Azerbaijan’s hikes take you through rocky mountains and romantic villages. These are our top 5

20.09.2023 - 07:23 / euronews.com / Caspian Sea / Rebecca Ann Hughes

Azerbaijan is home to some of the world’s most dramatic hiking trails, which wind through wild landscapes, jagged mountain peaks and remote villages.

While there are routes accessible to all skill levels, it doesn’t mean they’re a walk in the park.

Hikers who make the effort are rewarded with mountaintop monuments, candy-cane-coloured cliffs and fairytale hamlets to explore.

If you’re up for an adventure, here are five of Azerbaijan’s top hikes and advice on things to keep in mind for each route from local guide Tural Mehbaliyev from Outdoor Caucasus.

Distance/duration: 8 km/3 hours

Head to the bewitching Caucasus Mountains for a hike through majestic scenery to one of the country’s highest-inhabited villages.

The trail starts in Galakhudat and follows an 8-km-long signposted path. The whole trek takes around 3 hours and is accessible to all skill levels.

You begin by climbing upwards from the village of Galakhadut with Bazarduzu, Azerbaijan’s highest peak, looming above you.

The main part of the route is along a wide, level road with views of the pale Gizilgaya cliffs and lush Gudyalchay valley.

Your destination is Khinalig, also spelt Khinalug or Xinalug; a clutch of houses scattered along a rocky outcrop whose population traces its ancestry back to the prophet Noah. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the Caucasus region and residents have preserved their distinctive language and cultural practices over the centuries.

Wander the centre, which Mehbaliyev describes as a "living museum of ancient architecture," where you'll find villagers practising traditional handicrafts like weaving, pottery and rug making.

Here you’ll find a small tea house serving chai in a traditional samovar and guest houses offering food and board.

Distance/duration: 6.5 km/3 hours

This 3-hour trail begins in the hamlet of Sim, located in the heart of the Talish mountains. Life in the village revolves around beekeeping, vegetable growing and cattle breeding.

Sim feels like a settlement from Tolkien’s imagination with thousand-year-old trees and mossy rocks set between the houses. There is a campsite near the village and you can also stay with local families.

From here, you follow a 6.5-km-round route through the Hirkan National Park. You’ll pass fruit-laden mandarin orchards and get glimpses of the glittering Caspian Sea.

The hike ends up at the Sim waterfall — perfect for a refreshing dip after the subtropical humidity of the forest.

Distance/duration: 13.9 km/5.5 hours

This trail begins in the village of Chiragli lying on the banks of the Ganjachay river in the shadow of Mount Goshgar.

You walk most of the route along a dirt road and mountain paths. There are few trees or vegetation so you can enjoy endless views of the