Overnight in Baku- ARRIVAL : Arrival at the Heydar Aliyev International Airport. You will be welcomed by the tour guide and then transferred to your hotel in Baku. Check-in at the hotel. Free time.
Baku is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region, with a population of 2,374,000. Baku is located 28 metres (92 ft) below sea level, which makes it the lowest lying national capital in the world and also the largest city in the world located below sea level. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, alongside the Bay of Baku. At the beginning of 2009, Baku's urban population was estimated at just over two million people. Officially, about 25 percent of all inhabitants of the country live in Baku's metropolitan area.
Overnight in Baku - Baku city tour : Breakfast at the hotel. Baku panorama viewing from the Upland Park, and have the opportunity to look at Baku hotel complex «Flame Towers Baku» – a new business card of the city. The famous Flame Tower complex composed of 3 buildings. It is interesting that lighting of Flame Towers is considered to be the best in the world according to the survey of skyscrapercity.com. The surface of the Towers is fully covered with LED screens which reflect different visual characters in motion, easily visible from the far corners of the city.
Old City Tour: Icheri Sheher (Old City), known as a “fortress” – is a unique historical and architectural conservation area in the center of Baku. This is one of the ancient and densely populated places of the country and even of the Middle East. Archaeological excavations revealed burial vaults of the Bronze Age. The Maiden Tower (the 12th century) and the Shirvanshah palace (the 13th-16th century) are well-known historical monuments also locate in Old City. Besides them there are a lot of other unique monuments of Icheri Sheher: mosques, minarets, the remnants of caravanserais "Multani" and "Bukhara", ancient baths. There are a lot of souvenir shops where you can purchase national clothes, kerchiefs, scarves and caps, dishes and handmade carpets. The Philharmonic Park: BAKU'S GREEN OASIS, just outside the walls of Baku´s Old City. The park, formerly known as the Governor´s Garden or Vahid Park, slopes down towards the Caspian from the Philharmonia Concert Hall. Dr Kamil Ibrahimov, senior researcher at the Old City State Historical and Architectural Reserve, takes a look at how this lush park came to be created in arid Baku. Visiting The Museum of Carpets & Applied Art, the impressive building located on the seafront. The Museum possesses one of the best collections of local and Persian carpets which will be presented to your attention. It has a brilliant display of woven and knotted Azerbaijani carpets, plus jewelry, embroidery, metalwork and carved wood. The oldest carpet is dated from XVII century. Here you can get acquainted with the types of carpets and weave your first little carpet as well. Heydar Aliyev center – The Center bearing the name of nationwide leader Heydar Aliyev has become a symbol of modern Azerbaijan and modern Baku. The building of the Heydar Aliyev Center is an embodiment of the development of the present-day Azerbaijan and its attachment both to the past and to the future. The logo of the Heydar Aliyev Center also represents a reflection of this idea Free time: walking down to Nizami Street (old trading zone with lots of shops and boutiques), Fountain Square, shopping center “Park Boulevard”, etc. Baku Boulevard is the second largest one in Europe where tourists can get a boat (in case of availability) to make a trip along Baku Bay and to be introduced to the interesting facts and legends of the largest lake in the world better known as Caspian Sea.
Overnight in Baku
-Absharon tour: Breakfast at the hotel and Transfer to Absharon.
Visiting Bibi Heybat Mosque. Built in the 13th century by Shirvanshah Farrukhzad II Ibn Ahsitan II, which was completely destroyed by the Bolsheviks in 1936 and restored later in the end of the 20th century. The Bibi-Heybat Mosque includes the shrine of Ukeyma Khanum (a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad), and today is the spiritual center for the Muslims of the region and one of the major monuments of Islamic architecture in Azerbaijan. Visiting Azerbaijan's historical ethnographic reserve - the ancient village Gala. In the village there are 243 monuments of architecture and archeology, dated back to the prehistoric men of the Bronze Age (3000 BC.) to the mosques, baths, premises belonging to the late Middle Ages. Covering an area of 156 hectares, the preserve contains burial mounds, crypts, dwelling houses as well as 4 storage pools, ruins of an ancient palace, 5 mosques and 3 bath-houses dating back to the period between 3rd Millennium BC and 20th century. Lunch break .Visiting an ancient Zoroastrian temple of flame – Ateshgah. The temple ages back to the 17-18th centuries and was built by Indian fire-worshipers’ community in Baku. Visiting Yanardag (literary “burning mountain”) to observe natural burning flame outlets at the surface. The hill side is covered with flame and is better viewed in the evening. Back to Hotel
Overnight in Gabala - Transfer from Baku to Gabala: Breakfast at the hotel and Transfer to Gabala. Arrival to Gabala, check-in and free time.
Overnight in Gabala - Gabala city tour: Breakfast at the hotel and Gabala city tour
.Tour in Gabala city. Visiting historical places and landscapes. Gabala is one of the most beautiful parts of Azerbaijan with a rich and ancient history. Sometime in the past (for 600 years) this city (Kabala) was the capital of Caucasian Albania. Up to the present time there are the ruins of the ancient city and the main gate of Caucasian Albania. Among the local attractions there are the so called Russian forest, river valleys, the famous Chestnut forest, and numerous picturesque villages. Excursion to the lake Nohur.Excursion to the mausoleums in Hazra village. Excursion to the village Chukhur Gabala. Ongoing excavations near the village Chukhur confirm that Gabala from IV – III centuries BC and up to the XVIII century was one of the major cities with developed trade and crafts. Visiting “Tufandaq” Winter-Summer Tourism Complex. Here guests will have opportunity to see the beauty of the region by using cable car at place. Visiting Shooting Centre Gabala (there are: archery, shooting a gun on the plates, shooting range) - “7 Beauties” waterfall (there are 7 small waterfalls, 7th one lays on the top of the mountain) – in case if the weather will be good.
Overnight in Gabala - Transfer from Sheki: Breakfast at the hotel.
Take road to Sheki region. Have a panoramic view of Sheki city from the mountain Sheki is one of the most famous and ancient places of Azerbaijan. Situated 700 m (2297 ft.) above sea level like an amphitheater surrounded by the mountains and forests of oak trees, this ancient city was long famed as a silk center and an important stop on the Great Silk Route. Visiting “Sheki Khan's palace” -XVIII century under UNESCO protection (entrance) with magnificent frescos and exquisite stained glass work. Survey of fortifications, caravanserai in the Old city (XVII-XIX c.c.) Survey of the exposition of the National Applied Arts museum in the old round Christian temple (IX-XVI c.) and acquaintance with works of handicraftsmen on manufacturing stained - glass windows - “shebaka” (handmade frescos) in their workshops. Lunch break.Then visiting of “Pakhlava” (special and famous in Azerbaijan sweet) workshop and Tekelduz (a kind of weaving popular in this area) workshop.Visiting of Albanian Church in Kish Village. It is located approximately 5 km north of Sheki. According to historians this small church one of the first Christian churches on Caucasus and was renovated with funds of Norwegian Government in 2000. We will visit Sheki Bazaar where you will be able to see how local people trade and deal.Return to Gabala
Overnight in Tbilisi - Transfer from Gabala to Lagodekhi, Georgia-Azerbaijan boarder : Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Georgia, Tbilisi. Check-in at the hotel. Free time.
Overnight in Tbilisi - Tbilisi city tour : Breakfast at the hotel. 11:00 - Tbiliisi city tour. Excursion program: Puppet Theatre, Anchiskhati Church, Bridge of Peace, Rike Park, Narikala Fortress, Old Town, Waterfall Leghvtakhevi, Abanotubani (literally “Bath District”), Heydar Aliev Park, Freedom Square, Rustaveli Avenue, Turtle lake.
Check-In at the hotel, free time to rest.
Overnight in Sno - Ananuri-Gudauri tour: Breakfast at the hotel. Check out. 10:30 – Ananuri-Gudauri tour. Excursion program: Zhinvali Water Reservoir, Ananuri fortress, Gudauri ski resort, Sno – village near Kazbegi.
Ananuri is a castle complex on the Aragvi River in Georgia, about 45 miles (72 kilometres) from Tbilisi. Ananuri was a castle and seat of the eristavis (Dukes) of Aragvi, a feudal dynasty which ruled the area from the 13th century. The castle was the scene of numerous battles. In 1739, Ananuri was attacked by forces from a rival duchy, commanded by Shanshe of Ksani and was set on fire. The Aragvi clan was massacred. However, four years later, the local peasants revolted against rule by the Shamshe, killing the usurpers and inviting King Teimuraz II to rule directly over them. However, in 1746, King Teimuraz was forced to suppress another peasant uprising, with the help of King Erekle II of Kakheti. The fortress remained in use until the beginning of the 19th century. In 2007, the complex has been on the tentative list for inclusion into the UNESCO World Heritage Site program. Gudauri is a ski resort located on the south-facing plateau of The Greater Caucasus Mountain Range in Georgia. The resort is situated in the Stepantsminda District, along the Georgian Military Highway near the Cross Pass, at an elevation of 2,200 meters (7,200 ft.) above sea level with skiable area enjoying maximum exposure to the sun. Gudauri lies 120 km (75 mi) to the north of the capital Tbilisi and two hours drive from the Tbilisi International Airport or even a short helicopter flight from the capital. The resort offers high quality skiing opportunities. The slopes of Gudauri are completely above the tree line and are best for free-riders and are generally considered to be avalanche-safe. The ski season lasts from December to April. Heliskiing is also available throughout the season. Sno – Village near Kazbegi.
Overnight in Tbilisi - Stepantsminda and Gveleti waterfalls : Breakfast at the hotel. Excursion program:Stepantsminda is a small town in the Mtskheta-Mtianeti region of north-eastern Georgia. Historically and ethnographically, the town is part of the Khevi province. It is the center of the Kazbegi Municipality.
Gveleti Waterfalls tour with special Delica cars. Transfer back to Tbilisi. On the way to Tbilisi we will visit Jvary Monastery.