LAHIJ – BABADAGH - KHINALIG
829 USD - Per person
Medium
6
15
9
35+ km. walking
LAHIJ – BABADAGH - KHINALIG
Description: Lahij is one of the most ancient human settlements in Azerbaijan. The Lahij District is located in the Ismayilli region of the Republic of Azerbaijan, on the southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range at a height of 1211 meters above sea level.
During the Medieval Period, Lahij became an
important center of craftsmen in Azerbaijan. Lahij master craftsmen could
create forty types of items related to Folk Art. These skilled craftsmen included
jewelers, blacksmiths, carpenters, carpet makers, engravers, painters, tanners,
shoemakers and bast shoemakers, sock weavers and others. Many valuable
examples of the products of these skills are exhibited in famous museums and
collections.
Khinalug
is located just
north of Quba in the middle of the Greater Caucasus mountains that divide
Russia and the South Caucasus. Khinalug is also the highest, most remote and
isolated village in Azerbaijan and among the highest in the Caucasus. The
weather changes dramatically during summer and winter, ranging from −20 °C to
18 °C. Khinalug has a population of about 2,000 people. This small group of
people speaks the Khinalug language, which is an isolate within the Northeast
Caucasian language family, although many speak Azerbaijani as well.
Because of its location, scenery and
relative isolation, Khinalug is considered one of Azerbaijan`s premiere
destinations for hikers and adventure travelers.
Day 1.
• Arrival in Baku
• Check-in at the hotel (from 14:00)
• Free day
• Overnight in the hotel
Day 2.
·
Breakfast
in the hotel
·
City tour
in Baku. Visiting the monumental, historical and architectural landmarks of
the city
·
Lunch
·
Trip to
The Ancient Zoroastrian Temple Ateshgah - `Fire Temple `
The Temple of Eternal Fire - Ateshgah - is an
authentic Azerbaijani exotic. It is well-known practically all over the world.
It is located 30 km from the center of Baku in the suburb of Surakhany. This
territory is known for such unique natural phenomenon as burning natural gas
outlets (underground gas coming onto surface contacts oxygen and lights up).
The temple in its present state was constructed in the 17th-18th centuries. It
was built by the Baku-based Hindu community related to Sikhs.
·
Dinner
and free time
· Night in hotel
Day 3.
·
Breakfast in the hotel
·
Road with bus from Baku to Lahij
( 3+ hours)
·
City tour in Lahij.
Lahij is a
notable place in Azerbaijan, with its authentic handicrafts traditions,
particularly related to copper. The village`s carpet and rug crafts are also
well known in Azerbaijan and the South Caucasus. Lahij has an old sewage system
(some experts claim that it was built 1000 – 1500 years ago). Due to frequent
earthquakes, local people have developed sophisticated and authentic
construction techniques.
·
Lunch
·
Free time
·
Dinner
·
Night in the local house in Lahij
village
Day 4.
·
Breakfast in locals hause
·
Driving
to Gourbangah ( with 4x4 cars) 2300 m. altitude.
·
Setting
camp + lunch
·
Free time
·
Dinner
·
Night in the camp tent
Day 5.
·
Breakfast at 3:00 AM
·
Hiking to Babadag peak ( 3628
m. Altitude) Watching Sun rising.
Apart from its height (3,628m), Mount Babadag, which straddles the Ismayilli
and Quba regions, is well known for its holiness. Baba indicates respect and
Babadag (literally `Grandfather Mountain`) carries the meaning of a high
mountain covered with snow. As a matter of fact, there are many holy mountains
in other parts of the world that bear the same name.
Besides, the mountain also has several other names. Some people call
it Qarli baba (Snowy Grandfather) because its peak is snow-covered throughout
the year. Others address it as Hazrati Baba Ziyaretgahi (`Grandfather `s
Pilgrimage `),
believing that those who visit this place seven times receive the honorific
title of Hazrat, meaning `His Holiness ` or `Your Majesty.`
·
Walking to see lakes
Goturnohur, Goynohur ( 4 hours)
·
Lunch in camp (3300 m.)
·
Free time and dinner
·
Night in camp tent
Day 6.
·
Breakfast
·
Walking to Haput village (12
km 8 hours), Lunch on the half of road – near of Haput waterfall.
Haput (also,
Hapıt, Khapit, and Khaput) is a village in the Quba Rayon of Azerbaijan. Haput
people belong to the Shahdag national ethnic people group. They speak in their
own hapit language. They live in Guba region mainly but also has 3 villages in
Ismayilli region.
·
Free time and dinner
·
Night in a local house
Day 7
·
Breakfast
·
Walking to Khinalig ( 5 hours)
Khinalug is
over 5,000 years old. For centuries, this village has been cut off from
civilization by hard-to-reach mountains with dangerous rocky cliffs. Due to the
isolation, its residents managed to preserve their unique language, not
belonging to any language group, as well as traditions and customs found
nowhere else. Khinalug population is about 2,000, all the
residents are aboriginals and divided into 4 families. Each family has its own
graveyard, its own patterns for carpets and clothing. Khinalug residents
practice Muslim and before Islam, they were fire worshipers. This is proved by
the fire temples and some semi-pagan traditions having nothing to do with the
Muslim ones.
The first records of this people date back to the first century AD in
the Roman historian Pliny `s writings and in famous
Strabo `s Geography. But a speaking proof of extreme antiquity of the village
is its 8 large graveyards, whose area is much larger than that of Khinalug
itself. The graves, made in 3 and even 4 layers, bear inscriptions in different
alphabets on their gravestones.
·
Lunch in Khinalig village
·
Khinalig tour and free time
·
Dinner
·
Night in the local house
Day 8
·
Driving to Baku
·
Free time
·
Night in the hotel
Day 9
• Breakfast
in the hotel
• Free
time
• Check-out
from the hotel and Departure (12:00 leave from rooms)
İncluded:
·
Transfer
·
Accommodation
·
3-time foods
·
Entrance fees
· Guides
Non included:
·
Air tickets
·
Visa payment
·
Equipments