivan became part of the Safavid dynasty of Iran in the 16^th century. In 1828, after the last Russo-Persian War & the Treaty of Turkmenchay, the Nakhchivan Khanate passed from Iranian into Imperial Russian possession. After the 1917 February Revolution, Nakhchivan & its surrounding region were under the authority of the Special Transcaucasian Committee of the Russian Provisional Government & subsequently, of the short-lived Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic.

In June 1918, the region came under Ottoman occupation. Under the terms of the Armistice of Mudros, the Ottomans agreed to pull their troops out of the Trans-Caucasus to make way for British occupation at the close of the First World War.  In July 1920, the Bolsheviks occupied the region & declared the Nakhchivan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic with "close ties" to the Azerbaijan SSR, beginning 70 years of Soviet rule.

In January 1990 Nakhchivan declared independence from the USSR to protest against the suppression of the national movement in Azerbaijan, & became the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic within the newly independent Republic of Azerbaijan a year later.

It is supposed to be home to Noah's tomb, the 'Machu Picchu of Eurasia' (Alinja Castle), a Soviet salt mine you can sleep in (Duzdağ), & a surreally neat, clean yet historical capital (Naxçivan City) where all of the countless Museums are free.

According to legend, the cleft in the summit of 2,415 m Ilandag (Snake Mountain) which is visible from Nakhchivan City, was formed by the keel of Noah's Ark as the floodwaters abated.

Ancient if heavily restored monuments & oasis villages are all relatively accessible in a fascinatingly diverse landscape of deserts and melon fields, craggy mountains & upland grass-rimmed lakes.

The number of named Armenian churches known to have existed in the Nakhichevan region is over 280. As early as 1648, French traveller Alexandre de Rhodes reported seeing more than 10,000 Armenian marble tombstones in Julfa.

The number of ecclesiastical Christian monuments still standing in Nakhchivan was estimated to be between 59 & 100. The author & journalist Sylvain Besson believes them to have all been subsequently destroyed as part of a campaign by the Government of Azerbaijan to erase all traces of Armenian culture on its soil.

The most publicised case of mass destruction concerns gravestones at a medieval cemetery in Julfa, regarded as one of the wonders of the Caucasus, likened to the Taleban blowing up the Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan in 2001. The Jugha cemetery was a unique collection of several thousand carved stone crosses on Azerbaijan's southern border with Iran.

Nakhchivan is one of the cultural centers of Azerbaijan. In 1923, a musical subgroup was organized at the State Drama Theater (renamed the Nakhchivan Music & Drama Theater in 1965). Dramatic performances staged by amateur dance troupes were held in Nakhchivan in the late 19^th century. Theatrical art also greatly contributed to Nakhchivan's culture.

The creative work of Jalil Mammadguluzadeh, Huseyn Javid, M.S. Gulubekov & Huseyn Arablinski (the first Azerbaijani theatre director) are just a few of the names that have enriched Nakhchivan's cultural heritage. The region has also produced noteworthy Armenian artists such as Soviet actress Hasmik Agopyan. Nakhchivan has also at times been mentioned in works of literature.

Later in the afternoon, at 02.00 pm, meet the Tour-guide & proceed for a 4 hour sightseeing of the city.

The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic is one of the touristic regions of Azerbaijan with its flora & fauna, climate & ancient Turkish – Islamic cultural & historical monuments such as Momuna Khatun, Yusif ibn Kuseyir, Gulustan tombs & Garabaghlar.

There are other touristic places like Babek castle, Kilit cave, Alinja castle, Gamigaya, Batabat lake etc.

Nakhchivan is also famous for religious holy places and sanctuaries such as Ashabi-Kahf and Prophet Noah’s grave tomb.

Start with the Old town visiting one of the many Museums here.

The 18^th century Palace of Nakhchivan Khans was built in the style of the Nakhchivan-Maragha architectural school & was the residence of the Nakhchivan khans before the early 20^th century. 

The Palace has since 1998 been offered for use as Nakhchivan Carpet Museum consisting of 8 halls, one of which is dedicated to Nakhchivan Khans. It exhibits 3296 cultural materials including 331 carpets & household items - copper samples, pottery & porcelain containers, antique men's & women's national costumes. Carpets with ornaments related to the different period of times are displayed. There are 124 Tabriz – Nakhchivan carpets as well.

Move on to Juma Mosque or Friday Mosque of Nakhchivan - is one of monumental constructions of the Atabegs’ Architectural Complex in Nakhchivan.

This Turkish mosque is a great construction with arches made of ashlar & there are many ornaments in its interior. It has one of the first arches in such a shape, evidence of the highest level achieved by the Azerbaijani religious architecture of the mid-11th and 12th centuries. Such a composition of the arch became the main architectural method in most of Islamic countries in the next centuries.

However, the monument is almost destroyed but can be visualised from the available images & and photos documented in the 19^th century.  There is a door with a minaret at about 107 meters from the mosque. There were supporting buildings in the area between the mosque & the door, but these are no longer present. It can be seen that the door belongs to the adjacent Momine Khatun Mausoleum.

Momuna Khatun Tomb, “one of the pearls of the Eastern architecture”, was built in 1186 in the west part of Nakhchivan city by the architect Ajami Abubakir Nakhchivani, the founder of school of architecture in Azerbaijan. Momuna Khatun was the wife of the founder of Azerbaijan Atabay state, Shamsaddin Eldaniz, who ordered the establishment of this tomb on the grave of his wife. Some investigators indicate that Shamsaddin, his wife Momuna Khatun & their son Mahammad Jahan Pahlavan were all buried in the same tomb. Initially, the height of the tomb was 34 meters, however, later 8 meters from its cover were destroyed. Exterior shape is decagonal while its interior is round.

Since it reflects the ancient history of architectural genre of Azerbaijan, it has been listed on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List.

Next point will be the Tomb of Prophet Noah or Noah’s Mausoleum dated from the 8^th century. It was considered a holy place for the local Armenians

The current mausoleum was built in 2006. The Tomb consists of remains of the lower storey of a former temple. There is a ladder leading to a burial vault which has a stone column in the middle. According to legend, relics of Noah are under this column. A portrait describing the Mausoleum of Noah 100 years ago, painted by the famous Azerbaijani artist Bahruz Kangarli is displayed in the National Art Museum of Azerbaijan.

The sightseeing concludes but the day is not over yet.

Nakhchivan has lately become famous for its Health Tourism since it has rich natural resources.  There have been improvements in the infrastructure facilities in the recent years & visitors come from all over the world for treatment.

Some of the more famous treatment centers in Nakhchivan are the Daridagh Balneological Hospital, Duzdagh Physiotherapy Center & Badamli Physiotherapy Hospital.

You will visit Duzdagh Physiotherapy Center which has a treatment center built inside a salt mountain. The arsenic water sources have been known to exist since 15^th century, but there were no health centers in the area until the middle of 20^th century. Several types of treatments for chronic illness are prescribed & are treated with a regimen of sulphur baths.

We have arranged for a general therapeutic Spa treatment (included).

Return back to the hotel.

Morning, meet the tour-guide at 08.00 am & proceed to visit some more landmarks of the area.

First stop is the Ashabi-Kahf meaning “Cave masters” in Arabic & refers to a natural Cave between Ilandagh & Nahajir mountain, a place of pilgrimage for Azerbaijanis, being mentioned both in the Quran & in the ancient Greek sagas.

This holy cave complex is shrouded in legend.  It is claimed to be related to an episode mentioned in 9^th - 27^th sentences of the Quranic Chapter “al-kahf” known as the ‘Seven Sleepers’, in which 7 young people, who ran away from those, who trusted not in God but another thing (the oppressive regime of a despotic local ruler named Dagh Yunus) with their devoted dog named Gitmir & fell asleep only to wake to a different world 309 years later.

The event mentioned in the Quran evolved into the story related to the “Ashabi-Kahf” situated in Nakhchivan. Because of the connection of this place to Quran, people viewed Ashabi-Kahf as a sacred place.

For long years, according to thoughts existing in some literatures, the event was related to Christianity & even the Cave place named in Quran was expected to be either in the Lesser Asia or in the territory of Palestine & may be, in other countries of the world. But in later years, beliefs evolved to prove that the very Ashabi-Kahf cave named in Quran is situated in the territory of Nakhchivan & it does not have any relation with Christianit. True or False? No idea but the believers believe.

Today the Complex, complete with mosque & shrines accessed via a network of stairs, is a popular pilgrimage site for local Azerbaijanis who come to make wishes & say prayers.

From here, proceed to the picturesque Batabat Lake – a magnificent tarn lake located at 2,500 meters above sea level amid beautiful mountains & floating islands.

Move on to Gulustan Mausoleum – a fine example of Islamic funerary art, located near the Gulustan village. The 12 faced Monument built of red sand stones, has an important place among other medieval architectural landmarks of Azerbaijan because it varies from them in its architecture-constructive structure.

The Tomb embodies the cultural integration between the Seljuq Empire & the ancient tribes of Azerbaijan in the 11^th – 13^th centuries. It has been inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List.

Pass by Ilandag Mountaun - where the legend says that Prophet Noah’s Ark crashed through this point during the Flood, splitting the mountain in 2 parts.

Last stop will be the 12^th century Alinja Fortress – an imposing defensive construction built at the top of a steep hill.

“The Machu Picchu of Azerbaijan.” That is how some locals have described the site of Alinja Castle, whose recently restored ruins are slowly becoming one of the prime tourist attractions of Azerbaijan. Like the Peruvian site, it sits way up an inaccessible 1800 meters high peak & is distinctive for its various layers & stunning panoramic views.  But its setting is on a stark crag rather than the lush green South American mountain. And unlike Machu Picchu you just might have the whole place to yourself, for now.

For those prepared to climb over 1500 steps up the mountain crag, awaits a magnificent view from the sparse medieval ruins.

There was probably a fortress here over 2 millennia ago & the site has certainly witnessed many fearsome battles, yet till recently there was little more than a handful of inaccessible stones to show for all that. The Castle was fortified in the 1140s when Naxçivan was at its most powerful, under a leader known as Eldegyz & it was so secure that it managed to hold out for 14 years against a siege that started in 1386. Since it was one of the safest Castles at that time, many leaders of the Ildenizids, the Khulaguids, the Atabeys of Azerbaijan & the Jelairids stored their treasures in Alinja.

After the recent gargantuan restoration, the historic walls have been partly built up to outline how the site might have been laid out in its 12^th century heyday. Other than a Mosque shaped Museum at the base, there are no complete buildings and no shade.

Return to the city.

Balance of the day is at leisure for independent exploration or to relax (we shall be happy to offer suggestions or make arrangements).

Finally, it is time to say good-bye to the "Land of Fire" & go home.  We sure hope that you may want to discover a bit more of Azerbaijan on your next visit. 

In time, you will be met by a Journeys Rep, who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to  the Airport for your flight to Baku

Check-out of the hotel by 12:00 noon (if the departure time is later in the evening, we will request the hotel to allow the use of hotel facilities & to leave the luggage at the Bell Desk). 

Our services end with arrival in Baku. You will wait at the Baku Heydar Aliyev International Airport, for the flight back home & connect directly.

However, if you have time to spare in Baku, you will be welcomed a Journeys Rep / Driver & we will offer a car with our compliments to enable you to drive around & catch up on your last minute shopping, if. The same car will drop you off at the Airport in time for the flight back home.  B

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