Four Hours to Gobustan and the Cold Mud Volcanoes, Chauvet's Equals

Four hours, private, with a local English-speaking guide. Gobustan National Park is on the UNESCO list. The carvings there run from 5,000 to 20,000 years old, and the operator puts them alongside the Chauvet caves for significance; they sat untouched until they were found in the 1930s. Among the images are people who appear to be dancing, and the boat motif that turns up in Bronze Age art in other parts of the world. The museum comes first, with interactive screens and displays on how the people here lived, then the walk up the mountain to the open-air paintings themselves. The mud volcanoes are 20 minutes from the museum. Azerbaijan has more of them than any other country, about 300, on the coast, out at sea and on islands. They are cold, which surprises most people, and some visitors put the mud on their skin for its supposed benefits. One thing to know: in wet weather the track becomes impassable by car. When that happens, the mud volcanoes are replaced by a visit to the Bibi-Heybat mosque on the way back into town. The tour ends at Sahil Park, or at your accommodation if you prefer. Tickets are included. Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund.