hiking along the Kuzun – Yergi Kek trail

Walking along this trail, you can enjoy fabulous views of vast subalpine meadows backed by the steep cliffs of Mount Shahdag, as well as the plateau of Mount Gizilgaya.

hiking alongthe Kuzun – Yergi Kek trail

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Kuzun – Yergi Kek trail

Yergi Kek is one of the highest villages in Azerbaijan. The local population of both Yergi Kek and Kuzun are Lezgis, who are considered to be descendants of the Legois – one of the tribes that believed to have inhabited the ancient kingdom of Caucasian Albania.

DISTANCE - 8 KM

ELEVATION GAIN - 1090 M

ELEVATION LOSS - 20 M

MAX. ALTITUDE - 2380 M

MIN. ALTITUDE - 1310 M

DURATION - 4 H 50 MIN

Follow the signs that are clearly visible throughout the trail, which follows a road used to reach Sudur village in summer and to transport haystacks by the people of Kuzun in winter. After 500 m, you will reach to a junction with a road leading left towards Laza village, but you need to continue straight and after 200 m turn left at the crossroads. Continue along this uphill road for 4 km and then turn left along a path that leads to the village. After 3 km, you will come to a viewpoint overlooking steep cliffs of Mount Shahdag. The village is a little below here.

Seasonality
As this is a relatively challenging hike, it is important to have appropriate outdoor clothing and prior hiking experience. Particularly in winter you need to wear winter hiking clothes. If you want to enjoy green nature, then May-July is the best time to hike this trail. Do not forget to check the weather forecast before your trip, as foggy or rainy weather can make the trail significantly more difficult.

After going about 6 km of trail, there is a shepherd camp between May and September. You can call out the shepherd from a distance to help you pass the shepherd dogs safely.

Nearby trails
You can connect this trail with the Laza-Kuzun trail.

Food and accommodation
Kuzun is not a touristy village. There is only one guest house and a shop near the bridge which is open only during certain hours in summer. There are no cafes or restaurants in the village. You can find the location of guest houses, hotels and other accommodation facilities on the map.

Water
You can fill your water bottles from springs in the yards of local villagers as there are no public springs in the village. It is recommended to take at least 1.5-2 l of water depending on the temperature. There is only one spring along the route, located near small bushes and trees about 2.5 km from the start point.

Transport
Local taxis can take you to Kuzun from the centre of Gusar for 25-30 AZN. If you plan to return to Gusar from Kuzun on the same day, you can ask the driver to wait for you and take you back at no extra cost. Alternatively, a local villager with an off-road vehicle can drive you back down to Kuzun for 40-50 AZN.

Permissions and special protected areas
No prior permission is required to hike along this route. The trail does not pass through a special protected nature area or border security zone.

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