Why Azerbaijan?
Azerbaijan is the last great secret for self-drivers in the Caucasus. Futuristic skyline and ancient caravan routes. Fire temples and vineyards. Stone Age petroglyphs in the steppe and palace architecture on the Silk Road. This country has no single face — and that is precisely what makes it unforgettable.
With our robust SUV you drive through 14 days of Azerbaijan at your own pace: from the Caspian Sea into the Greater Caucasus, from Baku to Khinaliq, from the semi-desert of Gobustan to the ancient caravan city of Sheki. Behind the scenes, our team takes care of pre-booked accommodation, a detailed route plan and personal on-the-ground support from our German-speaking assistant Ashurey in Baku.
You drive free. We make sure everything runs smoothly.
→ Request a free quoteRental Car and Accomodation
You travel in a robust SUV — Kia Sportage, Nissan Qashqai or similar — including fully comprehensive and third-party insurance. The roads are well maintained and traffic outside Baku is light. For the drive to Khinaliq (2,350 m) the 4×4 is essential — and a genuine off-road experience.
Accommodation is in carefully selected hotels rated 3★ to 5★. Fast Wi-Fi is standard in all properties.
Tour Price, Visa, Flights
Tour price: from EUR 1,650 per person. The exact cost depends on your travel dates and preferred accommodation — we are happy to put together an individual quote for you.
Visa: A visa is required for Azerbaijan, which you can apply for online — usually processed within 3 working days: www.evisa.gov.az. The application is your own responsibility; we are happy to help if you have questions.
Flights: Arrival and departure via Baku. On request we can provide a flight offer through our partner Aeronautics Frankfurt.
→ Request a free quoteOverview
Azerbaijan is a land of extreme contrasts — and this self-drive tour takes you right into the heart of it. Fourteen days, one SUV, one route between the Caspian Sea and the Greater Caucasus.
You begin in Baku: a metropolis where Zaha Hadid architecture meets medieval old-town alleyways. With our German-speaking assistant Ashurey you explore the city on Day 2, before taking the wheel on Day 4 and setting off.
Your route leads through the semi-desert of Gobustan with its thousands-of-years-old petroglyphs, up into the Greater Caucasus to Quba and Khinaliq — the highest village in the country at 2,350 metres. Then west along the ancient Silk Road to Sheki, whose Khan’s Palace is one of the finest buildings in the Caucasus. On to Ganja, the turquoise Goygol Lake and a small vineyard in the hills.
Your last night is spent at a beach resort on the Caspian Sea — before your return flight takes you home from Baku.
Highlights of the tour
- Baku — metropolis between Orient and modernity
- Gobustan — Stone Age petroglyphs, UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Khinaliq — the highest village in Azerbaijan, 2,350 m
- Sheki — Silk Road caravan city with the Khan’s Palace
- Ganja — Azerbaijan’s second city and wine region
- Goygol Lake — turquoise natural jewel at the foot of the Caucasus
- Caspian Sea — final night at a beach resort
Itinerary
Flight to Baku. Airport pickup and transfer to your centrally located hotel.
At 10 a.m. Ashurey, our German-speaking assistant, takes you on a first tour of one of the most fascinating cities in the Caucasus. Panoramic view from the Martyrs’ Lane, a stroll through the medieval old town, a visit to the Shirvanshah Palace — and in the evening a welcome dinner at one of the city’s best restaurants. Breakfast + Dinner
The peninsula outside Baku is the heart of Azerbaijan’s oil history — and a place full of contradictions. Today you visit the fire temple Atashgah, where the eternal flame from natural gas seeps has burned for centuries, and the mud volcanoes of Gobustan. Lunch on site, free afternoon in Baku. Breakfast
At 9 a.m. you collect your rental car directly at the hotel — from now on, you are your own captain. First destination: Gobustan, 60 km south of Baku. Stone Age people carved hunting scenes, animals and rituals into the rock here over 10,000 years ago — declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007. In the afternoon, drive north to the edge of the Greater Caucasus to Quba. Distance: 270 km / approx. 3.5 hrs — Breakfast
Today you drive up one of the most spectacular roads in the Caucasus to Khinaliq — 2,350 metres above sea level, the highest inhabited village in Azerbaijan. The people here speak their own language, unrelated to any other. Plan a picnic — pick up fresh produce in the morning in Quba. Distance: 100 km / approx. 3 hrs — Breakfast
A day to breathe. The modern mountain resort of Shahdag sits at over 1,400 metres and offers a chairlift, cycling trails and horse riding. Those wanting more can drive on to the unspoilt village of Laza — with views of the Greater Caucasus range. Distance: to Laza 50 km / approx. 1 hr — Breakfast
Today’s drive takes you back to the sea and then west into the interior. Along the way, a photo stop at the “Five Finger Mountain” Beshbarmag — one of the most striking rock formations in Azerbaijan. In Shamakhi, the Juma Mosque awaits — one of the oldest in the country, built by the Arabs in the 8th century. Distance: 290 km / approx. 4 hrs — Breakfast
Lahic is one of the best-preserved traditional craft villages in the Caucasus — coppersmiths, spice traders, tanners. Take your time. Then on to Sheki, one of the oldest settlements in the region, famous for its magnificent 18th-century Khan’s Palace and the caravanserais of the Silk Road. Distance: 230 km / approx. 4.5 hrs — Breakfast
Morning city tour of Sheki. In the afternoon, a detour to the nearby village of Kish: here Thor Heyerdahl had an early Christian Albanian church restored — and developed his controversial theory that the ancestors of the Norse people came from this region. The skeletons in the graves are unusually large. Distance: 25 km / approx. 0.5 hrs — Breakfast
A morning visit to Sheki’s colourful bazaar, then on to the industrial city of Mingachevir on the country’s largest reservoir. Lunch on the banks of the Kura River. On to Ganja — Azerbaijan’s second largest city, known for its centuries-old Khan Park and the wines of the surrounding region. Distance: 150 km / approx. 2 hrs — Breakfast
Morning city tour of Ganja. In the afternoon the route leads to the former German colonial village of Helenendorf — today Xanlar — where Swabian settlers grew wine from 1819 onwards under the protection of the Russian Tsar. A small museum in the restored evangelical church recalls their lives. Then on to the turquoise Goygol Lake — one of the most beautiful natural gems in Azerbaijan. Distance: 90 km / approx. 2 hrs — Breakfast
Drive to a small family winery near Ismayilli. Visit to the wine cellar, dinner with wine tasting — and a quiet evening among the vineyards. Relaxation guaranteed. Distance: 150 km / approx. 2 hrs — Breakfast + Dinner with wine tasting
The final driving day takes you back towards Baku — but not to the city centre. You stay at a beach hotel on the Caspian Sea, return the car there, and let the journey sink in over an evening walk along the shore. Distance: 270 km / approx. 3.5 hrs — Breakfast
Transfer to Baku airport and departure.
Our Services
Included Services
- travel planning
- travel organization
- Rental car booking and insurance
- airport transfers
- hotel bookings
- Booking additional services such as guides
- assistance and support
Not included services
- flight tickets
- fuel
- Local guides eg in Sheki and Ganja
FAQs
April–July and September–October are ideal. Summers can be very hot (up to 38–39°C), particularly in Baku and the lowlands. Winter brings frost and occasional snow in the mountains.
You are welcome to book your flight through our partner Aeronautics in Frankfurt/Main. After an email request, you will receive your flight offer shortly.
Aeronautic Airline Services GmbH (IATA 23-27333 1)
Group flights to Uzbekistan, CIS countries and worldwide
Agent of HY, S7, SU, LH and PS
Pfingstweidstr. 3
60316 Frankfurt am Main
Phone +49 (69) 920 347 70, fax. +49 (69) 920 347 722
Email: info@aero-nautic.de, http://www.aero-nautic.de/
Another online flight booking service is www.skyscanner.de
Included from EUR 1,650 per person: SUV rental car with fully comprehensive and third-party insurance, all accommodation per itinerary (3★ to 5★), city tour of Baku with German-speaking assistant Ashurey, detailed route plan with tips and recommendations, personal on-the-ground support from our team. Not included: flights, visa fees, meals (except those indicated in the programme), personal expenses and entrance fees.
Citizens of Germany, Austria and Switzerland require a visa for Azerbaijan. You can apply online at evisa.gov.az — usually processed within 3 working days. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months on entry. The visa application is your own responsibility; we are happy to help with any questions.
Your rental car is handed over on Day 4 directly at your hotel in Baku. Our team ensures you are fully briefed and all documents are complete. The car is returned at the end of the tour, also at the hotel. You never set off alone — we are available by phone for any questions or breakdowns throughout the journey.
The main roads are excellent. The drive to Khinaliq (2,350 m) requires the 4×4 we provide — a genuine off-road experience on safe terrain.
Yes. The road network is well maintained, signage uses the Latin alphabet, and local people are remarkably open and hospitable towards Western travellers. Our team is reachable by phone throughout your entire trip. Azerbaijan is considered one of the safest travel destinations in the region.
The local currency is the Azerbaijani Manat (AZN), pegged closely to the US Dollar (approx. 1 EUR = 1.80–1.85 AZN). Euro and US Dollar cannot be used for payment — you will need Manat. We recommend bringing Euro in cash (new, undamaged notes) and exchanging at the airport, banks or exchange offices in the city. Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted in Baku; outside the capital, cash is often necessary. ATMs are available in all major cities. Always choose “charge in local currency” at ATMs to get the best rate.
Yes — the tour is available from 1 person. The price varies depending on travel dates, accommodation and group size. Please contact us for an individual quote.
Map Self-drive tour Azerbaijan
What our customers say
What our guests say
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Mario & Meike
“Many thanks for the perfect planning and preparation of the trip. Everything worked out brilliantly during the tour. Heartfelt thanks also to Ashurey for her warm and highly professional support.” — May 2025
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Frank-Uwe H., Germany
“A wonderful and unforgettable holiday — multi-layered and fascinating. The organisation by Kaukasus-Reisen was absolutely perfect. This was our second trip with Kaukasus-Reisen — and once again we cannot praise them highly enough.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Cornelia S. & Frank, Germany
“Baku overwhelmed us with its modern architecture. Khinaliq, the remote village high in the Caucasus, was a true highlight. Altogether an absolute adventure full of breathtaking landscapes.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Michael T., Germany
“A wonderful trip, superbly organised without exception. Lahic with its guesthouse is a place where you would happily stay for several days. Kaukasus-Reisen has an excellent reputation in the region — something we noticed on several occasions.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Claudia W., Germany
“Many thanks to Ms Born and the entire team. Car handovers and tours all worked perfectly — we greatly enjoyed our time in Azerbaijan.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Family G., Germany
“The hotels were superbly chosen — a great combination of city and countryside. The city tour in Baku even impressed our boys. We are thrilled and it broadened our horizons.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Yvonne F., Germany
“A wonderful trip: exciting, adventurous, thrilling, interesting. Baku impressed me enormously — our guide Shura was a wonderfully refreshing companion whom we immediately took to our hearts. We will definitely be back.”
