Quba city tour: Red Town, forests and Shahdag Mountain

Red Town is the only entirely Jewish settlement outside Israel and the United States.

A private full-day tour of Quba city in Azerbaijan with a live English or Russian-speaking guide, hotel pickup and drop-off included. The itinerary covers Quba's unique architecture and lifestyle, Red Town (the largest Mountain Jewish settlement in the former Soviet Union), forest lunch stops, Mestdergah waterfall, Chenlibel lake and Shahdag Mountain Winter & Summer Complex. Maximum three travelers per booking.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Quba and nearby attractions

• Visit unique houses in Quba city
• Explore Red Town Jewish settlement
• Lunch in Quba forests
• Visit Shahdag Mountain Winter&Summer Complex

The experience

The tour starts with hotel pickup and moves through Quba city itself, where you'll see the distinctive houses and daily life of local residents. The route then crosses the Kudyal River to Red Town, a settlement of Mountain Jews that survives as the last shtetl of its kind: the only entirely Jewish community of this type outside Israel and the United States. This stop anchors the cultural core of the day.

Lunch happens in the beautiful forests surrounding Quba, giving the afternoon a break before heading to Shahdag Mountain Winter & Summer Complex. The complex operates seasonally (closed four months a year), so timing matters if this site is your priority. Along the way you'll pass Mestdergah waterfall and Chenlibel lake. A driver-guide in English or Russian leads the full route, and bottled water travels with you throughout the day.

The tour runs about ten hours total. It's built for groups of up to three people. If your party is larger, you'll need to book twice. Hotel pickup and drop-off bookend the day, and the itinerary works in all weather. Just dress for conditions. Wheelchair-accessible transportation is available, and the tour accommodates infants and service animals.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off.
• private tour with a live driver-guide.
• bottled water throughout the day.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 10:00

Book up to2d before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Russian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

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

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPets welcomeInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Azerbaijanguide.az

Is this one for you?Book this if your group is three people or fewer and you want to see Quba city, the forests, waterfalls, and Shahdag mountain in one full day with private transportation.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Russian.

What is Red Town and why does it matter?

Red Town is the largest Mountain Jewish settlement in the former Soviet Union and the only entirely Jewish settlement of its kind outside Israel and the United States. It survives as the last shtetl, a traditional Eastern European Jewish community, and sits across the Kudyal River from Quba city itself.

Does the tour include lunch?

Lunch is not included in the tour price, but the itinerary stops in the beautiful forests of Quba during the midday hours, giving you time to eat. You'll want to bring food or arrange it beforehand.

What happens if I'm traveling with more than three people?

The tour accommodates a maximum of three people per booking. If your group is larger, you'll need to place two separate bookings to cover everyone.

Is Shahdag Mountain Complex always open?

Shahdag Mountain Winter & Summer Complex closes for four months each year, so availability depends on the season. Check the operating calendar before booking if this site is essential to your trip.