NEW! Azerbaijan

Prior to the 10th century, Azerbaijan was home to followers of the Zoroastrian cult, who believed that fire was a manifestation of divine power, and with natural gas flames burning from the ground, led to the country being known as the “Land of The Eternal Fire”. The harvesting of these gas reserves led to new-found riches through the end of the 20th Century, and these days Azerbaijan is the ultimate meeting of east and west, ancient and modern, urban and wilderness, and a great new destination for wildlife watching.

The vast landscape comes alive in June. The wild meadows are in bloom, the temperature is pleasant, and breeding birds are in full voice in their summer finery. It is also an excellent time to witness huge numbers of northbound migrants moving through the country on their way to the vast expanses of steppe, taiga and tundra across Siberia.

This new Heatherlea adventure explores different areas within Azerbaijan, starting with the coastal reserves south of the mediaeval and contemporary capital – Baku, including the huge bird-filled wetlands of Gizilagaj and the fantastic Shirvan National Park home of many bird species, Goitered Gazelle and Grey Wolf. We visit the Talysh Mountains on the Iranian border, home to the range restricted Caspian Tit as well as many other species, before we explore the High Caucasus where Caucasian Snowcock, Caucasian Grouse, and Eastern Tur await us amongst the mighty peaks, while Lammergeier, White-winged Redstart and Great Rosefinch are also possibilities.

Finally, we also visit the little-known enclave of Nakhchivan nestled between Turkey and Armenia. It offers stunning landscapes and a good selection of eastern species such as White-throated Robin, Radde’s Accentor, Grey-necked Bunting, Upcher’s Warbler and Red-tailed Wheatear – the perfect way to round-off the holiday!

Enjoy your complimentary pre-flight overnight hotel before your holiday begins. Full details from our office! Read more about our Pre-flight Service here!

Day 1: Friday 12 June 2026
After relaxing in our complimentary Airport Lounge, we fly from London to Baku, where local tour guide and driver will meet us, and remain with us for the duration of the trip. We transfer to the spacious Azcot Hotel in the city centre where we spend the night. Depending on the arrival time, there may be an opportunity to explore this fascinating city during the late-afternoon and evening.

Day 2: Saturday 13 June
After breakfast, we drive straight to the Shirvan National Park about two hours south of Baku. The park was established to conserve the numbers of endangered Goitered Gazelle, and due to the success of their efforts, we hope to observe them at fairly close quarters. It is also an excellent location to familiarise ourselves with the birds of the steppe, and in the grasslands, scrub, and some freshwater habitats, we may see Purple Heron, Marbled Teal , Ferruginous Duck, Lesser Kestrel, Black Francolin, Grey-headed Swamphen, White-tailed Lapwing, White-winged and Whiskered Terns, Blue-cheeked and European Bee-eaters, European Roller, Olivaceous and Menetries’s Warblers, Isabelline Wheatear, Daurian Shrike, Turkestan Short-toed Lark and more. In the afternoon, we take the short drive to Mahmudchala Lake to look for White-headed Duck and waders before heading to our traditional, leafy hotel. Accommodation: Khan Lankaran Hotel or similar for three nights.

Day 3: Sunday 14 June
Most of the day will be spent in Gizilagaj National Park – a Ramsar site on the Caspian Sea. We visit the coastal lagoons of the park with hundreds of waders including Terek Sandpiper and White-tailed Lapwing, terns, gulls, egrets, and interesting passerines in the scrub habitat, like Caspian Stonechat. We may also see raptors through the day by visiting a Shikra nest site, and watching Pallid Harrier and Steppe Eagle hunting.

Day 4: Monday 15 June
Today, we swap our bus for off-road vehicles to climb to the high mountain forests near Mastail near the Iran border. We will look for Caspian Tit (only found in the south-east of Azerbaijan) as well as species such as Semi-collared Flycatcher, Black Stork, Lesser Spotted Eagle and the local dark subspecies of Great Spotted Woodpecker. Lunch will be served by a local family in a local guesthouse ahead of an afternoon in the high altitude, rocky terrain of the Talysh Mountains, where we target Crimson-winged Finch, Blue and Common Rock Thrushes, Rock Bunting, Alpine Accentor, Horned Lark and Eastern Rock Nuthatch.

Day 5: Tuesday 16 June
An early start for the long drive to the Greater Caucasus Region. On our way north we stop to see flocks of Rosy Starling, Black-headed Bunting and Greater Sand Plover and we visit the Gobustan Petroglyph Reserve to see the famous ancient rock carvings as well as the Candy Cane Mountains enjoying the unique colours of the landscape. Birds may include Rock Sparrow, Finsch’s Wheatear, Chukar and Long-legged Buzzard. We take lunch at a restaurant in Baku and an afternoon break from driving at the famous Besh Barmag Bird Migration Count where Pallid Harrier, Lesser Spotted and Steppe Eagles, the local Black Vultures, and some migrating passerines may be seen. By late-afternoon, we will arrive in Guba and settle into our spa hotel. Accommodation: Quba Vadi Chalet Hotel for one night.

Day 6: Wednesday 17 June
4x4s will drive us to an altitude of 2600m in the High Caucasus, from where we have an option to hike up to about 3000m on the slopes of Gizilgaya Plateau in search of Caucasian Snowcock, White-winged (Güldenstadt’s) Redstart, Great Rosefinch, Alpine Accentor, Horned Lark, White-winged Snowfinch, Red-billed Chough, Lammergeier and other mountain specialities. We will take our time to enjoy both the birdlife and the breathtaking views of the surrounding High Caucasus mountains. Local food and Samovar tea will be prepared by our drivers ahead of our return. Once back at the hotel, we grab our luggage and drive to the northern side of the Gizilgaya Mountains for two nights. Accommodation: Laza Guesthouse for two nights.

Day 7: Thursday 18 June
Our accommodation is located in the perfect spot to observe the Caucasian endemic species - Caucasian Grouse. In the morning, we will scan the adjacent green meadows from the guesthouse to see this key species. After breakfast we will walk the short (but steep) tracks towards the Suvar Resort and spend a few hours amongst spectacular scenery admiring the Alpine flowers, butterflies and birds. We hope to find Mountain Chiffchaff, hear Caucasian Snowcock calling, enjoy Golden Eagle and Lammergeier in the sky, as well as Caucasian Grouse from a distance. After lunch, we may drive to get closer views of Caucasian Grouse.

Day 8: Friday 19 June
After breakfast we head back towards Baku where we spend much of the day exploring  the Absheron National Park. In the park we will have a chance to observe high numbers of wildfowl, waders, gulls and terns in the lagoons and shallow bays. In the evening, we board an Azerbaijan Airlines flight to Nakhchivan. Accommodation: Grand Hotel or similar, Nakhchivan for three nights

Days 9-11: Saturday 20 – Monday 22 June
We will spend three full days in the Azerbaijani enclave of Nakhchivan, located between Iran and Armenia. We will explore the fascinating countryside for a good range of birds and wildlife, many of which we won’t have seen in Azerbaijan. Mountain juniper is the most widespread species of tree in the picturesque valleys, and the scattered groves are a prime habitat for many interesting birds such as Upcher’s and Eastern Orphean Warblers, Grey-necked Bunting, White-throated Robin and Radde’s Accentor. Other species we hope to encounter include Booted Eagle, Lanner Falcon, See-see Partridge, Armenian Gull, the attractive Black-bellied Sandgrouse, the extremely range restricted Red-tailed Wheatear, and three species of attractive finch - Trumpeter, Mongolian and Desert. On our final evening, we take the flight back to Baku for dinner. Accommodation: Azcot Hotel in Baku for our final night.

Day 12: Tuesday 23 June
Return to the UK. Depending on flight times, there may be another opportunity to explore the city before transferring to the airport.

What's included in your holiday price:

• Return scheduled flight from London – Baku - London, airport taxes, transfers from and to airports (where appropriate).
• Full-board accommodation at hotels with picnic lunches
• Ground transportation, National Park entry fees
• the services of your leaders
• Tips to hotels.
• The Heatherlea Pre-Flight Service offers everything you need at the airport, including hotels, airport lounges. Car parking, regional flights, and upgrades can be added to your package at cost price. Let Heatherlea take the strain! Pre-flight airport hotel and lounge included subject to terms and conditions. Read more....

FREE! ‘Birds of the Middle East’ by Richard Porter, Oscar Campbell and Abdul Rahman Al-Sirhan, Helm (Third Edition) is included in your holiday price (one per room booked).                                         

   What's not included in your holiday price:

• holiday insurance
• optional tips to local guides/other staff
• drinks with meals
• other personal expenses.

More holiday information:

Accommodation: is in comfortable hotels and guesthouses throughout, although they may be considered basic by some western standards. All hotel accommodation is en-suite, although many Azerbaijani guesthouses do have shared toilet facilities, especially those in more rural areas. Please note that accommodation is allocated by ground agents and may vary from those stated above. 
Food: Typical local food is produced with fresh vegetables, meat and dairy, and may include kebabs, dumplings, flat breads, soups and sweet pastries. Local wine, sherbet or small glasses of black tea are often drank with, or immediately after, meals. More western or tourist food is served in cities. Vegetarian diets are also catered for.
Walking is generally light/moderate, although there will be some more strenuous uphill walks in the mountains, including an ascent of 400m in the High Caucasus.
Weather will be variable, although for the most part we should see comfortable temperatures around the 20C-25C, although temperatures into the 30Cs are possible in Nakhchivan. The Caspian Sea coast enjoys a cooling breeze through much of the year, and the mountainous areas will be cooler. There is always a chance of rain and cold winds at the higher elevations.
Insects: Generally, insects will not be a problem, although there may be mosquitoes in damper areas, so a good insect repellent is recommended.
Group size: is restricted to 12 clients maximum.
Flights: are by scheduled airline from London. We may be able to offer flight arrangements from another airport and/or or quote without flights so you can make your own arrangements.
Photography: Opportunities for wildlife images are good, and with the stunning scenery on offer across the country, general landscape photography options will readily available.