As an ex-travel agent, I still fancy the idea of joining group tours from time to time. There are also destinations where it's easier to join a group instead of relying on public transportation for so many reasons. And since we have a short time in Azerbaijan, we decided to book a tour a tour operator called Azerbaijan Travel International. If you're looking for a day trip from Baku, consider the Mud Volcanoes and Qobustan National Park! Read further!
Disclaimer: This is not sponsored post and we booked the tour on our discretion using our own money.
TOUR OPERATOR: Azerbaijan Travel International
We came across them while walking around Maiden Tower and while there are different tour operators around, we felt comfortable dealing with them in the end. Not only that, we decided to go ahead with them for the following reasons:
- They are #1 on TripAdvisor. I don't really rely on TripAdvisor that much but I do believe on good reviews. They are #1 for a reason.
- Flexibility of Azerbaijan Travel Internationalโs tours. We can spare half day only since we have a train to catch (OVERNIGHT TRAIN FROM BAKU TO TBILISI). Fortunately, Azerbaijan Travel International was able to offer us a half-day tour with a group tour which is exactly what we're looking for.
Tour Proper: DAY TRIP TO THE MUD VOLCANOES AND QOBUSTAN NATIONAL PARK
Of course, this post isn't complete without showing you a glimpse of the tour that we booked.
Off-Road Taxis in Baku
Taxi for off-roading anyone? Believe it or not, this is our means to see the mud volcanoes which is about 20-25 minutes drive away from the drop off point. Transferring to the taxi from our tour bus, we settled ourselves and prepared for the ride! A dry mountain in the distance, flock of sheep roaming around and some natural oil along the way, it was an interesting journey indeed.
We were reminded of the Dubai's Dune Bashing in the Desert although it is not as adventurous as that. Itโs a usual off-road drive but with a taxi! The local driver even offered us to drive the taxi, unfortunately I don't know how to drive. A fellow traveler (there are 3 passengers + driver) happily took the opportunity to drive though and I can see he did enjoy driving the car!
Mud Volcanoes
Azerbaijan is world-famous for its many mud volcanoes and several of them are located in Qobustan (pronounced as Gobustan), and for me this is one of the highlight of the tour. While it is NOT a real huge volcano (small volcano at your feet), it is quite entertaining yet one does not treat it lightly since they are active and it spurts out mud from its crater!
The mud volcanoes are small and safe to look closely at, but if ignited with a lighter, expect a fire right away. Be reminded that these muds came from gases released from deep within so be safe than sorry. According to our tour guide, the volcanic mud is also healthy for the skin with its whitening and anti-aging properties.
Photo credits to my supportive friend Joy
After 15-20 minutes stay in this place (too short I know!), we took back the taxi and headed to the next itinerary.
Qobustan Museum
Qobustan Muzeyi or commonly known as Qobustan Museum comes next for a short tour inside. It is an interactive modern museum that took us into a time-travel journey for a wider understanding of life in Azerbaijan during prehistoric times.
While not a fan of museum, I enjoyed the information inside but I found the tour fast-paced. I couldn't multi-task (listening to the tour guide and absorbing everything + taking pictures) so I'm always falling behind the group. As a matter of fact, I was so behind the group that I was not able to hear everything he said. Sorry!
What fascinates me though are the petroglyphs! Petroglyphs are 'sketches that display ancient populations traveling on reed boats; men hunting antelope and wild bulls, and women dancing' according to Wikipedia. Below is a photo of petroglyphs taken from the museum which are not the actual ones inside Qobustan National Park (later on that).
Another interesting thing inside the museum is this interactive tool that shows the transition history of Qobustan National Park! Watch below!
Qobustan National Park
If the museum is full of history lessons, then this part of the tour is the real deal! I feel like I am on an Archaeological Field Trip earlier and now this is the hands-on experience! This is now where we will see the actual petroglyphs which were carved and drawn thousands of years ago!
With the similar experience from the museum, I was falling behind from the group again because there are quite lots to learn and see. But I'm happy enough to see the actual petroglyphs!
Tour Cost:
We paid a total of 60 AZN (the equivalent is AED 129) for a half-day tour including a set menu lunch in Baku after the tour. We paid directly in their office near the Maiden Tower with a receipt and contact details of the company and even the number of the manager.
Overall Experience of our Day Tour to Mud Volcanoes & Qobustan National Park:
Is the tour cost expensive? YES. But is it worth it? YES. No matter how confident I am to find my way using public transportation, there are destinations that aren't really as accessible as others. So the group tour saved me and my friend from all the hassle and stress on doing it on our own.
With an Israeli tour guide, he's knowledgeable about Azerbaijan which is quite surprising as well. The tour guide is also polite and professional to everyone including me who's always not listening (I mean I really struggled catching up lol).
With a set menu lunch included after the tour, and a slightly fast-paced tour, overall it was a good experience. If you are looking for a day trip and/or a tour operator in Azerbaijan, I can absolutely recommend this! ย
