Candy Cane Mountains (Khizi)

About this place

Astonishing hills in the Khizi district north-west of Baku, their slopes striped in red, pink, white and grey clay, like a striped candy cane, which gives them their popular name. The colours come from layers of clay rich in iron oxides, exposed by millions of years of erosion. It is open, natural ground with hardly any facilities, where visitors walk among the coloured hills and climb their low summits for photos; the colours are strongest in morning and late-afternoon light and after rain, when the red deepens. The road there passes the grey Khizi mountains and red rocks, so the whole area is a photographer's delight. There is no entry fee. It is far from services, with no shade or water, so bring water, food and a hat. The clay is very slippery after rain, and the last dirt track needs a four-wheel drive or a driver who knows it. Do not walk along the sharp, crumbly ridges. The drive from Baku takes about an hour and a half to two hours, so make it a half-day trip; spring and autumn suit it better than the summer heat.