CULTURE
Active tourism in Azerbaijan - parachute, paragliding and skiing
Baku, July 26, AZERTAC
Currently, more and more popularity is being gained by tours combining several types of tourism. For example, beach holidays can easily be combined with elements of activity - walking, cycling, uncomplicated mountain climbing, fishing and other activities that allow you to keep yourself toned.
We continue to acquaint you with the most common types of active recreation in Azerbaijan.
Active types of entertainment in the air
Parachute
Parachute jumps have recently become more popular in Azerbaijan. Within the framework of the FAIREX - Federation of Air and Extreme Sports, there are several specialized clubs (Gilavar, RockStone, Ecotourist) that will help everyone to experience the euphoria from skydiving. Depending on your experience and the terrain of a particular area, you can be offered different types of jumps. For beginners, there are single jumps and jumps paired with an instructor.
Jumping, as a rule, is carried out in the Balakan Aviation Center, located in the city of Balakan, 394 km from Baku. International competitions are often held here.
To perform parachute jumps, a club recruits a group in Baku, then sends it to the Balakan Aviation Center, where the newcomers undergo theoretical and practical training lasting 3-5 hours, after which they can jump.
Paraglider
Paragliding, reminiscent of a guided parachute, will be an amazing and breathtaking gift for lovers of outdoor activities and romantics. It's an amazing opportunity to see and shoot a video from the bird's eye view.
The safest way to get up in the air is to fly in tandem with the instructor. Some of the clubs in the FAIREX Federation practice paragliding. Among them are the clubs Gilavar, RockStone, Climb Club, etc. In addition, the possibility to fly a paraglider in tandem with an instructor has recently been available at the Shahdag Tourist Center, located in the Gusar district. Here, from a bird's-eye view, you will discover amazing mountain views.
The starting point of the flight, as a rule, begins on the picturesque slope of one of the numerous hills of Azerbaijan. For example, paragliding is practiced between 30 and 60 kilometers of the Baku-Shemakha highway, in the Zagatala, Gusar and other regions of the republic.
The paraglider, managed by a certified instructor, plans 20-30 minutes and soft landing at the selected point.
To independently manage the paraglider, you must have a license. Clubs in the FAIREX federation also conduct training, after which a license for self-management of the paraglider is granted.
You can also try a flight on a paraglider equipped with an engine, which implies greater flight maneuverability.
Hang-glider
Another invention of aeronautics is a hang glider. A convenient device designed for two people - a pilot and a passenger. You can contemplate the beauty of the landscape while an experienced instructor manages the flight. The hang glider will help to make a unique excursion - across the sky and see the beauty of Azerbaijan from a bird's eye view. This type of active entertainment is practiced in such clubs of the FAIREX federation as Simurg, Gilavar, Berkut, etc.
Active types of entertainment on land
Ski holidays
In general, on Absheron peninsula, where Baku is located, winters are moderate with an average temperature of 4-6 degrees Celsius. Those who want to feel all the delights of the winter holidays in Azerbaijan are directed, first of all, to the regions, in particular, to the mountainous regions of the Gusar and Gabala regions. There are two obligatory international resorts - Shahdag and Tufandag, where all the conditions for winter tourism are created.
These mountain resorts are topical all year round, offering a full range of winter entertainment - from swift descents on skis and snowboards to leisurely walks in the surrounding hills and cable car trips.
Shahdag Tourist Center
The first ski resort in Azerbaijan - Shahdag Tourist Center, worthy of the best epithets. Here you can conduct international competitions in winter sports, as well as relax at any time of the year. On its huge territory there are 5 hotels, 14 ski slopes of different difficulty level, lifts and cable cars, ice rink, ski rental point, ski school, cafes, restaurants and other tourist facilities. And at the very top of Shahdag mountain, at an altitude of 2500 meters, the construction of the rotating Mountain Top restaurant is completed, where visitors can get on cable cars.
The first guests who want to go skiing, the complex takes already from the beginning of November, and the winter season closes only with the onset of April.
Tufandag Ski Resort
Located 4 km from the city of Gabala in a picturesque area, Tufandag Ski Resort is not inferior to the Shahdag Tourist Center. There are many ski runs designed for beginners and professionals, cable cars, a ski school, a ski rental point, a sports goods shop, cafes, restaurants, fashionable hotels, etc. Snow cover, if necessary, is supported by installations for the production of artificial snow.
The Tufandag Ski Resort is able to serve during the day more than 3 thousand people.
Emil Eyyubov