Xinaliq Khinalig İzzet's Riverside Home Stay

We spend two nights at Izzet’s and it was definitely the highlight of our 11 day Azerbaijan trip. Izzet and his family were very welcoming and we had all our meals at his house. He spoke good English and was extremely knowledgeable about local history and culture. We booked three tour with Izzet: 1. we visited the traditional sheep shepherds: A 45 min ride in an old UAZ jeep-style car that took us up the mountain behind behind Xinaliq village. The ride was a beautiful off-road trip that led us to the shepherds tent where we had tee an learned about the thousand year old customs that they live by. 2. Qriz waterfall: we rode our car through the beautiful mountain landscape to the village “Qriz”. Izzet took us through the history of the village before we started our hike to the waterfall. An easy 5km hike where we learned about the local flora and fauna along the way. The waterfall was in a stunning picturesque gorge and you could take a dip in the cold mountain water. 3. River crossings, waterfall and tea: once again we jumped in a UAZ - this time an old big truck. We rode out from Izzet’s house and made 7-8 river crossing before reaching a stunning waterfall. Izzet educated us about the old Silk Road paths that used to run through the gorge while we had tea with Izzet and our driver. Izzet knew everything about forgotten history of Xinaliq and was more than happy to educate his guests about locals customs and introduce us to interesting local people. The house had everything you need with the highlight being the balcony overlooking the river that runs by the village.

There wasn’t anything that we didn’t like. Go to Izzet if you want to learn about the local culture and history. If you’re looking for luxury, then Xinaliq in general isn’t for you.

Wspaniała rodzina prowadząca guest house. Mieszkaliśmy w małym, prostym domku campingowym ale otoczenie, jedzenie i serdeczność zarówno Izzeta, jego taty, a także małżonek obu panów, była wspaniała. Nigdy nie zapomniny wspaniałych pojedynków w domino z panem domu :) Jedzenie - wyborne. Lokalizacja - w dolnej części wsi jest świetna.

We were excited to visit Khinaliq after seeing so many beautiful pictures, but staying at Izzet's homestay exceeded all our expectations. The cottage was spacious and comfortable, with two bedrooms, a washroom, and a balcony offering breathtaking views. But what truly made our stay unforgettable was the incredible hospitality of Izzet and his wonderful family. They made us feel completely at home. We enjoyed delicious home-cooked meals every day, spent hours chatting, laughing, and learning about the place from Izzet. This stay was easily the highlight of our trip to Azerbaijan, and we already know we'll want to come back again. If you're visiting Khinaliq, we can't recommend Izzet's homestay enough!

First of all, Izzet accomodated an unusual request of ours: we came by bus to Quba and wanted to leave our luggage and explore the city a bit before going to Khinalug. He arranged for his dad to pick us up at the bus station, who, then, extremely kindly, kept our luggage in the trunk, drove us around, waited a few hours while we walked, and then picked us up again before driving us to Khinalug. The drive included stops to admire the gorgeous views. The room is really cozy with access to a pleasant balcony, and everything is modern. Really soft rug on the floor. Breakfast is good, with homemade bread, cheese, and salad. Dinner is also offered for an additional price. We had a super delicious chicken kebab, but it is different and fresh each night. Also a wonderful occasion to chat with fellow guests and with Izzet, who is exceedingly friendly and insightful. The highlight was going on day trips organized by Izzet, which we were able to split with other guests. On one day, we drove up the river with a truck, then hiked up to a waterfall and dipped into the ice cold water. The next day, he took us to an archeological site and to Khinalug's museum. It was an amazing opportunity to have Izzet as a host and learn about Khinalug, its culture, and its unique language. We ended up even making good friends with other guests, and the day expeditions were a lot of fun. Staying there is my most cherished memory of our time in Azerbaijan, I'd consider it a must.

Our room got quite hot, even in the evening. Opening the window more solved that problem, but it invites bugs to come in. The window also did not lock or even close all the way. One inconvenience is that the shower is right in the middle of the bathroom, so the entire floor gets wet when you shower. A squeegee is available to solve that, but due to the slant, wanter pools in some places and is hard to dry completely. Maybe having some floor rags would make it a bit more practical.