hiking along the Jar – Honzogor – Gabizdere trail

The trail starts in Jar village, surrounded by mountains from three sides. It passes through shepherd camps on the Honzogor plateau and finishes in Gabizdere village.

Hiking alongthe Jar – Honzogor – Gabizdere trail

Jar – Honzogor – Gabizdere trail

The most famous monument in Jar village is a small 16th-century fortress commonly called Jingoz, Chingiz or Jigiz. A waterfall with one of the highest flow rates in the country is located in Gabizdere village. On the way to Gabizdere, you will enjoy charming views of forests and meadows, surrounding mountains, and wide forest valleys. Although the route is long and physically tiring, it is technically easy and the trails are clearly visible everywhere and fully marked.

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DISTANCE - 15.6 KM

ELEVATION GAIN - 1000 M

ELEVATION LOSS - 1350 M

MAX. ALTITUDE - 1850 M

MIN. ALTITUDE - 550 M

DURATION - 8 H

Beginning at the starting point, follow the signs and continue through the village. After leaving the village and crossing the small river (within the first kilometre), a steep, winding path starts to the left and enters the forest. The trail, which comes to an open area 2km ahead, turns to the right and continues through an open area surrounded by forested ravines. After 4km it swerves to the left when it reaches the top of the forest line (subalpine meadows). Here you can see the stunning landscape of the Zagatala State Reserve - wide forested ravines and steep mountains. Ascending a little to the left, the trail crosses the right slope of the mountain and reaches the Honzogar plateau 2km ahead.

The path from the Honzogor plateau to the village of Gabizdere begins to the east of the shepherd huts and descends a short distance through the camp to the forest. After passing 2km through the forest, a winding path leads to a forest road and after 3.5km it reaches the village.

 

Nearby trails

Due to the fact that the surrounding areas are part of the Zagatala State Reserve and border protection zone, it is not permitted to walk along unmarked routes.

 

Seasonality

May-September is the best time in terms of weather and length of the day. Along the route, there is a cluster of 20-30 shepherd shelters on the Honzogor plateau alone. Dogs are not dangerous during the day because there are a lot of people around. In May and September, you can check with the local community to see if the shepherds are in the mountains. These huts can be a warm shelter and you can ask for information from the shepherds, but you need to be careful around shepherd dogs. If you do not have a tent, you can ask the shepherds if you can stay in one of the empty shelters (usually an empty shelter). In other seasons, you can find an empty shelter.

In general, although it is possible to do this route throughout the year, it requires more preparation in winter months. In winter, spring and autumn, it is important to check the weather forecast more carefully and prepare food, clothing, accessories (tents, sleeping bags, etc.). On cold and short winter days, it is very difficult and risky to finish this route in one day, so it is not recommended to leave without proper camping equipment. 

 

Food and accommodation

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

 

Water

There are at least three water sources along the trail. 1-2 litres of water per person is enough until you reach the plateau. The springs along the way and at the pasture will help maintain your water supply.

 

Transportation

From Zagatala it is possible to get to the village of Jar by minibus (0.30 AZN per trip) or taxi (about 4-7 AZN). From the city centre you can get to the restaurant “Daşlıq” (at the entrance of Jar village) for about 4 AZN and to the restaurant “Mənzərə” (at the end of the village) for about 7 AZN.

 

Permits and specially protected areas

No prior permission is required to walk along this route. The route does not pass through specially protected natural areas or the border protection zone, and there are no permanent border guard posts anywhere along the route. When meeting border guards, it is necessary to show your documents and explain your route.

 

Useful information

weather and season

Air temperature

Current:
6.8°C
Average:
5.8 – 9.3°C / 42.4–48.7°F

Feel temperature

Current:
3.9°C
Average:
2.8 – 8°C / 37.0–46.4°F

Wind

Current:
  • Cloudy and chilly
  • NE
  • speed 11.1 km/h

When to go

  • Peak Season:
  • All year round

Accommodation& food

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