Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
The Collective Voice of The Muslim World

Gabala, OIC City of Tourism for 2020


EXPERIENCE GABALA

Colourful Glass
scorched hills 

Old Gabala and Nij. History hunters have plenty to do seeking out the archaeological reminders of the once-great kingdom of Caucasian Albania. That state’s 4th – century capital was some 20km west of Gabala, a site that’s now a beautifully set, rural archaeological site with a splendid new museum. In the nearby village of Nij, the population still speaks on otherwise ‘lost’ dialect that’s essentially the same as that of the mysterious Caucasian Albanians.

Dramatic mountains 
placid lakes

Gabala is one of Azerbaijan’s foremost resort towns, counterpointing a beautiful landscape with an expectional array of upmarket yet great value hotels. Activities abound – quad biking, skiing, hiking, skating, paintball, bowling, horse rides, spas, shooting and several great swimming pools. Kids love the Qabaland Theme Park while classical music lovers can attend the prestigious annual International Music Festival. Mountain waterfalls, large forests and magnificent Caucasian mountains make Gabala an ideal for relaxation in summer, while during the winter Gabala offers active sport tourism full of adrenaline with skiing and snowmobiles.

Liquid mud
crystal salt

Chenot Palace Surrounded by the silence and tranquility of the magical pine woods, and overlooking the peaceful Nohur lake, the new Chenot Palace Hotel in Gabala represents a new class of health wellness retreat in the heart of a breathtaking forest. The Chenot Palace Gabala is a perfect gateway retreat, far from the hustle and bustle of congested cities, where you can recharge your batteries and gather new strength to replace the energy that daily life drains out of us.

Summer hillsides
winter sloper

Azerbaijan is nearly surrounded by mountains, so we get great summer hiking and winter skiing. Our best ski resort is also Gabala. For more challenging pistes, try the black runs at Tufandag.

In winter, Gabala’s Tufandag Mountain Resort offers skiing, snowboarding and skidoo-rides while in summer in the region can host quad-bike rides, jeep tours, rafting, shooting and hiking. Many hotels in and around the city have excellent swimming pools and spas. History hunters have plenty to do seeking out the archaeological reminders of the once great kingdom of Caucasian Albania. That state’s 4th-century capital was some 20 km west of Gabala, a site that’s now beautifully set, rural archaeological site with a splendid new museum.

Discover local crafts
Less than two hours’ drive from Gabala via a geologically spectacular canyon, the pretty little village of Lahij woos visitors with its antique copperware workshops, cobbled streets, stone houses and crafts and souvenir shops. A popular hike finishing here begins in the picturesque village of Basgal, which itself was once a stop-off on the Great Silk Road. Today a kelaghai workshop still operates in the village, willingly sharing with visitors the secrets to making Azerbaijan’s exquisite silk headscarves.

Gabala shooting club
Gabala Shooting Club, a favorite place for active leisure fans, is an ideal place to hold large-scale sports competitions. The Grand Prix of the International Shooting named after Heydar Aliyev has been held here in 2014 and 2016 years. All the necessary conditions have been provided for the convenience of both guests and athletes at the complex. Cottages have been built here for guests who want to spend the night at the complex.




International Ulama Conference on Afghanistan