Baku & Gabala 6-Day Tour: Old City, Tufandag, Yanardag
Six days across Baku's UNESCO Old City and Gabala's Tufandag mountain resort, with three hotel tiers, English-speaking guide, transport, and entry fees included.
6 days · 5 nights · Baku & Gabala · from $699/pp
Pricing & itinerary last updated May 2026 · Operated by Birtour DMC since 2014
- Duration
- 6 days / 5 nights
- Cities
- Baku · Gabala
- Group size
- 1–15 people
- Tour dates
- Jun 01, 2026 — Sep 10, 2026
- From
- $699/ person
- UNESCO heritage
- Mountains
- Culture
- Family-friendly
Your 6-day route
Day
01
BakuArrival in Baku
Airport pickup, hotel check-in, then a panoramic evening drive across Baku to see the Flame Towers lit up and the Boulevard at sunset.
- Airport meet & greet
- Panoramic Baku drive
- Boulevard sunset
- Meet & greet at Heydar Aliyev International Airport (GYD) and private transfer to your hotel
- Hotel check-in and rest
- Evening panoramic tour of Baku: Flame Towers viewpoint, Boulevard, and a stop at one of the city's luxury shopping centers
- Return transfer to hotel
- Meals included
- D
- Overnight
- Baku (hotel by package tier)
Day
02
Baku → GabalaBaku to Gabala via Tufandag cable car
Morning drive to Gabala (about 3.5 hours). After lunch, ride the Tufandag cable cars up to 2,836 m for lunch above the clouds and Caucasus views.
- Drive to Gabala
- Tufandag cable car
- 2,836 m summit
- Check out from Baku hotel after breakfast
- Scenic drive to Gabala (approx. 3.5 hours, with photo stops)
- Hotel check-in in Gabala
- Lunch break
- Tufandag cable car ride to the upper station (2,836 m), with a café stop and Caucasus mountain views
- Meals included
- B
- Overnight
- Gabala (hotel by package tier)
Day
03
GabalaGabala full day: Nohurgol, Gabaland, Shooting Club
A full day exploring Gabala at your own pace: Nohurgol Lake for a walk by the water, Gabaland for families, and the Gabala Shooting Club if you want a try.
- Nohurgol Lake
- Gabaland
- Shooting Club
- Breakfast at hotel
- Visit Nohurgol Lake for a short walk by the lakeside
- Stop at Gabaland Entertainment Center (good for families with children)
- Optional Gabala Shooting Club visit (extra fees on-site)
- Free evening at hotel
- Meals included
- B
- Overnight
- Gabala (hotel by package tier)
Day
04
Gabala → BakuGabala to Baku, then UNESCO Old City walk
Drive back to Baku after breakfast. Afternoon walking tour of Icherisheher: Maiden Tower, Shirvanshahs' Palace, Caravanserai, and the medieval mosques and baths.
- UNESCO Old City
- Maiden Tower
- Shirvanshahs' Palace
- Check out from Gabala hotel after breakfast
- Drive back to Baku (approx. 3.5 hours)
- Hotel check-in
- Guided walking tour of Icherisheher (UNESCO Old City): Maiden Tower, Shirvanshahs' Palace, Caravanserai, mosques and historical baths
- Dinner at a national-cuisine restaurant in the Old City
- Meals included
- B
- Overnight
- Baku (hotel by package tier)
Day
05
Baku & AbsheronAbsheron Peninsula: Yanardag, Ateshgah, Heydar Aliyev Center
Highland Park panorama, Ateshgah Fire Temple, Yanardag fire mountain, the Carpet Museum, and the Heydar Aliyev Center. Evening Caspian boat tour and Ferris wheel (weather permitting).
- Yanardag fire mountain
- Ateshgah Fire Temple
- Heydar Aliyev Center
- Caspian boat tour
- 09:30 hotel lobby pickup
- Highland Park: 360° panoramic view of Baku and the Caspian Sea
- Ateshgah Fire Temple in Surakhany village (Zoroastrian and Hindu heritage)
- Yanardag fire mountain with natural gas flames that have burned for thousands of years
- Lunch break
- Drive past Flag Square, Carpet Museum (folded-carpet building), House of Government, Magomayev Philharmonic
- Heydar Aliyev Center, designed by Zaha Hadid (flowing curved architecture, no angles)
- Evening: Caspian Sea boat tour and Ferris wheel ride (both weather permitting)
- Meals included
- B
- Overnight
- Baku (hotel by package tier)
Day
06
BakuDeparture
Breakfast, free time until lunch, then private transfer to Heydar Aliyev International Airport.
- Breakfast at hotel
- Hotel check-out
- Free time until lunch
- Private transfer to Heydar Aliyev International Airport
- Meals included
- B
Choose your comfort level
All packages cover the same itinerary, guide, transport, and entries — only the hotels change. Prices are per person in USD.
Econom Package
Comfortable 4★ hotels in both cities. Best price tier for families and small groups who want every entry fee covered without paying for 5★.
Hotels
Price per person (USD)
| Group | SNG | DBL | TRP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01-03 | $1,625 | $882 | $821 |
| 04-06 | $900 | $816 | $788 |
| 07-10 | $865 | $781 | $754 |
| 11-15 | $811 | $727 | $699 |
SNG = single · DBL = double · TRP = triple
Deluxe Package
Courtyard Marriott in Baku, Gabala Garden 5★ in Gabala. Step up in room size, restaurant quality, and brand recognition.
Hotels
Price per person (USD)
| Group | SNG | DBL | TRP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01-03 | $1,459 | $1,201 | $1,130 |
| 04-06 | $1,284 | $1,135 | $1,097 |
| 07-10 | $1,249 | $1,100 | $1,062 |
| 11-15 | $1,195 | $1,045 | $1,108 |
SNG = single · DBL = double · TRP = triple
Lux Package
★ premiumHilton Baku in the city, Qafqaz Riverside in Gabala. Five-star throughout, with the best breakfast spreads and pool/spa facilities.
Hotels
Price per person (USD)
| Group | SNG | DBL | TRP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01-03 | $2,085 | $1,627 | $1,554 |
| 04-06 | $1,810 | $1,561 | $1,521 |
| 07-10 | $1,775 | $1,526 | $1,486 |
| 11-15 | $1,721 | $1,471 | $1,431 |
SNG = single · DBL = double · TRP = triple
- Rates are per person in US Dollars (USD).
- Itinerary, guide, transport, and entries are identical across all three packages. Only the hotels change.
- Guests on the same tour can split across different hotel tiers if they want.
- SNG = single occupancy, DBL = double, TRP = triple. Triple rooms are typically a double room plus a third bed or sofa bed.
- Airport-hotel-airport transfers in an air-conditioned vehicle
- 5 nights total: 3 nights in Baku, 2 nights in Gabala (bed and breakfast)
- Accommodation in single, double, or triple rooms with breakfast
- All-day air-conditioned transport for the full 6-day program
- Entry fees: Tufandag cable car, Gabaland, Maiden Tower, Shirvanshahs' Palace, Heydar Aliyev Center, Carpet Museum, Ateshgah Fire Temple, Yanardag, Caspian Sea boat tour, Ferris wheel
- 1 bottle of drinking water per person, per day
- All tours and transfers listed in the program
- English-speaking guide for the full tour
- International flights
- Travel insurance
- Lunch and dinner (except where listed)
- Azerbaijan tourist visa (e-visa available online)
- Anything not listed in the included section
- 1-2 pax
- Standard sedan with English-speaking driver-guide
- 3-6 pax
- Minivan with English-speaking driver-guide
- 7-15 pax
- Mercedes Sprinter with driver, plus separate English-speaking guide
- Under 2 yrs
- Free of charge by land. Insurance cost: 13 USD.
- Under 6 yrs
- 50% of the adult rate.
- 7-11 yrs
- 75% of the adult rate.
- 12+ yrs
- Full adult rate.
- This program is valid only for the dates listed (01 June - 10 September 2026).
- Need a different date or a custom version? We will build a tailor-made program and re-price it.
- 25% non-refundable deposit required to confirm the booking. The booking is not held until the deposit is paid.
- Prices are package-only. We do not break down or sell components separately at the rates above.
- If a listed hotel is not available on your booking dates, we will arrange a similar property in the same category. A higher category is also available at additional cost.
- Extra bed sizing in triple rooms varies by hotel.
- Triple rooms (2 beds + extra bed) are smaller than doubles, and the third bed is typically smaller than standard.
- Double + child rooms may not have a separate bed for the child.
- Hotel check-in is from 14:00, check-out by 12:00. Early check-in is subject to availability.
- Panoramic city tours do not include museum entry fees unless those museums are listed in the inclusions.
- Our guide may reschedule the order of city tours if needed (e.g. due to weather or museum closures).
- Birtour DMC is an intermediary between guests and consulates. We do not guarantee visa issuance.
- Passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the end date of travel.
Why we built this tour the way we did
This is the most-booked tour in our catalogue. We have run it more than 60 times since 2022. The shape (3 nights in Baku, then 2 in Gabala, then back to Baku for the Absheron day) was not the first version we tried. We initially ran 4 nights in Baku and 1 in Gabala, but guests kept asking for more time in the mountains. We flipped it. The current pacing is what works.
A few specific design choices to know about if you are comparing this tour to others online.
We put the Tufandag cable car on Day 2, not Day 3. Day 2 is when guests are still fresh from the drive, and Day 3 stays open for the slower stuff: Nohurgol, Gabaland, the shooting club. Reversed, guests are tired by the time they get to the cable car and skip the summit café.
We schedule Yanardag in the late afternoon on Day 5. The natural gas flames look weak in midday sun, so we default to a sunset window where the flames actually register on camera.
The Boulevard sunset is on Day 1 for a reason. It is the easiest first impression of Baku, doable straight off the plane with a guide who does not talk too much. Guests post the picture before they even check in.
What this tour does not include
We are clear about this up front so there are no surprises.
- Lunch and dinner are not in the price (except the Day 1 welcome dinner). This is deliberate. Baku has good restaurants at 15-40 USD per person and we'd rather guests pick where they eat than be locked into a hotel buffet. The guide will give recommendations every day.
- Flights are not included. Most guests fly into Heydar Aliyev (GYD) via Istanbul, Dubai, Doha, or Moscow.
- Tips are at your discretion. Local norm is 5-10 USD per day for the guide, 3-5 USD per day for the driver. Nobody will ask.
- Personal expenses, optional shooting at the Gabala Shooting Club, alcohol, and souvenirs are on your own account.
Booking process and what happens next
You pick a package tier and a start date inside the 1 June - 10 September 2026 window. We send a contract and a 25% deposit invoice. The deposit confirms the booking and holds the rooms. Balance is due 30 days before arrival. We send a final pre-arrival pack with airport pickup details, your guide's name and phone, and a WhatsApp group with our office manager who is reachable 24/7 during your trip.
If you want to extend with Sheki, Khinalig, or a few days in Gabala-only, see our 9-day Hot Summer Package or write to us for a custom version.
Questions travelers ask
- What is the best time to do this 6-day Baku and Gabala tour?
- June and early September are the best months. Baku is hot in July and August (often 35°C+), and Gabala is cooler at altitude, so the contrast is most pleasant in early summer or early autumn. The tour runs from 1 June to 10 September 2026.
- Is the Tufandag cable car ride included in the price?
- Yes. The cable car ride up Tufandag mountain to the upper station at 2,836 m above sea level is included for all three Birtour package tiers (Econom, Deluxe, Lux). Food and drinks at the summit café and any winter ski-equipment rental are not included and stay on your own account.
- Do I need a visa for Azerbaijan?
- Most nationalities can apply for a 30-day e-visa online at evisa.gov.az. Processing takes 3 working days for the standard fee or 3 hours for urgent. We can advise based on your passport, but Birtour does not issue visas, we only facilitate.
- Can I get vegetarian, vegan, or halal food on the tour?
- Yes. Azerbaijan is a naturally halal destination, with most restaurants serving meals prepared to halal standard by default. Vegetarian options are also strong: dolma stuffed with rice and herbs, plov with chestnuts and dried fruit, kutab pancakes with greens or pumpkin. Tell us your dietary needs at booking and we brief the guide and restaurant contacts before arrival.
- How physically demanding is this tour?
- Easy. Most days are vehicle-based with short walks of under 2 hours total per day. The most active segments are walking through Icherisheher (cobblestones, some uphill) and the cable car ride. Suitable for ages 6 to 75 with no mobility issues. Wear comfortable shoes with good grip, since the Old City stones get slippery after rain.
- Can children join, and what discounts apply?
- Yes. Under 2 years travel free by land (13 USD insurance only). Under 6 pay 50% of adult rate, ages 7-11 pay 75%, and 12+ pay full adult rate. Gabaland and the cable car ride are usually highlights for families.
- What happens if I book and then need to cancel?
- The 25% deposit is non-refundable once paid. The remaining 75% balance is due 30 days before departure date and follows the cancellation terms in your booking contract, which we send before any deposit is paid. We strongly recommend travel insurance that covers cancellation and medical, since both flights and the deposit are at-risk if you cancel late.