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Arrival in Baku
Landing at the Baku International Airport
Clearing immigration and customs, collecting the baggage
Meeting with the company representative at the arrivals hall
Transfer to the hotel (duration: 30-35 minutes)
Spare time to freshen up
Overnight in Baku
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Excursion through Baku and Old Town
09:00-10:00 Breakfast at the hotel
10:00 Start of excursion
Excursion covers the entire central part of the city with a display of the major historical and architectural sites.
Our first stop is Old Town that is a heart of Baku. Here, on the hill and in front of Caspian Sea, the ancient city was born. Several dozens of historically architectural monuments are located in the territory of Old Town (UNESCO’s World Heritage): Palace of Shirvanshahs, Maiden Tower, Museum of Miniature Books, caravansaries, mosques, baths, etc.
Road delivers us to the Baku Boulevard through Building of Baku City Executive Power, Governor’s Garden, Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Hall (designed according to the drawings of the Monte Carlo casino (Beaux-Arts, Napoleon III), Building of Heydar Aliyev Foundation. Stroll along the promenade that celebrates its 110th anniversary this year – Little Venice, International Mugam Center, Carpet Museum in the form of folded carpet, Baku Eye – Ferris Wheel, Crystal Hall (in which was held “Eurovision” song contest), Government House.
Cultural Center named after Haydar Aliyev – one more epic showplace, modern complex construction. The center project and design belongs to the famous architect Zaha Hadid. The construction of the building was covered on the channels of Discovery and Science Channel, dedicated to the most courageous engineering projects of modernity and architectural masterpieces of the world.
Photoshooting on the background of Cultural Center and in the field of “I love Baku” sign.
The excursion involves also the symbols of modern Baku – truly iconic Flame Towers with interactive panels, Congress Hall, Socar Tower, Azersu Building in the form of water droplet, Olympic Gymnastics Arena, Olympic Stadium.
Today’s excursion ends at the upland park – the spectacular place where you can enjoy an unsurpassed view of the city.
16:00 Road back to the hotel or drop in the city center
Overnight in Baku
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Excursion through Absheron Peninsula
09:00-10:00 Breakfast at the hotel
10:00 Today we explore all the outskirts and sights of Absheron peninsula. Transfer to the temple of fire worshipers – Atashgah (30 km far from Baku).
Azerbaijan is one of the few places on the earth where even today one can observe elements of preserved fire cult and the ancient Zoroastrianism religion. For example, Atashgah that is known for such unique phenomenon as burning natural gas outlets (underground gas, coming onto surface, contacts oxygen and lights up). The temple in its present state was constructed in the 17th-18th centuries by the Baku-based Hindu community related to Sikhs. Pentagonal complex has an open courtyard with temple-altar in the center which was the place of pilgrimage for worshippers.
Our next point is Gala Archaeological and Ethnographic Museum Complex. This open-air museum was created on the site of archaeological excavations where there are still survived ruins of five thousand years old history. During the excursions you will be acquainted with ancient dwellings, burial mounds, tombs, water storages, the ruins of an ancient castle etc.
The road leads to the 22m square-plan Mardakan quadrangular tower that was built in the 14th century. It was mainly used for defending Mardakan on a temporary basis.
The final destination of today’s excursion is Azerbaijani exotic Yanardag (“burning hill”). And this is real a burning hill – not metaphorically, but literally. Meter-long tongues of fire cover the stratified earth approximately for 10 metres in width.
15:00 Drive to the hotel or drop in the city center
Overnight in Baku
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Baku – Gabala Excursion
09:00 Today we leave for the mountain regions of Azerbaijan where you can witness the most picturesque and spectacular corners of Azerbaijan.
If you would like to witness one of the most picturesque and spectacular corner of Azerbaijan, you certainly have to visit Gabala. Soul-stirring mountains, mist-shrouded forests, chestnut and walnut groves, rugged mountain rivers, tooth-and-claw wildlife – this is Gabala’s grand outdoor wonderland.
Our first stop is Nokhur lake – popular recreation spot that is surrounded by mountains and thickets of reeds. Quite nature, clean water surface, incredible scenery – all this brings a sense of tranquility.
The road leads to Gabaland Adventure / Theme Park with different attractions (karting, sky dive, horse & pony riding, climbing wall, boats etc).
Next point of visit is Gabala Shooting Club – a favorite place for active leisure fans. Here you can train your shooting skills.
New Mosque in the city center – one more sight of Gabala. The walls and pillars of the mosque are painted with suras from the Holy Koran and decorated with religious symbols using unique samples of the Azerbaijani calligraphic school and oriental ornaments.
The final destination of our today’s excursion is Tufandag Mountain Resort – unsurpassed tourism recreation centre where you can enjoy breathing the fresh air and wondering at the dazzling views of the mountains. Tufandag offers cable car (teleferique) rides at any time of the year, cafe and restaurants, entertainment centers for kids and other services.
Overnight in Gabala
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Sheki excursion and return way to Baku
09:00-10:00 Breakfast at the hotel
10:00 Start of Excursion
Excursion through Sheki dappled with tiled-roof old houses will introduce you a city located in the picturesque mountains and considered one of the most ancient, authentic in the entire Caucasus.
It is a hub of ancient crafts where you will visit one of the most valuable monument of Azerbaijan – Palace of Sheki Khans with magnificent frescos and exquisite stained glass work, Lower and Upper Caravansaries, fortress walls, local studios, traditional workshops etc. It is a great opportunity to watch the masters’ work and get souvenirs to remember the outstanding trip.
The teahouse in the Upper Caravansary is a perfect place to try local sweet Sheki halva and enjoy tea.
Visit the hidden Azerbaijani treasure – Nij village, home to the ancient Udi people (direct descendants of the ancient Caucasian Albanians). Amazingly, they still have their own Udi language (using 49 characters), and indeed they retain their own ancient form of Christianity. Visiting the Chotari church, medieval Christian temple.
16:00-Return and overnight in Baku
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Excursion to the Gobustan Preserve (UNESCO’s World Heritage) and Bibi-Heybat Mosque
09:00-10:00 Breakfast at the hotel
10:00 Transfer to Gobustan (60 km far from Baku) that is widely known not only in Azerbaijan, but also worldwide with an outstanding collection of rock engravings.
Gobustan National Historical-Artistic Preserve (UNESCO’s World Heritage) is a unique archaeological area (open-air museum) that has preserved more than 6000 petroglyphs (rock carvings), tens of ancient human sites, dwelling places, gravestones, plenty of caves and other sites dated back to different historical periods. All these monuments are the evidence of 15 thousand years long successive usage of Gobustan by people.
The petroglyphs of Gobustan, that are artistic chronicles of the past, bear great importance for the study of the pre-history of humanity.
On the way back, you will visit Bibi-Heybat Mosque (1267), the best place to see the oil fields of those times and modern oil platforms. The Architectural Digest, American monthly magazine featuring the work of top architects and designers, has listed Azerbaijan’s Bibi-Heybat mosque among the most beautiful mosques in the world.
14:00 Return to the hotel or drop in the city center
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Departure
Breakfast at the hotel
Time to enjoy the hotel facilities
Check-out formalities (standard time: 12:00)
Transfer to Baku International Airport (in case of late departure, suitcases can be left in the hotel)
Departure
