Ganja Region

Ganja Region is a region in Azerbaijan that includes the Agdash, Agstafa, Barda, Dashkasan, Gadabay, Goranboy, Khanlar, Qazakh, Samukh, Shamkir, and Yevlakh rayons.

Cities

• 1 Ganja – Azerbaijan's second largest city has a long history, some important sites and an interesting and manifold architecture.
• 2 Barda (Bərdə) – Ancient Capital of Caucasian Albania, located on the Tartar River.
• 3 Goranboy – The capital of the homonymous district.
• 4 Naftalan – A well-known petroleum spa resort, the centre of medical tourism in Azerbaijan.
• 5 Yevlakh (Evlakh, Евлах, Yevlax, Jevlach) – It stands on the banks of the Kura River.

Notable towns and villages

• 6 Gedabay (Gədəbəy) – Home of Ayrum people, turkified descendants of ancient Roman soldiers.
• 7 Göygöl – A must visit German town in the suburbs of Ganja.
• 8 Gülüstan – Once the majority of Armenians and has its significance where the treaty was signed in 1813.
• 9 Khashbulag (Xoşbulaq) – Most Ganjalis spend their vacations and summer weekends in this village.
• 10 Qazakh – Gateway to Georgia with hot pool in a nearby local village.
• 11 Shamkir (Şəmkir) – Another by Germans populated town. There are cognac and wine plantations.

Other destinations

• 1 Göygöl National Park – About 20 km further afield from Göygöl and near Toğanalı, this hiking and leisure destination Mount Kapaz can be found. Göygöl lake was formed during a strong earthquake in 1139.
• 2 Mt. Gosghar – 3,350 m.

Get in

The Ganja Region is along the main route between Baku and Georgia. Hence, all transport options and frequencies for them are valid for the cities (Ganja, Qazakh, etc.) along these bus and train routes. Direct trains exist from Tbilisi and Baku into Ganja with many stops inside the Ganja Region along the way. Also, Ganja is the major bus hub for all destinations in Azerbaijan. Likewise, Qazakh is an important hub. From these larger cities frequent local bus transport exists into all smaller towns and villages.

By plane

• Gəncə Beynəlxalq Hava Limanı / Ganja International Airport (KVD ^IATA)
• Yevlakh Airport (YLV ^IATA)

Get around

• Azerbaijan has a well developed bus system between the local city and village terminals.
• Drivers are commonly friendly with backpackers and road trippers, so auto-stop is equally an option to travel within the region.

See

• Göygöl. Formerly named Khanlar (Xanlar) and Helenendorf, founded by German farmers from Bavarian Swabia. Today, the town remains an old German neighbourhood in excellent conditions. A local museum shows the finds (eg bronze weapons, jewels, pottery, etc.) extracted from a large cemetery excavated in 1990. Walk along Sebuhi Haciyev or Heydar Aliyev Street by the Lutheran St. Johanniskirche (Church of Johannes) and see the nicely renovated houses. 

Stay safe

When hiking in the mountains south or southwest of Ganja close to the border with Nagorno-Karabakh, get the latest information on the Karabakh conflict and whether it is safe to be there.

Go next

• Sheki Region in the north. Gateway to the Azerbaijani Caucasus.
• Baku Region in the east. With the Azerbaijani capital Baku, and famous for its mud volcanoes.
• Southern Azerbaijan in the east.
• Georgia – There are direct buses and trains to Tbilisi from Baku.