… Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan
01.07.2009 – 19.07.2009
Drove from Tbilisi via Yerevan to Nagorno-Karabakh. All visas at the border.
Exited to Iran (prior visa required) at Meghri. Flew from Teheran via Baku to Naxcivan. Beautiful Caucasus Mountains.
Then crossed from Naxcivan into Turkey at Aralik (towards Igdir, at the foot of Mount Ararat, following the Aras River).
Got a professional grilling from the Turkish border guards: “Only 1 or 2 Westerners cross this border per year.”
Beware: This is a hot border and war zone. Do not make it visible to Azerbaijan (or Turkey) that you have been to Karabakh!
Best Hotel in Tbilisi: Marriott *****
Best Hotel in Yerevan: Marriott *****
Best Hotel in Stepanakert: Hotel Armenia ****
Best Hotel in Baku: Park Hyatt *****, Alternative: Excelsior *****
Best Hotel in Naxcivan: Hotel Tabriz ***
Welcome to Georgia …
Armenia. Downton Erevan (Wikipedia)
Mount Ararat behind, Naxcivan south, Armenia north, closed borders and red tape everywhere
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. One of the few cases where you can get the visa downtown after entering the country.
Karabakh Monuments
Baku Airport, flying to Naxcivan, hometown of President Haydar Aliyev, here written in Azeri alphabet
Naxcivan Airport
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