explore Lankaran'snature reserves
Bordered by the Caspian Sea and the lush Talish Mountains, Lankaran is ideally placed between two of Azerbaijan’s finest nature reserves. The swamps of the Gizil Aghaj National Park reserve on the Caspian coast, just north of Lankaran city, are famous for being home to a multitude of water birds, including the pink flamingo, which migrates here from Africa each winter. Meanwhile, the vast Hirkan National Park spans the Lankaran and Astara regions. It’s a botanist's paradise, home to a huge variety of trees, including ancient iron trees that survived the last Ice Age as well as the critically endangered Caucasian leopard. In the area of Hirkan National Park, around Khanbulan Lake, it is possible to engage in activities such as horseback riding, camping, and having a picnic. Over a dozen marked routes offer excellent hiking opportunities, some with lunch stops and tea breaks along the way in timeless local villages.