Roughly an hour’s drive southwest of Baku, Gobustan feels like stepping into a prehistoric film set. The area is split into two must-see sections: the Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the Gobustan mud volcanoes, which are as strange as they sound.

At the rock art site, you’ll find over 6,000 petroglyphs etched into stone; depictions of humans, animals, rituals and ancient hunting scenes, dating back up to 40,000 years. These carvings are a glimpse into early human expression and are often tied to the roots of Zoroastrian beliefs that once thrived in the region.

Then come the mud volcanoes: a bizarre natural phenomenon that makes Gobustan famous. The ground bubbles and gurgles like it’s alive, spitting out cool, grey mud. The terrain is barren and desert-like, with almost nothing but cracked earth, scattered rocks and volcanic domes.

Tip: Wear decent footwear as it gets slippery fast and there are no paved paths.

Yanardag, which translates to “Burning Mountain,” is a hillside where natural gas escapes from the ground and burns constantly, creating flickering flames along the base of the slope. No lighters, no tricks as this is nature doing what it does best: confuse and amaze.

According to legend, it was sacred to ancient fire worshippers and it’s easy to see why. The site has deep connections to Zoroastrian fire rituals, as Azerbaijan was once a centre for the religion. Today, it’s a popular attraction more for the spectacle than the science.

The flames are most visible and atmospheric at night, when the glow stands out against the dark sky. There is an entrance fee, and the site includes a small visitor centre.

About 15 to 20 km northwest of Baku city lies Masazir Lake, sometimes called Baku’s pink lake. Its pastel-pink hue is caused by high levels of salt and algae, similar to famous pink lakes in Australia or Senegal and the colour intensity depends heavily on the time of day and weather.

For the best photo opportunities, aim to visit between 10 am and 2 pm on a sunny day, when the light hits just right and the pink tones are strongest. The lake is salty, still and almost surreal in person, though it’s not advisable to swim (nor drink!), but worth the short drive for the view alone. Tours are available, though many locals prefer to visit independently via a short taxi ride or private car.