Laza, Buduq, Haput: a guide to the mountain villages of Quba and Qusar

In the mountainous parts of the Quba and Qusar districts there are villages a few dozen kilometres apart whose languages, architecture and even farming traditions differ. This is the densest cultural mosaic in the country.

Laza (Qusar)

At the foot of the Shahdag massif, at roughly 1,300 metres. It is a Lezgin village and its surroundings are known for waterfalls — several are reachable on short hikes from the village.

Laza is also a gateway: from here you go up to the Mıxtökən pasture, towards Suvar and into the Kuzun valley. In winter its proximity to the Shahdag resort keeps it busy in every season.

Routes: Qusar, Kuzun–Laza hike, Mıxtökən pasture and the Suvar hike.

Buduq (Quba)

At roughly 2,000 metres, on a dry, exposed slope. The people of Buduq speak their own language — a Northeast Caucasian language limited to this village and a few resettled communities.

Scenically Buduq is different from Xınalıq: less green, more rock, and a wide horizon. There are deep gorges and old cemeteries in the surrounding area.

Qrız and Qalaxudat (Quba)

Two villages close to one another, both built on the edge of a deep gorge. Qrız is a separate language. One of the region's most striking views is here — the village on the cliff edge and the gorge below.

The Qrız waterfall and Məstdərgah peak lie in this direction: Məstdərgah peak and the Qrız waterfall, Qalaxudat–Qrız, the Eh trail, Qrız.

Haput (Quba)

A quieter village, visited less often. It has its own dialect and virtually no tourist flow. People who come here are usually visiting the region for the second or third time.

Xınalıq (Quba)

The best known of them and the one on the UNESCO list — we have devoted a separate article to it: Xınalıq and the transhumance route.

Practical advice

• Roads. The roads to Xınalıq and Laza are paved. Towards Buduq, Qrız and Haput part of the road is dirt or gravel — difficult for an ordinary car after rain. A 4x4 is more reliable for those villages.
• Staying. There are family guesthouses, but not many — call ahead in season.
• Coverage. There is phone signal in the villages, but not between them or in the gorges (more on this).
• Season. June–October. In spring the roads may be open while snow still lies on the higher routes.
• Conduct. These are living villages. Asking permission before photographing houses and people, accepting the tea you are offered and buying something in the shop all change the encounter.

A route suggestion

Two villages are enough for one weekend. Squeezing three or four into a single day means, in practice, sitting in a car — this is not a region to rush.