A Complete Guide to Vacation Travel to Baku, Azerbaijan from Pakistan
A Complete Guide to Vacation Travel to Baku, Azerbaijan from Pakistan
Baku is a city of juxtapositions. The Old Town sprawls with the Baku Torch Towers in the background. Old Soviet buildings stand side by side with modern Azeri ones. Azerbaijan has changed hands several times, but by international standards it is still a “new” country, finally gaining independence from the Soviets in 1991. Baku is old and new, new and old. A week-long trip to Baku is enough to make your head spin.
But yeah, we’re talking about the right kind of head-spinner.
Directly translated as “Land of Fire”, Azerbaijan is a country rich in natural resources whose main export is oil and gas. However, there are a lot of cultural upheavals going on in this new country meeting old which is quite fascinating. This transition is particularly widespread and visible in the capital of Azerbaijan, Baku.
It is joyful and exciting to explore Baku. There’s a lot to unpack here, from the old wonders of the city to the bizarre contemporary buildings that have only just been erected here. Add a host of fascinating and unique natural attractions just outside the city limits. Get ready for fun and exploration where old and new offer a journey you will remember for the rest of your life.
Throughout your stay in Baku, you can discover the highlights of the city
Azerbaijan is a beautiful country and one of the best destinations for Pakistani tourists and is currently gaining popularity among the masses. The city of Baku is famous for Pakistani travel enthusiasts.
Azerbaijan is an ex-Soviet Muslim country and has a very interesting mix of East and West with a deep history, its culture is Soviet and the mix of the Middle East. Obtaining a visa for Azerbaijan on a Pakistani passport is very simple, the process is done online and the E-Visa is issued online within 3 days. Visa fees for adults are only PKR 5800.
Azerbaijan Visa from Pakistan
Traveling to Azerbaijan requires a visa for citizens of most countries. The good news is that it is a completely online process to get an Azerbaijan tourist visa.
The process is very simple; you just need to visit the Azerbaijan E-Visa website, click on the Apply button, and start the online visa process. You can also pay the fee online with your credit card or debit card and your Azerbaijan visa will be emailed to you. Take a copy and show it to the immigration officer at the airport. It’s as easy as getting a visa to Azerbaijan on a Pakistani passport.
If you are visiting Azerbaijan on Visit Visa or Business Visa in 2022 and looking forward to getting information about Azerbaijan Online Visa Requirements for Pakistan Passport and Application Process, Fees for Azerbaijan visa, document requirements, and processing time, you have come to the right place. The whole process is given below.
What Pakistani citizens need to do to apply for the Azerbaijan Baku Visa?
Azerbaijan tourist visa requirements for Pakistani citizens:
For online visa applications
• Scanned copy of passport
• Scanned photo
• Visit this website and complete the online application
How long will my eVISA be valid?
The holder of an E-VISA has the right to stay up to a maximum of 90 days for each visit to Azerbaijan.
How to start?
To be the first applicant, you must visit the website: https://evisa.gov.az/en/ Click on Apply, choose Pakistan as the country and select an ordinary passport.
Azerbaijan Visa Key Information
Type of visa
An electronic visa (E-Visa)
Passport validity
3 months
Quantity of pictures
1 Photo size
Passport size
Processing time (normal visa)
3 days
Further information:
• The e-Visa is issued within 3 (three) working days.
• E-Visa applications can be created for an individual, for a family (minimum of 2 and maximum of 10 people), or a group (minimum of 10 and maximum of 300 people).
• The necessary data required for the e-Visa must be entered directly into the system.
• Fees for e-Visa are paid electronically through the system.
• The e-Visa is sent to the applicant’s email address.
Azerbaijan Visa Application Centers in Pakistan:
The visa is submitted online, visit this website and completes the application online, there is no physical application center for Azerbaijan visa,
Azerbaijan Visa Tracking:
You can check the status of your online visa application for Azerbaijan on the official website where you complete your visa application.
Azerbaijan visa denial appeal from Pakistan:
The rejection rate is almost nil; however, there is no appeal procedure, just re-apply for a new visa correctly with all correct information and required documents (clear scanned documents).
Disclaimer: Although the information in this blog has been prepared with the utmost care, we cannot accept any responsibility for any inaccuracies it contains.
A Guide to Getting to and From Baku
Flight: The easiest way to get to Baku from Pakistan is to fly to Heydar Aliyev International Airport. The airport has several flights a day, mainly from Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. You can compare flight prices and search for the best deals on flights through several platforms available to help you find the right solution, for example, yugo.pk, mehman.pk, sky scanner, etc.
Currency and Payments in Baku
As a currency, Azerbaijan uses the Manat (AZN). Even though there are card readers in many places, most transactions in Baku are done in cash. Here you can withdraw money from ATMs or simply exchange it at one of the many exchange points spread around the city. Be sure to try and break your big bills when possible, as many smaller restaurants and shops don’t have much change.
Remember that 1 manat is equal to 109.69 PKR, so when you travel, keep the currency according to your needs and plans in Baku, if you plan to go shopping, deposit a few extra manats before you start your trip.
Where to Stay in Baku
Budget: There are hostels in Baku that give a cozy atmosphere. Dorm beds are comfy and spotlessly clean, and there’s a relaxed but open vibe that makes it easy to meet other travelers. Find a hostel that is walkable to pretty much anything and very close to the boardwalk, you can get a hostel for just a few dollars a night which is an amazing deal.
There are also hotels available, depending on what range you want to dedicate to your mid-range accommodation: whether you prefer a private room or just want a comfortable and private place to stay, Viva Boutique Hotel is the place to be. An ideal sport for you. It’s affordable, the rooms are clean and comfortable, and it’s a very central location within walking distance of Old Town and many other central areas.
If you’re here to splurge and are looking for an exceptionally “Baku” luxury hotel, the Fairmont Baku Flame Towers is a perfect choice. This is a 5-star property located in one of the city’s iconic flame towers. There is also an amazing rooftop swimming pool that you can enjoy while staying at these hotels.
Getting Around in Baku
Walking: Central Baku is an extremely walkable place and you can walk to many places in the city center. Remember that Baku is in a desert, so in spring and summer, it can be very hot during the day. If you plan to walk a lot, be sure to stay hydrated, wear comfortable shoes, and bring sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat.
Public transport: Baku also has a metro and bus system which is ridiculously cheap to use. First, you need to buy a card to use, which costs 2 AZN. Then you can fill it with as much money as you want. Bus and metro rides (AZN 0.2) per ride.
Uber/Rideshare: Baku is the only Caucasus capital to use Uber, which makes getting around incredibly convenient. If you have access to Wi-Fi or cellular data, you can simply call an Uber-like you would in Pakistan and automatically charge it to your designated credit card. Most Ubers in the city center cost AZN 2–7.
Taxi: Taxis are plentiful in Baku and you can simply hail one on the street or ask your hotel/restaurant to call one for you. However, it’s the most expensive way to get around Baku, so keep that in mind if you’re budget-conscious and just don’t want to spend a lot on transportation.
Where to Eat in Baku
Surprisingly, there isn’t a huge food culture in Baku. You will find cheap kebabs and döner shops, one of the main features of the area. Which is pretty much available everywhere. There are also traditional Azeri restaurants, but you will find that when you visit one it is mainly tourists and foreigners who eat there.
Although they are mainly aimed at tourists, I still think it is worth trying a few Azeri restaurants during your stay to experience the traditional dishes of the region.
That said, the people of Azerbaijan are very proud of their traditional Azerbaijani breakfasts. You should try one while you’re in town. For a traditional-style breakfast, the delicious cheeses and honey, and the historic atmosphere of the place are worth it.
A Stroll on the Beach/Seaside
Arguably one of the coolest things about Baku is that it is close to the Caspian Sea. The Caspian Sea is not a sea, but rather the largest salt lake in the world. Off the coast, you will see deep blue waters, with oil rigs dotting the horizon.
The best place to stroll and experience the sights and sounds of the city is on Baku Boulevard. This beautiful and large pedestrian zone is full of tourists and locals and is a nice place to get a sense of the city. While you’re there, you can take a stroll and grab some dinner, or just sit on a bench and admire the calm of the Caspian Sea. There are also great views of the Old Town and the Flame Towers.
Exploring the City, Old, and New
When visiting a new city, spend time walking and wandering around its main neighborhoods. And luckily, Baku is a VERY walkable city.
As with any trip, you can’t get it all done in a few days, so pick a few as priorities from your wishlist for each day and try to clear them out first.
Some of the top Baku attractions you might want to visit include:
• Baku Old City
• Palace of the Shirvanshahs
• Tower of the Virgin
• Fountain Square
• Philharmonic Hall
• Palace of Happiness
• Bibi-Hayat Mosque
• Museums: Carpet Museum, Azerbaijani Literature, Art Museum, and National Museum of Azerbaijan
• Funicular
• Flame towers
• Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center (explore the indoor AND outdoor museum)
• Highland Park (at sunset)
Sights are included in the free walking tour, which you can see while exploring Baku on foot while strolling through the newly independent city which is an amazing combination of history and modernity.
If you’re more in the mood to sit back and relax, you can also opt for an organized Baku city tour, they usually give you an insider’s perspective on the city and include original facts or fun stories to boot (those quirky facts about a place and connect you to the place, giving you a sense of familiarity with Baku).
As the sun sets, end your day by heading to the Upland Park viewpoint. Upland Park is arguably the best place in town to watch the daily light show, which takes place around 8:30 p.m. There are also wonderful views of the rest of Baku and the Caspian Sea below. During your stay, you’ll likely be sharing the space with wedding photographers, joggers, skateboarders, families, and other light show viewers. It’s also a great place to people-watch at sunset.
Mud Volcanoes, Gobustan, and Burning Mountain
After exploring Baku, it is recommended to discover the outside of Baku and visit some of the weirdest and most wonderful sites near the city. The easiest way to do this is to book a full-day Baku tour, which takes you to Mud Volcanoes, Gobustan National Park, Ateshgah Fire Temple, Yanar Dag, and the exterior of the Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center. You can also choose to hire a taxi and do this tour on your own, but it will be MUCH more expensive.
The Mud Volcanoes
Baku is one of the few places in the world where you can see mud volcanoes. Some mud volcanoes are also present in Balochistan, this is a rare phenomenon that only occurs in certain areas, and these naturally formed bubbling pots of mud look like mini volcanoes dotted on a flat surface of the land.
You probably won’t want to stay here long, but there are a few interesting things to note about these mud volcanoes:
They are cold to the touch. In many places around the world, boiling mud is caused by heat. However, in Baku, mud volcanoes are cold because they are caused by gas pockets under the ground.
They are not only in Baku. There are mud volcanoes in a bunch of different places around Azerbaijan! The ones in Baku are simply the easiest to see, especially if you have limited time in the country. Some people use them as mud masks. You will probably see such people during your visit.
Gobustan Petroglyphs
If you are a natural history or archeology enthusiast, you will love Gobustan National Park. First of all, it’s naturally very beautiful, with giant boulders are strewn about as if thrown in a heap by a playing child.
More importantly, on said rocks, there are ancient petroglyphs (I mean over 1000 years old) engraved on the sides, depicting scenes from the daily life of nomadic inhabitants of modern Azerbaijan.
Traditional Azeri Lunch Buffet
Try the Azeri lunch buffet which is full of every type of food you read about when you google “foods to try in Azerbaijan”. As Pakistanis, it can surely be said that we are food lovers and enjoy good food on our way, even when we have to spend a bit more on the meal.
Your day tour operator will guide you to a good Azeri buffet where you can eat everything, or if you go alone to find relevant information by reading online or talking to a local expert for information on good food, then you don’t miss good food.
Ateshgah Fire Temple
A place of pilgrimage for people of the Zoroastrian faith, the Ateshgah fire temple was built between the 17th and 18th centuries. Here you can learn about the history of fire worship and the current practices and traditions surrounding it, with somewhat chilling wax models and museum-like panels inside the reconstructed historic site.
Of course, real fire is the main point of attention here. It sits in the center of the temple complex in a small shelter and burns perpetually.
Yanar Dag
Yanar Dag is a special place, and while it’s not a place you’ll linger for long, you’ll probably want to see it for yourself. While Azerbaijan is known as the land of fire, Yanar Dag is the burning land. You see, here the natural gas is so abundant that it causes a natural hillside fire that burns forever and ever.
Looks like there’s hot charcoal escaping from the side of the hill…pretty cool huh?
The only caveat here with a day trip is that you’ll usually find yourself here in the afternoon heat, which is slightly unpleasant and not as epic to photograph. But if you can manage it, try to visit the site at sunset or night.
Day Trip to Xinaliq
If you feel like going out, you can take a day trip from Baku to the highest village in Azerbaijan. You can also book a tour to visit Xinaliq. The trip spans a full day (9 am-9pm+) and takes you to both Quba and Xinaliq. It’s a great way to experience what life in Azerbaijan is like outside of Baku.
Day Trip to Gabala
Sometimes you just need an escape from the busy city, and Gabala can provide it. Gabala is a popular resort town with locals in Azerbaijan, full of beautiful scenery and outdoor activities.
Don’t forget your travel insurance! Thus, it protects you in case of emergency and any problem you may face while traveling in this beautiful country, so before you embark on your trip, pack your bags, and don’t forget to pack your insurance trip with all the blankets!!
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