Garanohur (Qaranohur) Lake: How to Get There, the Trail and the Season

Garanohur (also spelt Qaranohur) is a small mountain lake in the Ismayilli district, reached on foot from the village of Talistan: about two and a half hours by road from Baku, then roughly 5 km of forest path each way. It is not the same place as Nohur Lake in Gabala — that one sits beside the road in the Vandam valley and needs no hike at all. If Gabala is what you had in mind, read our Nohur Lake guide instead.

• Where: Ismayilli district, roughly 8 km north-north-east of Ismayilli town, on the southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus.
• Altitude: about 1,500 m.
• From Baku: 171 km to the trailhead, around 2.5 hours each way.
• The walk: about 5 km each way; 2–2.5 hours up, 1–1.5 hours down.
• Difficulty: moderate — steady climbing on a forest path with stream crossings, no technical sections.
• Best months: late spring to mid-autumn.
• Guided day from Baku: from ₼99 per person on our Garanohur Lake hiking tour.

Garanohur or Nohur? Two lakes, two regions

The names differ by a single syllable, and search results mix them up all the time. Nohur simply means a lake or pond in Azerbaijani, and qara means black — so Qaranohur is the "black lake", a name usually explained by its dark, strongly mineralised water. Nohur Lake near Gabala is a large reservoir you can drive to and walk around in sandals. Garanohur is a quiet pool in the woods that you earn with a half-day of walking. If you want a lake with a café and a boat, go to Gabala; if you want a lake with nobody else on the shore, this is the one.

How to get to Garanohur Lake from Baku

The approach is the same whichever way you travel: get to Talistan, a village a few kilometres above Ismayilli, and start walking from the edge of the forest park there. There is no road to the lake itself.

With a guided tour

The simplest option. Our Garanohur hiking day leaves at 07:30 from Azerbaijan Avenue 1 in central Baku, drives the 171 km to the Talistan forest-park entrance in an air-conditioned vehicle, and walks the trail with an English- or Russian-speaking guide. The whole day runs 11–12 hours. Hotel pickup is possible if agreed in advance. A shared seat starts at ₼99; a private departure for one to three people is ₼250 in total.

On your own

Drive or take a taxi from Baku to Ismayilli (the road runs west through Shamakhi), then continue up to Talistan. Without a guide, the main difficulty is not fitness but navigation: the path splits in the forest and is not consistently marked, so download an offline map, start early and tell someone your plan. Do not count on mobile signal the whole way.

The trail, step by step

From the forest-park entrance the path follows the stream up a wooded valley. Expect to cross the water several times on stones, then climb more steeply through dense woodland where rock outcrops open up views back down the valley. The last stretch levels out and the lake appears quite suddenly in a hollow among the trees.

Going up takes most walkers two to two and a half hours; coming down is quicker, about one to one and a half. There are other ways in — locals also walk up from Diyalli — but the Talistan route is the one most visitors use.

What the lake is like

Be ready for something intimate rather than grand: Garanohur is small, ringed by forest, and its colour shifts from green to almost black depending on the light. It is a place for a long lunch on the bank and a quiet hour, not for swimming laps.

When to go

• May–June: the forest is at its greenest and the streams are full, so crossings can be wetter.
• July–August: shade makes the climb bearable even on hot days; the stream can run low late in summer.
• September–October: cooler walking and autumn colour — many people's favourite time.
• Winter: snow and ice on the path change the route completely. Ask before planning a winter visit rather than assuming it is open.

After heavy rain the stream crossings and muddy sections become slippery. On our tour a weather cancellation means a new date or a full refund, whichever you prefer.

What to bring

• Trail shoes or boots with grip — the stones in the stream are the slippery part.
• At least 1.5 litres of water per person and a packed lunch; lunch is not included on our tour and there is nothing to buy at the lake.
• A light layer: the shore is cooler than Ismayilli town.
• Cash for anything you buy on the way, and a power bank.

Is it right for you?

If you can walk for four hours in total with breaks, you can do this hike. It suits regular walkers and active families with older children; it is not a stroll, and it is not an alpine climb either. If Garanohur is your warm-up for something bigger, read our Bazarduzu climbing guide, or see every route on our Azerbaijan hiking tours page. For more ideas within a day of the capital, see day trips from Baku.

Frequently asked questions

Is Garanohur Lake the same as Nohur Lake?

No. Garanohur (Qaranohur) is a small forest lake above Talistan in the Ismayilli district, reached only on foot. Nohur Lake is a large lake by the road in Vandam, Gabala district, which you can drive to.

How long is the hike to Garanohur Lake?

About 5 km each way from the Talistan forest-park entrance. Allow 2 to 2.5 hours up and 1 to 1.5 hours down, plus time at the lake.

How far is Garanohur Lake from Baku?

The trailhead is about 171 km from Baku, roughly two and a half hours by road each way, so a visit from the capital takes a full day.

Can you do it without a guide?

Experienced walkers do, but the forest path forks and is not consistently marked. Carry an offline map, start early and do not rely on mobile signal.

How much does a guided Garanohur trip cost?

Our group hiking day from Baku starts at ₼99 per person; a private departure for up to three people is ₼250 in total. Lunch is not included.