Hiking

Just over an hour’s drive north-west of Baku along the Guba highway is a 382-metre high mountain whose bizarre shape long ago led to it being called Mt. Beshbarmag, which is Azerbaijani for ‘Five-finger Mountain’. Legend has it that sometime in the ancient past a prophet called Khidr ventured here in search of a ‘potion of life’ and having drunk from a spring at the summit achieved immortality. Today the mountain is shrouded in mystery with locals coming here to pray for strength and good fortune. As a tourist attraction, it’s well worth climbing to witness a number of age-old spiritual rituals as well as for the fantastic views of the Caspian Sea from the summit. What's more, the general area is also one of Azerbaijan’s best birdwatching sites, with the corridor between the mountains and the sea acting as a bottleneck for hundreds of migrating bird species.

One of Azerbaijan’s top ethno-tourism spots, the picturesque village of Khinalig is located at over 2,000 metres and is said to be connected to the story of Noah, who some believe dropped anchor here during the Great Flood. Due to the steep terrain, the village’s 380 houses – many between 200-300 years old – are built very close together, with each roof doubling up as the courtyard for the house above. As descendants of one of the ancient Caucasian Albanian tribes, the locals speak a completely unique language. Travelling here will allow you to discover an intriguing local culture while experiencing the full majesty of the Caucasus Mountains.

For skiing enthusiasts tired of the traditional slopes, Azerbaijan’s two ski resorts in the Caucasus Mountains are a spectacular change of scenery. The luxury resorts at Shahdag have world-class amenities, 14 well-prepared slopes, friendly instructors and diligent staff. Piste quality is ensured by state-of-the-art snow guns and accessed by a brand new network of world-class cable cars and ski lifts. For more advanced skiers, black runs await at the Tufandag Mountain Resort in Gabala. But even for non-skiers there’s plenty to do: besides rental and repair shops, both resorts are well equipped with cafes, bars and restaurants; and both are open in summer, allowing visitors to soak in the fabulous scenery all year round and enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking, cycling and paragliding.

For skiing enthusiasts tired of the traditional slopes, Azerbaijan’s two ski resorts in the Caucasus Mountains are a spectacular change of scenery. The one at Tufandag, just 4 kilometres from Gabala city centre, offers 12 kilometres of slopes, with a mix of challenging reds and blacks for experts and easy options for beginners. The slopes are kitted out with state-of-the-art snow guns and accessed by a network of cable cars, which offer gorgeous views of the Caucasus Mountains. There's also an a ski school and a range of accommodation options including several luxury and upper-mid level hotels. In summer visitors can enjoy plenty of outdoor adventures, from hiking and cycling to paragliding and jeep tours.

Just 260 kilometres away from Baku, Gabala, located at the foot of the Caucasus Mountains, is Azerbaijan’s prime outdoor activities hub. The city offers great skiing in winter at the Tufandag Mountain Resort and adrenaline-fueled adventures in spring and summer. Paragliding is also available at Tufandag Mountain Resort, as are jeep safaris that whisk you off into the spectacular Caucasus Mountains with stops for traditional Azerbaijani breakfasts, or lunch and dinner in authentic country villages. Rafting can be enjoyed in the village of Savalan on the banks of the Turyanchay River where local company Gabala Rafting operates between May and September, offering rides along a scenic 11-kilometre stretch of the Turyanchay river.

Nestled in a valley flanked by rolling hills, Jar presents a wonderful rural landscape and is probably scenic Zagatala’s most picturesque village. It’s also the start of a lovely hike to a plateau called Shamilovka which is covered in alpine meadows and overlooks the Katekh River that weaves its way through rugged mountains and thick forest. The route up takes about five hours during which you’ll pass natural springs, where you can fill up your water bottles, and the local shepherds that spend summers on the plateau with their flocks. For the full experience, spend a night at the campsite at the top before returning to Jar the following day via an alternative route through dense beech forest.

Bordered by the Caspian Sea and the lush Talysh Mountains, Lankaran is ideally placed between two of Azerbaijan’s best nature reserves. The swamps of the Gizil Aghaj reserve on the Caspian coast just north of Lankaran city are famous for being home to a multitude of water birds, not least the flamingo which migrates here from Africa each winter. Meanwhile, the vast Hirkan National Park spreads throughout the Lankaran and Astara regions. It’s a botanist's paradise home to a huge variety of trees, including ancient iron trees that survived the last ice age as well as the very endangered Caucasian leopard. Over a dozen marked routes offer great hiking opportunities, some with lunch stops and tea breaks along the way in timeless local villages.

The history of the town of Gadabay in the Lesser Caucasus Mountains is tightly linked to the German Siemens brothers and their copper mining operations here in the late 19th century. A copper mine had already existed in Gadabay, but the Siemens brothers introduced modern methods as well as constructing a 28-kilometre railway connecting the mines with a copper smelting plant in Galakend – an engineering masterpiece given the complexity of the mountainous terrain.

Visiting Gadabay today, you can still see some of the German-style brick housing the Siemens brothers left behind after abandoning the area shortly after World War I. Look out for the miners’ old administrative building (now the Agricultural Seed Office) and the Culture House (now a library) in particular. And if you travel about 30-40 kilometres further into the mountains, preferably with a local guide, you can also discover the spectacular remains of arched bridges from the Siemens’ pioneering narrow-gauge railway.

Surrounded by such outstanding mountain vistas and unique flora and fauna, there is no better way to appreciate the magic of Guba’s many mountain villages than on foot. Visitors are more than welcome to join eco-friendly hiking tours through settlements such as Griz, Galakhudat, Laza and Khinalig located near the Shahdag National Park and its iconic peak, Mount Shahdag. You’ll be able to experience the majestic landscapes of the Caucasus Mountains and its multi-ethnic peoples accompanied by experienced guides who will be happy to share local stories and traditions.

One of Azerbaijan’s top ethno-tourism spots, the picturesque village of Khinalig is located at over 2,000 metres and is said to be connected to the story of Noah, who some believe dropped anchor here during the Great Flood. Due to the steep terrain, the village’s 380 houses – many between 200-300 years old – are built very close together, with each roof doubling up as the courtyard for the house above. As descendants of one of the ancient Caucasian Albanian tribes, the locals speak a completely unique language. Travelling here will allow you to discover an intriguing local culture while experiencing the full majesty of the Caucasus Mountains.

About three hours’ drive from Baku via a geologically spectacular canyon, the pretty little village of Lahij woos visitors with its antique cobbled streets, stone houses, souvenir shops and crafts. In the past over 40 different crafts were practised in this historic village, which is now a historical and cultural reserve and whose inhabitants converse in their own language. They included hat making, leather production and carpet weaving. However, Lahij is most famous for its unique copperwares, which in the past were sold all across the Caucasus and the Near East. It was always thought that the best coppersmiths hailed from Lahij. The cool mountain air makes travelling here especially appealing in summer, which is also a great time to try some of the many hikes (offered by Baku-based tour companies) that start or end in or around this timeless village.

Just 260 kilometres away from Baku, Gabala, located at the foot of the Caucasus Mountains, is Azerbaijan’s prime outdoor activities hub. The city offers great skiing in winter at the Tufandag Mountain Resort and adrenaline-fueled adventures in spring and summer. Paragliding is also available at Tufandag Mountain Resort, as are jeep safaris that whisk you off into the spectacular Caucasus Mountains with stops for traditional Azerbaijani breakfasts, or lunch and dinner in authentic country villages. Rafting can be enjoyed in the village of Savalan on the banks of the Turyanchay River where local company Gabala Rafting operates between May and September, offering rides along a scenic 11-kilometre stretch of the Turyanchay river.

Nestled in a valley flanked by rolling hills, Jar presents a wonderful rural landscape and is probably scenic Zagatala’s most picturesque village. It’s also the start of a lovely hike to a plateau called Shamilovka which is covered in alpine meadows and overlooks the Katekh River that weaves its way through rugged mountains and thick forest. The route up takes about five hours during which you’ll pass natural springs, where you can fill up your water bottles, and the local shepherds that spend summers on the plateau with their flocks. For the full experience, spend a night at the campsite at the top before returning to Jar the following day via an alternative route through dense beech forest.

Perched high in the Talysh Mountains, the quiet town of Lerik is surrounded by a beautiful natural landscape of mountains, rivers and waterfalls. This, of course, has a lot to do with how Lerik became known as the Land of Centenarians – the water, air and plants here are so lush and pure that they are thought to have a medicinal quality. In fact, so many of Lerik’s local residents have passed the 100-year threshold that the town has its own museum dedicated to its centenarians. One man featured here is Shirali Muslimov, a resident of the nearby village of Barzavu, who lived for an astonishing 168 years! If you’re keen to learn the secrets to a long and healthy life, then don’t miss paying a visit to Lerik.