Gobustan - Mud Volcanoes - Ateshgah Fire Temple - Yanardag

We will start our tour visiting Gobustan national park. Gobustan geographical region is situated in East Azerbaijan and borders on the southern slope of Big Caucasus ridge in the north, Pirsaat River in the west, Harami and Mishov mountains in the south, the Caspian Sea and Absheron peninsula in the east. Gobustan - is an archaeological reserve in Azerbaijan, south of Baku, in Garadagh and Absheron regions, representing a plain located between the south- eastern slope of the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range and the Caspian Sea, and part of which is a cultural landscape of rock carvings, located in the 537 hectares. Gobustan monuments are divided into two groups: 1) petroglyphs and 2) ancient sites and other facilities. Later, we will explore mud volcanoes which located close to Qobustan museum. After that we will continue our way to the Fire Temple – Ateshgah. The temple of fire worshippers is located at the Apsheron peninsula at the outskirts of Surakhani village 30 km from the centre of Baku and was revered in different times by Zoroastrians, Hindus and Sikhs. Current constructions of the temple are dated by XVII century. As a result of excavations far more ancient artifacts were discovered here. Pentagonal complex has an open courtyard with temple-altar in the center which was the place of pilgrimage for worshippers. By the decree of the President of Azerbaijan Ateshgah was declared a State historical-architectural reserve. This museum under the open sky was recently restored. Different workshops and souvenir galleries are located here now. Excursion to Yanar Dag. Yanar dag is a natural gas fire which blazes continuously on a hillside on the Absheron Peninsula on the Caspian Sea near Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, which itself is known as the "land of fire."