Animal Activities Lahich

Water and Animal Activities in Lahij: Mountain Options Instead

Check official advice before you go. The UK FCDO and the US State Department both warn against areas along Azerbaijan’s border with Armenia and in the former Karabakh districts, and the US rates the country Level 3 (reconsider travel). Lahij, in Ismayilli district, is outside those areas. See gov.uk and travel.state.gov .

Lahij (Lahich) is a Tat mountain village in Ismayilli district, Azerbaijan, at about 1,200 to 1,500 m in the Greater Caucasus. It has no water activities and no animal attractions, and the page below says what to do instead.

The river: The Girdimanchay is a boulder-bed mountain stream in a flash-flood gorge. Rafting, kayaking, swimming, fishing and paddling are not options, and you should never wade or camp in the river bed. Water and mud can rise fast after heavy rain.

Animals: There are no zoos, stables or wildlife tours in the village. On the hills, shepherd dogs guard the summer pastures and camps, and they can be a real risk to walkers. Keep your distance, do not run, and walk with a local guide on the Niyal trail.

What to do instead:

• Watch the coppersmiths at work on Bazar Street. Visitors can wander in, and the Aliyev workshop has been running since 1725.
• Walk the steep cobbled lanes, which are slippery when wet.
• Hike toward the ruined fortress on Mount Niyal, about 4.5 hours return with about 900 m of ascent.
• Cross the 74 m Zarnava suspension footbridge and walk the 7 km Zarnava to Mushkamir path, about 3 hours.
• Drink samovar tea in a guesthouse courtyard.

Getting there: Lahij is about 180 km from Baku, 3 to 4 hours by car. The final 20 to 22 km from Ismayilli is a narrow, steep gorge road, so ask about conditions before you go.

Read more: Outdoor activities in Lahij covers the walking routes.