Azerbaijan Day Trips by Travel Time

October 18, 2026

Safety and entry notes. The FCDO advises against any travel within 5 km of Azerbaijan’s border with Armenia, and against all but essential travel to the south-western districts around Karabakh, where landmines and unexploded ordnance are still a risk. The US State Department’s rating is Level 3, Reconsider Travel. Visitors fly in, because the land crossings with Armenia and Russia are closed. Every excursion on this page runs south, east, north or north-west from Baku, a long way from those districts. Check the FCDO page and the US advisory first. Karabakh needs an official permit and is not a day-trip destination.

The useful way to sort day trips from Baku is by the clock. A return journey of two hours leaves a full day to enjoy the place. A return journey of eight hours does not. Fees below are in manat (AZN), at about 1.70 to the US dollar, for foreign adults.

Within 45 minutes: the Absheron fire sites

Yanar Dag and the Ateshgah fire temple sit on the Absheron peninsula, each 30 to 45 minutes from central Baku. Yanar Dag is a natural-gas fire running along a low hillside in Mammadli village. It costs 15 AZN and opens daily from 10:00 to 19:00. The Ateshgah, a temple complex at Surakhani, also costs 15 AZN. The two share a 25 AZN ticket, and adding the Mud Volcanoes Tourism Complex run by the State Tourism Agency makes it 35 AZN; combined tickets last 72 hours from first entry. Together they take a relaxed half day, leaving room for lunch back in the city.

About an hour: Gobustan

The UNESCO rock-art landscape is 60 to 70 km south-west of Baku. Entry is about 10 AZN (some listings say 15), and sources disagree on closing times, so plan to arrive by about 15:00. More than 6,000 carvings are spread across the rocks, and the Gaval Dash stone is by the entrance. Stay on the marked trails and leave the carvings untouched. There is little shade and no food on site, so carry water and start early in summer.

The Dashgil mud volcanoes are about 12 km further, on an unpaved road that needs a 4x4. Taxis and ride-hailing cars generally stop at the visitor area. Bus 195 from 20 Yanvar metro station takes 1.5 to 2 hours and stops at the highway junction, not at the gate.

About two hours: Shamakhi and Maraza

Shamakhi is about 120 km west of Baku. Its Juma Mosque is a large, rebuilt congregational mosque, so dress modestly. Nearby at Maraza, the Diri Baba Mausoleum is a 15th-century tomb set against a cliff, and foreign adults pay 15 AZN under the State Tourism Agency tariff in force from 2026. Both fit comfortably in one day, with time to stop on the way.

A long day: Quba and the Red Village

Quba is about 170 km north of Baku, and the trip takes 2.5 to 4 hours each way by car or bus. The Red Village stands across the Qudiyalchay river and is a Mountain Jewish settlement with the Six Dome Synagogue and a museum. Visits to the working synagogues go through the museum. Because the road eats the day, an overnight in Quba makes more sense for anyone who wants time on foot. Khinalug, the high mountain village 50 to 60 km above Quba, is a separate overnight trip.

Too far for one day

Place	One-way journey from Baku
Gabala	about 220 km, 3.5 to 4 hours by road
Naftalan	350 to 390 km, 4 to 5 hours by road
Ganja	about 5 to 5.5 hours by Stadler train
Sheki	about 283 km, 6 to 6.5 hours by bus

Each of these needs at least one night. There is no direct Baku to Gabala train.

Practical tips

Carry AZN cash and a printout of your e-visa from evisa.gov.az . Ride apps Bolt and Yango work in Baku, and the FCDO says some street taxis overcharge, so agree a fare before you set off. To compare organised departures, search Baku day trips on GetYourGuide .