Full Day Archaeological and Ethnographical Baku Tour

09:30 – Pick-up from any address or pre-arranged meeting point within Baku.
After meeting, we drive to the Absheron Peninsula. Our first stop is the Gala Archaeological and Ethnographic Museum Complex, located approximately 50 minutes from Baku.

Upon arrival, guests will explore several key attractions, including a Bronze Age and medieval town in an impressive open-air Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography, the Castle Museum (partly open-air), the Museum of Antiques, and the Waste to Art Museum.

The Gala State Historical and Ethnographic Reserve, established in 2008 by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, is located in the Gala settlement, approximately 40 km from Baku. This expansive 1.5-hectare open-air museum offers a comprehensive look into Azerbaijan’s rich history and culture. The complex includes:

• Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography: Features over 2,000 artifacts, including ancient rock paintings, pottery, jewelry, weapons, and coins. Highlights include an 18th-century tandoor, underground passages from the 10th to 15th centuries, and various traditional dwellings such as portable animal-skin tents and stone-and-straw houses with domes.
• Castle Museum: A restored medieval castle from the 10th–12th centuries. Excavations have uncovered bread ovens, ceramic remains, iron tools, and underground tunnels, some believed to connect to the seaside and city center.
• Gala Antiques Museum: Founded in 2011 with support from the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, this museum is based on the personal collection of engineers, restorers, and Karabakh war veterans. It features about 3,000 artifacts, with 800 unique items regularly exhibited internationally in cities such as Paris, London, Washington, and Berlin.
• Waste to Art Museum: Established in 2015, this museum showcases around 180 artworks created from recycled household materials, promoting creativity and environmental awareness.

Guests will spend approximately 90 minutes here with explanations provided by their private guide.

Next, we head to the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum, located about 50 minutes from the Gala Complex.
This premier institution along Baku’s scenic Seaside Boulevard houses the world’s largest collection of Azerbaijani carpets. Designed by Austrian architect Franz Janz and completed in 2014, the museum building is shaped like a rolled-up carpet.

Its collections include:

• Over 6,000 carpets from the 17th to 20th centuries, representing Azerbaijan’s seven regional weaving schools
• Traditional costumes and embroidered pieces
• Ceramics, metalwork, jewelry, woodcrafts, and rotating exhibitions

Guests will spend approximately 30 minutes here with guidance from their private guide.

Our third stop is the Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography, just 10 minutes from the Carpet Museum.
Founded in 1976 and located in Baku’s Old City (Icherisheher), this museum offers a detailed look at Azerbaijan’s historical and cultural heritage.

• The Archaeology Section includes artifacts from the Stone Age through the Middle Ages, such as tools, pottery, and settlement remains.
• The Ethnography Section covers the 19th and early 20th centuries, showcasing traditional clothing, household objects, and crafts that reflect Azerbaijani daily life and customs.

Guests will spend about 30 minutes here with their private guide.

The final destination is the Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape, located about 60 minutes from the previous stop.

Upon arrival, guests visit the Gobustan Museum, which provides context for the nearby archaeological site. It displays over 6,000 rock engravings from the Stone Age that depict hunting, rituals, and everyday life.

Then, we drive just 3 minutes to the Gobustan Rock Shelters, home to thousands of prehistoric petroglyphs dating back 40,000 years. These carvings offer insights into ancient human behavior, communal life, and early spiritual practices. Archaeological excavations have revealed tools, pottery, and ancient dwelling remnants.

Guests will spend approximately 90 minutes exploring the museum and rock shelters, with explanations by their private guide.

Tour Conclusion
After visiting Gobustan, we return to Baku. The drive back to the city center takes approximately 60 minutes.