The Lahij tour from Baku climbs into the Greater Caucasus to a village where coppersmiths still work by hand on a street their great-grandfathers worked on. Lahij sits at about 1,375 metres above the Girdimanchay gorge in the Ismayilli district, and its copper craftsmanship is inscribed on UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. On the way we stop at a mausoleum built into a cliff face and a suspension bridge over a mountain river.

Diri Baba — a mausoleum inside a cliff

The first stop is the Diri Baba mausoleum near Maraza, a two-storey 15th-century tomb wedged into the rock face of a limestone cliff. It is a genuinely strange building: half masonry, half cave, with a stone stair climbing through the structure into the hillside behind it. Entry to the mausoleum is paid separately at the door.

Ismayilli — qutab by the roadside

As the road turns into the Ismayilli region we stop for freshly griddled qutab, the thin stuffed flatbread that is the standard roadside food of this route — filled with herbs, pumpkin or meat and cooked in front of you.

Zernava suspension bridge

The Zernava footbridge hangs high over the Girdimanchay. Crossing it gives a light, unnerving sway, a long view down the canyon and the clean air of the Ismayilli hills. It is a short stop, and the photograph everyone takes.

Lahij — the coppersmiths' village

Then the climb to Lahij itself. The main street, Hunarmandlar, is cobbled and lined with workshops where copper is still hammered, tinned and engraved by hand. Beneath those cobbles runs a medieval drainage system that has kept the village dry for centuries — one of the oldest working examples in the Caucasus. Beyond copper, Lahij has long produced carpets, leatherwork and knives, and the villagers speak Tat, an Iranian language that has survived here in the mountains. You have free time to walk the street, watch the smiths work and buy directly from the people who made the piece.

Lunch in the Ismayilli forest

On the way back we stop at a restaurant in the forest below Lahij for Azerbaijani mountain cooking. Lunch is not included in the tour price and is paid at the restaurant; a vegetarian menu is available if you tell your guide in advance.

Good to know

  • Duration: about 9 hours, departing at 09:00.
  • Departure: our central Baku meeting point at Azerbaijan Avenue 1 (parking); hotel pickup is available on private bookings.
  • Minimum: 2 travellers.
  • Walking: Lahij's street is cobbled and sloping — comfortable shoes make the visit much easier.
  • Not included: Diri Baba entry, lunch, and personal expenses.

Plan your trip

The Lahij tour from Baku departs from our central Baku meeting point, with hotel pickup available on private bookings, a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle and an expert English- and Russian-speaking guide. It pairs naturally with the rest of our catalogue — browse all tours in Azerbaijan or more day trips from Baku. Heading to the same region on a longer route? The Gabala & Shamakhi day tour covers the Shamakhi Juma Mosque and the Tufandag cable car instead.

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