Khinalig - Gleykhudat Excursion d'une journée

It was the best experience in Azerbaijan. Really I truly feel thankful for the guide Zeyd, for being patient with me during the trekking, and also during the entire trip! I had the beautiful view, snow mountain trek, amazing food, comfortable company. Also all the drivers and hosts are all nice and welcoming. I had a great time with all of them and cannot wait to come back in a different season!

We did this hike with Heydar. He was brilliant. Interesting guy and a good safe guide. Sadly the weather wasn’t great on our hike with rain & fog. So we didn’t see any views. However I’d was t still a really fun experience getting on the mountain & meeting the local families.

The whole trip was organised professionally and the company was very helpful and flexible with the last minute changes of plan which we made due to the bad weather. Our guide was amazing. We spent the entire trip discussing history and culture of Azerbaijan and admiring breathtaking views. We have visited many places in Azerbaijan but this trip was definitely the most spectacular as regards the nature and landscape. If you hesitate between choosing a trip to Xinalig only and that one the later one is a much much better choice.

Amazing experience. We hiked in the beautiful mountains - very remote. Incredibly hospitable meal at a local family’s home. Such a memorable day. Our guide was fantastic.

We couldn't have asked for a better guide in Baku and then on our day trip up to the mountains. Tural was a knowledgeable, well organized and extremely kind guide. I felt like we saw a really authentic side of Azerbaijan and it was an unforgettable visit as a result. One tip: bring a warm layer to the mountains, it can get pretty windy! 10/10 recommend.

If you stay in Baku and like to experience the beautiful nature this is definitely the tour to do! And Outdoor Caucasus is defenitely the company to choose! Our guide Turlan and driver Jamil picked us up at our Baku hotel around 9am. The drive to the mountains takes 3-4 hours. Nevertheless as our friendly and competent guide gave us numerous interesting information the time passed quickly. As you leave glamorous Baku you drive through the suburbs, pass along smaller settelments and farms in the arid landscape. Reaching the small city of Quoba you turn towards the mountains and finally find yourself in the middle of a breathtaking scenery. The peaks here reach over 3000m, just short grasses and occasional shrubs grow here. Khinalig is the starting point of a 2-3h hike, which although it offers stunning views and experience of nature is easy to accomplish. It ends at Gleykhudat with admittance to the house of a local family and a good tasting homecooked lunch. What a difference between the modern life in Baku and these isolated villages. After a short hike back to the car it‘s another 3h back to Baku, reaching it around 9pm.Just expect driving in Azerbaijan to be a bit wilder than probably at your home. Great thanks to Turlan and Jamil! To repeat myself: a definite must do tour!

I can’t overstate the phenomenal experience we had on this tour. Nurlan and Jamal from Outdoor Caucuses provided us with what is without a doubt the best tour I have been on in almost 30 years of traveling around the world. Their natural charisma, knowledge and wonderfully amiable and good natured manner was the perfect fit for two guys in a very foreign country who had trepidations about touring Azerbaijan. What we thought might be a dreadful experience turned out to be one of the happiest experiences ever. I understand how hyperbolic I might sound, but there’s no other honest way to extoll the phenomenal experience Nurlan and Jamal provided us. And having one man solely in charge of driving and the other dedicated to talking and explaining everything added a sense of safety. Nurlan provided all the confidence we needed to make the 6 mile trek to Galakhudat towards the top and enjoy an authentic home cooked meal. From their gentle and easy-going friendliness to the food they provided us to their dedication to our safety, sightseeing enjoyment and their professionalism, we wish we never had to have different tour guides anywhere in the world. Yes, the scenery and cultural experience are breathtaking, but Nurlan and Jamal were truly the engine that made everything an unforgettable life experience. We want to come back! Please don’t just take my word for it.

Nurlan was an amazing and professional and friendly guide. The ride to the mountain was rocky if someone has motion sickness, you need to pack your meds. Otherwise, every minute was worth it! The views, the hike, the people! Everything was perfect! One of our favorite hikes worldwide.

The hike was quite nice it required some effort but it was amazing! The tour guide was funny and spoke good english. He also took us to a traditional house and made us try traditional Azerbaijani food.

Our driver Nurlan and guide Sakit could not have been kinder to 2 50+ ladies on this 13 our trip, loaning me a cagoole and gaiters, buying us snacks, and answering our endless questions. Nurlan's driving is to be highly praised, as it is a long drive, partly on winding roads. Hiking was fabulous - we saw golden eagles, mountain meadows, and the 3 mountain villages of Cek, Xinaliq and Qalaxudat. In addition to a lovely coffee stop opposite FiveFinger Mountain, we had a delicious cooked lunch in Qalaxudat, with tea, fresh local produce and the best bread imaginable. The scenery is wonderful, and the hiking manageable, though I could feel the altitude. On a practical note, make sure you wear appropriate shoes, as it is muddy at the start. The weather can be very changeable, so layers are practical - and you will need warm clothes.

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