Azerbaijan Cultural Explorer

We meet you at your hotel or on arrival at the airport, then begin a guided walk through Baku’s Old City, Icherisheher – a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We explore its narrow lanes, historic caravanserais and mosques, then step inside the Maiden Tower, a 12th century monument with panoramic views over the Old City and the Caspian Sea.

We continue to the Shirvanshahs’ Palace – a notable example of medieval Islamic architecture – before heading to the Carpet Museum, housed in a striking building shaped like a rolled carpet, to trace centuries of weaving traditions, regional patterns and contemporary works.

In the afternoon we drive south of Baku – about one hour – to Gobustan National Park. We visit the Gobustan Rock Art Museum, home to more than 6,000 prehistoric engravings, dating back over 40,000 years, and walk the open-air petroglyph reserve to see carvings of hunting scenes, rituals and early human life. We then continue to the mud volcanoes – a geological phenomenon for which the country is renowned, with nearly half of the world’s examples – to watch bubbling pools and small eruptions in a stark, lunar like landscape.

Returning to Baku, round off the day with a panoramic evening tour. With a pause at Highland Park for sweeping views of the city, the Flame Towers and Baku Bay, and watch the three towers light up after dark. You'll also visit Martyrs’ Alley – a place of national remembrance with views over the Caspian Sea.

You can opt for dinner at a traditional restaurant serving local dishes such as dolma, kebabs and plov – with folk music – arranged in advance if you wish. After a full day, we drop you at your hotel to relax. Today’s programme runs for approximately 8–10 hours with guiding throughout.

After breakfast in Baku, we check out and set off for Sheki, travelling via Maraza, Shamakhi and the Gabala region. We pause at the Diri Baba Mausoleum – a cliffside tomb linked to a Sufi figure – then continue to Shamakhi to explore the Juma Mosque, among the oldest in the Caucasus, founded in the 8th century and carefully restored after earthquakes.

You also stop at Yeddi Gumbaz, the Shirvan Dynasty necropolis where three of the original seven domed mausoleums remain. In the Gabala region, we visit the Chotari Albanian Church in the Udin village of Nidj, reflecting the heritage of the ancient Caucasian Albanian community.

You arrive in Sheki by evening for hotel drop off and check in. After settling in, you have free time to relax and prepare for tomorrow. Today’s programme runs for approximately 10–12 hours, with driving between sights and guiding by your professional guide.

After breakfast in Sheki, you'l begin with a guided tour of Sheki Khan’s Palace – an exquisite 18th century residence renowned for vivid frescoes, fine woodwork and intricate Shebeke stained glass.

Afterwards, continue to the ABAD Ceramics and Applied Arts Centre to see craftspeople at work and learn about regional traditions, then call at the town museum in a former nobleman’s mansion with exhibits on archaeology, textiles and daily life. At a Shebeke workshop, watch artisans fit coloured glass into wooden lattice without nails or glue – you can try your hand at assembling a simple piece.

Thereafter, move on to the historic Sheki Caravanserai, once a hub for Silk Road traders, and stop by traditional confectionery shops to sample Sheki’s famous halva. Round off the day at the Albanian Church in Kish, regarded as one of the earliest Christian sites in the Caucasus and dating to the 1st century AD.

You'll return to your hotel to relax. Today’s guided touring lasts around 5–6 hours with short drives between sights.

After breakfast in Sheki, we check out and meet your guide and driver for your onward transfer. We travel by road to Baku Heydar Aliyev International Airport – the journey from Sheki takes around 5–6 hours – and you can choose to pause for scenic views or a meal en route.If you are continuing into Georgia, we can instead transfer you to the Lagodekhi border – approximately 2 hours’ drive from Sheki.