Neither Eastern, nor Western Azerbaijan8 Days | Baku, Absheron Peninsula, Gobustan, Khinalug, Lahij, Gabala, Sheki, Kish, Mingechevir, Ganja, Shamakhi

Arrival in Baku. You will be met by our driver and transferred to the hotel. Check-in at noon.
Start a sightseeing tour in Baku. Visit Martyrs’ Lane, called ‘Shehidler Khiyabany’ among locals. When you walk through Martyrs’ Lane, you will find a beautiful view overlooking Baku’s coastline. Continue touring new Baku and exploring architecture of 19-20 centuries: Nizami Street, Fountain Square, Nizami Ganjavi monument, Rasul-Zade Street. Pay a visit to Azerbaijan History National Museum and move to the old part of the city – Icheri Sheher. Visit Maiden Tower, Shirvanshahs’ Palace, Caravanserai, and market square with numerous art studios and souvenirs stalls. An excellent round-up to the city tour will be visit to the richest bank of Azeri carpets – National Carpets Museum. Overnight at the hotel.

Today you will visit the area of the Greater Baku and Absheron Peninsula. Start with Gobustan National Park. Pay a visit to the Petroglyphs Museum and explore petroglyphs dating back to 10,000 BC. Continue to the mud volcanoes in Gobustan Reserve. Gobustan is home to almost half of the world’s mud volcanoes. Later drive to Ateshgah – a temple of fire worshippers located in Surakhany village. Zoroastrians travelled thousands of kilometers from India to Ateshgah to worship fire coming out of the earth. Continue to Yanardag Mountain, where natural gas has been burning for several thousands of years. Return to Baku. Overnight at the hotel.

Morning departure to the northern part of Azerbaijan – Guba region. Visit one of most ancient settlements in the country – Khinalug (210 km, 3-4 hours). The road to Khinalug is a picturesque mountain pass at an altitude of 2,000 m. Enjoy breathtaking views of the landscape. People have been continuously living in Khinalug for more than 5,000 years. Return to Baku. On the way back, stop in Guba and visit Sakina Khanum Mosque, medieval bath hammam, and carpet workshop. Overnight at the hotel.

In the morning, depart Baku and drive to Sheki. Stop on the way in Ven Dam village in Gabala province and explore ruins of ancient Caucasian Albania capital. Continue to Basqal village and taste local mineral water “Bado” there. Drive through the Girdimanchay River Canyon to visit Lahij, a 5th century place rich in its historic and architectural values. Lahij is an ancient village with charming eye-catching sidewalks inlaid with stones. It is famous for its medieval water supply and sewage systems as well as traditional jewelry, copperware, carpets, pottery, daggers, and iron tools workshops. Continue driving to Sheki. Arrival in Sheki. Overnight at the hotel.

Check out from the hotel and start sightseeing tour in Sheki. Visit medieval fortress, Sheki Khans Palace (currently under the restoration, observation from the outside), history museum, handicrafts workshop, mosque-madrassah, and local bazaar. Depart Sheki and head to Ganja town (160 km, 2-3 hours).
Stop in Kish village see the first church in Caucasus, dating back to the 1st century AD. One the way, visit Mingachevir town. Have a short drive around the city; pass by riverside, city center, and beautiful water reservoir. Continue driving to Ganja. Check-in to the hotel on arrival. Overnight at the hotel.

In the morning, start city tour in Ganja with visiting Shakh Abbas Mosque with two minarets. Continue to Ganja Caravanserai, mausoleum of the last khan of Ganja Javad Khan; visit Chokek Hamam (medieval bathes). Continue sightseeing tour walking by Central Square, Sardar Baghi park, Alexander Nevski Christian Orthodox Church and Christian Temple Agvan Kilsasi.
Drive out of the city to a small town of Goygol to visit village Helenendorf that was settled in the winter of 1818–1819 by 194 Swabian German families. German architecture of local buildings will surprise you. Return to Ganja city. Visit Imam-Zada Muslim complex and central market. Free time after city tour. Overnight at the hotel.

In the morning, depart Ganja and drive back to Baku (340 km, 5-6 hours).
On the way, stop in Shemakha. The town was the capital of Shirvan Empire in 8-15 centuries. Visit a residence of Shirvan Dynasty Gulistan fortress for the city's defense in 11-12 centuries, which also served as the last refuge of Shirvan Dynasty. Continue to the Mausoleum of Addy-Gyumbez (“The Seven Domes”) with numerous burial places of Shamakhi governors, and Djuma Cathedral Mosque.
Continue driving to Baku. Arrive in Baku. Free time. Overnight at the hotel.

Check-out from the hotel till noon. Free time until transfer to Baku International Airport. End of the tour.