Day 1

Arrival to Baku, transfer from Baku airport to your Hotel. Check-in. Breakfast.

Start of excursion in Old Town - "Icheri Sheher. See the highlights of Icheri Sheher including the Palace of the Shirvans(the most striking example of the medieval palace structures in Azerbaijan, dating to the middle of 15th century); Maiden's Tower(the ancient, eight storey fortress originally built as a fire beacon); visit Dzhuma Mosque, antiques and carpet shops.

Lunch

Sightseeing tour in the city: Martyr's Cemetery, located on the higher slopes of the city's west-end, this is the best place for panorama viewing of the city and the Bay of Baku. You will have a walk along Baku Boulevard, the second largest one in the Europe. You can get a boat and make 30 minutes trip along Baku Bay. You will be introduced with the interesting facts and legends of the largest lake in the world better known as Caspian Sea.

Return to the hotel. Dinner. Overnight

Day 2  

Breakfast. Leaving for a tour in Absheron peninsula. The second day will be spent primarily within the Greater Baku, where you will be taken to main sites on the Absheron Peninsula

Ateshgah - the Fire Worshippers' Temple is located in the village of Surakhany. It was built on land where natural gas burned eternally by Zoroastrian believers who travelled from the province of Multan in India to worship. These ancient fires are believed to have given Azerbaijan its name, which is thought by some researchers to mean the 'Land of Fires'.

Also this day you will visit well preserved ancient castles of Absheron Peninsula dated XII-XIII AD and located farther out on the Absheron Peninsula. There are several fine medieval castles - one each at Amirajan and Nardaran and two at Mardakyany - apparently built for defense by the Shirvan shahs in the 14th century.

Lunch

After lunch you will visit the Gobustan reserve. Gobustan is an open-air museum littered with Neolithic rock drawings. Just 65km south of Baku, Gobustan has some 4000 inscriptions that go back 12,000 years (with some 2000 year old Latin graffiti to boot). Stone Age folks sporting loin cloths pose hunt and boogie down. Their dances are thought to have been accompanied by the melodious strains of the Gaval-Dashy (Tambourine Stone) - a rock that has a deep, resonating tone when struck.

The well-preserved sketches display ancient populations travelling on reed boats; men hunt antelope and wild bulls, women dance. The famed Norwegian anthropologist Thor Heyerdahl returned many times to Azerbaijan between 1961 and his death in 2002 to study the site, which he argued to be evidence that modern-day Scandinavians migrated north through the Caucasus in prehistoric times. He found similarities in the drawings to those found in Scandinavia, particularly some in Alta, Norway. According to Icelandic Sagas, written in the 13 th century, the Norse God Odin (Wotan) migrated from the Caucasus in the first century AD.

You will also have a chance to visit quite a unique site where 300 of the planet's estimated 700 mud volcanoes sit Gobustan,
Azerbaijan and the Caspian Sea. Many geologists as well as locals and international mud tourists trek to such places as the Firuz Crater, Gobustan, Salyan and end up happily covered in mud which is thought to have medicinal qualities. In 2001 one mud volcano 15 kilometers from Baku made world headlines when it suddenly started spewing flames 15 meters high.

Back to the hotel, free time


Day 3

Breakfast. Departure to Lagich through Yeddi Gumbez(Seven Domes) and Deri Baba mausoleum in Shemakha. Lagich, which is one of the most beautiful corners of Azerbaijan lying at the foot of the Great Caucasian Mountains - the land of rivers, lakes and waterfalls. Three climatic zones are represented at the same time in this region, ranging from snowy mountains to hot planes. Lagich village is famous for its skilful craftsmen. This village is inhabited by hereditary braziers, tanners, engravers, potters, and blacksmiths, metal and wood carvers. During the excursion you will see the bridge connecting two villages, the stone water-pipe of the 16th century, and specimens of dwellings of the 19th century with wall paintings, Museum of regional studies where ancient carpets and brass articles are kept.

Lahij village of Ismailly region is a historical and architectural reserve with no hint of modern times. The only communication with an external world is a bumpy dirt road. Village population consist of Persian-speaking people. Village is located at the height of 1211 m, on the left bank of the river Girdimanchay.

You will have an opportunity to see ancient mosques, baths, water pipes and waste systems of the medieval period operate nowadays. The village is famous for its handicraftsmen.

Some hiking in the mountain Nialdag, visit waterfalls and mines of the fortress of Javanshir. Accommodation in the private house in Lagich with breakfasts and dinners included.


Day 4

The city of Gabala is situated within 225 km from Baku and was built 1800 years ago, out of which 600 it had served as the capital of Caucasian Albania. Located in an area of tall mountains and deep canyons, near the Garachay and Gochalanchay rivers, Gabala is notorious for the ruins of an ancient walled city (Chukur Gabala), dating back to the 4th century BC. Situated south of Mirzabaili, 20km from the modern town, although with an area of 25 hectares the ruins of Chukur Gabala were only discovered in 1959. Since then a lot of archaeological work has been done, uncovering a wide area of urban settlement and artefacts evidencing trade links with Europe, Asia and the middle east. You can still see the remains of five watchtowers and the walls between them; burial grounds; gates; furnaces; residences; etc.

The city has an interesting cultural centre, with beautiful Soviet mosaics, a large war memorial, numerous ancient stone houses and the Rashidbek monument, shapped as a huge book. To enjoy a good perspective of the city climb the neighbouring Kohmurad mountain, an ancient lookout position controlling the city and the mountains. The program of today includes visit to the village of Nidzh, not far from Gabala, known for a unique architectural monument of the Caucasian Albania - Udin Temple. The Udins are absolutely special ethnic group who are considered descendants of Alabanians (only 10,000 of them left). They have managed to preserve their traditions, language, material and spiritual culture up to now. Just recently the temple has been restored and today it is open for church-goers of udin Christian community and tourists wishing to witness the most ancient landmark of Azerbaijan . The restored temple was constructed in the17th - 18th centuries on the site of an ancient Albanian church which had been built at will Saint Eliseus - the Christian ecclesiast and educator honored in the Caucasian Albania. The present day temple has been named after him.

Then transfer to Sheki. After arrival in Sheki and accommodation in "Yuhari Karavansaray", the hotel which was used by Great Silk Route travelers on their way to Europe. Sheki is one of the most famous and ancient places of Azerbaijan. Situated 700m above sea level like an amphitheatre surrounded by mountains and forests of oak trees this ancient city was long famed as a silk centre and an important stop on the Great Silk Route. There is an assumption that the name of the town goes back to the ethnonim of the Saks, who reached the territory of Azerbaijan in the 7th century BC. Sheki is long famed as a silk centre and an important stop on the Silk Road. Sheki still has the site of a huge factory that was once the Soviet Union's largest silk plant (such a big factory was naturally named after Lenin...). Unfortunately this factory is closed now.After breakfast in the hotel you will start your Sheki tour from visiting 18th century Khan's summer palace with magnificent frescos (one 24 m long) and exquisite stained glass work (northern part of the city). You can also visit Sheki History museum with artifacts from several periods, but notorious for pieces relating to silk manufacturing and trade.Also you will visit the Albanian church located in Kish village. Legend say that church was built in 78 AD, but the researchers place it a few centuries later. Return to the Hotel. Upon your return to the hotel and having a local style dinner you will have a free time with an opportunity to enjoy a scenic view of Caucasus Mountains. Overnight.


Day 5

After breakfast transfer to Ganja through Mingechavir. Mingechaur is located on the Kura River. It is well-known first of all for its water basin which local residents call 'Mingechaur Sea'. It provides nearby areas of the republic with fresh water. Located on the coast of the water basin is the tourist center with a magnificent view on the sandy beach. But it is not only the "sea" that attracts tourists.

Ganja is Azerbaijan's second-largest city. In Soviet times it was named Kirovabad. According to medieval Arab sources, the city of Ganja was founded in 859-60 by Mohammad Khaled - the Arab governor of the region in the reign of the caliph Al-Mutawakkil, and so-called because of a treasure unearthed there. According to the legend, the Arab governor had a dream where a voice told him that there was a treasure hidden under one of the three hills around the area where he camped. The voice told him to unearth it and use the money to found a city. He did so and informed the caliph about the money and the city. Caliph made Mohammad the hereditary governor of the city on a condition that he would give the money he found to the caliph. However, modern historians believe that the Persian name Ganja suggests that the city existed in pre-Islamic times and was likely founded in the fifth century A.D.

The city is situated on a foot of the Small Caucasus, on the Ganja River, south of the Kura River in a rich agricultural area. It is in a middle of the way between Baku, the capital city of Azerbaijan, and Tbilisi, the capital city of Georgia.There are many ancient historical monuments: mosque of Albanians, Ganja Gates (X-XI c.), Palace "Dar-us-Soltan" (XII c.), towers, medrese, bath-house, Caravansaray, Imam-zade Complex (XVI c.), Djuma Mosque (1606). To the south of Ganja between the emerald alpine forests is hidden the azure lake Goy-Gol (Blue Lake). On slope of mountains surrounding the lake there are unique creations of nature: "Stone circus", "Chingil", mystical caves and grottos.

A local oddity is the bottle house, a two-storey building decorated with about 50.000 glass bottles! (intersection of Guseinli and Garia streets) The decorations contain a portrait of one of family members, missing since WWII.One of its main preserved elements is the building of Juma-Mosque, build in 1606 by the known scientist and architect Sheykh Baga-ud-din. The Mosque consists from a prayer hall and small official rooms, contiguous to its corners. Internal space is naturally lightened through covered by lattices Shebeke - windows, lined in two and somewhere three raws. The Mosque, constructed from the red brick, is placed in the middle of the courtyard, surrounded by indistinct walls, with gates accented by vertical lines of the twin-minarets. The complex of constructions included Madrasa (school). A bath joined this Madrasa at west. At the southern side of the mosque there was a cemetery.

Overnight in the hotel.


Day 6.

Departure for Baku in Altstadt Hotel / or to Azeri-Georgian boarder point at Red Bridge.

Day 7.

If returned to Baku a day earlier then transfer to the airport.

Package includes: 

accommodation in Baku in 3 star Altstadt hotel (double/twin occupancy for groups)
Breakfasts
Private vehicle accompanied by an experienced English speaking local guide
Your guide will look after you exclusively
Local driver for your vehicle, exclusively for your tour
Sightseeing program including all entrance fees
Private guided transfers to and from airport
Guide's and driver's expenses