The Ultimate One Week Itinerary to Azerbaijan – The Country that topped Indian Travel Charts

Yes, you heard that right. Not Bali, not Maldives, not Paris, but Azerbaijan was the most travelled to country by Indians in 2024. I was also one of them. Because, why not? It has the old world charm from its Silk Route days and the infrastructure of a modern era. Planning to travel to Azerbaijan? Then, you have landed at the right place. This guide puts together all the information you need to travel to Azerbaijan, the Land of Fire. Heading to a foreign land can get quite daunting with all the requirements of visa, currency, where to stay, what to see, and how to navigate. I have got you all covered in this blog.

Table of Contents

Visa

Azerbaijan offers e-visa to Indians. It can be applied through the official website. Here are the details:

Link to the website: There are many fake websites doing rounds, head over to this official website – ASAN Portal

Processing Time: It takes 10 minutes to fill the application, and 3 days for it to be processed by the authorities after which it will be sent to your registered email.

Information: Scanned copy of passport, recent digital passport size photograph, accommodation details.

Cost: 25 USD (20$ for the e-visa, 5$ for processing it). It needs to be paid through a card, both visa and mastercard are accepted.

Currency

The currency is Azerbaijani Manat (AZN). As of 2024, 1 AZN is 50 INR. Cards are accepted at most places in Baku, the capital city. Stepping outside of the city, cash is still a prominent mode. I’d highly recommend you carry enough cash.

As far as my experience goes, Unibank had the least charges, followed by Yapı Kredi. These charges are apart from what your international card levies. Speaking of which, I had the Niyo global debit card, and my experience was really smooth. The onboarding process was quick, the app is user friendly and the support staff responsive. You can download the app here and use my code HASTI317 to get 250 points which you can later redeem.

How to Get To Azerbaijan

Indigo runs direct flights from New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport to Azerbaijan’s capital Baku Heyder Aliyev International Airport. The flight takes 4.5 hours to reach, and is a midnight flight. Azerbaijan Airlines also operates on this route. The public buses that ply to the city centre are not available at midnight. Taxis from the airport are expensive, and costed me 50AZN (2500 INR). So, booking a taxi through Bolt is your best bet. Ensure you have international roaming enabled (The WiFi at the airport wasn’t functional), so you can book the taxi once you land.

Buying a SIM Card in Azerbaijan

In my experience, Azercell has the best coverage throughout Azerbaijan. I’d prefer not buying it at the airport and instead buy it in the city, as it tends to have better pricing. The tariff and packages can be checked on their website.

Bakcell is another option you could consider.

Transport to Get Around in Azerbaijan

Baku has a well connected public transport with buses and metros. Purchase the Baku Card at the vending machines placed at most stations or at the airport. More information can be checked on this website.

To travel to other towns in the country, there are both buses and marshrutkas (minibus) that ply on most routes. Information and tickets can be purchased at Biletim or at the cash counters at the Bus Terminal.

One Week Itinerary to Azerbaijan

A four hour night flight from Delhi landed me at Baku. Stepping into a foreign country for the first time had me overwhelmed. A delayed flight, a dirty hostel, failed e-sim connection, made it only worse. Here’s how you can be better prepared to avoid the mistakes I made!

Day 1: Baku, the Bustling Capital

The first thing that comes to mind when one hears Baku is the Flame Towers. Standing tall in all its glory, can be seen from almost anywhere in the city, and by night it puts up a show, that is best viewed from the Caspian Sea Coast.

Take a Walking Tour

A great way to start exploring any city, is to put those comfortable shoes on and get set on foot. Walking tours are a great way to get a taste of the history of the days gone by.

I took a walking tour with Azerbaijan Traveller, which I highly recommend. It can be booked through their website, where they have a bunch of options. Gani, the guide, and I started from Icheriseher, the old city. Listening to the history of Azerbaijan, we crossed the city walls of which only a small portion remains. He then led me through the lanes that carried the smell of freshly baked bread on tandoor, locals playing Nard (backgammon) over a cup of çay (tea). Gani remarks this game is tougher than chess!

This was a free walking tour but note that it’s always good to tip them. In some cases, it’s mandatory. Guru Walks is a platform where you can browse from a vast options of these tours.

Baku has many points of interest, but here are a few places I wouldn’t miss and you shouldn’t too!

Shirvanshahs Palace: Built in the 15th Century, this place served as the Royal Palace and was a cultural hub too. You would need atleast 1-2 hours to see the entire palace and admire its intricate stone carvings and architecture.

Maiden Tower: This monument is shrouded in mystery. No one knows when or why it was built. Some evidence says it was built in the 12th century, making it as old as the city walls, but the architecture suggests it could have been the 4th century. The purpose remains unknown too – some believe it was a watchtower, and some believe it was an observatory. What is not uncertain is that, it offers breathtaking views of the Caspian Sea, from the top!

Museum of Miniature Books: As a reader, this for me was definitely the highlight. It houses a collection of 6000+ miniature books. The smallest book in the world, 2mm*2mm from Japan and can only be seen through a magnifying glass. Oh, there was also a miniature set of Shakespeare’s books, and a miniature book that travelled to space and was mailed back by the Astronauts. How fascinating! Don’t miss this out. There is no entrance fees, you can donate voluntarily.

Ismailliya Palace: It was built by Musa Naghiyev, one of Azerbaijan wealthiest oil barons, in the memory of his son Ismail. The building is now the Academy of Sciences.

Multan Caravanserai: Caravanserais were inns that were built on the trade routes for traders to rest and park their caravans. Think of it as the yester years’ hotel. One such is the Multan Caranvanerai, which as of 2024 was being renovated.

Where to Stay in Baku?

Hostel: Travel Inn

Hotels: Urban Hotel, Garden Inn Hotel

Day 2: Day Trip to Gobustan and Absheron

Take a day trip to Gobustan, the famous site of mud volcanoes, Historic Centre to see the petroglyphs, Yanardag, the burning mountain, and Atesgah Zoroastrian Fire Temple.

I booked this day trip operated by Baku Heritage Travel on GetYourGuide. It is a shared tour, in an air conditioned vehicle with an English guide. These places are far away from each other, so booking a trip puts the navigation worry to rest.

Azerbaijan is dubbed as the Land of Fire and Water, the concentration of the Mud Volcanoes is an example of that. They erupt mud, gas and water. The country has 400 such volcanoes, though small in size. Gobustan is one such area with a higher number of them. The trip then proceeds to the Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape which has 6000+ petroglyphs from the prehistoric era. These engravings depict the life, hunting practices, lifestyle from 5000 years ago.

The Fire Temple is a living memory of co-existence of different faiths – Hinduism, Islam, Zoroastrianism. The temple has now be turned into a museum with depictions of devotion and beliefs from that era. Stop for lunch, and pay a visit to Bibiheybat Mosque and continue to Yanardag – the burning mountain. The fire is natural arising from the hydrocarbon gases. Every logic also has a legend, and here the legend has it that a shepherd lit it four thousand years ago and it has been burning ever since!

Day 3: Quba

Take a Marshrutka/Bus from the Main Bus Terminal and head to Quba, a little town in Northern Azerbaijan. A comfortable 3 hour bus ride will take you there. The tickets can be purchased at the ticket counters or online at Biletim. Take a tour of the town, by visiting the Juma Mosque, Sakina Khan Mosque, and drop by Azerbaijan’s famed carpet weaving workshop.

From Quba, take a private tour to Shahdag for the Alpine Coaster, to get that rush of adrenaline. This is an experience you should totally consider doing. It costs 25AZN for the silver package. There is a golden and platinum package available too with priority lanes and video filming. The coaster is almost 3km long and served amazing mountain views.

You can continue your journey further to an offbeat village, home to the Lezgi community, which is mostly frequented only the locals. Follow me on Instagram and drop me a DM titled ‘Azerbaijan Offbeat’ and I will send you the details.

The local buses are only available till Quba, requiring you to hire a private vehicle for onward journey. I booked my trip through Quba Tours. It is run by the locals from the town, and they just know it better. You can contact with them on Instagram for further details.

*A moment of Zero State of mind –* *No thoughts inside, no one in sight*

Alternative option for Day 3: Khinaliq

Take the bus to Quba, and hire a private vehicle to Khinaliq, which is one of the highest villages in the country. This 5000 year old village built on mountain slopes, gives breathtaking mountain views, and has the kindest people. Visit the Khinaliq Mosque, Museum of History and Culture, and hike around the village. You can either take a day trip here and return to Baku by night or spend the night at Khinaliq. Zaur Guest House is a beautiful homestay, if you wish to stay there night If are you up for putting on those trekking shoes, Khinaliq has great trekking options in the Greater Caucasus Mountains. One such is the beautiful Galakhudat trek, that spans 16kms and takes 8 hours on average.

Note: As of 2024, during my travel, the bridge to Khinaliq was destroyed, owing which I couldn’t go there but this was what I had planned to do. The bridge is now being repaired, so ensure to check the conditions before you travel.

Also, if you wish to visit the Candy Cane Mountains, hire a taxi from Baku, as there is no public transport that goes there. It is a little detour to the west on the road that leads to Quba. If you want my tip – skip it! I heard from other travellers and some locals that it isn’t worth the hype and the pictures you see on social media are highly edited to make them look appealing.

Day 4: Shamakhi, Lahic, Gabala

Shamakh was the capital earlier but after it was struck down by earthquakes, the capital was shifted to Baku. While there is no direct bus that goes to Shamakhi from Baku, you could hop onto the bus that goes to Sheki or Gebele (Gabala) and request the driver to stop on the highway.

Start your day by visiting the Diri Baba Mausoleum, a 15th century mosque carved into a rock. Later, head to Yeddi Gumbaz Mausoleum, popularly called the Seven Dome complex. Continue your journey to Lahic, a cobblestoned village, an hour’s drive from Shamakhi. It is best to hire a taxi, as the routes that lead to Lahic, pass through the mountains and there is no public transport.

Nestled in the Girdiman Valley, this 5th century village is known for its copper craftsmanship. It feels like stepping back in time, and imagining what Azerbaijan’s era of Silk Route would have looked like. The lane from the Museum has shops set up on either side, selling spices, socks, carpets, and more. Walk into a shop, where you can see misgərlər (coppersmith), working away their magic with metal, making bracelets and other artefacts. I got myself one for 3 AZN, and he engraved my name on it too. Take a virtual walk in this colourful village through this video on my Instagram.

All you need is just a couple of hours of explore both these places. You can then head to Tufandag, Azerbaijan favourite ski resort spot, which has a gondola ride treating you to amazing mountain views. After which, drive to Gabala, home to thermal springs and dreamy lavender fields. I suggest including these two places only if you have rented a car from Baku, as there is no direct connectivity of public transport between these places.

Day 5-6: Sheki

This small town surrounded by mountains, with a quaint timeless charm was the highlight of my trip. If there’s one place in Azerbaijan I would love to go back to, it has to be Sheki, without a doubt! Flag down a Marshrutka (minibus) on the highway (if you are coming from Shamakhi, if not there is a direct bus from Baku), and hop onto it. In a couple of hours you will find yourself in Shaki (Shachi) as fondly called by the locals. This little town has a lot of unique experiences that one is sure to love. On day 5 you can explore these.

Sheki Khans’ Palace: Start your day by visiting this palace of the Sheki Khans who ruled here in the 18th century, encouraged trade, built caranvanserais, also supported arts and architecture. The palace being decked with Shebeke is a living example of that.

Shebeke Workshop: Around the corner in the same complex is this workshop where you see the process of how Shebeke, glass windows, are made without using any nuts, bolts or glue. The person and his family, who runs the workshop, was involved in the restoration of the Palace. The process was quite fascinating to see, and I made a little Shebeke for myself to bring back home!

Caravanserai: By know you might have guessed that this is quite a common sight in Azerbaijan. Sheki has upper and lower caravanserais that are mesmerising to take a walk through, imagining how they might have looked like in their prime. Don’t forget to dip your toes in the shops lined by here selling local artefacts.

Miniature Museum: This is a hidden gem enroute the Palace, often overlooked. It houses incredible miniature art featuring miniature designs, sculptures, artefacts denoting the local life.

Sheki Bazaar: End your day with a visit to this Bazaar, where you can shop for local produce like honey and nuts. The market is a peek into the everyday life in Sheki. Indulge your taste buds with Sheki halva, a dessert, uniquely different from Indian halva.

On Day 6 you can wander through these places:

Kish Village: This village is a short taxi ride from Sheki. It has one of the oldest Albanian Churches in the Caucasus region, believed to be built in the 1st century.

Girdimanchay Waterfall: An easy and a short hike from the village, this waterfall gives you the just the escape you need from the city rush.

Visit the local Silk Factory: You cannot come back without seeing what Sheki is known for, its silk production. Visit this 19th century factory to learn about the natural silk making process. Don’t forget to buy yourself a Kelaghayi scarf.

Carpet Workshops: What’s a visit if you don’t look into the local arts and craftsmanship of a country! Head to carpet weaving workshops, and witness the artisans weave intricate designs.

While in Sheki, don’t forget to drop by Sultan House Restaurant. The owner understands English, and suggests food according to your preferences. Restoran Qaqarin is another place I enjoyed the food at. Both these places are near the Upper Caravanserai. Herb Qutab is one dish I binge ate throughout my trip in Azerbaijan.

Day 7: Baku

Return to Baku in a marshrutka and fly back home. Or if you have some time in hand, cross the land border into Georgia at Balakan.

Budget

Azerbaijan is affordable, but expect the prices to be higher than what you’d spend in India. The total budget is based on your preferences. As for me, I spent INR 54K for 8 days, which included a one way flight from Delhi to Baku. I then crossed the land border into Georgia. My trip was a combination of staying at hostels and local homestays, taking public transport and private cabs. Here is a detailed breakdown of my budget, which should give you a brief idea of what the prices look like and what you could expect.

Conclusion

Azerbaijan is the perfect blend of modern marvels and ancient charm. This itinerary will allow to experience the best of everything this country has to offer.