Hot Summer Package: 9-Day Azerbaijan Tour (Baku, Sheki, Gabala, Lahij)
Nine days across Baku, Sheki, Gabala, Oghuz, Lahij, and Gobustan. UNESCO sites, mountain villages, fire mountains, and mud volcanoes in one trip.
9 days · 8 nights · Baku & Sheki & Gabala & Lahij · from $924/pp
Pricing & itinerary last updated May 2026 · Operated by Birtour DMC since 2014
- Duration
- 9 days / 8 nights
- Cities
- Baku · Sheki · Gabala · Lahij
- Group size
- 1–15 people
- Tour dates
- Jun 01, 2026 — Sep 10, 2026
- From
- $924/ person
- UNESCO heritage
- Mountains
- Villages
- Mud volcanoes
- Crafts
Your 9-day route
Day
01
BakuArrival in Baku
Airport pickup, hotel check-in, then a panoramic evening drive across Baku with stops at the Flame Towers viewpoint and luxury shopping centers.
- Airport meet & greet
- Panoramic Baku
- Boulevard sunset
- Meet & greet at Heydar Aliyev International Airport (GYD) and private transfer to hotel
- Hotel check-in and rest
- Evening panoramic tour of Baku and shopping centers
- Overnight
- Baku (hotel by package tier)
Day
02
BakuFull-day Baku city tour
Highland Park, UNESCO Old City (Maiden Tower, Shirvanshahs' Palace), Caravanserai, Boulevard, Flag Square, Carpet Museum, and the Heydar Aliyev Center.
- UNESCO Old City
- Heydar Aliyev Center
- Carpet Museum
- 09:30 hotel lobby pickup
- Highland Park (360° city panorama)
- Icherisheher walking tour: Maiden Tower, Shirvanshahs' Palace, Caravanserai, mosques, baths
- Lunch break in the Old City
- Boulevard drive, Flag Square, Carpet Museum (folded-carpet building), House of Government, Magomayev Philharmonic
- Heydar Aliyev Center
- Meals included
- B
- Overnight
- Baku (hotel by package tier)
Day
03
Baku → Sheki → GabalaBaku to Sheki to Gabala
Long but rewarding day: drive to Sheki for the Khan's Palace, Caravanserai, and the Albanian church, then continue to Gabala for the night.
- Sheki Khan's Palace
- Albanian Church
- Drive to Gabala
- Check out from Baku hotel after breakfast
- Drive to Sheki (approx. 5 hours, with comfort stops)
- Lunch in Sheki: regional dishes (piti, sheki halva)
- Sheki Khan's Palace, Caravanserai, Albanian Church
- Drive to Gabala (approx. 1.5 hours)
- Hotel check-in in Gabala
- Meals included
- B
- Overnight
- Gabala (hotel by package tier)
Day
04
GabalaGabala: Tufandag cable car
Cable car ride up Tufandag mountain to 2,836 m above sea level. Café stop at the summit, then a relaxed afternoon at the hotel.
- Tufandag cable car
- 2,836 m summit
- Breakfast at hotel
- Drive to Tufandag base station
- Cable car ride to upper station (2,836 m)
- Café stop and free time at the summit
- Return to hotel for free afternoon and evening
- Meals included
- B
- Overnight
- Gabala (hotel by package tier)
Day
05
Gabala → Oghuz → GabalaGabala to Oghuz and back
Day trip to Oghuz, often called the Switzerland of Azerbaijan. Lunch of fresh trout at the Farel restaurant in Khalkhal recreation zone.
- Oghuz region
- Trout lunch in Farel
- Khalkhal recreation zone
- Breakfast at hotel
- Drive to Oghuz region (approx. 1 hour)
- Lunch at Farel: fresh-caught trout, river-side seating
- Khalkhal recreation zone: forest walks, river views
- Drive back to Gabala
- Free evening
- Meals included
- B
- Overnight
- Gabala (hotel by package tier)
Day
06
GabalaGabala: Nohurgol, Gabaland, Shooting Club
Half-day exploration of Gabala's family attractions: Nohurgol Lake, Gabaland entertainment center, and the Gabala Shooting Club if you want to try clay pigeon shooting.
- Nohurgol Lake
- Gabaland
- Shooting Club (optional)
- Breakfast at hotel
- Nohurgol Lake walk
- Gabaland Entertainment Center
- Optional Gabala Shooting Club visit (extra fees on-site)
- Free afternoon and evening at hotel
- Meals included
- B
- Overnight
- Gabala (hotel by package tier)
Day
07
Gabala → Lahij → BakuGabala to Lahij to Baku
Mountain road to Lahij village in Ismayilli region, famous for copper craftsmanship, the suspension bridge, and Haji Pasha's house. Drive on to Baku in the evening.
- Lahij copper craftsmen
- Suspension bridge
- History & Ethnography Museum
- Check out from Gabala hotel after breakfast
- Drive to Lahij (approx. 2 hours on a mountain road)
- Visit Suspension Bridge, Haji Pasha's house, History & Ethnography Museum
- Walk through the copper-workshop street and pottery quarters
- Lunch in Lahij
- Free time until 18:00
- Transfer to Baku (approx. 3.5 hours)
- Hotel check-in in Baku
- Meals included
- B
- Overnight
- Baku (hotel by package tier)
Day
08
Baku & AbsheronAbsheron: Ateshgah, Yanardag, Gobustan, mud volcanoes
The signature day. Ateshgah Fire Temple, Yanardag fire mountain, the Gobustan rock-art UNESCO site, and the mud volcanoes by 4x4. Caspian boat tour in the evening.
- Yanardag fire mountain
- Gobustan UNESCO petroglyphs
- Mud volcanoes (4x4)
- Caspian boat tour
- 09:00 hotel lobby pickup
- Ateshgah Fire Temple in Surakhany
- Yanardag fire mountain (natural gas flames, burning for thousands of years)
- Lunch break
- Drive to Gobustan (approx. 1 hour from Baku)
- Gobustan Museum and UNESCO rock-art landscape (40,000-year-old engravings)
- Mud volcano excursion by 4x4 (Azerbaijan has around 300, the highest concentration in the world)
- Evening free time in Baku, optional Caspian boat tour and Ferris wheel (weather permitting)
- Meals included
- B
- Overnight
- Baku (hotel by package tier)
Day
09
BakuDeparture
Breakfast, hotel check-out, private transfer to Heydar Aliyev International Airport.
- Breakfast at hotel
- Hotel check-out
- 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
Solid 4★ properties in both cities. Best price tier for families and small groups.
Hotels
Price per person (USD)
| Group | SNG | DBL | TRP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01-03 | $1,760 | $1,209 | $1,115 |
| 04-06 | $1,266 | $1,117 | $1,069 |
| 07-10 | $1,217 | $1,058 | $1,010 |
| 11-15 | $1,122 | $973 | $924 |
SNG = single · DBL = double · TRP = triple
Deluxe Package
Courtyard Marriott in Baku, Gabala Garden 5★ in Gabala. Step up in room size and dining.
Hotels
Price per person (USD)
| Group | SNG | DBL | TRP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01-03 | $2,264 | $1,617 | $1,508 |
| 04-06 | $1,769 | $1,525 | $1,462 |
| 07-10 | $1,710 | $1,466 | $1,403 |
| 11-15 | $1,625 | $1,381 | $1,318 |
SNG = single · DBL = double · TRP = triple
Lux Package
★ premiumHilton Baku, Qafqaz Riverside Gabala. Five-star throughout, with the best breakfast spreads and pool/spa.
Hotels
Price per person (USD)
| Group | SNG | DBL | TRP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01-03 | $2,910 | $2,091 | $1,984 |
| 04-06 | $2,396 | $2,009 | $1,938 |
| 07-10 | $2,326 | $1,950 | $1,879 |
| 11-15 | $2,251 | $1,765 | $1,794 |
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
- 8 nights total: 4 nights in Baku, 4 nights in Gabala (bed and breakfast)
- Accommodation in single, double, or triple rooms with breakfast
- All-day air-conditioned transport for the full 9-day program
- Entry fees: Maiden Tower, Shirvanshahs' Palace, Heydar Aliyev Center, Carpet Museum, Sheki Khan's Palace, Albanian Church, Tufandag cable car, Gabaland, Ateshgah Fire Temple, Yanardag, Gobustan Museum
- Mud volcano tour by off-road 4x4
- Caspian Sea boat tour, Ferris wheel ride (weather permitting)
- 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
- Lunch and dinner (except where listed)
- Travel insurance
- 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: 25 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 the 9-day version
The 6-day Baku and Gabala tour is the most-booked option in our catalogue, but guests who finish it usually say the same thing: I wish I had seen Sheki and the mud volcanoes. The 9-day Hot Summer Package is the answer to that. It keeps the same Baku and Gabala backbone, then adds three days that change what Azerbaijan feels like.
Sheki is where most people first realize how old the Caucasus actually is. The Khan's Palace was built in 1762 with no nails, stained-glass shebeke windows assembled from thousands of pieces of wood and colored glass. The Albanian Church up in Kish dates back to the first century. These places sit outside the standard Baku itinerary and they reframe the trip.
Lahij is the most physical day of the tour. The mountain road takes about 45 minutes off the highway, and once you arrive you walk the copper-workshop street where the same families have been hammering pots since the 13th century. Most guests buy something here.
The big practical win of the 9-day is Day 8. We run Yanardag, Gobustan, and the mud volcanoes back-to-back. This is the only place in the world where you can see all three in one day. The 6-day tour only covers Yanardag. If the volcanoes are on your list, take the 9-day.
What this tour does not include
Lunch and dinner are not in the price (except specific listed meals like the Sheki and Lahij lunches, which are in the program). This is deliberate. Baku and Gabala both have good restaurants at 15-40 USD per person, and we would 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: 5-10 USD per day for the guide, 3-5 USD per day for the driver). Personal expenses, optional shooting at the Gabala Shooting Club, alcohol, and souvenirs are on your own account.
Booking process and what happens next
Pick a package tier and a start date inside the 1 June to 10 September 2026 window. We send a contract and a 25% deposit invoice. The deposit confirms the booking and holds the rooms. The 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 9 days feels long, see the 6-day Baku and Gabala version. If you want to extend further with Khinalig or Quba, write to us for a custom version.
Questions travelers ask
- How is the 9-day Hot Summer Package different from the 6-day Baku & Gabala tour?
- The 9-day adds three things: Sheki (Khan's Palace and the Albanian Church), Oghuz (trout lunch in the Khalkhal recreation zone), and Lahij (copper-craft village). It also includes Gobustan and the mud volcanoes, which the 6-day skips. If you have the extra time, the 9-day is the more complete picture of Azerbaijan.
- Can I see Yanardag and Gobustan in the same day?
- Yes, and that is exactly how we run Day 8 of this tour. Yanardag in the morning, lunch, then Gobustan museum and rock art in the afternoon, then mud volcanoes by 4x4 before sunset. We have refined this routing across more than 40 versions of the trip.
- What is the road like to Lahij village?
- Lahij sits about 1,375 m above sea level and the last 30 km is a mountain road. It is paved but narrow and slow, taking around 45 minutes from the highway. Travelers prone to motion sickness should pre-medicate. The village itself is worth it: 700+ years of copper craftsmanship, still active.
- How hot does it get in Baku in July and August?
- Baku regularly hits 33-38°C in July and August, with humidity from the Caspian. Gabala stays around 25-28°C at altitude, which is why most guests find the Gabala days the most comfortable. For maximum comfort, choose June or early September.
- Are the mud volcanoes safe to visit?
- Yes, the visitor area is safe. The mud is cool to lukewarm (around 20-25°C) and the volcanoes erupt slowly with no danger. We take you in 4x4 vehicles because the access road is unpaved. Wear shoes you do not mind getting muddy.
- Is there a vegetarian option at the Sheki and Oghuz lunches?
- Yes. Sheki has strong vegetarian options (herbed pilaf, dolma, walnut-based desserts like sheki halva). The Farel trout restaurant in Oghuz also serves vegetable plates and salads on request. Tell us your dietary needs at booking and we will brief each restaurant.
- Can I extend with a few extra nights in Baku?
- Yes. Add nights at any of the package-tier hotels at the contracted per-night rate. We can also add experiences (helicopter to Khinalig, food walking tour, day trip to Lankaran) on a la carte basis. Ask in your inquiry.
- 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.