Göygöl National Park

Göygöl National Park is in Ganja Region of Azerbaijan.

Understand

A view from the mountains in the south

Plan of Göygöl National Park

History

Lake Göygöl was formed by an earthquake on 30th September 1139, that caused the summit of the mountain Kapaz to collapse in the gorge of the Akhsu river, turning it into a dam. According to the studies of many authors, the lake has a glacial origin. This opinion is confirmed by Dr. Paffengolts and Dr. Leontyev, who found traces of ancient glaciation in the form of small circuses and cars in the upper reaches of the Shamkirchay River.

Established in 1925, the National Park is the first in Azerbaijan. In 1965 the area of the Göygöl National Park was significantly. During those times the total area became 6739 ha.

The latest increase of the are of National Park was past in 2008 and for today its total area is 12755 ha.

Landscape

Göygöl National Park is on the northeastern part of Lesser Caucasus Mountains and has the forest landscape with several lakes and the rock of Mount Kapaz. Also the area is rich with many river valleys and gorges.

Altitude: 1000–3600 m

Flora and fauna

The park's wildlife wild mammal and bird species that consists of a lot of these noble Caucasian deer, bear, deer, fox, wild cat, sable, lynx, rabbit, squirrel, birds, and Caspian snowcock, black vulture, partridge etc. can be shown.

Climate

References

News on the reopening of the park.

Fees and permits

2 manat.

Get in

It is best to take a shared taxi from Göygöl for the 20 km in between. Göygöl can be reach by local bus from Ganja.

• 🌍 National Park Administration. Entrance and starting point of all tracks. 

Get around

Some sites within the park can be reached by car, but mostly you would come here for hiking.

See

Do

All tracks start at the National Park Administration building. In the following the official documentation, and the according listings with the translated information as well as GPS details.

• 
  Göygöl-Maralgöl
• 
  Zəligöl-Gəlinqayası
• 
  Qaragöl
• 
  Kəpəz dağı

• 🌍 (pink) – Distance: 14 km, Altitude range: 779 m, Total climb: 890 m, Total descent: 111 m. Duration: 4 h (one way). Grade: Easy. Recommended: comfortable clothes for walking, drinking water.
  Download track: KMZ, GeoJSON, for GPX see GPSies.
• 🌍 (brown) – Distance: 23 km, Altitude range: 979 m, Total climb: 1,213 m, Total descent: 245 m. Duration: 7-8 h (one way). Grade: Hard. Recommended: comfortable clothes for walking, drinking water, dining or cooking pot.
  Download track: KMZ, GeoJSON, for GPX see GPSies.
• 🌍 (yellow) – Distance: 3 km, Altitude range: 381 m, Total climb: 404 m, Total descent: 223 m. Grade: Medium. Recommended: comfortable clothes for walking, drinking water.
  Download track: KMZ, GeoJSON, for GPX see GPSies.
• 🌍 (red) – Distance: 15 km, Altitude range: 1,834 m, Total climb: 2,020 m, Total descent: 186 m. Duration: 5 h (one way). Grade: Hard. Recommended: comfortable clothes for walking, drinking water, snacks.
  Download track: KMZ, GeoJSON, for GPX see GPSies.

Buy

Eat

• 🌍 Cənnət Bağı (close to the park entrance). 
• 🌍 Göygöl Mehmanxana (near the lake). Recommended. 

Drink

Sleep

Camping

Camping should not pose an issue further in on one of the longer trails.

Lodging

• 🌍 Lotos Otel Ailevi Merkezi (before the entrance), ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Cennet Mekani (near the entrance), ☎ [phone]. Not highly recommended. 
• 🌍 Family Cottages by Göygöl Lake, Göygöl-Maralgöl Rd (near the lake), ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Kapaz Inn & Suites (near the lake), ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Göygöl Resort (near the lake). Not highly recommended. 

Stay safe

Even though close to the border with Nagorno-Karabakh and previously closed to the public, it is now safe to enter and for leisure. However, feel free to verify the current situation with the local people, e.g. when arriving in Ganja.