Guide to National Parks in Azerbaijan

Sometimes you just need to get out of the city and Azerbaijan's eight national parks are the perfect place for rest and relaxation. Take your family for a hike or have a night in front of a bon fire telling scary stories before caming out under the stars. The hum drum of the city just melts away. Take a look at the fauna and the flora and explore the natural elements just outside the city.

Hirkan National Park

Hirkan National Park in the Lankaran region on the Caspian Sea is renowned for its varied flora and fauna and the park is home to many rare species of insects and ground molluscs. The park is a mixture of humid, subtropical mountains and lowlands and much of the region is densely forested. Many of the park's trees and shrubs are both rare and endemic. The park also has many sites of both historical and cultural interest.
More info

Shirvan National Park

The Shirvan National Park is located approximately 100 Km south of Baku. The park's primary aim is to preserve the country's population of Persian gazelles. Much of the park is below sea level and is an area of semi-desert and steppe, home to several mud volcanoes. It has a dry and hot climate. There is plenty of wildlife to spot in the park including wolves, jackals, turtles, jungles cats, wild boar, snakes and eagles. The region is also an important migration route and nesting area for many birds.
More info

Goygyol National Park

The landscape of Goygyol National Park is famed for its beauty. It is found on the northern slope of Kapaz Mountain in the Lesser Caucasas. It is an alpine area of mountains, forests and lakes. Its vegetation is rich and it supports a varied ecosystem. It is home to many mammals including brown bear, lynx and several species of deer.
More info

Aggyol National Park

The Aggyol National Park encompasses Lake Aggyol and aims to preserve the overwintering and nesting areas of waterfowl and other wading birds. The lake is home to many amphibians, snakes, toads, turtles and reed cats as well as many different types of birds including flamingos, heron and pelicans. The region is also an important migration route for many species and is often referred to as an 'ornithological oasis'. The park is located in the Kura-Araks Lowlands, a region of steppe. The lake also serves as an important breeding ground for many commercial fish species.
More info

SEE ALSO: Guide to beaches in Azerbaijan

Absheron National Park

This national park was created to protect the Caspian seal and migrant or wintering wading birds and waterfowl. The Caspian seal is considered to be an endangered species and is endemic to the Caspian Sea. This is the closest national park to Azerbaijan's capital, Baku.
More info

Altiaghaj National Park

The landscape of the south-eastern ridge of the Major Caucasus is protected within the Altiaghaj National Park. The park aims to restore the region's rich diversity of flora and fauna. Protected species which can be found in the region include wild boar, roe deer, bears and lynx. Most of the park is an area of deciduous broadleaved forest.
More info

Zangazur National Park

This park is found in the Lesser Caucasus and encompasses the highest peaks of the range. It is home to many endemic species of plants and animals. It is a mountainous area and is often very cold.
More info

Shahdagh National Park

Shahdagh National Park covers a high mountain terrain which it aims to protect and maintain. Many rare and endemic species inhabit the park.
More info