Wine tour in Azerbaijan

Baku – Ganja – Sheki

Wine Tour

8 Days / 7 Nights

Season: April - November

Prices:
 

Day 1: Arrival

Meet at the airport and transfer to the hotel.

Day 2: Exploring Baku

After breakfast, the excursion begins. Tourists will first enjoy a panoramic view of the city and Baku Bay from Highland Park. After that, the tour will continue to the Old City (Baku Fortress), a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The excursion starts at the entrance to the fortress. Tourists enter through the ancient "Double Gates," which once led to the Shamakhi Road. Walking with a guide through the historic streets of the fortress, tourists will visit the Shirvanshahs’ Palace, explore ancient caravanserais, see old mosques and medieval baths, and climb to the top of the Maiden Tower. The Maiden Tower is one of the mystical structures of the ancient East.

Tourists will also be shown the site where Apostle Bartholomew was martyred.

After lunch, the excursion continues with a visit to the Heydar Aliyev Center. This is a complex building that includes an auditorium, museums, and exhibition halls. The center was designed in 2007 by the world-renowned architect Zaha Hadid. In 2014, it was recognized as the best building in the world and won the "2014 Design of the Year" award.

The building houses an interactive museum of national musical instruments, the "Masterpieces of Azerbaijan" museum, which showcases collections of national clothing and household items, as well as an exhibition of Azerbaijani carpets and more.

Overnight in a hotel in Baku.
Duration: 6-7 hours. Meals: BB.

Day 3: Baku – Ganja

Today, tourists will head to the city of Ganja. The first stop is planned at Gobustan, the rock art museum. Here, tourists will visit both the interactive museum and the open-air museum. The petroglyphs of Gobustan span different eras, dating from the 10th to 8th millennia BC to the Middle Ages. Due to the vast historical period they cover, these petroglyphs rank highly among rock art collections worldwide. Archaeologists have discovered over 6,000 drawings on 1,000 rocks, along with ancient dwellings, caves, campsites, around 40 mounds, and more than 100,000 artifacts. The oldest drawings date back to the Mesolithic era, though it is believed that human life existed in the area even earlier, making Gobustan one of the cradles of civilization.

After visiting Gobustan, tourists will enjoy a wine tasting at the Azgranata Winery, known for producing the famous pomegranate wine, along with other alcoholic products.

After the wine tasting, the journey continues, and soon tourists will arrive in Ganja, where they will check into their hotel and rest.

Overnight in a hotel in Ganja.

Duration: 8 hours. Meals: BB. Distance: 360 km.

Day 4: Ganja – Sheki

After breakfast, tourists will go on a city tour of Ganja, including the Mausoleum of the famous medieval Azerbaijani poet Nizami Ganjavi (1141–1209), the Shah Abbas Mosque (early 17th century), and the Javad Khan Mausoleum (1748–1804).

Next, the tourists will head to Goygol, formerly known as Helenendorf. This town was founded by settlers from Swabia in the early 19th century. In the town, tourists will have the opportunity to visit a well-preserved house of a German settler.

Then, tourists will depart for Shaki. On the way to Shaki, they will stop at the Az Abrau Winery, where they will enjoy a short tour of the winery and a wine tasting. The winery produces wines from indigenous Azerbaijani grape varieties such as Az Abrau, blended wines like Abrau, and the legendary Agdam Port Wine.

Overnight in a hotel in Sheki.
Duration: 8 hours. Meals: BB. Distance: 140 km.

Day 5: Sheki – Gakh

This day will be dedicated to exploring the city of Shaki and the Gakh region, along with their attractions. In Shaki, tourists will visit the Palace of the Sheki Khans, a luxurious 18th-century building constructed without a single nail, the ancient Juma Mosque and Madrasa, the Khan’s Mosque and Khan’s Cemetery, the medieval Caravanserai, local craft workshops, and the Albanian Church in the village of Kish. This is one of the oldest churches not only in the South Caucasus but possibly in the world. The church is believed to have been founded by Saint Elisha.

After that, tourists will head to the neighboring Gakh region (40 km). Despite its proximity, the climate, architecture, and cuisine of Gakh are different from those of Sheki. In Gakh, tourists will visit the 5th-century Basilica in the village of Gum, the Ulu Mosque in the village of Ilisu, the Sumug Gala Tower, and the Georgian St. George’s Church.

In the evening, tourists will enjoy a tasting of Sheki’s traditional sweets.

Overnight in a hotel in Sheki.
Duration: 8 hours. Meals: BB. Distance: 80 km.

Day 6: Sheki – Baku

On this day, tourists will depart for the city of Baku. The distance is 300 km. The road will pass through the Gabala and Shamakhi districts.

In the Gabala district, tourists will visit the Savalan Winery, located in the valley of the same name in the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains, at an altitude of 400 meters above sea level. The vineyards are surrounded by branches of the Turyanchay River on both sides. This region has the perfect balance of rainy, sunny, and average annual temperatures.

After a tour of the vineyards and production, tourists will enjoy a tasting of the winery's original wines. After the tasting, they will continue their journey to Baku. On the way, there will be a stop at Lake Nohur for a short rest.

Overnight in a hotel in Baku.
Duration: 6-7 hours. Meals: BB. Distance: 300 km.

Day 7: Baku

Breakfast at the hotel.
On this day, tourists will explore the history of winemaking in Azerbaijan. After breakfast, the group will visit the Wine Museum, located on the site of the largest Soviet-era winery. In 1981, a decision was made to create the museum in time for the visit of Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev. The museum was completed by 1982, but due to Brezhnev's health issues, he was unable to visit.

At the museum, tourists will learn about the history of winemaking in Azerbaijan, see products from that era, and enjoy a wine tasting.

After the tour and tasting, the group will head to the Green Bazaar, a true Eastern market where local fruits, vegetables, sauces, honey, spices, and dried fruits are sold.

After visiting the Green Bazaar, tourists will return to the hotel to drop off their purchases and then have free time to explore Baku at their leisure.

Free time.
Overnight in a hotel in Baku.
Duration: 6-7 hours. Meals: BB.

Day 8: Departure

Transfer to the airport.