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Caucasus Quest

Whether you fly in to Azerbaijan’s capital Baku this morning or arrived yesterday, you’ll meet your guide at a pre-arranged point in Baku, then take off for the scenic, 3-hour drive to Guba. Your guide will complete final shopping for supplies in Guba and you’ll proceed on the 2-hour drive to Khinalig village, where you will check in to your guesthouse for the night and eat lunch. After lunch you’ll take a 6 km acclimatization hike to Mount Kharibulbul (2783 meters) and return to the guest house for the night, sleeping at 2150 meters altitude (7050 feet).  The village of Khinalig is renowned for its hospitality towards guests and you’ll enjoy some authentic mountain cuisine today.

DAY 1::  ARRIVAL & TRANSFER TO THE MOUNTAINS

After breakfast at the guesthouse you’ll drive in 4x4 vehicles through Shahdag National Park, where you’ll stop along the way at Shahyaylag to take in amazing panoramic views of Azerbaijan’s 4,000 meter peaks. The drive continues for 1 hour to the foothills of Shahdag Mountain, where you’ll take your pack and continue on foot for 1 hour (2km) to base camp at 3,100 meters. Upon arrival at base camp, you’ll set up your tents, have lunch, and set out for a 2-hr acclimatization hike to 3,500 meters. You’ll want to retire early and get a good night’s sleep before your 4:00 am wake up call and first summit climb!

DAY 2:: SHAHDAG BASE CAMP

It’s Summit Day! You have a 5 to 6 hour climb ahead of you, so you will wake up at 4:00 am and start the ascent to Shahdag Summit (4243 meters) at 5:00 am. After reaching the summit and taking in the views (and lots of pictures!) you’ll start the 3 to 4 hour descent back to base camp. You’ll have a meal, take a nap, and spend the evening relaxing (after all you deserve it!).

DAY 3:: SHAHDAG SUMMIT DAY

You get to sleep in today! After waking up and having breakfast, you’ll pack up your gear, and descend to the car. From there you will drive 1 hour in 4x4 vehicles to Bazarduzu’s lower base camp, grab your packs, and continue on foot 2 hours (4 km) along the Yatig River to upper base camp. Horse porters are included to carry the majority of your gear from lower to upper base camp. Upon arrival, you’ll set up your tents, have lunch, and rest for the evening before your next summit tomorrow! *If needed, per guide’s discretion, you may have a 2nd acclimatization hike this afternoon.

DAY 4:: BAZARDUZU BASE CAMP

It’s your second Summit Day! You have a 6 to 7 hour climb ahead of you, so you will wake up at 4:00 am for breakfast, then start the ascent to Bazarduzu Summit (4466 meters). After reaching the summit and taking in the views (and yes, more pictures!) of the neighboring region of Dagestan (Russia), you’ll continue 1 hour on foot to Zafar Summit (4301 meters). From there, you’ll start the 3 to 4 hour descent back to upper base camp to rest for the evening.

DAY 5:: BAZARDUZU SUMMIT DAY

This morning you’ll wake up around 8:00 am, pack up your gear, and descend to lower base camp. From there you will continue on foot for 3-4 hours (11 km) to the camp located near Tufan Lake. Horse porters are included to take the majority of your gear from upper base camp to the Tufan Lake camp. You’ll set up your tents one final time and rest for the evening before your final summit tomorrow!

DAY 6:: TUFANDAG BASE CAMP

It’s your third Summit Day! You have a 5 to 6 hour climb ahead of you, so you will wake up (again!) at 4:00 am, have breakfast, and start the ascent to Tufandag Summit (4191 meters) around 5:00 am. After reaching the summit and taking in the views (and, of course, more pictures!) you’ll start the 3 to 4 hour descent back to base camp where you can sit back and relax for the evening!

DAY 7:: TUFANDAG SUMMIT DAY

You can sleep in a bit today before packing your tents and gear to hike to the 4x4 vehicles and return to a guest house in Khinalig village for a final taste of local cuisine rural culture. Horse porters are included to carry the majority of your gear from Tufan Lake camp to the 4x4 vehicles.

DAY 8:: KHINALIG

Pack your bags and say goodbye for now to the Caucasus, a place we hope you will come back to for another adventure very soon. After breakfast we’ll transfer you back to Baku, where you’ll either fly out of the airport back home, or spend another night in before flying home tomorrow. We hope to see you again soon!