Day trips · Baku · Azerbaijan
5 best day trips from Baku
Where to go when you want a day away from Baku, and how long it really takes.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Khortan, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
The classic day trip from Baku is Gobustan and the mud volcanoes (About 1 hour by car). The closest option is Gobustan and the mud volcanoes, about 60 km away.
Key facts
- Day trips in this guide
- 5
- Closest
- Gobustan and the mud volcanoes (60 km)
- Most popular
- Gobustan and the mud volcanoes
Day trips compared
| Destination | Distance | Travel time | How | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gobustan and the mud volcanoes | 60 km | About 1 hour by car | Tour, taxi or app ride | Culture, Families, First-timers |
| Shamakhi | 120 km | About 2 hours by car | Car, tour or bus | Culture, Quiet stays |
| Quba and Khinalug | 170 km | About 2 hours 30 minutes by car to Quba | Car or tour | Culture, Quiet stays |
| Gabala | 225 km | About 3 hours 30 minutes by car | Car or tour | Families, Quiet stays |
| Sheki | 300 km | About 5 hours by car | Car or bus; best as an overnight trip | Culture, Food lovers |
The day trips
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60 km · About 1 hour by car
1.Gobustan and the mud volcanoes
Gobustan National Park protects thousands of rock carvings of people, animals and boats, some thousands of years old, with a modern museum explaining them. Nearby, small mud volcanoes bubble and gurgle on a bare hillside, reached by rough tracks in local cars.
- Getting there
- Tour, taxi or app ride
- Best for
- Culture, Families, First-timers
120 km · About 2 hours by car
2.Shamakhi
The former capital of the Shirvan region has the large Juma Mosque, the Yeddi Gumbez mausoleums and, on the road from Baku, the cliff-side Diri Baba Mausoleum. The area is also known for vineyards.
- Getting there
- Car, tour or bus
- Best for
- Culture, Quiet stays
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170 km · About 2 hours 30 minutes by car to Quba
3.Quba and Khinalug
Quba is known for its orchards and carpets, and across the river is Qırmızı Qəsəbə, a historic Mountain Jewish town. A mountain road continues to Khinalug, one of the highest villages in the Caucasus, with its own language. It is a long day; an overnight stay is easier.
- Getting there
- Car or tour
- Best for
- Culture, Quiet stays
225 km · About 3 hours 30 minutes by car
4.Gabala
A mountain resort area in the Greater Caucasus foothills, with forest walks, Nohur Lake and the Tufandag cable cars, which run in summer and in the ski season.
- Getting there
- Car or tour
- Best for
- Families, Quiet stays
300 km · About 5 hours by car
5.Sheki
The UNESCO-listed historic centre of Sheki includes the Palace of the Shaki Khans, with its stained-glass windows and painted interiors, a large caravanserai where you can stay, and a food tradition of piti and Sheki halva.
- Getting there
- Car or bus; best as an overnight trip
- Best for
- Culture, Food lovers
Day-trip tips
- Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
- City buses also use the BakuCard and cover areas the metro doesn't reach, including the airport.
- For trips over about 180 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best day trip from Baku?
Gobustan and the mud volcanoes. Gobustan National Park protects thousands of rock carvings of people, animals and boats, some thousands of years old, with a modern museum explaining them.
+How long does it take to get from Baku to Gobustan and the mud volcanoes?
About 1 hour by car — Tour, taxi or app ride, about 60 km.
+How long does it take to get from Baku to Shamakhi?
About 2 hours by car — Car, tour or bus, about 120 km.