By air
Gabala International Airport (GBB), ~15 km
Europe · Azerbaijan
Gabala, Azerbaijan
Forests, waterfalls and Caucasus cable cars
Getting there
Best time to visit
May to September for hiking, December to February for skiing
Don't miss
Tufandag
Nohur Lake
The Gabala ancient city ruins
Things to do
Riding the Tufandag cable car
Hiking to waterfalls
Boating on Nohur Lake
Skiing in winter
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Srogan87 · CC BY-SA 4.0
What to pack
Hiking shoes, warm layers, rain jacket
A quieter corner
The Seven Beauties waterfall in the forest near the village of Vandam
Questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Gabala?
May to September for hiking, December to February for skiing. What to pack: Hiking shoes, warm layers, rain jacket.
How do I get to Gabala?
Fly into Gabala International Airport (GBB), ~15 km.
What is there to do in Gabala?
Riding the Tufandag cable car, hiking to waterfalls, boating on Nohur Lake, skiing in winter. A quieter find: The Seven Beauties waterfall in the forest near the village of Vandam.
What should I eat in Gabala?
Qutab flatbreads, plov, chestnuts and hazelnuts from the local orchards.
About Gabala
- Mountains
- Forest
Where it is
Gabala is a town in the forested foothills of the Greater Caucasus in northern Azerbaijan, between Baku and Sheki.
History
Gabala stands near the site of ancient Kabalaka, mentioned by the Roman writer Pliny the Elder and for centuries a capital of Caucasian Albania. Archaeologists have uncovered city walls and remains near the modern town. In recent decades Gabala has grown into a mountain resort with a ski area and cable cars.
People
The people of Gabala speak Azerbaijani, and the area is home to several communities including the Udi, who keep their own language and old churches in nearby Nij.
Known for
- Mountain cable cars at Tufandag
- Waterfalls and forests
- Ancient Caucasian Albania ruins
- Hazelnut and chestnut orchards
Did you know?
Ancient Gabala was a capital of Caucasian Albania, a kingdom unrelated to modern Albania in the Balkans.
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