hiking in the Candy Cane Mountains

Walk around a colourful, rocky landscape and understand how it became known as the Candy Cane Mountains. You have to see it for yourself!

hiking in theCandy Cane Mountains

hiking in theCandy Cane Mountains

One of Azerbaijan’s most beautiful stretches of road leads for about 40 kilometres from the Guba-Baku highway west towards the mountain village of Altiaghaj. Roughly mid-way between the two one passes through a dramatic valley flanked by rolling shale mountains whose astonishing red, orange, pink and chalk-coloured swirls led British travel writer Mark Elliott (author of the very popular 'Azerbaijan' guidebook) to dub them the Candy Cane Mountains, a name that’s stuck with travellers ever since. The astonishing colours are said to be due to groundwater that’s altered the oxidation state of iron compounds within the rock. If taking an organised hike here, which can be booked through tour companies in Baku and is preferably undertaken in autumn or spring, glance down beneath your feet: you may discover tiny fossils and perhaps even a squid-like belemnite from the cretaceous period.

hiking in the | Candy Cane Mountains
USEFUL INFORMATION

weather and season

Air temperature

Current:
11.5°C
Average:
8.5 – 14.3°C / 47.3–57.7°F

Feel temperature

Current:
12.4°C
Average:
8.1 – 13.9°C / 46.6–57.0°F

Wind

Current:
  • Low clouds
  • ESE
  • speed 9.3 km/h

When to go

  • Peak Season:
  • Summer

see locationon the map

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read more aboutregion and route

Northern route
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Northern route

This route leads from Azerbaijan’s buzzing capital along the Caspian Sea coast and into the heart of the Caucasus Mountains. Expect outdoor adventures such as hiking, kitesurfing and paragliding, culinary surprises and some of the best scenery anywhere in the Caucasus. More

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