Arrival

Assemble at Cochin International Airport at 02:00 hrs. After immigration and customs formalities, the flight departs to Baku.

Sightseeing

Welcome to Azerbaijan, the land of Fire. Azerbaijan, the nation and former Soviet republic, is bounded by the Caspian Sea and Caucasus Mountains, which span Asia and Europe. Its capital, Baku, is famed for its medieval walled Inner City. Meet our local representative and proceed to Baku. Check-in at the hotel after lunch.

Later, we will take you for a Baku city tour with an English-speaking guide. This tour offers some of the city’s most beautiful landmarks like:

• ⬥  Highland Park
• ⬥  Flame Towers
• ⬥  Mini Venice
• ⬥  Flag Square
• ⬥  Baku National Boulevard

Landmarks

• Upland Park is located on a hill in the western part of the city. This is the best place to see the city and the Baku Bay, which commands a breathtaking panorama of Baku.
•  Flame Towers is the tallest skyscraper in Baku. Completed in 2012, this trio of sinuous blue-glass skyscrapers forms contemporary Baku’s modern architectural signature. The design was conceived as a set of flames, driven from the ground up one of the main hills of Baku. Fire symbolizes energy and eternity, and also goes back to the ancient worship of this element.
•  Baku National Boulevard, the second longest boulevard in the world, is the favorite resting place of the Baku residents and capital guests, stretching for a long way along the seashore.
•  Mini Venice is a “little Italian town” recreated at the seaside boulevard, adding a special color to the park. The Little Venice consists of several channels, where gondolas and gondoliers sail between the small bridges and invite the guests to a romantic journey.
•  Flag Square, if you go a little further towards the city, you will find yourself at the National Flag Square. In fact, you won’t be able to pass by without seeing it. In May 2010, this flagpole was registered in the “Guinness Book of Records” as the tallest in the world. The museum building, below the flagpole’s pedestal, is designed in the shape of an eight-pointed star.

Conclusion

Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel in Baku.

Sightseeing

The day begins after breakfast with a departure from Baku to the Gobustan State Reserve, located about 40 miles southwest of the city.

This reserve is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a national historical landmark established in 1966.The reserve is rich in archaeological monuments, featuring more than 6,000 rock carvings that depict primitive people, animals, battle scenes, ritual dances, and celestial bodies.These carvings, found on the rocks, generally date back between 5,000 and 20,000 years.

Following the exploration of the rock carvings, visitors transfer via a Soviet Lada car to visit the Mud Volcanoes.

Azerbaijan is a global hotspot for mud volcanoes, hosting 350 of the world's 700.The mud volcanoes are widespread and are referred to by locals using various names, including “yanardagh” (burning mountain), “pilpila” (terrace), “gaynacha” (boiling water), and “bozdag” (Grey Mountain).They are geologically associated with rich oil and gas fields in the area.The erupted materials (lava, mud, and liquid) have practical uses as raw materials in chemical, construction, and pharmacological industries.

The final planned stop is Yanar Dag before the return journey.

Yanar Dag is a natural gas fire that blazes continuously on a hillside on the Absheron Peninsula near Baku.Flames jet into the air up to 3 meters from a thin, porous sandstone layer.It is considered an “eternal fire” and was mentioned by Marco Polo in the 13th century as one of the numerous natural-gas flames spontaneously spurting from the peninsula. Yanar Dag is the only one still burning today.

Conclusion

The day concludes with the transfer back to the hotel for an overnight stay in Baku.

After breakfast check out and proceed to Gabala.

sightseeing

Gabala is considered a popular tourist destination due to the combination of :
• ⬥  A very good spring climate
• ⬥  Mountainous landscape &
• ⬥  Diverse fauna

 Many sizable world hotel chains have a presence in the city. Natural climatic conditions of the region create opportunities for the development of both summer and winter tourism in the region.

The northern side of Gabala belongs to:
• ⬥  The southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus mountain range
• ⬥  The central part to Alazan - Haftaran valley
• ⬥  The southern part to Ajinohur upland

 Furthermore, the highest mountain peak of the republic- Mount Bazarduzu (4466 meters) is situated in this region. Gabala is around 225Kms away from Baku.

 On arrival in Gabala you will enjoy the cable car ride and visit Nohur Lake. The cable car goes up to 1600-1900 meters. Cable car takes you to the top of the mountain and you will get a chance to see the beautiful Gabala from top. Nohur Lake is beautiful quiet nature, clean water surface surrounded by high mountains – all this brings peace and a sense of distant exotic countries. Swimming in the Nohur Lake is prohibited, however, fishing is allowed here – this is one of the main entertainment attractions that people enjoy near this place. Nohur Lake which existed as a natural lake until 1949, used to be surrounded by a swamp covered with dense reeds and water plants and there was a lake with yellowish-green water in a deep groove in the central part of it. In 1949, by building a soil dam with 850 m length, 8-10 m height and 4-6 m width, a water-storage reservoir was constructed in the south part of this lake.

Conclusion

Dinner at Indian restaurant and back to hotel. Overnight stay at hotel in Gabala.

After breakfast check out and return back to Baku.

Sightseeing

 Car Museum in Heydar Aliyev Center at Baku city another icon attraction in Baku. The Heydar Aliyev Center is a 57,500 m2 (619,000 sq. ft.) building complex in Baku, Azerbaijan designed by Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid and noted for its distinctive architecture and flowing, curved style that eschews sharp angles. The center is named after Heydar Aliyev (1923–2003), the first secretary of Soviet Azerbaijan from 1969 to 1982, and president of Azerbaijan Republic from October 1993 to October 2003.

 Evening will drive through the Nizami Street, endlessly popular with strollers, this leafy piazza forms Central Baku’s natural focus. The fountains for which it is named include one topped by shiny silvered spheres giving fish-eye reflections of the trees and stone facades. And the beautiful statue-inlay Ed facade of the Nizami Literature Museum (you can do shopping here as well).

Conclusion

Dinner and Overnight stay at hotel in Baku.

After breakfast check out from hotel.

Sightseeing

 We will proceed to the old city (Icheri Sheher), the pearl at the heart of Azerbaijan’s cultural heritage, has a history of thousands of years and is located in the historic centre of ancient Baku, the capital city of the ancient state of the Shirvanshahs and symbol of Azerbaijani statehood.

The historical and architectural reserve includes the :
• ⬥  Shirvanshah Palace
• ⬥  Maiden Tower
• ⬥  Medieval Market Square
• ⬥  Icheri Sheher Archaeological Museum
• ⬥  Caravanserais
• ⬥  Mosques
• ⬥  Madrassahs
• ⬥  Bath-houses
• ⬥  Baku Khan's House also numerous rich residences of the ХIХ century

Conclusion

 Later after lunch drop to airport for your return flight. Flight departing from Baku International Airport at 17.10 hrs. and arrive Abu Dhabi International Airport at 20.10 hrs. Later connect flight at 23.05 hrs.

Arrive Kochi International Airport at 04.25 hrs. with sweet memories of Fortune Tours Enticing Azerbaijan Tour.