Ever heard of Baku in Azerbaijan? I haven't either. After talking to some locals and researching the web, I found out that this place is an ABSOLUTE and pretty unexplored hidden gem! Baku definitely deserves more attention. With a population of 2.2 million and a beautiful 20 km (65,616 ft) long coastline, this unique city has so much to offer to travelers; from beaches and volcanoes to a cityscape where the ancient meets the new. So we will give it that well deserved attention ;) We will stay in a spacious villa with a pool 20min from the city center with a view of the cityscape and nearby sea. From interesting sightseeing to excellent traditional food, a dribbling nightlife as well as an adventurous surrounding nature with deserts, "fire" mountains, volcanos, etc., we will experience it all. We will visit ancient mosques, local food markets, mountains that actually burn, the Caspian Sea, mud volcanoes (that unlike in Iceland, can be approached quite closely), hip cocktail bars, a little Venice, a seafront boulevard with a stunning skyline view, Sheki city in the beautiful mountains, burning natural gas fires, the 5,000-year-old village of Xinaliq with its stunning nature and waterfalls and whatever else we feel like doing. As the famous blogger Nomadic Matt states it after having traveled the country: "Though a very rural and quiet country, when I backpacked around Azerbaijan, I found it to be one of those “undiscovered gems” that too many people skip — especially if you want to get out and hike without crowds! Azerbaijan is an amazing, wonderful, beautiful, and friendly place. Baku, the capital, is a modern city steeped in oil money with a recently built subway, fast Wi-Fi, and tons of Parisian-style buildings (in the 1900s, newly rich oil barons modeled the city after Paris) as well as towering and futuristic steel and glass buildings." 💰Please keep in mind, the price includes the premium accommodation and rental car and airport shuttle (so all transport, but not the petrol money) Flights to Baku are currently around 400-450 euros return, please be aware about that (yes, we are still in a global crisis unfortunately). Are you in? Send me a message 📬
Deine Buchung beinhaltet kostenlosen Schutz vor Trip-Stornierung. Mehr erfahren
Leider war die Reise wenig organisiert und die Kommunikation nicht gut. Das führte dazu dass wir abends vor Ort regelmäßig nach Aktivitäten, Sehenswürdigkeiten und Wanderroute recherchieren mussten. Die Zusammenstellung der Gruppe war hingegen super, so dass wir uns trotz großer Gruppe (9 Personen) sehr gut verstanden haben und eine gute Zeit miteinander hatten.
We will visit ancient mosques, local food markets, mountains that actually burn, the Caspian Sea, mud volcanoes (that unlike in Iceland, can be approached quite closely), hip cocktail bars, a little Venice, a seafront boulevard with a stunning skyline view, Sheki including some skiing (if desired) and hiking in the beautiful mountains, burning natural gas fires, the 5,000-year-old village of Xinaliq with its stunning nature and waterfalls and whatever else we feel like doing. The houses on the pictures are accommodations that we are planning to stay at during our entire trip in Azerbaijan. :)
2
Baku
Tag 3-4
Azerbaijan’s capital, dubbed by Lonely Planet as “the architectural love child of Paris and Dubai”, is one of the fastest changing cities in the world. Dilapidated alleyways are now bustling with hipster cafes and international restaurants. The Flame Towers are a marvel of modern architecture. At the centre of Baku lies the Old City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Surrounding this time capsule are stone mansions and luxury boutiques. The blend of the old and new works effortlessly. We will just as effortlessly visit all these astonishing places during the course of the week. Just look at the pictures to get an idea of the places we will visit and things we will do in Baku.
3
Qobustan
Tag 4-5
Exploring the Gobustan mud volcanoes and rock art Despite initial appearances, Gobustan is not actually dead but living – living in the 14,000 residents who call the nearby town home; living in the blistering mounds and temperamental coastline that are constantly shifting on Mother Nature’s whim. Beyond, an azure Caspian floats just out of reach, a backdrop to the flat-top mountains this retreating inland sea pummeled into shape. Above, the azure sky is dotted with choppers surveying the oil rigs below. Azerbaijan is often described as otherworldly, and Gobustan is otherwordlyness incarnate. It’s not oil or tar bubbling up from the earth as you might imagine, but mud – thick, goey, cold mud. More than half the world’s mud volcanoes – about 300 in total – are found in Azerbaijan, and some of them are here in Gobustan. Mud volcanoes are not really volcanoes at all, but take their name from their resemblance to the molten-lava kind. Mud volcanoes come in all shapes and sizes and many are very small. Because they have no lava and rarely erupt, it’s safe to get up close. Exploring this wicked landscape is great fun; it really does feel like you’re standing at the edge of the Earth out here. A vista of Gobustan is like a glimpse at the end of existence. Additionally, over 6,000 petroglyphs (prehistoric rock carvings) can be found inside Gobustan National Park, and they date back to as far as 40,000 years ago. This day will be a guided day trip departing and arriving in Baku, we will stay the night in our Airbnb in Baku city.
4
Gebele
Tag 5-6
Gabala – Hidden paradise in Azerbaijan Off to new lands! Pack your bags, we are leaving Baku until the end of our trip! Gabala is one of the most ancient cities in Azerbaijan, and while it’s home to tons of temples, mosques, and other historical monuments, it’s mostly known for the beautiful verdant mountains around it. Some of the best things to do in this city include taking a cable car up Mount Tufandag to see the breathtaking valleys underneath. We will stop by Nohur Lake to soak in the serene atmosphere and the gorgeous emerald waters. Gabala is definitely one of the best places to visit outside Baku if you’re after some incredible landscapes! Moreover, we will be able to ski along the peaceful trails at Tufandag Winter Summer Resort.
5
Sheki
Tag 6-8
Sheki City in the mountains of Azerbaijan Sheki is Azerbaijan’s true travel gem, a small city off the forested slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountains rich in Silk Road history and renowned for its fascinating architecture (including one of the most beautiful buildings in the Caucasus, the Sheki Khan’s Palace), food, and friendly residents. Visiting Sheki’s craft workshops and textile museums, rifle through antiques at the bazaar, wander the charming back streets, and indulge in piti, Azerbaijan’s national dish and a Sheki specialty, hike the beautiful mountains, that's what we plan to do there. Sheki has still managed to hold onto its residential neighbourhoods, which are an absolute delight to wander through. Pair this with friendly locals, good food and fresh air, and Sheki is definitely the place to go if you want to experience a part of Azerbaijan that’s not Baku. To get an easy overview on the sights in Sheki, I made a quick list of things we can do in Sheki: VISIT THE INCREDIBLE SHEKI KHANS’ SUMMER PALACE PHOTOGRAPH THE LESSER-KNOWN WINTER PALACE SLEEP IN A SILK ROAD CARAVANSERAI (see last picture above) FIND THE SHEKI SILK FACTORY ROAM SHEKI’S CHARMING OLD TOWN TRACK DOWN REAL SOVIET RETRO LEARN HOW TO EAT SHEKI’S SIGNATURE DISH, PITI
6
Quba
Tag 8-9
QUBA & XINALIQ We will do a day trip to see some fantastic natural landscapes in Quba and the nearby 5,000-year-old village of Xinaliq. Quba has a few historical monuments to check out, such as the Genocide Memorial Complex and Juma Mosque. However, the main attraction is the next stop: the village Xinaliq located in the Caucasus Mountains. The journey from Quba to Xinaliq is absolutely stunning, and you will want to take lots of pictures of the mountains and valleys along the way! Once we are in Xinaliq, you’ll be amazed by how remote and different this village is from Baku. Walking around, you can see some incredible mountain sceneries and learn about the very simple local lifestyle. The people in this village live in cobblestone houses and grow their own food. They also retained a lot of their ancient traditions and speak their own language. The village kids are very friendly and will run up to you to say hi! Given Xinaliq’s location, we can also do some stunning hikes there.
7
Baku
Tag 9
Back to Baku - We will spend our last day back in Baku city, where we will also fly back from. :) We can do all the things we didn't get done the first days, or just chill, eat some traditional food and drink some lovely cocktails.
Tripzusammenfassung
Unterkunft
Appartement
9 Tage Trip
Baku, Baku & 5 weitere
Transportmittel
Trekking, Train
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Asabaidschan
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70 Länder
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