Day 1. Arrival in Baku.

Meeting at the airport, transfer to the hotel. Overnight stay at a hotel in Baku.

Day 2. Getting to know Baku.

After breakfast, departure for excursions. First, tourists will get acquainted with the panorama of the city and Baku Bay from the observation deck of Upland Park. After this, an excursion to the Old City (Baku Fortress) will begin. The "Old City" complex, which covers the territory of the old fortress, is included in the list of historical monuments protected by UNESCO. The excursion starts at the entrance to the Baku Fortress. Tourists enter the fortress through the ancient "Double Gates," which opened onto the Shamakhi road. Walking with a guide along the ancient streets of the fortress, tourists will visit the Palace of the Shirvanshahs, enter ancient Caravanserais, see old mosques and medieval baths, and climb to the roof of the Maiden Tower. The Maiden Tower is one of the mystical structures of the ancient East. Tourists will also be shown the place where the Apostle Eliseus was crucified. Every year, in memory of this event, the Baku Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church holds a religious procession here on June 24. At the end of the excursion, tourists will visit the locations where the famous comedy film "The Diamond Arm" was filmed.

After lunch, continuation of excursions. The next excursion site will be the Heydar Aliyev Center. It is a complex structure that includes an auditorium, museums, and exhibition halls. The center's project was developed in 2007 by the world-famous architect Zaha Hadid. In 2014, it was recognized as the best building in the world and awarded the "2014 Design of the Year" prize. The building houses an interactive museum of national musical instruments, the "Masterpieces of Azerbaijan" museum, where a collection of national clothing and household items is exhibited, an exposition of Azerbaijani carpets, and more.

Overnight stay at a hotel in Baku.

Day 3. Baku – Gabala

On this day, the first trip to the regions of Azerbaijan begins. After breakfast, tourists depart for the Gabala region, located in the northwest of the country, in the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains. On this day, tourists will cover a total distance of 210 km. On the way, tourists will visit several excursion sites. The first will be the "Diri Baba" (Living Old Man) mausoleum, built in 1402 by Shirvanshah Ibrahim I for a Sufi Sheikh. Here, tourists will learn an interesting and, at the same time, mystical story associated with this mausoleum. This place is considered holy, and people still come here for worship. In the Middle Ages, Sufi dervishes meditated in the nearby caves. The next stop is the Shamakhi Juma Mosque, the first building of which was constructed back in the 8th century. The building was last restored in 2013. The original appearance was returned to the mosque while preserving the old structure. Approaching the city of Gabala, tourists will stop for a short rest at Lake Nohur. After checking into the hotel and having lunch, tourists will take a cable car ride, enjoying the mountain landscapes opening up from there.

Overnight stay at a hotel in the Gabala region.

Day 4. Gabala – Sheki

Today, a wine tasting awaits tourists at the "Savalan" winery, followed by a visit to the village of Nij. Then, a trip to the city of Sheki, which is 80 km away. After breakfast, tourists leave the hotel and go to the winery, located in the Savalan valley to the southwest of the Gabala regional center. Here, tourists will be given a short tour of the winery, shown the vineyards, and then offered several types of local wine for tasting. After the tasting, tourists will go to the ancient village of Nij, home to the Udis, descendants of the inhabitants of Caucasian Albania. In the village, tourists will visit an ancient Albanian church and a small cultural center where they can taste local national dishes. After visiting the village, tourists depart for the city of Sheki, which is one of the oldest settlements in the Caucasus. Historical buildings harmoniously combine with the picturesque nature surrounding the city. After arrival in the city and checking into the hotel, there will be a short walk around Sheki.

Overnight stay at a hotel in Sheki.

Day 5. Sheki - Gakh

This day will be dedicated to the city of Sheki and the Gakh region and their attractions. In Sheki, tourists will visit the Khan's Palace – a magnificent 18th-century building erected without a single nail – the ancient Juma Mosque and Madrasah, the Khan's Mosque and Khan's Cemetery, a medieval Caravanserai, folk craft workshops, and the Albanian temple in the village of Kish. This is one of the oldest churches not only in the South Caucasus but possibly in the world. St. Elishe (Eliseus), a disciple of the Apostle Thaddeus, is considered the founder of this church. After this, tourists depart for the neighboring Gakh region. The distance one way is 40 km. Despite the proximity, the climate, architecture, and cuisine of the Gakh region differ from those of Sheki. In the Gakh region, tourists will visit the 5th-century Basilica in the village of Gum, the Ulu Mosque in the village of Ilisu, the "Sumug Gala" tower, and the Georgian Church of St. George. In the evening, a tasting of Sheki sweets awaits the tourists.

Overnight stay at a hotel in Sheki.

Day 6. Sheki – Ganja

After breakfast, tourists depart for the West of the country to the city of Ganja. The distance from Sheki to Ganja is 150 km. In Ganja, tourists will visit the mausoleum of the famous medieval Azerbaijani poet Nizami Ganjavi (1141–1209), the Shah Abbas Mosque (early 17th century), the Javad Khan Mausoleum (1748–1804), and the Imamzadeh complex (the mausoleum and mosque of Imamzadeh Ibrahim, son of Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq, a descendant of the Holy Prophet, 14th century).

Overnight stay at a hotel in Ganja.

Day 7. Ganja – Baku

On this day, tourists return to Baku. The distance is 350 km. On the way, near the city of Agsu (190 km), tourists will visit the "AzGranata" winery, where they will get acquainted with the production of juices, compotes, wine, and stronger drinks. During the tasting, they can try unique pomegranate wine. Overnight stay at a hotel in Baku.

Day 8. Baku, Absheron Peninsula.

After breakfast, tourists will go on an excursion around the Absheron Peninsula. The first site to visit is the Fire Worshippers' Temple. At the beginning of our era, a Zoroastrian temple was built on the territory of the Surakhany village at the site of natural gas outlets. After the Arab conquest of Azerbaijan and the adoption of Islam by the inhabitants, the Zoroastrian fire temple was partially destroyed. Fire worship in Surakhany resumed after the 15th century. After "Atashgah," tourists will visit the "Gala" museum. This museum complex is located on the territory of the village of the same name. Architectural and construction monuments discovered on the Absheron Peninsula have been collected and restored on the territory of the complex. After lunch, a trip to "Yanardag" (Burning Mountain) – a place where fire worshippers meditated.

Overnight stay at a hotel in Baku.

Day 9. Baku – Gobustan – Lankaran

Gobustan is a rock art museum. Here, tourists will visit an interactive museum and an open-air museum. The distance one way is 60 km. The rock carvings of Gobustan belong to different epochs and date from the 10th-8th millennia BC to the Middle Ages. Covering such a vast historical period, they hold a high place among other rock art collections in the world. Through the efforts of archaeologists, more than 6,000 drawings were discovered on 1,000 rocks, along with ancient dwellings – caves and settlements – about 40 mounds, and more than 100,000 items of material culture. The most ancient drawings date back to the Mesolithic era; however, it is assumed that life existed here even earlier, which allows Gobustan to be considered one of the cradles of civilization. After viewing the Gobustan museum, tourists will continue the trip to the Lankaran region, in the south of the country, where the subtropical zone is located. Distance – 190 km. Here, after checking into the hotel, tourists will visit a citrus orchard where lemons, tangerines, oranges, feijoa, and kiwi grow. Then, a trip to a tea plantation awaits them, where a master class on drying and preparing tea will be held, followed by dinner. During dinner, tourists will see a performance by the folklore ensemble "Grandmothers" (Nene-ler).

Overnight stay at a hotel in Lankaran.

Day 10. Lankaran – Baku

In the morning, after breakfast, tourists will check out of their rooms and go to the Astara region to a tea factory, where they will be shown modern tea production and offered a tasting of local tea varieties. After the excursion and tasting, departure for Baku.

Distance – 290 km. Overnight stay at a hotel in Baku.

Day 11. Baku

On this day, after breakfast, tourists will first visit a real oriental bazaar, where they can buy fruits, spices, and dried fruits, and surely bargain to lower the price. After the bazaar, tourists will go to the Seaside Boulevard, where the Azerbaijan Carpet Museum is located. It houses both new and ancient carpets from all over the country and represents all 7 schools of the Azerbaijani carpet. At the end of the excursion, after a walk along the Seaside Boulevard, depending on the weather, it will be possible to take a boat trip along the Baku Bay of the Caspian Sea – the largest lake in the world.

Overnight stay at a hotel in Baku.

Day 12. Transfer to the airport.