3-day Azerbaijan tour: Baku, Gobustan & Gabala

Ancient rock carvings, natural fire, and a UNESCO old town in three days

A 3-day private tour of Azerbaijan covering Baku's UNESCO-listed Old Town and contemporary landmarks, the 5,000-year-old rock art of Gobustan National Park, natural wonders including the Burning Mountain and mud volcanoes, the Fire Temple, and Gabala's green mountainous terrain. Pickup and an English-speaking driver are included. Entrance fees to museums and meals are separate.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Baku City and Oldtown Tour

• Walk and shop on Nizami Street
• Explore Icheri Sheher Old Town
• Visit Baku Boulevard by Caspian Sea
• Tour Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum
• See canals on Baku Boulevard
• View Flame Towers skyscrapers
• Walk in Baku's Upland Park
• Visit Heydar Aliyev Center

Day 2: Absheron Peninsula and Gobustan Tour

• Visit Mud Volcanoes in Gobustan
• Explore Gobustan Museum and Rock Art
• See natural fire at Yanar Dag
• Tour Ateshgah Fire Temple

Day 3: Gabala Tour

• Stop at Juma Mosque of Shamakhi
• Visit Lake Nohur in Gabala
• Ride Tufandag cable road

The experience

The tour opens in Baku with Nizami Street, the city's shopping and dining heart, then moves into Icheri Sheher, the Old Town, where you walk past the Shirvanshah Palace, Maiden Tower, and Medieval Market Square. From there, the route follows Baku Boulevard along the Caspian for several kilometers, passes the Flame Towers (the three glass skyscrapers completed in 2012), and includes the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum, housed in a building designed like a rolled carpet. The Heydar Aliyev Center, designed by Zaha Hadid, rounds out the first day's contemporary landmarks.

Day two takes you to the Absheron Peninsula and Gobustan, where the landscape shifts to natural phenomena. You'll see the mud volcanoes (Azerbaijan sits above nearly a third of the world's total), where gas seeps create small perpetual flames, some of which have burned for centuries. The Gobustan State Reserve holds more than 6,000 rock carvings dating back 5,000 to 20,000 years, depicting hunters, animals, ritual dances, and camel caravans. The museum and open-air site are both included. Yanar Dag, the Burning Mountain on the Absheron Peninsula, shows a steady natural gas fire that blazes continuously on a hillside. The day ends at the Ateshgah Fire Temple, a 17th- and 18th-century pentagonal complex that served Hindu, Sikh, and Zoroastrian worshippers.

The final day heads to Gabala in the mountains. The route passes the Juma Mosque of Shamakhi, built in 743–744 and considered the first mosque in the Caucasus. Lake Nohur offers views of the Caucasus range and a quiet setting for reflection, though swimming is prohibited. The Tufandag cable car network provides alpine views and access to four cable stops. The entrance is free, though each cable car ride costs extra. Throughout all three days, you travel in a comfortable air-conditioned car with the same English-speaking driver.

What’s included

• Comfortable air-conditioned car throughout the three days.
• English-speaking driver for pickup and all transfers.
• hotel pickup and drop-off during the tour days.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (8 to 90 years) · Under 8: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Best Baku Tours

Is this one for you?Pickup from your hotel means you don't need a rental car or local transport knowledge to reach Gobustan's rock art, the Burning Mountain, and Gabala's mountain views. The driver handles all navigation and timing across the three days.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What can I see at Gobustan on this tour?

Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape holds over 6,000 ancient rock carvings (some 5,000 to 20,000 years old) showing hunters, animals, ritual dances, and camel caravans. The site includes both a museum and an open-air reserve where you walk among the carved stones.

Does this tour include entrance fees to museums and attractions?

No. Entrance fees to museums and sites like the Maiden Tower, Shirvanshah Palace, Gobustan Museum, and the cable car at Tufandag are not included and are paid separately. Baku Boulevard and the Old Town streets are free to walk.

What is Yanar Dag and why does it burn?

Yanar Dag, or Burning Mountain, is a natural gas fire on the Absheron Peninsula that blazes continuously on a hillside. Unlike mud volcanoes, it burns steadily because gas seeps slowly from underground rather than erupting. It has burned for decades and is a major natural attraction in the region.

How long is the drive each day, and will the same driver take me all three days?

The itinerary covers multiple stops across Baku, the Absheron Peninsula, Gobustan, and Gabala over the three days. The same English-speaking driver remains with you throughout, and the car is air-conditioned for comfort during the drives between sites.

Can I swim in Lake Nohur during the Gabala day?

No. Lake Nohur is used as a drinking water reservoir for Gabala and surrounding regions, so swimming is prohibited. You can take a boat or catamaran ride to enjoy the lake and the Caucasus Mountain views, or fish if you wish.