Things to do in Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan lies on the western shore of the Caspian, a sea with no outlet to the ocean. The Greater Caucasus runs along its northern border. Almost every trip starts in Baku, and tours in Azerbaijan beyond it take a car and a plan.

How the country is laid out

• Baku and Absheron. The capital on the Caspian, and the dry peninsula around it. Yanar Dag's gas flames and the Ateshgah fire temple are both here.
• Gobustan. Semi-desert south-west of Baku, with rock carvings and mud volcanoes. It became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2007.
• The north-west. Foothills and villages below peaks that pass 4,000 metres. Sheki keeps a khan's palace of the 1790s and stone caravanserais, and Gabala sits among forested hills.
• Ganja. The second-largest city, further west on the main road to Georgia.
• The south. The damp lowlands of Lankaran, near the Iranian border.
• Nakhchivan. An exclave cut off from the rest of the country by Armenia.

How the days are built

Half-day outings from Baku reach Gobustan and the fire sites of Absheron. The mountains need more. A two-day private car tour goes into the Caucasus, with a night in a guesthouse.

Most trips are private cars or walks with a driver-guide, for up to three people. Larger groups are quoted separately.

Baku, Absheron and Gobustan fit into one short stay. The north-west needs days of its own.

Practical

• Weather. Baku passes 30C in July and August and reaches only about 8C on January days, with a cold wind off the sea. The mountains are several degrees cooler and see snow in winter.
• Seasons. Spring and autumn suit both the city and the mountains. In midsummer the coast is hot and the hills are the escape.
• Roads. Mountain distances mislead. Allow far more time than the kilometres suggest.
• Arrival. Heydar Aliyev airport, near Baku, is the main gate. The hills and the west are reached by road.
• Money. The manat is the currency. Carry cash for guesthouses, villages and some entry tickets.
• Novruz. Around 20 March the spring festival brings a run of public holidays, so plan travel days around it.
• Mosques. Shoulders covered, and shoes off inside.