Azerbaijan travel guide

Getting there

Most travellers fly into Heydar Aliyev International Airport in Baku; land borders with Georgia and other neighbours have been closed to most travellers for long periods, so check the latest rules before planning an overland route.

Best time to visit: Apr–Jun and Sep–Oct – warm, sunny days without the summer heat.

Flights: see the cheapest month to fly to Baku, with live one-way and return fares from your nearest airport.

Tougher months: December to February can be cold, windy and grey in Baku, and mountain roads may be snowy.

Weather by month in Baku

• 7°J●
• 7°F●
• 10°M●
• 16°A●
• 22°M●
• 27°J
• 31°J
• 30°A
• 26°S●
• 20°O●
• 14°N●
• 9°D●

Average daytime highs in °C; dots show how rainy the month is (one dot dry, three dots wet).

Time zone: Asia/Baku. Compare with your local time.

Visas: in our passport dataset, 30 of 198 other passports can enter Azerbaijan without arranging a visa first (visa-free or visa on arrival), 76 need an e-visa or electronic authorisation, and 92 need a visa in advance. Check your passport.

Background: Visa policy of Azerbaijan (Wikipedia).

Official advisory: Level 3: Reconsider Travel (U.S. Department of State, updated 2026-04-28). Read the advisory.

Stay

Most trips to Azerbaijan are based around Baku, Gobustan National Park or Sheki. Pick a base for your main interest, then add day trips rather than moving hotels every night.

Typical daily budget: about US$30–50 for a backpacker and US$80–150 mid-range, per person.

Connect

Plug types: C, F. Voltage: 220 V. Check your own devices on the plug and currency checker.

Calling code: +994.

Mobile data: set up a travel eSIM or check your roaming plan before you fly, so data works as soon as you land.

Do

• Baku (Capital · Caspian coast): A city of medieval walls, oil-boom mansions and futuristic towers, with lively tea houses and a long seafront boulevard.
• Gobustan National Park (South of Baku · rock art): A UNESCO site of prehistoric petroglyphs set among rocky hills, near weird mud volcanoes.
• Sheki (North-west · Silk Road town): A leafy mountain town famed for its khan's palace, caravanserais and sweets.
• Quba and Khinalug (North · Caucasus mountains): Apple orchards, carpet-weaving traditions and a dramatic road up to an ancient highland village.
• Gabala (North · mountain resort): Forested valleys, waterfalls and cable cars make this a favourite summer escape.
• Lahij (Ismayilli · craft village): A cobbled mountain village known for generations of coppersmiths working in small workshops.
• Absheron Peninsula (Around Baku · fire sites): Home to the Ateshgah temple, Yanar Dag and old castles, all within easy reach of the capital.
• Lankaran (South · subtropical coast): A green, humid region of tea plantations, citrus groves and forests near the Iranian border.

Things to do

• Explore Icherisheher. Lose yourself in Baku's walled Old City, climbing the Maiden Tower and touring the Palace of the Shirvanshahs.
• See Gobustan petroglyphs. Study thousands of prehistoric rock carvings and then visit the nearby bubbling mud volcanoes.
• Watch Yanar Dag burn. Stand beside a hillside that has blazed with natural gas flames for decades, best seen after dark.
• Visit the Ateshgah fire temple. Tour the fortified fire-worshippers' temple in Surakhani where pilgrims once came to venerate eternal flames.
• Stroll Baku Boulevard. Walk the long Caspian seafront promenade as the Flame Towers light up in shifting colours.
• Stay in Sheki. Admire the stained-glass Palace of the Sheki Khans and sleep in a restored Silk Road caravanserai.
• Hike to Khinalug. Journey to one of the highest and most remote villages in the Caucasus, home to its own ancient language.
• Taste plov and pakhlava. Sample saffron rice plov, lamb kebabs and honeyed Sheki halva over endless glasses of black tea.

Eat and drink

• Plov – saffron rice with meat and dried fruit
• Dolma – vine leaves or vegetables stuffed with meat
• Qutab – thin flatbreads filled with greens or meat
• Pakhlava – layered nut pastry with syrup

Money and safety

Currency: Azerbaijani manat (AZN). Currency and plug checker.

Tipping: 5–10% in restaurants is appreciated.

Emergency numbers: 102 police · 101 fire · 103 ambulance · 112.

• The currency is the Azerbaijani manat; cash is needed in villages and markets.
• ATMs are common in Baku and larger towns, and cards work in most city hotels and restaurants.
• Azerbaijan is generally safe with low street crime, but watch for overcharging by unofficial taxis – use app-based rides.
• Avoid areas near the Armenian border and follow official advice on regions affected by the past conflict.