Beyond Baku: Gobustan, Lahij and Xınalıq
Ancient rock art and mud volcanoes, a coppersmiths' village, and one of the highest old villages in the Caucasus. Three trips that show the Azerbaijan beyond the capital.
Gobustan — rock art and mud volcanoes
An hour south of Baku, Gobustan's petroglyphs — thousands of rock carvings dating back millennia — are a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the surrounding semi-desert holds a cluster of bubbling mud volcanoes. It's an easy, striking half-day from the city.
Lahij — the coppersmiths' village
High in the mountains along a winding road, Lahij is a centuries-old craft village famous for coppersmithing, with cobbled streets and workshops still tapping out bowls and jugs. It's a window into mountain Azerbaijan that most Baku visitors never see.
Xınalıq — a village in the clouds
Xınalıq (Khinalug), reached by a dramatic mountain road from Quba, sits at around 2,300 m and is often called one of the highest and oldest continuously inhabited villages in the Caucasus, with its own language. We travel here by 4×4 with a driver who knows the route.