On the way to Gabala we will pass by Shamakhi region. Shamakhi is one of Azerbaijan’s most historic cities and the birthplace of legendary Azerbaijani poets such as Sabir and Nesimi. Invaders and earthquakes have left little in the way of an old town but the city’s Juma Mosque was one of the first to be founded in the Caucasus and, in rebuilt form, is truly splendid. Then the capital of the legendary state of the Shirvanshahs, Shamakhi was destroyed by a terrible earthquake in 1192. In the 19th century, the city was famous for its Shamakhi dancers, who were described in the memoirs of French writer Alexandre Dumas.

Juma Mosque in Shamakhi– Juma Mosque of Azerbaijan is the largest mosque of Azerbaijan. It is one of the first mosques of Azerbaijan after the Arab occupation of Caucasus. The Arabian writings reflected on the walls of the mosque show the construction year as 744 AD. This makes the mosque the earliest one in whole Caucasus after the Juma Mosque in Derbent, which was completed in 734 AD. Shamakhi Juma Mosque does not have the analogue in Azerbaijan. Such kind of design is very similar to the architecture of well-known Great Mosque of Omayyad in Damask which was built in 708 AD. Unlike many mosques, entrance to Juma Mosque of Shamakhi is permitted even to non-Muslims. To enter, you need to remove your shoes, but walking barefoot is not a problem, because the floor is covered with thick carpets. In addition, women must cover their heads in order to enter the mosque, so they provide free head cover at the entrance, which is required to be returned at the exit.

After Shamakhi region, we will pass by Ismayilli region. Situated on the southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus, surrounded by forests and mountains, the Ismayilli region, drowning in greenery, is one of the most beautiful regions of Azerbaijan. Ismayilli is part of the historical region of Shirvan. The territory of the district, as well as all the territories of Northern Azerbaijan, was part of the Caucasian Albania. Here a large number of ancient monuments of different periods are preserved. Tourists are also attracted to the unusually colourful villages of the district, in which various nationalities live and traditional crafts are practised.

Our next stop will be the Nohur lake ( Nohurgol) is located in a few kilometres southeast of Qabala is one of Azerbaijan’s most beautiful spots, 700 m above sea level. Eye-catching Lake Nohur is a manmade lake created after World War II to supply surrounding villages with water. Lake has the magnificent view to Caucasus Mountains and is surrounded by the forests and high mountains called Yumru, Goydag and Gulluburun. Today it is a popular recreation spot consisting of a large tree-lined body of water reflecting the Greater Caucasus Mountains in its green-blue waters. You will be amazed by the fresh air and water is one of the most picturesque places of Gabala. The quiet atmosphere and bird sounds create an ideal relaxation environment to escape from the noise of the city. Moreover, you can try horse riding and boat trip. Swimming is prohibited but fishing and hiking are popular.

In Summer-Winter Touristic Complex Tufandag, our guests can enjoy our matchless beautiful nature in unsurpassed recreation tourism centre just about 4 km from Gabala City. The highest peaks of Azerbaijan are gathered around the city of Gabala. “Tufandaq” Winter-Summer Tourism Complex offers you to contemplate the whole view, which rises above 1920 m and shows the landscape in full view that you can see all of the panorama of Gabala at any time of the year, skiing on the ski tracks of different difficulty level, ski training and ski school.

The final destination will be “Seven Beauties” waterfall. This waterfall gives cooling and freshness of crystal clear water. This mountainous waterfall flowing from the highest peaks of the Caucasus Mountains and the name of the Seven Beauties (Yeddi Gozal) Waterfall originates from the name of the 7 mountain roads that should pass to reach the waterfall. As the waterfall is completely frozen in the winter, it gets harder to get here. But in spring and summer, tea houses are available on every mountain road, where the guests are offered a tea set with traditional types of Gabala jam. At the highest point of the waterfall there is a tea house with a special wooden mattress where you can drink tea with the pleasant sound and scenery of the waterfall in the background. The water of the tea is taken from the waterfall and gives a unique taste to it.