Guba & Khinalig tour with homemade lunch and carpet factory

Climb to Azerbaijan's highest village and watch carpets take shape by hand

A private tour from Guba to Khinalig village, the highest and most isolated settlement in the Greater Caucasus at 2,350 meters above sea level, with stops in Qachrash Forest and the Guba carpet factory. You'll walk through the 5,000-year-old village, visit a castle-like museum, watch women weaving wool carpets by hand (a process that takes four to five months per carpet), and eat lunch cooked in a local house in Khinalig.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Quba and Khinalig village

• Stop at Qechresh forest
• Visit Khinalig village and walking tour
• Visit castle-like museum in Khinalig
• Stop at Quba Carpet factory

The experience

Guba is known for its apples and its carpets, and this tour threads both through a day that climbs into the mountains. The route starts with a stop in Qachrash Forest, one of Azerbaijan's most visited forests, where the road cuts through the trees and opens into panoramic views. From there, the drive becomes mountainous, with several photo stops on the way up to Khinalig village. The road itself is part of the experience: steep, winding, and framed by the Caucasus.

Khinalig sits at 2,350 meters above sea level and is home to around 2,000 people who speak a language unique to the village. A short walking tour takes you through the settlement, and you'll visit a castle-like museum holding artifacts from ancient times. Lunch happens in a local house, cooked by hand, not a restaurant meal, but food prepared the way the village eats. After Khinalig, the tour descends to Guba and stops at a handmade carpet factory to watch the weaving process. Women work on steady looms using only their hands and eyes. A single wool carpet requires four to five months to complete.

The tour runs 10 to 11 hours and uses a Lada Niva or similar vehicle suited to the mountain road. Your driver speaks English and handles all the driving. Pickup and drop-off are included. The itinerary suits all fitness levels, though the altitude and the winding road are facts worth knowing before you book.

What’s included

• Private transportation in a Lada Niva or similar vehicle.
• an English-speaking driver.
• pickup and drop-off.
• lunch cooked in a local house in Khinalig.
• entry to the castle-like museum in Khinalig village.
• a stop and tour of the Guba handmade carpet factory.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (16 to 80 years) · Under 16: 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 8 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Best Baku Tours

Is this one for you?The 10 to 11 hour commitment means you'll need most of a day, but it covers the full route from Guba up to Khinalig and back down to the carpet factory without rushing any of the stops. If your schedule allows a full day trip from Baku or another base, this tour fits it. If you have only a few hours, you'll need to choose a shorter option.

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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 is Khinalig village like when we get there?

Khinalig is the highest and most isolated village in Azerbaijan, perched at 2,350 meters in the Greater Caucasus. The population is around 2,000 people who speak their own unique language. You'll walk through the village and visit a castle-like museum with ancient artifacts. The landscape around it is steep mountain terrain, and winters drop to minus 20 degrees Celsius.

How long does it take to weave one of the Guba carpets we'll see?

A single wool carpet takes four to five months to complete. The women at the factory work on steady looms using only their hands and eyes, and each carpet is made entirely by hand without machines.

What happens during the stop in Qachrash Forest?

Qachrash Forest is one of Azerbaijan's most visited forests, and the road cuts through the trees offering panoramic views. You'll stop there on the way to Khinalig, and restaurants in the area serve national chai (tea) and meals if you want to pause.

Is the mountain road to Khinalig difficult to drive?

The road from Guba to Khinalig is mountainous and winding, which is why the tour includes several photo stops along the way to enjoy the views. A Lada Niva or similar vehicle is used because it's suited to the terrain. The village sits 63 kilometers from Guba and 2,350 meters above sea level.

Where do we eat lunch on this tour?

Lunch is cooked and served in a local house in Khinalig village, not at a restaurant. The meal is prepared by hand the way the village cooks for itself.