Two days, a night in Gabala and a morning on horseback above Laza — the Gabala horse riding 2-day tour from Baku turns the classic Shamakhi–Gabala route into an overnight trip that ends in the saddle. Day one is the scenic climb into the Greater Caucasus and Gabala's best-known sights; day two swaps the vehicle for a Yaylak horse and a forest river trail.

Day 1 — Shamakhi, Ismayilli and Gabala

You leave central Baku in the morning and climb out of the Caspian lowlands into the mountains. The first stop is the Shamakhi Juma Mosque, one of the oldest in the Caucasus, first founded in the 8th century and beautifully restored. The road then crosses the Zernava suspension bridge, strung high over the Girdimanchay river in Ismayilli, and runs on through the Ismayilli forest where the trees arch overhead into a green tunnel. After lunch in Gabala comes the multi-tiered Seven Beauties Waterfall, a drive through Gabala's central park — the stretch that earns the town its "Caucasian Switzerland" nickname — and the Tufandag cable car up to around 2,000 metres, with Mount Tufandag, 4,191 m, standing over the range. Then, instead of the long drive home, you check into your hotel in Gabala.

The forested mountains of Gabala on day one of the Gabala horse riding 2-day tour
Day one — Gabala's forests, waterfall and cable car

Day 2 — riding the Laza trails

After breakfast an off-road vehicle takes you up to Laza, where you meet your horse and your instructor. The ride covers about six kilometres on sure-footed Yaylak horses, following a mountain river through the forest. Partway along there is a wood-fired picnic — local cheese, tandir bread and salad, with mountain-herb tea — and the morning ends with tea and wild-berry jam at a village teahouse looking out over the valley. Then the drive back to Baku.

Highlights

  • Shamakhi Juma Mosque, the Zernava suspension bridge and the Ismayilli forest road
  • The Seven Beauties Waterfall and the Tufandag cable car to about 2,000 m
  • A night in Gabala instead of a late drive back to Baku
  • Around 6 km on horseback along a mountain river above Laza
  • A wood-fired forest picnic and a village teahouse with valley views
  • A small group — never more than eight guests, because the riding limit sets the size

How it compares to our other Gabala trips

Want the same first day without the overnight? That is the Gabala & Shamakhi day tour, back in Baku the same evening. Only here for the horses? The Gabala horseback riding tour does Laza and back in one long day from Baku. Would you rather spend the second morning on Silk Road history than in the saddle? The Gabala Sheki 2-day tour sleeps in Sheki and opens day two at the UNESCO Khan's Palace. This tour is the one that gives you Gabala's sights and unhurried time on a horse, without doing either in a rush.

Good to know

No riding experience is needed — the instructor matches the horse to the rider and sets the pace to the group. You travel with a licensed English- or Russian-speaking guide on day one and a riding instructor on day two. One night's hotel accommodation in Gabala and round-trip transport from Baku are included. Day-one lunch is chosen from a set menu at a mountain restaurant in Gabala and paid there, so it sits outside the tour price; the day-two forest picnic is included. Looking at the region more widely? Browse all Gabala tours from Baku, or compare the full range of Azerbaijan horse riding tours.