Ethnographic incentive tour to Azerbaijan   «THE SECRETS OF THE ANCIENT CRAFTS»                     

In any place of Azerbaijan, it is possible to find workshops of national craftsmen, whose secrets for centuries have been passed from generation to generation. This journey will reveal the wonderful world of the Caucasian crafts – overflows of silk, ringing of copper dishes and patterns of the fabulous beauty of the Azerbaijani carpets. The opportunity to participate in the craft process will leave a piece of the soul of Azerbaijan in your heart!

Tour validity: 01.06.2021-01.12.2021
Duration:  7 days / 6 nights 
Accommodation:   Promenade Hotel 5* or similar category hotel
                                   Sheki Palace Hotel 4* or similar category hotel

Tour price: 690 USD
                     (indicated per person for double / twin accommodation in a group of 20 people)
                             

Tour price includes:

•    Accommodation at Promenade Hotel Baku for 4 nights
•    Accommodation at Sheki Palace Hotel for 2 nights
•    Breakfasts at the hotels
•    Lunches at the national restaurants
•    Excursion to the Highland Park and Old City
•    Visit to the carpet weaving workshop «Azer Ilme»
•    Exploring the region of Ismayilli with visiting the villages of Lahij and Baskal 
•    «Kelagai» making master class
•    Exploring the region of Sheki with visiting Sheki Khans’ Palace, Albanian Church, «shebeke» and «pakhlava» workshops 
•    Excursion to ethnographic open-air museum «Gala» and master classes on culinary, pottery, blacksmithing and carpet weaving 
•    Entrance tickets to the museums as per the tour program
•    Professional English-speaking guide service within the tour
•    Full transportation services within the tour including airport-hotel-airport transfers

Tour program:

Day #1

•    Arrival in Baku
•    Greeting guests at the airport, transfer and accommodation at the hotel

Today Baku has become a modern city and an attractive destination for MICE, where future technologies and luxury hotels come hand in hand with ancient traditions, delicious food and oriental hospitality.
After greeting the group at the Heydar Aliyev international airport, the guests will be accommodated at Promenade Hotel located in the city center, opposite the Seaside Boulevard. 

Day #2 

•    Breakfast at the hotel
•    Excursion to the Highland Park and Old City
•    Visit to the carpet weaving workshop «Azer Ilme»
•    Lunch at «Firuza» restaurant
10:00 Our tour starts with a visit to the Highland Park. Highland Park is located on a hill in the western part of the city. This is the best place to see the city, Baku bay and Seaside Boulevard which celebrated its 110-anniversary back in 2019. Then guests will visit Old City or «Icheri Sheher» with its fortified walls, historic buildings and narrow cobbled streets. Guests will have a chance to explore the main sights of the Old City, including the Palace of the Shirvanshahs and the famous Maiden Tower. During the walk, you will definitely feel that the air here is filled with magic: the sea air, smelling of salt and oil, is mixed with the aromas of oriental spices and traditional food.
13:00 Lunch at «Firuza» restaurant
14:00 After lunch, our acquaintance with Baku is going on with a visit to «Azer Ilme» carpet weaving workshop, where modern national carpets are made. The Azerbaijani carpets spread widely throughout the world due to their beauty and quality. The workshop at the modern technological level contributes to the further development of the traditional art of carpet weaving in Azerbaijan. Our traditional carpet weaving has made an invaluable cultural and material contribution to the treasury of world civilization. Here guests may see the entire process of the carpet creation. In the dye shop, it will be shown how the threads are dyed with natural colorants, and then the carpets are woven from these threads in the weaving shop. After this process, they are washed, dried and ironed. Here you may also get familiarized with the work of restore professionals who carefully repair the old samples of national carpet art.
The «Azer Ilme» gallery presents the best examples of the unique Azerbaijani carpets and rugs. In addition, the gallery owns a shop where everyone may buy a carpet which the liked or a silky scarf. 

     
Day #3 

•    Breakfast at the hotel
•    Exploring the region of Ismayilli with visiting the villages of Lahij and Baskal 
•    Lunch at the traditional restaurant in Lahij
•    Visiting the picturesque village of the craftsmen
•    Visiting the «kelagai» workshop with master class
•    Accommodation at the hotel in Sheki
10:00 Tour to the village of Baskal. We begin our journey to the Ismayilli region, where guests will discover the unique «kelagai» manufacturing process. The Azerbaijani «kelagai» is a traditional women's silk scarf. It has defined the age and social status of the woman: the older the woman, the darker are the colors of her scarf, mostly black or blue, whilst young women wear light-colored scarves, like white, beige or light blue. «Kelagai» is tied in various ways depending on the region. The process of hot dyeing of silk, called «batik», is very complex and has several stages. Our guests will enjoy the work of the «kelagai» masters and also will try themselves in this exciting process. 
Next point of our regional journey is the picteresque village of craftsmen called Lahij. Lahij is a unique monument of Persian urban planning and an architectural object of the Middle Ages. It is a medieval city with cobbled streets and squares, a well-developed water supply and sewerage system. The village is inhabited by tanners, engravers, potters, blacksmiths, wood and metal carvers, who have been passing their knowledge from generation to generation. During the tour guests will also visit an ancient bridge connecting two villages, a 16th-century stone water supply and samples of dwellings from the 19th century with frescoes. We will also visit the local history museum, where ancient carpets and brass items are stored.
13:00 Lunch at a local restaurant upon arrival in Lahij 
 Next on tour is a walk along the village and visit to the workshops of blacksmiths, engravers, potters and other artisans. Guests may also buy some souvenirs or order a thing that will be made on the spot.
After the village of Lahij, the group will move to Sheki for the hotel accommodation. 

Day #4 
•    Breakfast at the hotel 
•    Excursion in Sheki 
•    Visiting Sheki Khans’ Palace and Karvan-Saray 
•    Master classes in «shebeke» and «pakhlava» workshops 
•    Traditional lunch in Sheki
10:00 Acquaintance with the city of Sheki.  One of the most ancient cities of Azerbaijan, Sheki is located at the altitude of 700 m above the sea level, in the southern foothills of the Greater Caucasus. It is famous for the numerous architectural monuments. The city used to be the capital of the Sheki Khanate and was an important staging point on the Great Silk Road. Guests will visit the summer Palace of the Sheki khans, built in the 18th century, with its magnificent frescoes and exquisite handmade window decorations.
One of the main spot of Sheki is the ancient complex called the Upper Karvan-Saray. Karvan-Saray is a historical momument dated 17th century which includes the hotel. As the most karvan sarays, it was built in form of castle with single gate, closing of which made it impregnable during dangerous incidents. Karvan-Saray is a rectangular-shaped with a large inner yard and pool area. 

13:00 Lunch at the traditional Sheki restaurant
14:00 After lunch we will visit the «shebeke» workshop (hand-made murals), the workshop for the production of the famous Sheki pakhlava and the weaving workshop, where the unique local «tek ulduz» technique will be shown. Walking along the streets, guests will also attend various craft workshops.
18:00 Return to the hotel

Day #5
•    Breakfast at the hotel
•    Exploring the Albanian Church in Kish village
•    Return to Baku and accommodation at the hotel 

10:00 Our acquaintance with Sheki goes on with a visit to the Albanian Church, which is located in the village of Kish. According to a legend, it is the first Christian church built not only on the territory of Caucasian Albania, but in the entire Transcaucasia. This place is also remarkable for the burials of people found on the territory of the temple. The structure of their bodies is far different from the current inhabitants of this region. In 2003, the church was renovated with the financial support of the Norwegian government and with the personal efforts of Thor Heyerdahl.
14:00 Lunch in Sheki and return to Baku
19:00 Accommodation at the hotel and free time

Day #6
•    Breakfast at the hotel
•    Excursion to ethnographic open-air museum «Gala» 
•    Master classes on culinary, pottery, blacksmithing and carpet weaving 
•    Lunch at «Gala Bazaar» restaurant 

10:00 Tour to ethnographic museum «Gala», located on the Absheron peninsula. An ethnographic open-air museum «Gala» is about 40-minutes’ drive from Baku, created on the site of archaeological excavations. In the village, which is about five thousand years old, there is a number of neighborhoods that have survived to this day. During the tour, guests will get acquainted with the ancient dwellings, with the life of the past, traditions and methods of farming. However, the most important that it is not just an excursion and introduction to the museum exhibits, but the opportunity of immersion into the real ancient life. At the museum area, guests can bake real bread in «tendir», try themselves in clay pottering and carpet weaving. 
13:00 Lunch at «Gala Bazaar» restaurant
«Gala Bazaar» is a unique creative and historical restaurant, built in the spirit of the Middle Ages. It is a venue for the dance festivals and concerts, as well as for large-scale exhibitions, performances, fashion shows and other events.
 
Day #7
•    Breakfast at the hotel
•    Check-out from the hotel and visit to «Yashil Bazar»
•    Transfer to the airport

After the check-out from the hotel, the group will have a convenient transfer to the Heydar Aliyev international airport. Depending on the time of departure, there is a chance to visit colorful Eastern Bazaar called «Yashil Bazar» or «Green Bazaar». The guests may buy some dried fruits, traditional Azerbaijani tea, nuts and sweets there. 

Contacts:

Shamkhal Alafsarli

Business Development Manager

sales@mice.az

(+99450) 2951157

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