Grand Caucasus Escape: Baku, Gabala & Shahdag
- 7 days, Baku to Baku
- Max altitude 2,350 m (Shahdag)
- May to October, or December to March
- 4 to 14 travellers
- Baku & the Greater Caucasus, Azerbaijan
- Two long driving days
- 7-day itinerary
About this tour
Most visitors to Azerbaijan see Baku and leave. That misses the better half of the country, which is the Greater Caucasus — the range that runs along the northern border with Russia and rises to over 4,000 metres a few hours' drive from the Caspian. This trip spends two days in Baku and five in the mountains, and comes back by a different road to the one it went out on.
Baku first: the walled Old City with the Palace of the Shirvanshahs and the Maiden Tower, then the modern city of the Flame Towers and Zaha Hadid's Heydar Aliyev Center. Then west to Shamakhi, the old capital of Shirvan, where the Juma Mosque was founded in the 8th century and rebuilt after earthquakes and a fire, and on into the forested foothills around Gabala.
Gabala is where Azerbaijanis go for green hills and cool air. The Tufandag cable car lifts you above 1,900 metres for the view along the range; the Seven Beauties waterfall is a short, steep climb up a wooded gorge; and Nohur Lake is a calm reservoir in the foothills below the town, with the forest coming down to the water. None of it is high mountain, but it is a complete change from the dry Caspian coast.
The second half goes north to Quba and up to Shahdag, the country's main mountain resort, which in summer is a base for walking and the lifts and in winter is a ski area. From there you drive to Khinaliq, a stone village at about 2,350 metres that is one of the highest and most isolated settlements in the Caucasus, with its own language spoken by a couple of thousand people. On the way home the road passes the striped red and white hills near Khizi known as the Candy Cane Mountains.
The trip runs in two seasons. From May to October the mountains are green and the roads are open; from December to March there is snow at Shahdag and Tufandag and the trip becomes a winter one. If you have less time, the Baku and Absheron half is our five-day Land of Fire tour.
Trip highlights
Full Baku Old & Modern City Tour
A full day: the UNESCO-listed Old City with the Palace of the Shirvanshahs and the Maiden Tower in the morning, the Heydar Aliyev Center and the Flame Towers from Highland Park in the afternoon.
Shamakhi Juma Mosque & Seven Beauties Waterfall
Shamakhi's Juma Mosque was founded in the 8th century, making it one of the oldest mosque sites in the Caucasus; the present building is a 2013 reconstruction after earthquake and fire damage. The Seven Beauties waterfall near Gabala drops in a series of falls down a wooded gorge, reached by a steep stepped path.
Nohur Lake & Tufandag Cable Car in Gabala
The Tufandag cable car climbs to over 1,900 metres above Gabala for a long view of the range. Nohur Lake is a quiet reservoir lake in the forested foothills below — not alpine, but the most peaceful hour of the trip.
Shahdag Mountain Resort
Azerbaijan's main mountain resort, its base at about 1,640 metres beneath the limestone walls of the Shahdag massif. Lifts and walking in summer, skiing in winter.
Candy Cane Mountains near Khizi
Hills of red and white banded clay and sandstone a short way off the Baku–Quba road near Khizi, seen on the drive back to Baku. A short walk from the vehicle is enough.
Ancient Mountain Village of Khinaliq
A stone village at about 2,350 metres, one of the highest permanently inhabited settlements in the Caucasus, with flat-roofed houses stacked up a ridge and a language of its own. The highest point of the trip.
Route
- 1 Start
- 2 Stop in order
- 11 Finish
- Route travelled
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At a glance
- 7 days, Baku to BakuTwo nights each in Baku, Gabala and Shahdag.
- Max altitude 2,350 m (Shahdag)Reached at Khinaliq village, inside Shahdag National Park. The resort base is about 1,640 m; its lifts go higher if you ride them.
- May to October, or December to MarchGreen mountains in summer, snow at Shahdag and Tufandag in winter.
- 4 to 14 travellersSmall groups, or private on request.
- Baku & the Greater Caucasus, AzerbaijanShamakhi, Gabala, Quba, Shahdag, Khinaliq and Khizi.
- Two long driving daysFive to six hours on day 5, about four on day 7, with stops.
Day by day
Day 1Arrive Baku
Met at the airport and driven about forty minutes to the hotel. If you arrive in daylight, a first walk along the Caspian seafront boulevard and into the edge of the Old City. Overnight in Baku.
Day 2Baku Old City and modern Baku
A full day with the guide. The morning on foot in Icherisheher — the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, the Maiden Tower, the caravanserais — and the afternoon at the Heydar Aliyev Center and up to Highland Park for the view over the bay and the Flame Towers. Overnight in Baku.
Day 3Baku to Shamakhi and Gabala
West out of Baku through dry hills to Shamakhi, about two hours and 120 km, for the Juma Mosque and the old capital of Shirvan. Then on through Ismayilli into the forested foothills, about two more hours to Gabala, arriving late afternoon. Around four hours' driving in all. Overnight in Gabala.
Day 4Gabala: Tufandag, Nohur Lake and the Seven Beauties waterfall
The Tufandag cable car in the morning, above 1,900 metres, with the range spread out to the north if the cloud allows. Then down to Nohur Lake in the foothills for a slow hour by the water, and twenty minutes east to the Seven Beauties waterfall, a steep stepped path up a wooded gorge of about half an hour each way. Short drives all day. Overnight in Gabala.
Day 5Gabala to Quba and Shahdag, about 1,640 m
The longest day: five to six hours' driving with stops, back through Ismayilli and Shamakhi, down to the Caspian highway and north to Quba. A stop in Quba for lunch and the Red Settlement across the river, one of the last Mountain Jewish towns in the world. Then an hour up into the mountains to the Shahdag resort. Overnight at Shahdag.
Day 6Khinaliq, about 2,350 m, and Shahdag
About an hour and a half each way on the mountain road to Khinaliq, the highest point of the trip, for a walk through the village lanes and the small museum with the guide. Back to Shahdag for the afternoon: in summer a lift ride and an easy walk, in winter time on the slopes. In winter the Khinaliq road can close after heavy snow, and if it does the day is spent at Shahdag. Overnight at Shahdag.
Day 7Shahdag to Khizi and Baku
Down through Quba and south on the Caspian highway, then a short detour near Khizi to the striped red and white Candy Cane Mountains and a short walk among them. About four hours' driving in all, reaching Baku in the afternoon for the airport or a hotel. Flights after about 6 pm work; for anything earlier, add a night in Baku.
What’s included
- CONFIRM — Six nights in hotels, twin share, with breakfast: two in central Baku, two in Gabala and two at Shahdag
- Airport arrival and departure transfers
- A private vehicle and driver for the whole tour
- An English-speaking guide from day 2 to day 7
- CONFIRM — Entrance fees to the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, the Maiden Tower, the Heydar Aliyev Center and the Seven Beauties waterfall
- CONFIRM — One return ride on the Tufandag cable car
- CONFIRM — One summer lift ride at Shahdag (winter ski passes are not included)
- Bottled water in the vehicle
Not included
- International flights to and from Baku
- Azerbaijan e-visa (ASAN Visa), applied for online before you travel
- Travel insurance
- Lunches and dinners
- Ski passes, equipment hire and lessons in winter
- Tips for the guide and driver
- Single room supplement
- An extra night in Baku if your flight home leaves before the evening of day 7
Good to know
Visas: the ASAN e-visa
Most nationalities need a visa for Azerbaijan, and most can get it online through the official ASAN Visa system (evisa.gov.az). The standard service takes about three working days and costs in the region of US$ 25 to 30. Print it and carry it with your passport. Check eligibility for your passport before you book, and use the official site rather than the look-alike agencies.
If your passport shows a past visit to Karabakh made through Armenia without Azerbaijani permission, tell us before you book — this has led to people being refused entry. Azerbaijan's land borders have been closed to ordinary travellers since 2020, so at the time of writing the trip starts and ends at Baku airport rather than overland from Georgia.
Two seasons, two different trips
From May to October the mountains are green, the roads are clear and Shahdag is a walking resort. Baku is hot in July and August, but Gabala and Shahdag are noticeably cooler and the nights at Shahdag are cold even in summer. From December to March there is snow at Shahdag and Tufandag; the drives take longer, the Khinaliq road can close for a day after heavy snowfall, and the waterfall and lake are visited in winter conditions. We do not run the trip in April and November, when the mountains are between seasons.
What moderate really means
This is not a trek. The walking is short — the stepped path to the Seven Beauties waterfall is the steepest part, about half an hour each way — and everything else is optional. What makes it moderate is the driving and the altitude at the top end. Day 5 is five to six hours on the road and day 7 about four. Khinaliq, at about 2,350 metres, is high enough that some people feel breathless walking uphill in the village; you sleep lower, at Shahdag, so altitude sickness is unlikely, but take it slowly.
The altitude figure, honestly
The highest point is Khinaliq village at about 2,350 metres. The Shahdag resort itself sits at around 1,640 metres; if you ride its upper lifts you will go higher, briefly. Nothing else on the trip is above about 1,900 metres, at the top of the Tufandag cable car.
Accommodation
Twin share with private bathroom and breakfast throughout: a central hotel in Baku, a resort-style hotel in Gabala and a mountain hotel at Shahdag. Rooms at Shahdag are in highest demand during the New Year and February school holidays, so winter departures should be booked early.
Money, phones and customs
The currency is the manat (AZN). Cards work in Baku, Gabala and at Shahdag; carry cash for Shamakhi, Quba and Khinaliq. Mobile coverage is good on the main roads and patchy in the mountains. Dress modestly to enter mosques — shoulders and knees covered, and a scarf for women — and do not photograph military or government buildings.
Questions about this trip
How hard is the Grand Caucasus Escape?
It is a touring trip, not a trek. The walking is short — the steepest is half an hour up a stepped path to the Seven Beauties waterfall — and most of it is optional. The demanding parts are two long driving days and a visit to Khinaliq at about 2,350 metres, where uphill walking can feel harder than usual.
Should I go in summer or winter?
Summer, May to October, if you want green mountains, walking and the full itinerary with no weather risk on the roads. Winter, December to March, if you want snow and the chance to ski at Shahdag, accepting that the Khinaliq road can close for a day after heavy snow. The two feel like different trips.
What altitude does the trip reach?
The highest point is Khinaliq village, at about 2,350 metres, inside Shahdag National Park. You sleep at the Shahdag resort at around 1,640 metres, and the Tufandag cable car at Gabala reaches just over 1,900 metres. Altitude sickness is unlikely at these heights, but you may notice the thinner air at Khinaliq.
Are the Candy Cane Mountains at Shahdag?
No, though they are often described that way. The striped red and white hills are near Khizi, a short way off the Baku–Quba road, a long way south-east of Shahdag. We stop there on the drive back to Baku on day 7.
Do I need a visa?
Most travellers need the ASAN e-visa, applied for online at evisa.gov.az. It normally takes about three working days and costs around US$ 25 to 30. Check your nationality's eligibility before booking.
Can I ski at Shahdag on this trip?
On a winter departure, yes, on the afternoon of day 6, and on day 5 if you arrive in time. Ski passes, hire and lessons are not included and are paid at the resort. If skiing is the main reason you are coming, ask us about adding a day or two at Shahdag.
Can the trip be private or changed?
Yes. It can run privately on dates that suit you, and nights can be added in Baku, Gabala or Shahdag. If you want the fire sites and Gobustan too, it combines well with our Land of Fire tour — see the Azerbaijan page.
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Photographs: Toni Wöhrl (CC BY-SA 4.0); AlixSaz (CC BY-SA 4.0); David Uriarte (CC BY-SA 4.0); Diego Delso (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons.
Enquire about this trip
Tell us who is travelling and roughly when. A trip planner — not a call centre — replies within three hours between 9am and 11pm Pakistan time with a day-by-day itinerary and the full price, per person, with nothing hidden underneath it.
- Every itinerary written from scratch around your dates.
- Licensed operator, running these routes since 2020.
- A full costing up front — no deposit to see one.
- +92 310 5344471
- info@elhamasia.com
- 9am – 11pm PKT, seven days a week
- Office No. 227, Rohtas Road, G-9/1, Islamabad, Pakistan
