hiking along the Yergi Kek – Kuzun trail

Along this route, you can enjoy fabulous views of vast subalpine meadows against a backdrop of the steep cliffs of Mount Shahdag and the plateau of Mount Gizilgaya.

Yergi Kek – Kuzun trail

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

DISTANCE - 8 KM

ELEVATION GAIN - 20 M

ELEVATION LOSS - 1090 M

MAX. ALTITUDE - 2380 M

MIN. ALTITUDE - 1330 M

DURATION - 3 H 20 MIN

The trail is clearly marked and signposted. Follow the signs and after crossing the mountain pass, go straight and reach a winding path that descends. At the end of the valley on the right you will see the village of Kuzun and the road to the village. The trail continues for another 2km until you come to the Archan-Kuzun dirt road. Follow this road to the right and it will take you to the village (after 3.5km you will see a marked trail to the right leading to Laza through the Gusarchay valley). Cross the river on the main road and enter the village.

Seasonality
Since this is a relatively difficult hike, it is important to have appropriate outdoor clothing and prior hiking experience. Particularly in winter it is necessary to have 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.

In the second kilometre of the trail, there is a shepherd camp between May-September. You can call the shepherd from a distance to help you pass the shepherd dogs safely.

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

Food and accommodation
Yergi Kek is not a touristy place because it is a remote village. There is only one guest house and there are no shops, cafes or restaurants. You can find the location of the guest house on the map.

Water
You can fill your water bottles from springs in the yards of local villagers before leaving the village. It is recommended to take 1.5-2 litres of water depending on the temperature. There are only two springs located along the route. You will see the first spring in the ravine on the left when you start walking in the direction of Kuzun village. The other spring is located 6km later near small bushes and trees.

Transport
You can reach Yergi Kek via the road from the city of Gusar to the village of Sudur, however the road is 60km long and travelling by local taxi will cost at least 100 AZN. The last 10km is only suitable for off-road vehicles. The other option is to come from Kuzun along the Kuzun-Archan-Yergi Kek road. The journey price by taxi from Gusar to Yergi Kek via Kuzun along this route is 70-80 AZN. The part of the road after Kuzun is only suitable for off-road vehicles and is only open in spring and summer. In winter, due to the large amount of snow, it is practically impossible to reach Yergi Kek by vehicle.

Permissions and Special Protected Areas
No prior permission is required to hike along this route. The trail does not pass through a special protected natural area or border protection zone.

GALLERY