Upon arrival at Heydar Aliyev International Airport, guests are welcomed by a refined transfer service that ensures a smooth, dignified transition from the airport to the city center. This initial phase of the journey is executed with precision, offering a quiet introduction to Baku’s sophisticated urban rhythm. The transfer itself provides glimpses of the city’s evolving skyline, hinting at the remarkable experiences to come.

Highland Park

As daylight recedes, the evening tour commences, unfolding as a comprehensive panoramic exploration of Baku’s most iconic and meaningful sites. The route leads to Highland Park, a commanding vantage point perched above the city. Here, guests witness an unrivaled panorama of Baku’s sprawling urban fabric, the shimmering Caspian Sea, and the flame-shaped towers that define the modern skyline. This elevated perspective captures the city’s duality - a blend of ancient traditions and bold modernism. Throughout the approximately 4 to 5 hours of touring and transfers, the professional guide imparts expert insights, contextualizing each landmark with rich historical, cultural, and architectural narratives. The journey is designed to maximize both visual impact and intellectual engagement, providing guests with a comprehensive understanding of Baku’s identity. The evening concludes with a tailored return to the hotel, allowing guests to reflect on the city’s luminous panorama.

Following a restorative breakfast, guests embark on a departure from the comforts of the city, moving toward Shamakhi, a region where history, nature and craftsmanship converge in a compelling narrative. The day’s progression is meticulously paced, allowing travelers to absorb each destination’s significance and atmosphere with depth and clarity. The first notable stop is the Diribaba Mausoleum, an architectural marvel of medieval design that stands as a testament to the region’s rich cultural heritage and intricate craftsmanship. Its enduring stonework and solemn presence provide a profound introduction to Shamakhi’s historic legacy.

Next, the journey continues to the Juma Mosque, an ancient spiritual beacon whose walls have witnessed centuries of devotion and transformation. This sacred site encapsulates the continuity of faith and tradition that permeates the region, offering guests a rare glimpse into a living historical narrative.

Yeddi Gumbaz Mausoleum

Further exploration leads to the Yeddi Gumbaz Mausoleum, famed for its distinctive seven domes and the stories they shelter. The site’s grandeur and historical gravitas underscore the region’s importance as a former royal resting place, inviting travelers to contemplate the layers of time preserved within its stone.

Transitioning from cultural monuments to the natural world, guests arrive at an Alpaca Farm, where a rare opportunity to observe these elegant creatures unfolds. This encounter reflects the region’s agricultural diversity and adds an element of unexpected charm to the day.

Continuing the journey, the Abgora Wine House presents a sophisticated interlude, where guests engage with Shamakhi’s emerging viticulture scene.

Shamakhi

The day’s exploration culminates at the serene Silent Lake, a tranquil natural retreat that contrasts the historical and cultural richness encountered earlier. This peaceful haven invites reflection and rejuvenation amid untouched landscapes, completing the sensory journey through Shamakhi’s multifaceted character. The complete itinerary spans approximately 5 to 6 hours, seamlessly integrating transfers and in-depth commentary by a professional guide. Every segment is designed to elevate the experience beyond standard sightseeing, providing travelers with a layered understanding of Shamakhi’s heritage, environment and artisanal excellence. The evening concludes with accommodations in Shamakhi, ensuring guests remain immersed in the region’s unique atmosphere, ready to further explore its depths or savor its tranquil charm.

Shamakhy Astrophysical Observatory

Following a well-earned breakfast, guests depart Shamakhi with anticipation, setting out on a route that threads through Azerbaijan’s striking mountain landscapes and cultural heartlands. The day’s progression is engineered to provide an enriching balance of scientific insight, architectural wonder and traditional craftsmanship, all conveyed through the expert narration of a seasoned guide. The journey’s first highlight is the Shamakhi Astrophysical Observatory, a pinnacle of regional scientific achievement. Positioned amid mountainous terrain, the observatory offers guests a unique perspective on the cosmos, reflecting Azerbaijan’s contribution to astronomy and research. The setting itself, elevated and commanding, primes travelers for a day defined by exploration and discovery.

From there, the itinerary transitions to a striking feat of engineering and nature the Zarnava Suspension Bridge, often referred to as the Hanging Bridge. Spanning a dramatic gorge, this bridge connects more than just two points on a map; it links centuries of tradition with the present moment. Traversing this architectural marvel allows guests to engage directly with the physical landscape and the daring spirit that shaped it.

Lahic

The next destination, Lahic Village, epitomizes mountain heritage and artisanal mastery. This ancient settlement is renowned for its copper craftsmanship, stone architecture, and enduring traditions. Wandering through its narrow cobblestone streets, guests witness artisans at work, preserving centuries-old techniques that define the village’s identity. The sensory richness of Lahic from the textures of hand-forged copper to the scents of mountain air embodies an authentic cultural immersion reserved for travelers with a discerning eye.

The day’s voyage culminates with arrival in Gabala, where guests are escorted to their accommodations. Gabala’s scenic landscape offers a contrasting yet complementary atmosphere lush forests, rolling hills and a serene ambiance that invites rest and reflection after an active day. This transition from highland traditions to natural tranquility underscores the diversity of experiences accessible within Azerbaijan’s varied terrain. Spanning approximately 6 to 7 hours, including transfers, this itinerary is designed to maximize engagement and intellectual depth without compromising comfort or pace.

After breakfast, guests embark on a journey that seamlessly blends breathtaking natural panoramas with the profound heritage of Azerbaijan’s northern regions. This day’s itinerary is crafted to deliver a layered experience, where the majesty of alpine vistas intersects with the grandeur of ancient royal courts, all narrated with expert precision. The adventure begins at Tufandag Mountain Resort with a dual-line cable car ascent, elevating travelers high above verdant slopes. This aerial passage offers sweeping views of the Caucasus Mountains, revealing an expansive canvas of peaks, valleys, and forests. The ride itself is a moment of both exhilaration and contemplation where nature’s immensity commands respect and admiration.

Descending from the heights, the itinerary leads to Nohur Lake, a serene water body nestled amidst lush greenery. Guests engage in a tranquil boat ride, embracing the calm reflections and crisp mountain air that define this peaceful retreat. This interlude grounds the day in quiet beauty before moving toward cultural landmarks.

Yeddi Gozel Waterfall

The journey proceeds to Yeddi Gozel Waterfall, a site steeped in local lore and scenic allure, before arriving at Nidj Udin Village.

Chotari Albanian-Udi Church

Here, travelers encounter the Chotari Albanian Church, a rare architectural gem that embodies the region’s religious and historical diversity. Its stone walls and intricate design offer a tangible connection to centuries of faith and craftsmanship.

Bio Garden

Continuing toward Sheki, the Bio Garden presents a natural sanctuary showcasing native flora and sustainable agricultural practices. This stop emphasizes the region’s commitment to ecological preservation alongside cultural richness.

Sheki Karvansaray

In Sheki itself, guests explore the historic Caravanserai, an ancient trading hub that once welcomed merchants from across the Silk Road. This architectural masterpiece illustrates the city’s role as a crossroads of commerce and culture, resonating with the echoes of past travelers.

No visit to Sheki is complete without experiencing its renowned Halva Shops, where traditional confections are crafted with recipes passed through generations. This tasting and shopping opportunity engages the senses, offering guests a flavorful souvenir of their journey. Spanning approximately 8 to 9 hours, including transfers and detailed commentary by a professional guide, the day is structured to maximize both engagement and comfort. The evening concludes with accommodations in Sheki, placing guests at the heart of a city where every street and stone tells a story of royal splendor and enduring heritage.

Palace of Shaki Khans

From the very first hour, the morning in Sheki begins not as a routine, but as a sequence of encounters with legacy preserved in its purest form. After a refined breakfast within the calm elegance of the hotel, guests are collected for a focused immersion into the rarest layers of Azerbaijani cultural mastery. The day’s journey opens at the Sheki Khan Palace, a structure that does not simply display architecture, it articulates power through symmetry, narrative through stained glass, and memory through wood and paint.

Abad Ceramics And Applied Art Center

Moments later, the pathway leads to the ABAD Ceramic Arts Centre, where silence is shaped into matter. The studio environment reveals the process where clay is not molded but negotiated with, until it yields to the maker’s conviction.

Sheki State Art Gallery

Next, the Art Gallery punctuates the itinerary with a sharp pivot into curated expression. What is offered here is not a tour through canvases but an alignment with intellectual taste. The works reflect a continuity of thought between past artisans and contemporary creators, each piece selected not to impress, but to connect with those whose gaze expects more than surface.

From fine art to functional brilliance, the journey progresses to the Craftsmen’s House, particularly the Shebeke Workshop, where Sheki’s famed stained glass windows assembled without glue or nails demonstrate the exactitude of regional genius. Watching the artisans reconstruct centuries-old geometric formulas by hand is an encounter with calculated complexity.

Fazil Labyrinth-museum

A concluding passage to the Fazil Necropolis shifts the lens from art to permanence. These resting grounds are layered with narrative density; a landscape where chronology and silence co-exist. The site demands a contemplative mind, rewarding the traveler not with dramatics, but with the calm awareness of being present in a place where time slows for those who can measure it. Return to the hotel finalizes the sequence. The entire experience spans 4 to 5 hours, engineered to deliver maximum intellectual and aesthetic impact within precise time parameters.

Church of Kish

The day opens with calm precision: a measured breakfast within Sheki’s timeless surroundings, followed by collection from the hotel. What unfolds next is a powerful study in cultural endurance, architectural gravity, and commercial intelligence. The journey commences at the Kish Albanian Church, the oldest Christian temple in the Caucasus, standing as a silent stronghold of spiritual tectonics. Its presence communicates centuries of resilience; its scale and craftsmanship resonate with guests who understand the value of historical continuity over spectacle.

Sheki

The route continues to the Shekikhanovs’ House, a noble residence that retains the codes of elite domestic architecture from a vanished aristocracy. Far from decorative, the building expresses refinement through proportion, restraint, and calculated ornamentation.

In sharp transition, the Sheki Silk Factory introduces movement, labor, and heritage through industry. This is a facility where silk is not manufactured but cultivated. The process here transcends simple textile production. Guests engage not with a commodity, but with a fiber that has shaped diplomacy, fashion, and power. Next, the Khan Mosque restores the architectural rhythm of Sheki’s sacred infrastructure. Modest in scale but precise in geometry and material articulation, it is a structure that speaks in a low voice to those who listen closely.

The itinerary proceeds to the Abdulkhaliq Hammam, a rare surviving 18th-century bathhouse where function meets ritual. This is a structure of thresholds between purity and privacy, body and spirit, architecture and atmosphere.

Sheki Wines

In a rare blend of local prestige and sensory precision, the Az Abrau Wine Museum offers a curated passage into Azerbaijan’s vinicultural ambition. Here, history is bottled and matured. The museum is not simply a record of production. For guests who interpret wine as narrative, this is a significant pause.

The final movement leads into the Sheki Bazaar, a living matrix of economic rhythm, cultural exchange, and grounded elegance. Spices, textiles, produce and craftsmanship converge in a cultural geometry that speaks most clearly to those capable of translating value beyond price. The day concludes with return to the hotel. After 5 to 6 hours of precisely layered exposure to cultural, industrial and sacred domains.

Kurmuk Temple

The day initiates with a disciplined breakfast, followed by a departure into the northwest, where topography, history and architecture intersect with absolute intentionality. What unfolds is not a tour, but an exacting exposure to remote structures of power, faith and rural intelligence designed for those who distinguish between ordinary relevance and rare cultural gravity. The first stop, the Kurmuk Temple, is perched with deliberate elevation both geographic and symbolic. It stands as a minimal yet unshakable monument of early Albanian Christian architecture. Carved into seclusion and reinforced by ritual function, this space transcends belief systems and becomes an abstract statement of permanence.

From there, the Qum Basilica introduces a sharp contrast: layered construction and a stronger grip on community-centric spirituality. This is a site that evolved under political and theological tensions, yet it holds together without compromise.

Next, the itinerary reaches Sumug-gala Castle, a fortified highland complex that speaks in the language of defense, surveillance and territorial command. It is architecture designed to outlast the moment, to exist beyond shifts in rule and borders.

A descent leads toward the Ulu Bridge, where civil engineering becomes historical infrastructure. The placement, the load-bearing form and the construction techniques reinforce one truth: longevity is not accidental.

Ulu Mosque

The Ulu Mosque follows compact, geometrically sound and free of architectural noise. Unlike dominant imperial mosques, this is a statement of modest command, shaped by artisans whose work was measured not in scale, but in alignment.

In the heart of Qakh, the Icheri Bazaar opens as a preserved urban fragment. This quarter is not a re-creation but an uninterrupted reality where trade, negotiation and structure remain as they were designed. Narrow lanes, stone shopfronts and architectural rhythm reflect a market culture that was not made for observation, but function.

From structured towns to living nature, the road bends toward Lekit Village, stopping at the Honey House, where rural methodology meets selective production. Guests are introduced to a practice where production volume is secondary to ecological intelligence.

Qakh

The final visit is to the History and Ethnography Museum, where the region is not narrated but decoded. This is a space where timelines collapse into curated density. The return to Sheki closes a 6 to 7 hour operation across religious constructs, defensive relics, rural mastery, and architectural clarity. Each site delivers not nostalgia, but data historical, spatial and cultural.

Nizami Ganjavi Mausoleum

The day initiates with precision breakfast served within defined calm, followed by checkout and a focused departure. The transition from Sheki to Ganja is not a routine transfer but a deliberate shift into a denser intellectual atmosphere. The first destination is the Mausoleum of Nizami Ganjavi, a spatial monument to one of the region’s most complex poetic minds. Its verticality is symbolic: a deliberate statement of intellectual ascent, a poetic axis anchoring Azerbaijan’s national identity to a figure whose works transcended borders, languages, and centuries. Surrounded by sculptural installations, landscaped grounds, and an austere symmetry, the mausoleum is both a public space and a cultural assertion.

From verse to sanctity, the itinerary advances to the Mausoleum of Imamzadeh, a sacred compound where spiritual and architectural authority align. The domes, the tilework and the controlled symmetry speak not only of faith but of power systems coded into religious space.

Shah Abbas Mosque

The next encounter is the Shah Abbas Mosque, a masterwork of spatial balance. Its brick construction, natural lighting and sharply rational proportions are a lesson in architectural discipline.

Bottle House

The itinerary then shifts dramatically to the Bottle House, a civilian structure executed with uncommon intent. Composed of thousands of glass bottles arranged in architectural coherence. Moving through the city’s foundational grid, the group arrives at the Caravansarai, a fortified structure built to manage commerce, risk and rest in equal measure. It was engineered for endurance thick walls, narrow entry points and a logic of flow designed not for hospitality, but for security.

Khan Bagy Park

The next phase unfolds in Khan Baghi Park, not as a retreat but as a spatial counterbalance. Designed for equilibrium, it filters the pace of the city for those who require pause with precision. Optionally, the program may extend to GanjLand, a contemporary contrast offering controlled leisure. Its presence is deliberate: to place modern infrastructure beside historical weight, not in opposition but in sequence. For certain travelers, this addition sharpens the cultural gradient of the day, transforming amusement into commentary. Arrival at the hotel in Ganja marks the close of a day spanning approximately 8 to 9 hours an operational framework executed through architectural depth, literary tribute, civic strategy and sacred command.

Goygol

After a leisurely breakfast and check-out from the hotel in Ganja, the final day in Azerbaijan begins with a scenic drive to one of the country's most stunning natural landmarks -Lake Goygol. The name “Goygol” translates to “Blue Lake,” and once you arrive, it’s easy to see why. It is renowned for its mirror-like surface and jewel-toned waters that reflect the surrounding pine forests and snow-capped peaks. The lake was formed in the 12th century after an earthquake reshaped the landscape. Since then, it has been a symbol of natural purity and spiritual calm in Azerbaijan. You’ll have time to walk along its serene shores, breathe in the crisp alpine air, and take in panoramic views from designated viewpoints. In the spring and summer, the area bursts with wildflowers, while in autumn, the surrounding forest becomes a fiery palette of gold and red. This peaceful moment amidst pristine nature is a perfect way to reflect on the journey behind you.

Lake Maralgol

Optionally, you may also visit the nearby Maralgol Lake (if time and access permit), or stop at the Goygol National Park Visitor Center. After your lakeside excursion, begin the return journey to Baku. The route takes you through the scenic western plains and forested hills of Azerbaijan, offering glimpses of rural life, vineyards, and ancient caravan routes. This comfortable drive back to the capital is a fitting closure to a diverse and unforgettable adventure.

Upon arrival in Baku, you'll be dropped off at your hotel (or Heydar Aliyev International Airport, depending on your travel arrangements), with time to relax or prepare for your onward journey. This marks the end of your 9-day journey across the heart of Azerbaijan - a country of contrasts, where ancient culture, wild nature, and warm hospitality weave together into a uniquely rich experience. Drop-off in Baku. End of Tour Services.