Gobustan-Absheron-Baku Night Tour

We start our journey at one of the most important points of Azerbaijan’s history. Nestled near the Caspian Sea in the Bibi-Heybat district of Baku lies a site of monumental industrial significance: the world's first mechanically drilled oil well. Completed in 1846 under the supervision of Russian engineer Vasily Semyonov, this 21-meter-deep well marked the inception of the modern petroleum industry. Predating the famous Drake Well in Pennsylvania by over a decade, Baku's pioneering venture perfected cable-tool drilling techniques, setting a global precedent for oil extraction. This groundbreaking achievement not only propelled Azerbaijan into the forefront of oil production but also laid the foundation for Baku's transformation into a vital energy hub. By the late 19th century, the region was responsible for nearly half of the world's oil output, attracting international magnates like the Nobel brothers and the Rothschilds. Today, visitors can explore the restored well site, gaining insights into the early days of oil exploration and its profound impact on global industry.

Our country is not only breathtakingly beautiful, but also famous for its oil and gas deposits. We have been providing "black gold" to countries all over the world for more than 70 years now. Now, moving towards mud volcanoes, we have the opportunity to engage in sightseeing Gobustan from this enchanting perspective. Here, you have a rare chance to see the jungle of oil rigs up-close, a scene seemingly coming straight out of the movie. And this statement is no way false: this very area is also well-known for its role in the James Bond movie "And the Whole World Is Not Enough." Some scenes, such as a shot where Bond drives around in his BMW Z8 near the oil rigs, were filmed in Azerbaijan, to be more specific in the village of Bibi-Heybat. In the movie, you can see the building process of a large oil pipeline that is used to deliver Caspian oil to the West. This pipeline actually exists in real life.

Azerbaijan’s geology has the variety of peculiarities that differs the Land of Fire from other countries and one of those traits are definitely the large number of mud volcanoes scattered all around the region A path leading tourist to the view of these active volcano craters has something touching and romantic about it. Mud Volcanoes in Azerbaijan seemingly played some type of important role for folklore: according to our legends, this place was home to a lot of demons (the Azerbaijani name for them is djinn), and more than that, the whole atmosphere there gives off a magical and moon-like aura. It really is hard to move forward from these landscapes, but don't worry, on the way of the Gobustan-Absheron tour, there's so much more to see.

Situated within the Gobustan region, the Mud Volcanoes Tourism Complex offers more than just a view of Azerbaijan's unique geological formations. A highlight of the complex is its comprehensive Natural History Exhibition, which delves into the rich biodiversity and geological wonders of the area. The exhibition showcases an impressive collection of 98 animal skeletons, 870 dried insect species, and 57 live specimens preserved in special solutions, all meticulously gathered by Azerbaijani experts over decades. These displays provide visitors with an in-depth understanding of the region's fauna and the evolutionary processes that have shaped them. Complementing the biological exhibits are various paleontological artifacts and illustrative materials designed to engage audiences of all ages. The exhibition not only educates but also emphasizes the importance of understanding and appreciating life that existed before us and geological wonders.

After the historical introduction received at the museum, the guests of Azerbaijan Travel International get acquainted with the heritage of the primitives themselves. The main trace they left behind is rock paintings. Following the excursion trail among the majestic rocks on the background of the Caspian Sea coast, watching all kinds of petroglyphs and listening to the guide's story, the tourist seems to be witnessing the mental development of a divine creature named Homo Sapiens. The harsh conditions of existence of prehistoric people, their will to live, the peculiarities of the hierarchy of their community, everyday life, and aspirations - everything becomes clear, and our contemporary understands that we and our ancestors differ from each other only in decorations. And the essence, which was, remained so.
The first part of the tour ends with an excursion to the places of life of the first Cro-Magnons and the guests return to Baku.

On the way back, you can also see the Bibi-Heybat mosque, built by Shirvanshah Abu-l-Fath Farrukhzad in the 13th century. The interior amazing with its colorfulness and the majestically stretching up the facade is not all! 

In one of the central parks of the capital, guests are greeted by the set tables of one of the most delicious restaurants in the city – the Baku restaurant.
After a three-course lunch of national cuisine and a traditional cup of tea, guests embark on the second part of the tour – a trip to the Absheron Peninsula.

In the first century BC, Hindu Brahmanites and Persian Zoroastrians heard that there was an interesting feature in the land called Absheron – naked flames burst out of the ground. Ateshgah Temple was founded where there was the largest concentration of these natural fires.
At that time, the road of the Great Silk Road passed through this land, therefore, in addition to the temple, there was also a caravanserai, an inn for traveling merchants. The guests will learn the peculiarities of the life of the fire-worshipping hermits and their neighbors - merchants staying in the caravanserai from the fascinating story of their guide. This story is illustrated with numerous installations that adorn the narrative about the beliefs and everyday life of representatives of ancient fire cults.

Of the several dozen burning places that burned on the lands of Absheron, only one has survived till nowadays. Near the top of the most extreme mountain of the Great Caucasian Ridge, an unquenchable fire has been beating from the ground for many centuries. The mountain is named Burning in his honor, which translates into Azerbaijani as Yanardag.
In this, the final part of the tour "Gobustan-Absheron", guests will see the ancient flame, and, in addition, from the observation deck at the top of Yanardag they can see a third of the Absheron peninsula.
The Gobustan-Absheron tour, which is conducted by Azerbaijan Travel International, lasts from morning to evening and after about 8-9 hours after its start, the bus with tourists returns to Baku.

Before you start your evening tour of Baku, you will have dinner at the picturesque Old Garden restaurant in the Old City, which includes the national dish "Saj", Old Garden salad, soft drinks and tea.

An evening tour of Baku begins with the Uphill Park, which is the highest point in the capital of Azerbaijan, from where a panoramic view opens up to the entire central part of the city and Baku Bay. This is one of the most beautiful and peaceful places in Baku, which makes it suitable for quiet walks.

Your professional guide will take you to a specific place in the park, where you will have the opportunity to see a unique view of the city with its beautiful luminous buildings and landmarks, as well as the Ferris Wheel, Crystal Hall and Baku Boulevard. In addition, you will have a view of buildings such as the Parliament of Azerbaijan and the Flaming Towers, which are three skyscrapers that include a hotel, apartments and offices. The panels between the windows of the towers are horizontally covered with LED screens that display the movement of fire visible from the farthest points of the city. The lights create the visual effects of the torches, which emphasizes the main idea behind their name, Flaming Towers.

The next stop will be the Baku Boulevard, the waterfront park, which is considered one of the main attractions and pride of Baku. This is a magnificent 25-kilometer park with exotic trees, shopping and entertainment centers, bicycle paths, views of the European architecture of Baku in the 19th century. In addition, the park is famous for a small version of Venice. It fascinates visitors of the city and residents of Baku with its canals, bridges and gondolas.

Walking through this amazing park, you will immediately recognize one of the architectural masterpieces of the Stalin era - the Government House of Soviet Azerbaijan. It took almost 16 years to build this gigantic structure when Azerbaijan was under Soviet rule. Moreover, historical evidence shows that German prisoners of war were used to build this huge structure.

Baku city tour will end with visiting the park in front of the Heydar Aliyev Center, which is considered to be a masterpiece of modern architecture in the style of deconstruction from the “queen of curved lines” Zahi Hadid. On its territory there is a magnificent park with green lawns and snow-white footpaths, which pass alongside original sculptures and compositions, the most famous of which is a favorite of the guests of the city I LOVE BAKU.