Trailblazer Guide Books

Trailblazer guidebooks provide practical information on specific routes in less accessible parts of the world.
 — Wanderlust

INTRODUCTION

PART 1: AZERBAIJAN OVERVIEW

    Practical Information  Visas 9 – Getting there 12 – Getting around 16
    Money 19 – Accommodation 20 – Food 21 – Drink 25 – Health 29 – Annoyances
    and safety 29 – Climate 30 – What to wear, things to take 30 – Sources of
    information 30 – Post and telecommunications 32

    Facts about the country  History 34 – Economics 46 – Religion 47 – Culture
    and attitudes 48 – Festivals and holidays 51 – Language 53 – Entertainment and
    the arts 53 – Carpets 60 – Sports and games 61

    What to see, where to go  Geographical overview 62 – Land of fire 62
    Beaches 62 – Mud volcanoes 63 – Post-Soviet curiosities 65 – Architecture 65
    Museums 68 – Into the mountains 68 – Flora and fauna 71

PART 2: BAKU

    Introduction  Orientation 73 – Naming confusions 73 – History 74

    What to see and do  Exploring the Old City 80 – Around the Old City
    (suggested walk) 85 – Central Baku 91 – Station area 98 – Western Baku 100
    Bayil 104 – Bibi Heybat 104 – The Hyatt area 104 – North-central Baku 105
    Gänclik and Millionaires’ Mile 107

    Practical information  Accommodation 108 – Budget accommodation 113
    Restaurants 114 – Cafés, pubs and bars 120 – Nightclubs 121 – Entertainment 122
    Baku for children 124 – Getting around 124 – Getting to/leaving Baku 127 – Listings 131

PART 3: AROUND BAKU

    Baku to Älät  Baku to Sahil 138 – Sahil to Qobustan 140 – Qobustan 140
    Clangerland mud volcanoes 142 – Älät 143

    Absheron peninsula  History 143 – Beaches 144 – Getting around 145 – Places to
    visit 146 – North-west Absheron 156

PART 4: THE NORTH

    Introduction 160 – Regional history 160 – Baku to Giläzi 161 – Giläzi to Altı A?ach 161
    Altı Aǧach to Shamakha 163 – Giläzi to Qandov 163 – Qandov to Nabran 166
    Nabran 169 – Qandov to Quba 172 – Quba 172 – Excursions from Quba 175
    Qächräsh to Xınalıq 179 – Xınalıq 181 – Hiking excursions from Xınalıq 183 – Quba
    to Samur 186 – Qriz 186 – Quba to Qusar 186 – Qusar 187 – Qusar to (north)
    Laza 189 – Laza 189 – Qusar to Hil, Piral and Häzrä 191

Part 5: SHAMAKHA – SHÄKI ROUTE

    Introduction 192 – Baku to Märäzä 193 – Märäzä to Shamakha 194 – Shamakha 196
    Around Shamakha (north) 199 – Around Shamakha (south) 202 – Shamakha to
    Ismayıllı 204 – Ismayıllı 209 – Around Ismayıllı 209 – Ismayıllı to Qäbälä 210
    Qäbälä 212 – North of Qäbälä 214 – North-west of Qäbälä 215 – South of Qäbälä 216
    Qäbälä to Shäki 217 – Shäki 222 – Around Shäki 227 – Shäki to Qax 228 – Qax 229       Around Qax 229 – Ilisu 231 – Qax to Zaqatala 232 – Zaqatala 234 – North of
    Zaqatala 236 – Zaqatala to Balakän 238 – Balakän 238

Part 6: CENTRAL AZERBAIJAN

    Introduction 240 – Practical information 240 – Älät to Kürdamir 241
    Sabirabad 243 – Kürdamir 243 – Ucar 244 – Göychay 244 – Xosrov 245
    Mingächevir 246 – Yevlax 248 – Bärdä 248 – Bärdä to Tärtär and Naftalan 250
    Naftalan 251 – Goranboy 252 – The Todan Loop 252 – Gänjä 253 – Around Gänjä 259
    Gänjä to Shämkir 265 – Shämkir 265 – Shämkir–Gadäbäy–Tovuz loop 266 – Tovuz to
    Qazax 269 – Qazax 272 – Qazax to the Georgian border 274

    Towards Karabagh  Background 275 – Shusha 276 – Lesser-known sites in the
    occupied area 276 – Getting to Karabagh 277 – Towards the occupied area 277

PART 7: THE SOUTH

    Introduction 279 – Practical information 280 – Älät to Sälyan 281 – Sälyan to
    Neftchala 284 – Sälyan to Masallı 285 – Masallı 287 – Masallı to Yardımlı 288
    Yardımlı 290 – Around Yardımlı 290 – Masallı to Länkäran 292 – Länkäran 293
    Around Länkäran 295 – Länkäran to Lerik 298 – Lerik 299 – Towards Kalaxan 300
    Astara region 301 – Astara town 302

PART 8: NAKHCHIVAN

    Introduction 304 – History 304 – Possible hassles 307 – Nakhchivan City 307
    Southern Nakhchivan 311 – North-central Nakhchivan 314 – North-western
    Nakhchivan 315

PART 9: EXCURSIONS TO GEORGIA (SAKARTVELO)

    Facts about the country  Introduction 317 – History 317 – Religion 319

    Practical information  Getting there 320 – Getting around 320 – Money 321
    Accommodation 321 – Food 321 – Health 322 – Climate 322 – Sources of
    information 322 – Travel services and tours 322 – Visas for Azerbaijan 323

    Kaheti and routes from Azerbaijan  Lagodekhi 324 – Lagodekhi to Telavi 326
    Telavi 326 – Around Telavi 329 – Sighnaghi 329 – David Gareja cave monasteries 331

    Tbilisi  Introduction 332 – Exploring the centre 332 – Greater Tbilisi 336
    Accommodation, food and drink 336

    Beyond Tbilisi  Mtskheta and Jvari 344 – Gori 344

    Mountain areas  Swaneti and Khevsureti 346

    Routes to Turkey  Route 1: Tbilisi–Akhaltsikhe–Posof–Ardahan 346
    Route 2: Tbilisi to Trabzon via Batumi 347

APPENDICES
Bibliography 348 – Menu decoder 351 – Glossary 357 – Who’s who 362 – Useful
words and phrases 372 – Names 376

INDEX 378          

MAP KEY 383

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