Mountain trek in Azerbaijan
🚩 PLACES FULL!
You can register for a waiting list or decide to go on similar exciting mountain hikes instead. In Armenia or In RomaniaIn Armenia and Romania, there are also plans to combine exploring local village life with a pleasant mountain hike and, of course, tempting local food.
Elamus+ will undertake an exciting mountain hike to the highest peak in Azerbaijan, Bazardüzü at 4466 meters. And not only that! During this adventure, we will visit other peaks in Azerbaijan. However, it is not just a mountain hike, we will also wander through mountain villages, enjoy local food and feel the real Azerbaijani atmosphere while staying in authentic guest houses. At the end of the hiking days, we will also review the best pearls of culture as a reward (including the cultural landscape of Gobustan rock paintings, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and feel especially comfortable walking in the midst of bustling civilization in Baku.
The program is designed so that a true adventurer can experience the real camp life with overnight stays in tents, the effort of climbing and descending to the top, enjoying 4x4 vehicles in places that are otherwise inaccessible by vehicle, and also several hours of pain in hiking boots. But the reward is incredible views of the peaks of the Greater Caucasus and from the peaks. During the adventure, we visit unique villages where traditional lifestyles have been preserved, see many historical sites and admire untouched nature.
The climb to Bazardüzü is not technically difficult, but it requires good physical fitness, as some days are long and tiring.
During a mountain hike:
We visit villages away from the center, get to know the residents, and get a holistic impression of the country and its inhabitants.
Let's get acquainted with one of the most beautiful and fastest developing cities, Baku.
Let's go hiking in the mountains, enjoy real camp life, and climb the highest peak in Azerbaijan.
We will try Azerbaijani national dishes in different villages.
In August, the temperature in Baku can reach 29-30 degrees Celsius, but in the mountains the temperatures are lower (10-15 degrees Celsius) and at the top there are a few minus degrees.
This hike is for you if you are interested in new and exciting places, enjoy physical exertion, and don't give up on camp life.
Overview - short & sweet
Goal: climb to Bazardüzü peak (4466 m)
Dates: 15.-23.08.2025
Activity: Mountain hiking in the Greater Caucasus range and mountain villages
Adventure guide: Sergei Kleidov
Technical difficulty level: 1/5 (hike without special equipment)
Physical difficulty: 3/5 (the peak days of the hike are demanding, they start early at night, accompanied by cold and fatigue from the previous days; this hike requires both physical and mental endurance)
Group size: min 8, max 12
Early bird (until 31.01.2025) — €1590
Late Registration (from 01.02.2025) — €1750
Please note: For community members discount of -5% applies (1510 € / 1662 €)
Travel cost
Price includes:
Entire trip organization and on-site guidance
Elamus+ Estonian-speaking tour guide (also speaks Russian and English)
Local transportation
All overnight stays throughout the trip (in hotels, guesthouses, tents), with tents for mountain days also included in the price
Meals as stated in the travel description
Stylish Elamus+ sports shirt for each participant
Group pharmacy
The price does not include:
Flight tickets to Baku and back (~350-500 €)
Insurance (travel insurance and sports insurance/additional protection suitable for mountain hiking)
Personal camping equipment (except tent)
Meals not included in the trip price (meals on the day of arrival, lunch snacks on the 5th and 7th mountain days, dinner on the 7th day and lunch on the 8th day)
Extra activities and transportation for them
Personal hygiene products and medications
Early termination of a mountain hike (due to weather, health, etc.) will incur additional costs (overnight stays, meals).
Registering for the tour
Before registering, please read travel conditions. To secure your place on the trip, a deposit (20%) must be paid within 3 business days of receiving the confirmation and invoice by email; if there are less than 30 days left until the trip, the total cost (100%) must be paid. Read more: frequently asked questions ja package tour information sheet.
Schedule and activities
DAY 1 - Arrival in Azerbaijan
We will arrive at Azerbaijan's Heydar Aliyev International Airport (GYD), where a local representative will meet the group and transfer to a hotel in the center of Baku. If we arrive during the day, we will go on a sightseeing tour of Baku if you wish.
Price includes accommodation in a Baku hotel
DAY 2 - The hiking adventure begins
After breakfast we leave Baku and head to the Quba city area, the drive will take several hours. Upon arrival we visit the area around Qrizi village and climb to an altitude of 2500 m to acclimatize. This is an easy hike with beautiful views.
We hike for 1-2 hours during the day.
The price includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and overnight stay in the guesthouse.
DAY 3 - Azerbaijani villages and the first peak
After breakfast, our first serious day of hiking awaits us. We hike through several villages and get to know the local way of life. We also walk through the Gudialchay canyon and visit the beautiful Gur-guri waterfall. After lunch, we climb to the top of Mount Kharibulbul (2783 m) for acclimatization. The last point of this day is the mountain village of Khinalig, the oldest settlement in Azerbaijan. We spend the night in an authentic guesthouse typical of an Azerbaijani village.
We hike for 8-9 hours during the day.
The price includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and overnight stay in the guesthouse.
DAYS 4 and 5 - Ascent To the highest peak of Azerbaijan (4466 m)
After breakfast, we head to the foot of the roof of Azerbaijan, Bazardüzü Mountain, up to an altitude of 4 m in 4x2900 mountain vehicles. From there, we continue on foot with backpacks with the aim of reaching the camp at an altitude of 3250 m. At our first base camp, we set up tents and have lunch. In the afternoon, we make an easy acclimatization hike to an altitude of 3400 m. Then dinner and rest. The next morning, we wake up early, at 04.00:4466, have breakfast and start the climb to the Bazardüzü peak (XNUMX m). After visiting the peak and taking wonderful pictures, we descend back to the camp, pack up the tents and head to the second base camp of Bazardüzü, where we have dinner and rest.
First day:
We hike for 1-2 hours.
We will spend the night in a tent at an altitude of 3250 m.
Price includes breakfast, lunch and dinner on the mountain (high-quality Tactical Foodpack/MEKI hiking food)
Second day:
We hike for 10-14 hours.
We will spend the night in a tent at an altitude of 3250 m.
The price includes breakfast and dinner on the mountain (high-quality Tactical Foodpack/MEKI hiking food).
DAYS 6 and 7 - Immediately a hike to the peak of Shahdag (4243 m)
In the morning we wake up, have lunch, pack up camp and head down from Bazardüzü camp until we reach our mountain cars. With them we move to the foot of Mount Shahdag. After an hour's walk we reach the base camp, which is located at an altitude of 3100 m. After lunch we make an easy hike to an altitude of 3500 m and then come back to the camp, where we rest and prepare for tomorrow's summit climb.
The next morning we wake up at 04.00:XNUMX, have lunch and start our journey to the peak of Shahdag. When we reach the peak we take pictures of the wonderful views and descend back to the camp. Appetizers from Shahdag National Park are, for example this video.
At the camp, we pack up and head to the village of Khinalig, from where we set off towards Baku.
First day:
We hike for 1-2 hours.
We will spend the night in a tent at an altitude of 3100 m.
Price includes breakfast, lunch and dinner on the mountain (high-quality Tactical Foodpack/MEKI hiking food)
Second day:
We hike for 10-12 hours.
We will stay overnight at a hotel in Baku.
Breakfast included (high-quality Tactical Foodpack/MEKI camping food)
DAY 8 - Now it's vacation and let's enjoy the culture!
After breakfast, our Baku-Absheron cultural program begins. During this tour, we will visit the cultural pearl of Azerbaijan. We will look over the cultural landscape of Gobustan rock paintings, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and we will also get acquainted with the absolutely extraordinary mud volcanoes of Azerbaijan. The largest and highest (400 m) mud volcano in the world, Torogai, is located in Azerbaijan. But, of course, we will also visit the temple of the eternal flame, Ateshgah, which is a real Azerbaijani exotic. The temple territory is known for such a unique natural phenomenon as the burning of natural gas outlets (the gas, when it comes out, comes into contact with oxygen and ignites), and we will examine the eternal fire of this extraordinary phenomenon with our own eyes!
In the evening, we will gather at a traditional Azerbaijani restaurant and celebrate the end of our hike with a shared dinner.
The price includes breakfast, dinner and accommodation in a Baku hotel.
Day 9 - Back home!
After breakfast, a transfer will take us to the airport.
Breakfast included
NB! There may be minor changes to the schedule and planned activities - for example, due to weather and conditions or passenger requests.
Hiking equipment
Here it is list of important things, which you may need on the hike. Temperatures vary widely (+20 °C to -5 °C), depending on the altitude. This means that you should bring as much clothing as possible that will protect you from both cold wind and sunburn.
When the group is together, we discuss exactly everything you need for a pleasant camping experience and mountain hike.
Travel documents and footnotes
The participant is responsible for the validity and orderliness of their travel documents. The following documents are required for this trip:
pass;
visit (which can be applied for electronically, costs around €25);
travel insurance (including travel disruption, baggage, medical assistance) and sports insurance suitable for mountain hiking (read more on the FAQ page). A suitable sports insurance policy (or additional travel insurance coverage) must be carried and is a prerequisite for participating in the mountain hike.
If Azerbaijan requires a Covid-19 test or other related documents prior to travel, these will also be the responsibility of the participant. There is currently no such requirement.
Plan your trip early and start training for it. We will organize several trial trips, training sessions and recommend training plans beforehand. It would be a shame if the peak was only behind the physique. Also a good opportunity to get in shape. ;)
Summits are not guaranteed. As you might expect, weather is king in the mountains. So it is entirely possible that weather or dangerous conditions will prevent us from even attempting the summit. Nevertheless, it will definitely be an awesome experience!
Although at the end of the day everyone is still responsible for their own actions and consequences, we do our best to mitigate the risks associated with mountaineering. As a result, the group leader has the right to make ongoing decisions about the competence of the participants, the suitability of their equipment, physical/mental capacity, etc. and, if necessary, for example, to prohibit participation on summit day if it endangers the health of the group or the participant themselves. Hopefully, of course, there will be no need for this.
Read more also Elamus Pluss OÜ travel conditions
Don't worry, let's do it!
Is this hike suitable for me?
Definitely! If you plan your hike early, you'll have time to exercise to feel more comfortable on days in the mountains.
But I don't have any hiking gear, who can afford to buy it?!
You'll still have to spend a little, but not much. Hiking equipment can be rented for a very reasonable price and, of course, borrowed from friends. In addition, you can use any kind of clothing you have – for example, a ski jacket is also very good for the mountain. The more resourceful can manage almost without additional expenses. Feel free to ask the driver for advice!
Okay, I registered. Now what?
To make the hike more enjoyable, we recommend participating in our preparatory events before the trip - it's also part of the fun. Elamus+ also organizes preparatory hiking training and, if desired, we can provide advice on suitable insurance and equipment, etc.
Read more also frequently asked questions.
