Tour type: General,
HistoricalPrice: $150.00Duration: 1from January to December
Gobustan reserve 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). 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.
After that 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 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.
Unfortunately, the mud volcanoes area has been recently declared a National Park with restricted access, though sporadic visits seems feasible as there is no security. Besides, hardly anyone would have a patience to literally guard tons of mud. But visit there definitely worth a visit as it's one of the rarest things one can find on Earth.
On the way back to Baku a short stop over at Bibi Heybat Mosque. The existing structure, built in the 1990s, is a recreation of the mosque with the same name built in the 13th century by Shirvanshah Farrukhzad II Ibn Ahsitan II, which was completely destroyed by the Bolsheviks in 1936.
The Bibi-Heybat Mosque includes the tomb of Ukeyma Khanum (a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad), and today is the spiritual center for the Muslims of the region and one of the major monuments of Islamic architecture in Azerbaijan.
Package includes:
- Private vehicle accompanied by an experienced English speaking local guide who will look after you exclusively - Local driver for your vehicle, exclusively for your tour - Sightseeing program including all entrance fees - Guide's and driver's expenses
Not included into the package:
- Fees for taking photos in historical sites - Any personal expenses
Day 1
Meeting at the airport. Transfer to the hotel. After a short break start the tour in Baku and pay a visit to city's main landmark - Icheri Sheher (Old City). You will 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...
Excursion to the Temple of Fire Worshippers - "Ateshgah" and the fiery mountain "Yanardagh" in the village Mehemmedli (duration 3.5 - 4 hours)
Azerbaijan is one of the few places on earth, where even today one can observe elements of preserved fire cult and the ancient Zoroastrianism religion...
Excursion to the nature reserve "Gobustan" (duration 3.5 hours)
The reserve is well known with its perfectly preserved rock paintings - petroglyphs - a kind of artistic "archive" of human evolution on the Earth...
DAY 1 THURSDAY TBILISI
Arrival at Tbilisi International Airport by flight QR0251 at 12:45. Meet/assist at airport. Transfer to the hotel. Check in. Sightseeing city tour in old town incl...
Greetings, Comrades!
This is an excursion not for all, but only for those who is interested in Baku’s not so distant history under the Soviets. 3 hours guided walk will take you through the central part of Baku with emphasis on its Soviet architectural heritage...
JEEP TOUR (Baku - Quba - Shabran - Baku) /(duration: 10 hours)
Jeep tour is a fascinating journey and a unique opportunity for those who love nature, prefer an active form of relaxation. Jeep tour is a tourist off-road route that is passed on the four-wheel all-terrain vehicles...
Individual tour / English speaking guide
Day 1
Arrival to Baku in the morning. Meeting at the airport. Transfer to hotel. Checking-in. Dropping your baggage, short rest if needed, then start the excursion in Old Town - 'Icheri Sheher'...
Individual tour / English speaking guide
Itinerary:
1 DAY Georgian-Azerbaijan border. Overnight in Sheki.2 DAY Sheki-Ganja-Sheki 3 DAY Sheki-Qabala-Shamakhi-Lahij-Baku.4 DAY Baku/Apsheron Peninsula excursion5 DAY Baku City tour6 DAY Baku/Gobustan7 DAY Baku-Quba-Xinaliq-Qusar8 DAY Qusar-Laza-Shahdag-Qusar9 DAY Qusar-Baku-Novxani-Baku10 DAY End of tour...
Leaving Baku in the morningExploring the land of Caspians on the way northwards along Caspian Sea shoreVisiting the Beshbarmag mountain
Arrival to Devechi town. Devechi district is located to the north of Baku and its eastern border extends along the Caspian coast...
Excursions to the Carpet Museum and Carpet factory "Azer-Ilme" (duration 3 hours)
The design of the new building of the Carpet Museum, which we will visit during our excursion, is distinguished by its originality and constructed as a folded copy of the carpet...