hiking along the Gashgachay - Gumukh trail

Continue through the village, following the signs from the starting point. After 100 m the road turns right and continues between houses, and after another 500 m a path towards the forest begins. The wide, clearly visible path reaches a pass after 1.5 km and comes out into an open area. In this part, the trail descends slightly to the left and continues through a forest along an old forest road covered with bushes. As you approach the village, the road becomes clearer and wider. After 2 km the road comes out into the open and approaches the village. Follow the signs and walk 1.3 km ahead to the main road in Gumukh village.

Nearby trails

To extend the hike, it is recommended to first connect this route with the Ilisu-Gashgachay route and then, after reaching Gumukh, with a 7 km journey by car (or on foot) and the Bash Goynuk-Kish route.

From Kish you can go to the Marxal Resort & Spa and get to the Khan plateau with the resort’s off-road vehicles. Pedestrians are not allowed on this road. When you walk to the Khan plateau, you can do some research on the map and easily select the trails around Sheki city from satellite images. These routes have not yet been marked and are not recommended for inexperienced hikers. It is possible to make short walks from Sheki to Orta Varazat village, and from there to Bash Keldek village on forested, easy paths. The ancient Albanian churches in the villages of Varazat and Bash Keldek, which have escaped the attention of most tourists, can be found on your way. 

Season

Although May-September is the best time in terms of weather and daylight, this route can be easily traversed throughout the year. After rainy days, the trails become muddy. There are no shepherd huts along the trail all year round.

Food and accommodation

In both villages, there are small shops and cafes. For overnight stays, you can find guest houses, hotels and other accommodation facilities, including cafes and restaurants, on the map.

Water

Although there are no water sources along the route, it is short and convenient, so you don't have to worry about water conservation. One liter of water per person is enough if you do not spend much time beyond hiking.

Transportation

You can travel from Sheki to the village of Gashgachay by taxi for about 12-15 AZN (using the *0066 and *5577 taxi services). Taxis go from Gakh for about 6-8 AZN (using the ALO taxi service: +99470 298 9966). Buses (0.70 AZN per trip) from Gakh go to Gashgachay three times daily (07:30; 13:00; 18:00).

Permits and specially protected areas

No prior permission is required to walk along this route. The route does not pass through any specially protected natural areas, or the border protection zones, and there are no permanent border guard posts along the route.