Shamakhi – Gabala – Sheki trip Itinerary from Baku, Azerbaijan

Here are some of the highlights of this route: 

Shamakhi is one of the oldest cities in Azerbaijan, dating back to the 5th century BC. It’s known for its winemaking tradition, beautiful mosques, and surrounding vineyards.

Gabala (or Qabala) is a modern resort town in the Caucasus Mountains—home to ski slopes in winter, waterfalls in summer, and family-friendly attractions year-round.

Sheki is the real gem of the trip—a UNESCO-listed town famous for its Sheki Khan’s Palace, silk traditions, and picture-perfect mountain backdrop.

The drive itself is part of the adventure. The roads wind through lush valleys, forested mountains, and sleepy villages, with numerous roadside tea houses to stop and refuel.

Day 1: Baku -> Shamakhi -> Gabala

Day 2: Gabala -> Sheki -> Baku

Here are some of the ways you can do this travel:

Private is an extremely comfortable and convenient option, especially if you are looking to travel in a bigger group, with kids, the elderly, or simply want to have more flexibility and comfort. They are comparatively expensive, though. Several travel companies offer private tours that come with a taxi and a driver who also acts as a tour guide. While some offer activities and hotel bookings along with them, you can also book your own and just go ahead and rent the taxi.

The upside is that you can curate your own travel itinerary and stop at the spots of your choice for as long as you want. 

Here are some of the ways you can travel on this route:

GetYourGuide – 2 Days Shamakhi, Lahij, Gabala, and Sheki Tour

Tour HQ – 2 Days Shamakhi, Lahij, Gabala, and Sheki Private Tour

Peek – 2 Days Shamakhi, Lahij, Gabala, and Sheki Private Tour Experience

If you are comfortable with driving and possess an international driver’s license, you can also look at renting a car and travelling as per your schedule. You can easily rent a car in Baku and head out from there. The road condition on this route is great, but I suggest you still talk to some locals before heading out, just to understand the weather conditions or any issues you may encounter. Azerbaijan drives on the right side of the road.

You can check out some of the places where you can rent a car:

Kayak Car Rental

Discover Cars

Using public transport is not very convenient. No trains run on this route, but you can find buses that travel from Baku to Sheki, stopping at Shamaki and Gabala. You can also take the marshrutkas (minibuses) on this route. You can take buses at the Baku International Bus Terminal Complex, where buses run throughout the day on different routes. It is also far cheaper than taking a taxi. To check the bus timetables, visit their official website.

It may be difficult to find local transportation at these places unless you have a friend. Apps like Bolt, Uber or Yango may work in some towns like Gabala but not in others. Therefore, try to plan your trip in as much detail as possible if travelling independently using public transportation.

Depending upon how long you wish to go on your first day of travel, you can spend the night either in Gabala or in Sheki. With a packed itinerary, you may reach Sheki by evening (around 7 pm). But if you wish to end the day earlier, you can always stay in Gabala and head to Sheki the next day. Both places have great stay options. Here are some you may like:

Resort Hotels: Gabala Bless Hotel Cottage, Qafqaz Gabala Sport Hotel, Qafqaz Riverside Resort Hotel

Boutique Hotels: Qafqaz Karvansaray Hotel

Villas & Chalets: Soft Villa, Fairy Tale, Qafqaz Falcon Chalet

Boutique Local Stays: Old Town Sheki, MinAli Boutique Hotel, Art Hotel by ABAD Guest

Hotels & Resorts: Marxal Resort & Spa, Sheki Palace Hotel, Ruma Qala Hotel

Try starting your day early from Baku, which will give you ample time to enjoy a flexible itinerary. Don’t forget to fill yourself up with a hearty breakfast of lots of cheese, honey, fresh bread, and strong Azerbaijani tea before you hit the road to Shamakhi. Baku is notorious for traffic, especially during office hours, so it’s best to leave before the traffic hits. It will take you 1.5 – 2 hours to reach Shamaki.

Your first stop is the Juma Mosque, the oldest and largest mosque in Azerbaijan. Originally built in the 8th century, it has been destroyed and rebuilt multiple times, most recently between 2010 and 2013. The structure is stunning, with its grand courtyard, elegant domes, and serene prayer halls. Even if you’re not religious, the peaceful vibe and historic weight of the place are worth experiencing.

Just outside Shamakhi lies Yeddi Gumbaz (Seven Domes), the resting place of Shamakhi rulers from the 18th century. Only three domes remain standing, but they sit atop a hill overlooking the city—perfect for photos and a short walk.

A little ahead of Shamakhi lies the Alpaca farm, where you will find several Alpacas to befriend and pet. When you get in, you will get a bag of carrots and cabbage that you give to the female alpacas only, since the male alpacas can get too excited and may become unsafe for visitors. But you can pet, hug and take photos with the male alpacas. It is a fun place for children. However, you may find the prices a bit steep (it was 35 AZN per person as of 2025) 

Once you have finished sightseeing in Shamakhi, if you are interested, you can head to a winery. Wine isn’t the most popular choice of alcohol in Azerbaijan (it is Arak). But the region has a longstanding history of winemaking. If you are travelling to Georgia and plan to visit a winery there, you may skip this. But if you have the time, go ahead and enjoy a winery tour.

There are two popular wineries. The Shirvan winery is located just outside Shamakhi, so it is convenient to visit. Another one is way ahead, called Savalan winery, and you will have to take a detour. The drive has a scenic view, so if you have an ample amount of time on your hands, you can visit this one. 

Shirvan Wines, also known as the Meysari winery, is Azerbaijan’s first EU-certified organic winery, established in 2014 in Meysari village near Shamakhi. It features organic wines from French and indigenous Azerbaijani grape varieties and offers winery tours with wine tastings, a museum, a restaurant, and a guesthouse. The winery uses modern French equipment for its organic production and has grown its vineyards significantly since its first harvest in 2017. 

The winery is open on all days of the week and costs 45 AZN per person, which includes a vineyard tour and tasting. They have an excellent restaurant that has a wide menu and great food options to pair with wine. You can buy some wines here for yourself or to gift.

The Savalan is a modern winery in the picturesque Gabala region. The winery is known for reviving the ancient winemaking tradition of the area with Italian expertise and technology. 

Located in the Savalan Valley, the winery features vineyards at an altitude of 400 meters, utilising a unique microclimate and French oak barrels for ageing high-quality wines made from locally grown grapes and Italian seedlings. The valleys have especially stunning views of the Caucasus mountains in the background.

They give you a tour of the vineyard and the winery, which includes massive processing units. You can then head to the cellar to observe the ageing of the wines and the fermentation process. The tour ends with a wine tasting and their factory outlet, where you can buy the wine of your choice.

Once you are done with the winery, you can head to the Nohur Lake. The lake is located a little before Gabala. If you are travelling from Shamaki, it will take you another 1.5 hours to reach. But if you are taking a detour via Savalan Vineyard, it may take you an hour more. 

Nohur Lake is a natural, picturesque lake located just before Gabala. It is an extremely popular tourist spot amongst the locals, especially during summer (June – September). You may find it quite crowded during this time. But other than that, it is a lovely lake surrounded by gorgeous Greater Caucasus mountains, lush forest and filled with mirror-like blue-green water.

There are a lot of activities that you can enjoy here. There are paddleboats and catamarans available if you want to go boating. You can find several local families enjoying their day out and picnicking in the area. Horseback riding is also available as an activity for those who would like to experience it.

There are several food spots, so it is a great place to stop for lunch with a view.

The Tufandag ski resort is the highlight of Gabala. The ski resort is especially popular during the winter season because of the wide range of activities it offers. But it is open throughout the year, and the Mountain views can be enjoyed in different seasons as well.

The ski resort is built around its cable car system. The cable car has 4 stations at different altitudes. If you have the time, you can visit all 4, or you can do 2 out of 4. No matter where you are, beautiful views of the Caucasus mountains are guaranteed. During winter, you will find them covered with snow. Once the ice melts, they turn brown and eventually bright green during the summer. There is a lake around the second station, of which you can get a nice aerial view.

The resort offers a variety of beginner (blue), intermediate (red), and expert (black) runs. There is a ski school that provides professional lessons in multiple languages for both skiing and snowboarding. You can rent all the winter and ski gear that you may need, like ski equipment, jackets, snow goggles, snow boots and anything you can think of. Other activities include ATV and jeep tours, mountain biking, and paragliding.

The resort is spread wide and you can find a lot of basic stuff that you will need. There are also several food shops and restaurants offering different types of cuisines, usually located at the end of the Gondola ride with a view. However, they may shut down sooner in the day, so things get sparse towards the end.

Depending on how long you can go on, you can either stay in Gabala or head to Sheki. While Gabala’s main town is just 10 minutes from the resort, the drive the Sheki will take another hour. There are fantastic hotels available both in Gabala and Sheki. Try to book a hotel with breakfast included. I have to say, they are one of the best parts of the experience in Azerbaijan.

You will start your day by driving to Sheki, which is a 1-hour drive through the picturesque scenery of the Caucasus mountains. Make sure you fill up on the local breakfasts that are cooked fresh with the ingredients from the countryside farms.

The first stop is the Sheki Khan Palace. This was the summer palace of the Khan dynasty that ruled this part of Azerbaijan around the 18th century. You will need a ticket to enter, and I recommend you book a tour guide as well, since they will be able to share stories of the palace that are not available online.

It is a small palace characterised by two stories and a unique facade made of local design elements that you can see in surrounding buildings in Sheki as well. The palace has several rooms decorated in vibrant, intricate murals. The main hall is built with vents that have a natural cooling system for the hot summers. But importantly, you must see the shebeke – delicate mosaic-stained Murano glass that decorates the rooms, giving it a unique cultural factor. 

The tour does not take a lot of time, but you can spend some time outdoors around the backyard with a view of the town and take photos. There is also a small souvenir shop right next to the palace where you can check out some local crafts. From here, walk towards Sheki town on foot and enjoy views of the town, some heritage buildings from the same time or just enjoy your time outdoors.

Caravanserais were used as rest stops or hotels by the merchants and people who travelled along the Silk Road. You can find several caravanserais on the route across different countries today. Since Azerbaijan and Sheki were on this route, you will find some here. The one in Sheki is one of the biggest and unique. Today, it is partly a hotel and partly a historical site.

You can walk around the arched stone verandahs and take a peek at what the old times looked like. The courtyards are especially well-maintained, and you can see where people hung out in the evenings. Today, some of the spaces are occupied by modern restaurants and shops.

Sheki, being a cultural hub, is popular for its local crafts and sweets. You can find shops selling local crafts and souvenirs all across the town. Take some time for a stroll across the town and stop to check out the finest local carpets, bags, metal works, scarves, ceramics and jewelled pomegranate souvenirs that are truly Azerbaijani.

Sheki is also popular for its local desserts. The most famous is Pakhlava (Baklava), a world-famous dessert of assorted nuts stuffed between thin phyllo sheets, baked and then drenched with syrup. Sheki Halva, a unique, syrupy confection made with layers of rice flour, chopped nuts, and spices, is another dessert that you should not miss. Others are Shekherbura and Shekher Churek.

Check out Əliovsət Şirniyyat Evi and Aliahmed Sweetstore for some traditional Sheki dessert options.

Your next stop is the village of Kish, located just 5 km north of Sheki and takes about 15 minutes of travel time. The highlight of this place is the Kish Albanian church. It is one of the oldest Christian churches in the Caucasus and dates back to the 1st century AD, with a small museum inside. It was built on a site that archaeologists believe was once a temple of the early Caucasian Albanians.

The surroundings are equally soothing, with the mountains sitting at a distance. It becomes especially beautiful with blooming flowers and blue sky in the background during spring and the summer months.

The last stop in Sheki is the Bio Garden. This is located on your way to Baku. It is a botanical garden with an orchard, and a number of fruits are grown in this area. During the spring and summer months, they let you pick and eat as many fruits as you want for a price. It is a great place to see what kinds of plants and produce are native to Azerbaijan.

If you walk a little further, you can find a mini zoo with several types of animals like ducks, peacocks, turkeys, rabbits, dogs, colourful pigeons, chickens and many more. Enjoy some outdoor time here and take a long, slow walk around the place.

Once you are finished, it is time to return to Baku (unless you are travelling elsewhere). It takes around 4.5 hours to reach Baku from Sheki, so it will be quite a ride. You can stop in the middle for some tea at a supermarket with a tea shop for some refreshments.

While this is the usual itinerary on the Baku-Gabala-Sheki route, you can also alter it as per the time you have on your hands. If you have ample amount of time to explore, add a few offbeat locations to sweeten your trip.

Lahıc (pronounced Lahich) is a historic mountain village in Azerbaijan, famous for its copper craftsmanship, cobblestone streets, and ancient infrastructure. In medieval times, Lahıc was a hub of craftsmanship, with masters producing over 40 types of folk art, including jewellery, blacksmithing, leather goods, and carpet making. Lahıc’s most famous tradition is copper craftsmanship, which was added to the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2015.

Lahich lies between Shamakhi and Gabala and takes at least 1 hour of driving from the highway up in the mountains. You can simply take your time walking around the village and exploring what local artisans have to offer.

Qakh (also spelt Gakh or Qax) is a charming town and the capital of the Qakh District in northwestern Azerbaijan near the Russian border. Located at the foot of the Greater Caucasus mountains, the town is known for its multicultural atmosphere, lush nature, and rich history, which dates back to ancient times. 

While the majority of Qakh’s residents are Azerbaijani, the town and region are known for their multiculturalism. The population includes significant minorities of Avars, Georgians (known as Ingiloy), and Tsakhurs and their cultural identities are reflected in vibrant festivals, music and dance.

You can just hang around the town, visit the old town of Qakh, where the architecture shows the deep cultural ties. Other places of interest include the Kurmukh Temple, an ancient temple visited by both Muslims and Christians and Gum Basilica, the ruins of a Caucasian Albanian church complex from the 5th to 6th centuries.