Shamakhi and Gobustan

Gobustan reserve lies about 70 km south-west of Baku and holds more than 6,000 rock carvings of people, animals, boats and caravans, the oldest thousands of years old. The Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape was inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2007.

Close to the carvings are the mud volcanoes, small mounds where cold grey mud bubbles up with gas, a landscape like no other. They are reached in vehicles suited to dirt tracks.

Shamakhi lies about two hours west of Baku, in hill country that was once the capital of the Shirvanshahs. Its Juma Mosque was built in 126 AH (743 or 744 CE), is counted among the oldest mosques in the Caucasus, and has been recently restored.

Gobustan is a half-day trip from Baku, and Shamakhi lies on the road to Gabala and Sheki.