Lerik: Mountains, the Museum of Longevity and Bibiyani Waterfall
A mountain road along the Lankaranchay, the Museum of Longevity, the view from Mount Lerik and a forest waterfall — cool air at 1,100 m.
Photo: Elshad1991 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; Michael Karavanov / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0; Sefer azeri / Wikimedia Commons, CC0; Emin Bashirov / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0; AlexFirstov / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Lerik is the mountain district above Lankaran, in the Talysh Mountains. The town stands at about 1,100 m, so in summer it is cooler and greener than the hot coast — and the road there is part of the trip: the A323 climbs along the Lankaranchay river past Hirkan National Park.
In Lerik you visit the Museum of Longevity: two halls and more than 2,000 items — belongings and photos of more than 50 local people who lived past 100. The best-known name is Shirali Muslimov from Barzavu village who, according to legend, lived 168 years (his age has never been confirmed). Then a long narrow staircase from the main square leads up Mount Lerik (1,271 m) for a view over the town.
In the afternoon we go to Bibiyani waterfall: about 4 km of dirt road to the village, then a 600 m walk through the forest. It is the easiest of Lerik's waterfalls to reach; after rain it is stronger and fog often hangs over the mountains.
Lerik's mountain villages live on dairy and honey: shor (cottage cheese), butter, ayran, herbal tea and honey from Orand village.
Itinerary
- 07:00Pick-up in Baku
- 09:35Lankaran → the A323 mountain road along the Lankaranchay and past Hirkan National Park — photo stops
- 10:45Museum of Longevity in Lerik — 1 h (09:00–18:00)
- 11:50Staircase to the top of Mount Lerik (1,271 m), view over the town — 45 min
- 12:45Lunch — 1 h (with a family in a village by arrangement, or on the way back in Lankaran)
- 14:00Bibiyani waterfall — 1 h 15 min (4 km of dirt road, then 600 m on foot)
- 15:30Departure for Baku via Lankaran (≈ 3 h)
- 19:00Drop-off at your hotel
Included
- Private car with driver for your group (up to 6 people)
- Fuel and parking
- Pick-up from your hotel or address in Baku and drop-off back
- Photo stops and a flexible order of stops
Not included
- Museum of Longevity in Lerik: 2–10 AZN (≈ $1–6)
- Local car on the dirt road to Bibiyani waterfall, if needed — paid on site
- Lunch with a family in a mountain village or in Lankaran
- Licensed guide (on request, extra cost)
Season and warnings
- Best in spring, summer and autumn. In summer Lerik is cooler than the coast — it stands at about 1,100 m.
- The waterfalls flow all year; October is the rainiest month in Lerik.
- Winter trips — on request, after we check the road (there is no reliable data on winter road conditions).
- Galabin waterfall is not in this day: the last ~10 km are only for a 4×4. The Buzeyir cave and the Zuvand area are not included either — they need a local guide, and the border-zone rules are not confirmed.
- In rain the forest path to the waterfall is slippery.
What to bring
- A warm layer — it is cooler at 1,100 m
- Comfortable shoes with a good grip for the staircase and the forest path
- A light raincoat
- Cash in manats for the museum and a local car if needed
What to taste and buy
- Mountain dairy: shor (cottage cheese), butter, milk, ayran.
- Herbal tea from local herbs, cold spring water, pears and apples from the gardens.
- Honey: Orand village is known for beekeeping.
- There are few cafés in Lerik, so lunch is either with a family in a village (by arrangement) or in Lankaran with lavangi.
Other tours
Baku City Tour
Old City and Maiden Tower, Highland Park, Flame Towers, the Boulevard and Heydar Aliyev Center.
Questions & answers
How long is the drive?
About 3 hours from Baku to Lerik via Lankaran; the last hour is the A323 mountain road from Lankaran. Our day is 12–13 hours in total.
Did someone really live 168 years?
That is the legend of Shirali Muslimov from Barzavu village; his age was never confirmed because births were rarely recorded then. The Museum of Longevity shows belongings and photos of more than 50 local people who lived past 100.
Will our car reach the waterfall?
To Bibiyani village there are about 4 km of dirt road, then 600 m on foot. If the road is not good enough for our car after rain, you can hire a local car in the village. Galabin waterfall needs a 4×4 for the last ~10 km, so it is not part of this day.
Where do we eat?
There are few cafés in Lerik. We arrange lunch with a family in a mountain village (shor, ayran, honey, herbal tea) or stop in Lankaran on the way back. Lunch is paid separately.
When is the best time?
Spring, summer and autumn. In summer it is cooler than on the coast; October is the rainiest month.