AZ
Gobustan
UNESCO-listed rock art and bubbling mud volcanoes in the semi-desert south of Baku
UNESCO-listed rock art and bubbling mud volcanoes in the semi-desert south of Baku
A path leads around the boulders and rock shelters of Boyukdash, past carvings of people, wild cattle, goats and reed boats. Some are thought to be among the oldest rock art in the Caucasus.
Go early in summer; there is little shade.
Photo: Radosław Botev, CC BY 3.0 pl
The modern museum near the reserve entrance explains the carvings, the people who made them and how they lived. It is worth visiting before walking up to the rocks.
Photo: Franzfoto, CC BY-SA 3.0
Look for the long boats with rowers and the lines of dancing figures. Nearby is a Latin inscription left by a Roman legion in the 1st century AD.
Photo: Walter Callens, CC BY 1.0
On a hilltop south of the reserve, small cones gurgle and spill cold mud. Azerbaijan has a large share of the world’s mud volcanoes.
The dirt track is rough and slippery after rain.
Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY 4.0
From the rocks there are wide views over the plain to the Caspian Sea, with oil platforms on the horizon.
Photo: Leila.m.9, CC BY-SA 4.0
There is little to eat at the reserve. Bring water and snacks, or eat in the town of Gobustan or back in Baku.
Roadside cafés on the Baku road serve kebabs, bread and tea.
Gobustan is about an hour from Baku by road. Buses run from Baku to Gobustan town (check current route numbers); from there local taxis go to the museum and the mud volcanoes.
Many visitors take a taxi or a half-day tour from Baku, often combined with the Ateshgah fire temple and Yanar Dag. Ordinary cars cannot always reach the mud volcanoes, so drivers with old Ladas offer rides up the track.
Azerbaijan uses the manat (AZN).
Check current entry prices at the museum.
An easy morning trip from Baku.
Visit the museum, then walk the petroglyph trail.
Ride up to the mud volcanoes and return to Baku.
Bring a hat and water; there is little shade.
Wear shoes you do not mind getting muddy.
Agree taxi prices before setting off.
Go early in summer to avoid the heat.
Quick answers for planning time in Gobustan.
About an hour by road, south-west of the city.
They were made over a span of around 40,000 years.
Yes, the mud is cold, but the ground can be slippery.
By taxi or tour; the last stretch is a rough dirt track.
Spring and autumn, when it is not too hot.
Planning a wider trip? Our Azerbaijan travel guide covers getting there, costs, when to go and more.