All You Need To Know About Trip to Xinaliq, The Highest Village in Azerbaijan

All You Need To Know About Trip to Xinaliq, The Highest Village in Azerbaijan

I thought I just have to write in a different post regarding our trip to Xinaliq in Azerbaijan a couple of months ago. As much as I want Xinaliq still pristine and far from the amount of massive tourists but still I think this unspoiled latitude need a shout out. 

Xinaliq is the highest village in Azerbaijan, and if only Azerbaijan is located in Europe geographically, then for sure Xinaliq is the highest village in Europe.

Xinaliq was the highlight of our trip to Azerbaijan, either because of the limited access, or because its beautiful and outstanding panorama. Dont get me wrong, it s not that Xinaliq is so out of reach, but the language border sometimes can be an issue too.

So, how can we arrange our trip to Xinaliq? Where we stay and how to reach? 

We've had a big help from our host in Baku, she was a messenger between us and the guest house in Xinaliq. She speaks good English and can deliver our needs to Zaur, our future host in Xinaliq. 

Bare in mind that there is no hotel or fancy accommodation in Xinaliq, only several homestays that open their doors for the tourists like us. I know one contact in Xinaliq from one of my friend in Singapore. He stayed with the family of Zaur during his trip in Xinaliq and gave the details to us. ( thank you    ) 

Note:

Homestay in Xinaliq : Zaur Lalayev  (mobile: + 994-51830-9720) , his brother also has a homestay just in case Zaur's house is not available.

To help you for a booking, you can ask somebody in Baku who can speak English to talk to Zaur ( he can only speaks Azerbaijan and a bit of Russian ) , tell the time and date when you will stay at his house. Zaur will also arrange the 4 x 4 vehicles for guests coming from Quba to Xinaliq.

Transportation costs from Baku - Quba - Xinaliq 

From the old town of Baku, take a taxi to the bus terminal in Baku: 7 Manat

From the Baku bus terminal, use a shared taxi to the Quba terminal: 13 Manat

From Quba terminal, your jeep will be ready waiting for you, prepared in advance by Zaur: 13 Manat

The guest house rate per night / person is 30 Manat, including 3 meals a day and teas ( per person )

How s the life in Xinaliq?

Our host, Zaur, is living with his mother, his wife and 3 wonderful children. They were so amazing pure people, with their limited condition they are enjoying their life to the fullest. 

our host Zaur and his family 

simply bed but clean

left : homestay , right : vehicle from Quba to Xinaliq

Our bedroom is very simple and cold, it was early winter when we came to Xinaliq, but it was one million dollar experience we wont forget. I had a difficult for the toilet matters, though I ve been used to deal with it during our previous trips to Central Asia, but still I cant manage to deal with it. We didnt take any showers when we were in Xinaliq, because it was very cold and no warm waters, only a bucket of cold water straight from the mountain. 

Pretty children in Xinaliq Azerbaijan

Xinaliq - The Highest Village in Azerbaijan

Daily life in Xinaliq

The wife of Zaur cooked for us daily, from breakfast to dinner, nothing fancy but enough. For my husband as long as there is bread and he will be fine. During our dinner, I played along with their kids, taught them several words in English because the oldest has an English book from school. These children are mountains children, they hardly know what is ice cream, I m pretty much in shocked. Even though we cannot speak almost nothing to these people, but we can feel the love and we know for certain that when the day has come we have to check out from their house, it will be difficult. 

At their place we shared one living room, only in this room that was warm. Not a spacious living room but many activities were happened in here, those kiddos were sleeping in here, watched television, their mother baked a fresh bread and the Zaur brewed his cup of chay. Sometimes we shared stories to each other with our limited body language, even made a jokes with it. 

During the day after breakfast we hiked around the mountains, enjoyed the sunshines, pretty much just enjoying the moment as time looks stand still in this place. 

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