Gobustan & Mud Volcanoes Tour from Baku: UNESCO petroglyphs

Stone carvings from 20,000 years ago, a museum of early life, and Azerbaijan's rare mud volcanoes in one morning

A 4-hour tour from Baku to Gobustan National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with museum entry, a local English-speaking guide, and visits to ancient petroglyphs and cold mud volcanoes. Choose between a private tour or a group departure. The tour includes bottled water, a souvenir postcard, and air-conditioned transport. Mud volcanoes may be substituted for Bibiheybat Mosque if weather makes the site unreachable.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Gobustan and mud volcanoes

• Travel to Gobustan National Reserve
• Visit Gobustan Museum and exhibits
• See rock paintings in open air museum
• Drive to mud volcanoes area
• Observe mud volcanoes up close
• Return to Baku and end tour at Sahil Park

The experience

The route starts with a private car or minibus ride to Gobustan Museum, where your guide walks you through interactive screens and displays about the area's ancient inhabitants. Then you climb to the open-air rock carvings themselves: petroglyphs carved between 5,000 and 20,000 years ago, left untouched for millennia until their discovery in the 1930s. The images include figures that appear to be dancing a tribal dance, and they rank among the world's most significant prehistoric engravings, comparable to Chauvet Caves.

After Gobustan, the tour heads 20 minutes away to the mud volcanoes, a rare geological feature Azerbaijan holds more of than any other country on earth: about 300 in total. These volcanoes are cold, not hot, and some visitors apply the mud to their skin for its reported therapeutic properties. If heavy rain or poor road conditions make the mud volcanoes unreachable, the guide substitutes a visit to Bibiheybat Mosque on the return to the city center.

The tour ends at Sahil Park in central Baku, or your guide can drop you at your accommodation instead. You'll have bottled water throughout, a souvenir postcard to take home, and the company of a professional local guide who speaks English and shares details about Azerbaijani culture and daily life.

What’s included

• Entrance tickets to Gobustan Museum and the rock art site.
• air-conditioned private car or minibus depending on group size.
• a local English-speaking guide (also available in Spanish, German, or Russian).
• bottled water.
• a free souvenir postcard.
• hotel pickup is included with at least one option.

Options for this experience

2 options

Group tourGuide in 4 languages · 10:00, 12:00 and 14:00Maximum group size is 8 people. Pickup is included.

Private TourGuide in 4 languages · 6 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 14:00A private option gives you a wider choice of time slots. Pickup is included.

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day6 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 14:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (16 to 90 years) · Child (6 to 15 years) · Infant (under 6): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, German and Russian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Baku Explorer

Is this one for you?Pick the private tour if you want a flexible schedule and the guide's full attention for questions about the petroglyphs and Azerbaijani culture. The group tour suits travelers who prefer to share the cost and don't mind a set departure time.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, German and Russian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 15 years); Infant (under 6): free.

What exactly are the stone carvings at Gobustan, and how old are they?

The petroglyphs at Gobustan National Park date back between 5,000 and 20,000 years ago and include images of early humans, some appearing to perform a ritualistic dance. They are carved into rock in an open-air museum setting and rank among the world's most significant prehistoric engravings.

Are the mud volcanoes actually dangerous, or can I touch them?

The mud volcanoes are cold, not hot, so they are safe to approach and touch. Many visitors apply the mud to their skin, as it is believed to have therapeutic benefits.

What happens if the weather is bad on the day of my tour?

If heavy rain or poor road conditions make the mud volcanoes unreachable by car, the tour substitutes a visit to Bibiheybat Mosque on the return route to the city center, so the 4-hour itinerary remains complete.

Do I need to be in good physical shape for this tour?

The tour requires at least a moderate level of physical fitness, as you will climb to the rock carvings at Gobustan and walk around the mud volcanoes site.

Can I choose between a private tour and a group tour?

Yes, you can book either a private tour with your own vehicle and guide, or join a group departure. Both options include the same sites, guide, and inclusions.