Baku day trips – Gobustan tour, Ateshgah and Yanar Dag tour

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If Azerbaijan enthralled us with the magnificence of it’s capital city of Baku on the first day, then it had even more surprises up it’s sleeve on the second day. We were to embark on two Baku day trips. A Gobustan tour and an Ateshgah and Yanar Dag tour, the latter also called the “Eternal Fire” tour.

 

A FLEETING ROMANCE

We started our day with a heavy buffet breakfast enjoying the plush green indoor view of the Hyatt Regency hotel. My favourite part of the breakfast was seeing a heartwarming smile from one of the waitresses named Aziza. It wouldn’t be wrong to call her my first crush in Azerbaijan. Afterall, she was

• beautiful,
• smart,
• had a genuinely charming smile,
• could speak fluent English and
• knew exactly the kind of coffee I liked.

See, I am that easy to please. Who could have predicted that the “Eternal Fire” day-trip would begin with the eternal fire of romance as it’s first stop.

 

BAKU DAY TRIPS

 

1. GOBUSTAN TOUR

Post the meal, our guide Taleh arrived at the hotel to pick us up for the day-trip. After a 50 minute drive, we reached our stop for the Gobustan tour – The Gobustan National Park.

The UNESCO World Heritage site is a 37-mile drive from Hyatt Regency hotel and one of the top things to do in Azerbaijan. It’s situated in the southwest of Baku on the west bank of Caspian Sea.

During our approach to the place, it was strangely fascinating to see a lively Caspian sea on one side and a lifeless dry rocky region on the other.

However, what stood out about the place was the entrance to the town of Gobustan. The word Qobustan (in Azerbaijani) , along with the image of 5 people dancing, was unapologetically inscribed on a huge rock which marked the entrance.

 

 

As soon as we stepped down the car, we felt the heat with the sun beating down on us. The place is a dry hill and mountain site with fenced pathways for visitors to explore the place.

Taleh told us that the Park was established in 1966 after the government declared the Gobustan region as a national treasure. If you walk inside the park, then you’ll see images of ships, constellations & animals like goat, ox carved on the rocks.

 

 

Furthermore, you’ll see images of humans dancing and hunting, carved on the rocks. Taleh told us that the images represented lifestyles and rituals of people in the pre-historic times.

However, the most noteworthy point he made was that the entire area was submerged under the sea millions of years ago.

Besides the rocks, there were resonant stones that surprisingly rang like a gong when I struck them. From the rocks my attention shifted to this area under a large tent with a telescope.

 

TALE OF AN UNEXPECTED GUEST AND SOME REWARDING CLICKS

I walked up to the building under the tent and checked around to see if anybody was present.

 

 

Turns out the telescope didn’t need any change deposited in it to let me view the scenery around. I could see rocky terrain, human settlements, Caspian sea and mud volcanoes & was marvelling at the variety of landscape the region had to offer.

 

 

Just at that moment, an old man popped out of nowhere & asked me to put some coins in the telescope. Clearly “but I’m able to see things without putting any money” was not the reply he was expecting.

As a result, I put some change in the machine for his sake while Ava sat there on a bench staring at the mud volcanoes wondering which one would burst first.

 

 

After spending some time at the park, we left for our tour – the Ateshgah and Yanar Dag tour.

While exiting Gobustan, we stopped near the huge stone entrance to the town as I wanted a picture with the unabashedly cool stone with the five guys and the name Qobustan (in Azerbaijani) inscribed on it.

As a result, Ava & I literally had to cross highways and walk all the way up to the garden in which it was placed, for a couple of precious rewarding clicks.

 

2. ATESHGAH AND YANAR DAG TOUR

In this tour, we were to visit the famous Ateshgah temple of eternal fire and the Yanar Dag mountain.

ATESHGAH TEMPLE OR TEMPLE OF “ETERNAL FIRE”

We reached the Ateshgah temple or Fire Temple of Baku post a 1 hour 10 minute drive from Gobustan. Located in the suburb of Surakhany, the place had us excited thanks to the history associated with it. It is a holy place for both Zoroastrians and Hindus.

 

 

With Ava being a Zoroastrian & me being a Hindu, we felt an instant connection with the temple. Imagine finding the roots of your existence thousands of miles away in a temple in Azerbaijan. Who wouldn’t be curious and excited!

 

HISTORY BEHIND THE TEMPLE AND FINDING A BIT OF INDIA IN AZERBAIJAN

At the entrance is an inscription in Sanskrit describing the cultural importance of the temple. We could see pipelines traditionally used to store natural gas & oil, running across the area.

Taleh informed us that the Ateshgah was considered a holy place by the Zoroastrians long before the 17th century, when fire worshippers built the temple. However, due to Islamic invasions, the temple was broken & Zoroastrians had to move out.

 

 

It was the merchants & traders who came to this place in Azerbaijan (while travelling along the Silk Route) & ultimately laid the foundation for the temple known famously for having naturally occurring eternal fires.

Since fire purifies & also destroys, it’s seen as an important part of sacrificial, funerary and other rituals.

 

 

In one section of the temple, you can see a Hindu mantra Saraswatyai Namah projected on a wall. I had to rub my eyes to believe that I was reading a mantra dedicated to Goddess Saraswati in Azerbaijan and not India.

I also got to see the Shiva Nataraja and his projection in another section. Can’t explain the joyous feeling of seeing such major symbols of Hinduism in a supposed “foreign” land!

 

 

The place also symbolizes the spiritual transformation of the believer. The architectural reserve has interesting miniature representations of tools, people, rituals, ceremonies, lifestyles in separate blocks.

 

THE “VEGETARIAN” MISHAP

After finishing the tour of the temple, we went to a restoran adjacent to the temple for lunch. If you want to taste some authentic Azerbaijani food, then this is the place for you. The restaurant, you’ll notice, intelligently incorporates an ambience that reflects the times gone by.

 

 

The restaurant’s high ceiling and painted glass windows give it an individualistic appeal. The curtains, chandelier, artwork on the tablecloth make you feel you are sitting in another era. Food is served in utensils similar to those used by the traders in the 17th century.

Out of the 3 courses they were to serve, I anticipated only 1 course to be vegetarian. So I stuffed myself with bread & salad, only to find out later that a vegetarian main course is available. Not such a smartass, am I?

 

MOUNTAIN OF YANAR DAG

Post a sumptuous lunch, we headed to the next stop of the Ateshgah and Yanar Dag tour – the mountain of Yanar Dag. It’s a half an hour drive from the temple. Yanar Dag is one of the most famous places of the eternal fire.

Actually it’s more of a hill than a mountain. A hill with natural gas miraculously burning on it’s slope from ancient times. Taleh told us that the eternal fires were due to the tectonic plate activity. Metre long stretches of fire lick the stratified land searing those who get too close to the base of the hill.

 

 

Adjacent to it, is a stairway leading to the top of the hill. I climbed all the way to the top while Ava was busy befriending a stray dog and petting it.

More than the view at the top, it was the wind that blew me away, like literally! It was so bloody windy that I wondered as to why didn’t anybody put up a windmill there. Spreading my hands & closing my eyes, I was loving the floaty feeling amidst the powerful breeze.

 

FOUNTAINS SQUARE

Following this surreal experience, the Eternal Fire tour came to an end as Taleh dropped us to our hotel. We proceeded straight to the spa for a foot massage and thankfully were in luck to get the appointment.

Fresh from the foot healing therapy, we put on our party clothes and headed to the Fountains Square.

 

 

I remember hailing a typical funky Azerbaijani purple cab to the Fountains Square. The cab looked similar to the cartoon character Droopy McPoodle from Tom & Jerry. No kidding!

We reached The Fountains Square and it was a sight to behold. Bustling with lights and people, it was an attractive destination with boutiques, restaurants, shops, pubs, hotels & passages.

The name Fountain Square derives itself owing to the presence of dozens of fountains constructed under the Soviet rule of Azerbaijan.

 

And boy, don’t the fountains paint a pretty picture! We enjoyed some wine & dine at a famous burger joint Meating point. I must admit the place had some awesome vegetarian & meat burgers, so I recommend you to try the food here.

After traversing the square for a bit, we chilled our heels at this happening place called The Coffeeshop Company. It was one of the best decisions we made and if you’re at the Fountains Square, then spending time at this place is an absolute must.

 

 

Firstly, the place has a lovely ambience with a beautiful outdoor seating which I preferred over the indoor seating. Furthermore, from a range of authentic local food to beer, wine & coffee, this place has it all.

Add to it, the amazing live performances by singers and musicians, and you have a night to remember. So, with some foot tapping music and a brewing hot delicious coffee, our day filled with Eternal Fires came to an end.

 

FINAL THOUGHTS

That was my account of exploring another side of Azerbaijan – through a couple of interesting Baku day trips – The Gobustan tour and the Ateshgah and Yanar Dag tour.

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PICTURE CREDIT

Fountains Square : courtesy – TripAdvisor @Spc354