Gabala Tour with Transfer to Sheki

Q: What if I do not have time for breakfast?

About 10 minutes after we leave the city center, we stop at a supermarket for 15 minutes. There you can buy a light snack, coffee or tea. Many hotels can also prepare a lunch box if you ask at the reception in advance, so you can start the morning without hurry.

Q: How much time do we have for the cable car?

About one hour. This is enough time to go up calmly, enjoy the mountains, take photos and walk a little at the upper station.

₼100

₼80

Duration: 10 hours Group Size: 1-17 5.0/5 (3 reviews) 2,145 views

Most tours bring you back to the place where you started. This route is different: you leave Baku in the morning, spend the day in the mountains of Gabala, and in the evening you go to sleep in Sheki. This Gabala tour puts all the stops into one route, and the transfer to Sheki at the end is an alternative to the drive back to Baku that evening.

Outside the capital, Azerbaijan is made of ancient towns, mountain valleys and quiet roads through forests. The first stop is old Shamakhi. Then the route climbs higher: forests change into valleys, valleys into high mountains, and the noise of the city stays far behind.

Tour Itinerary

Shamakhi is a city with deep historical roots and the former capital of the Shirvanshah state. Poets, philosophers and scientists were born here, and their works became part of world culture. The main stop is the Juma Mosque, built in 743. It is one of the oldest mosques in the Caucasus, and you can see why: strict lines, a balanced shape, an age that you can feel. During the stop you can look at the details of the building and learn about the role of the mosque in the history of the region. This is how tours around the regions of Azerbaijan begin, where in a few hours of driving both the landscape and the era change.

After the mosque, the road goes through the thick forests of the Ismayilli district. Oaks, maples and rare plants grow here. It is quiet, and nature seems to be in no hurry. These forests are the green heart of the country.

Next, the road comes to a suspension bridge over a fast mountain river. A walk on the bridge gives a feeling of adventure, and around you there are views of the Caucasus mountains with forested slopes. There is time for photos and a short break, and the place shows well the character of northern Azerbaijan. Tours in Azerbaijan are not always only sightseeing: at this stop you walk across the bridge yourself, and you do not just look at it from a window.

Gabala is an ancient city and was once the capital of Caucasian Albania. The main part of the tour in Gabala starts at the restaurant, where the group stops for lunch. The restaurant stands on a hill, and from its windows you see a wide view of the valley and the mountains. Here you can try traditional Azerbaijani dishes: they tell you more about the tastes of the region than any story. You can also order classic European dishes. During lunch you can rest calmly before the next part of the road. Azerbaijan tours are remembered not only for the views: the taste of local food stays in your memory just as long.

It is about 15 minutes from the restaurant to the waterfall, and the road itself is worth your attention: outside the window there are mountain slopes and forest views. "Seven Beauties" is one of the most beautiful places in Gabala. The water falls over several impressive steps in the thick forest, and it is noticeably cooler near it. The name is connected with a local legend, and this makes the place more mysterious. At the waterfall you can breathe mountain air and take photos.

After the waterfall, the route goes up to the Tufandag ski resort, one of the biggest in Azerbaijan. In winter people ski here, and in other months they come for walks around the area and views from the cable car. From the highest point of the resort you can see the Sleeping Beauty peak (Yatmysh Gezel), which rises about two thousand meters above sea level, and Mount Tufandag, one of the highest mountains in Azerbaijan.

When the last walk at Tufandag ends, the evening part of the route begins. We go from Gabala to Sheki, an old city where you will spend the night. We usually arrive there at about 18:00. You do not need to return to Baku: we take you to your hotel in the center of Sheki, and the tour ends there. The next day you can start with walks, not with a drive.

Tour Category: Day Trips

Group Size: 1-17

Start Time: 07:30

Duration: 10 hours

Pickup Location: Azerbaijan avenue 1/ KFC parking

Transport: Sedan, Mercedes-Benz Vito, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

What's Included

Services of a professional Russian-speaking guide for the whole route
Transport to Sheki in a comfortable car or bus
Guided tour of the area with detailed historical explanations
Stops for photos at the main places
A well-planned route with a good balance of driving and walking
Information support and the chance to ask the guide questions during the whole trip

What's Not Included

Personal expenses
Suspension bridge ticket: 2 AZN
Cable car tickets: 20 AZN
Lunch at the restaurant

Note

For your comfort, we recommend wearing comfortable shoes.

Please also take sunglasses and sunscreen to protect you from the sun.

Select Date

Adults 12+ yrs

Children 3-11 yrs

Infants 0-2 yrs

Tour format:

Group ₼80 per person

Private See Details

Adults (1 × ₼80) ₼80

Children (0 × )

Infants (0 × Free)

Total Amount ₼80

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Frequently Asked Questions

In the morning, from about 7:30 to 10:00, the traffic in Baku is the heaviest. An early start helps you avoid traffic jams and keeps time for all the stops. It also means we can reach Sheki in the evening, at about 18:00, so you do not arrive at your hotel late.

About 10 minutes after we leave the city center, we stop at a supermarket for 15 minutes. There you can buy a light snack, coffee or tea. Many hotels can also prepare a lunch box if you ask at the reception in advance, so you can start the morning without hurry.

We leave Baku early in the morning. After 10 minutes, we make the first stop at a supermarket. After about an hour, we reach the Juma Mosque, and 40 minutes later the suspension bridge in Ismayilli, a good place for photos and a walk. Then it is about 50 minutes to a restaurant in Gabala with a wide view of the valley and the mountains. After lunch, it is about 15 minutes to the Seven Beauties waterfall, and 20 minutes more to the foot of Mount Tufandag, where the last part of the day begins: the cable car and mountain views. In the evening, we drive on to Sheki.

You do not need to travel on your own: in the evening, we take you to Sheki, to your hotel in the center of the city or to a convenient place in the center. This is usually at about 18:00, and you do not need to return to Baku. It is better to tell us the name of your hotel in advance.

No, we take guests to hotels in the center of the city. If your hotel is in another area, we can leave you at any convenient place in the center, and from there you can take a taxi.

Yes. The stops at cafes, restaurants and other places are planned so that toilets are available at each of them.

At a pleasant restaurant in Gabala, on a hill with a wide view of the mountains around. You will try traditional Azerbaijani dishes made from local products and rest calmly before the next part of the route.

About one hour. This is enough time to go up calmly, enjoy the mountains, take photos and walk a little at the upper station.

Forests, mountain slopes, rivers and valleys. On the way, you will walk across the suspension bridge in Ismayilli and see the Seven Beauties waterfall. At Tufandag, the cable car takes you up to views of the mountain peaks.

Yes, you can take your suitcases with you. In the evening, we take you and your luggage to your hotel in the center of Sheki, or to a convenient place in the center, and from there you can take a taxi.

Yes. The route is made for guests of different ages, and the guide keeps a calm pace, so the trip is comfortable for both children and adults.

The tour runs all year, and the route stays the same. In winter, Gabala is covered with snow, and the views of the mountains and valleys are especially beautiful.

Even in summer, it can be cool in the mountains, especially at height and near water. Take a light jacket or a sweater.

The tour is suitable for guests of any age. The walking parts are easy, and there are places to rest at the stops.

Yes, you can take photos and videos at all places, and the guide will show you the best spots for pictures.

We show you Gabala, and in the evening we take you to your hotel in Sheki, so the day does not become too long. To see the city of Sheki itself, it is better to take a separate day: we have a two-day tour of Gabala and Sheki with an overnight stay and a separate excursion to Sheki. You can find the details in the "Similar Tours" section on this page.

Look at the general "FAQ" section in the menu of the site. If you still have a question, write to us through the "Contacts" section. We answer within 24 hours.