Khizi and the Candy Cane Mountains: Azerbaijan’s Most Photographed Route
They look painted. Red and white striped hills along the road to Quba — as if someone decided to turn a mountain slope into a confectionery masterpiece. That is exactly what British travel writer Mark Elliott called them in his guidebook Azerbaijan with Excursions to Georgia: Candy Cane Mountains. The name went viral across millions of Instagram posts worldwide. Today, Khizi is one of the most popular day trips from Baku — and a rental car from Karavan Rent A Car in Baku is the only realistic way to get there. Public transport does not reach the mountains themselves.
Table of Contents
- What the Candy Cane Mountains are and where the name came from
- Geology in two minutes: why the mountains are striped
- What else to see in the Khizi district
- How to get there: route, timing and road tips
- Best time to visit and photograph
- Practical tips: what to bring
- Which vehicle to choose for this route
What the Candy Cane Mountains are and where the name came from
There is no official name for them. On maps — simply terrain in the Khizi district. The local name is Qırmızı dağlar (“Red Mountains”). The international name — Candy Cane Mountains or Candy Cane Hills — appeared in Mark Elliott’s guidebook and has since become the standard reference for tourists worldwide.
The striped hills run along the Baku–Quba highway in the Khizi and Siyazan districts. They do not form a single mountain — they are a series of separate hills and exposed rock formations that appear periodically on both sides of the road. The total area with characteristic striped coloring spans around 400 km². The most vivid and photogenic sections are concentrated at several specific points.
Geology in two minutes: why the mountains are striped
This is not volcanic lava, not paint, and not a natural quirk. The striped pattern is the result of geological processes millions of years in the making.
The hills are composed primarily of fine-grained sedimentary shale dating back to the Cretaceous Period. The vivid red and ochre colouring comes from iron-rich layers: when iron compounds are exposed to oxygen, they oxidise — producing the familiar rust-red colour. The pale white and cream stripes are layers low in iron, which remained light.
These rocks formed on the floor of an ancient sea. The evidence is still there: belemnites — fossils of prehistoric squid-like marine creatures — can be found directly in the shale slopes. Walk across the surface and you may pick up a piece of rock bearing the imprint of a creature that lived 100 million years ago.
A similar geological phenomenon exists in only one other place on Earth — Death Valley in the United States. This makes the Khizi Candy Cane Mountains not merely a beautiful landscape, but a geological rarity of planetary significance.
What else to see in the Khizi district
The mountains are the centrepiece of the route — but not the only reason to come. The Khizi district offers several additional stops that transform a simple day out into a genuinely layered journey.
Altyagach National Park — green contrast after the red. Eight kilometres from the town of Khizi, the Altyagach National Park begins. After the red striped hills — dense deciduous forest, walking trails, a small zoo and a cable car to a viewpoint. Entrance fee: 2 AZN. Perfect for families with children and anyone who wants to combine geological tourism with hiking.
The town of Khizi. The administrative centre of the district sits on the southern slope of the Greater Caucasus. Here stand the house-museums of two outstanding Azerbaijani literary figures: Jafar Jabbarli, founder of Azerbaijani drama, and the poet Mikail Mushfig. For those interested in Azerbaijani culture beyond the tourist surface, this is a rare opportunity.
Soviet cinema. The surroundings of Khizi served as a filming location for the Soviet adventure film The Headless Horseman (1973). The recognisable landscapes still attract fans of the film.
How to get there: route, timing and road tips
The distance from Baku to Khizi is 104 km on the Quba highway. Driving time is approximately 1.5 hours depending on traffic and stops.
An important detail: the Candy Cane Mountains are not located at one specific point. The striped hills appear along the entire road as you approach Khizi. Several of the most vivid and accessible sections are marked in Organic Maps and Maps.Me as “Candy Cane Mountains” or “Qırmızı dağlar”. Download an offline map of the region before setting out — mobile signal on some stretches of the highway is inconsistent.
| Time | Stop | What to do | Distance from Baku |
|---|---|---|---|
| 06:30–07:00 — departure | Baku | Early start to catch golden hour | — |
| 08:00–09:30 | Candy Cane Mountains (first sections) | Dawn photography, walk across the shale slopes | ~80–100 km |
| 09:30–11:00 | Altyagach National Park | Cable car, viewpoint, forest trails | ~104–112 km |
| 11:30–12:30 | Town of Khizi | Jabbarli and Mushfig house-museums, local market | ~104 km |
| 13:00–14:30 | Lunch on the route | Goat meat, sturgeon shawarma — local specialities | Along the way |
| 15:00–16:30 | Return to the mountains (evening light) | Second photography session in late afternoon light | ~80–100 km |
| 17:00–18:30 | Baku | Return journey | ~104 km |
Road tip: The Baku–Quba highway is a well-maintained asphalt road. The turn-offs to the mountains themselves are dirt tracks of varying quality. Most standard sedans handle the accessible sections fine. For deeper exploration or off-season travel, a crossover is significantly more comfortable. For more on driving the north of Azerbaijan in a rental car, read our dedicated guide on a journey to the north of Azerbaijan.
Best time to visit and photograph
Golden hour is your primary tool. At low sun angles — at dawn and in the first hours after sunrise, or in the hour before sunset — the red and white stripes achieve a saturation that is simply impossible to reproduce in midday light. Those photographs you saw on Instagram and assumed were heavily processed? Taken in natural morning or evening light with no filters.
By season:
- Spring (March–May) — the best contrast: red mountains against green grass. Clean air, comfortable temperatures.
- Autumn (September–October) — golden tones of vegetation add depth. Still warm enough to be comfortable.
- Summer — hot, vegetation burns dry. An early start at 06:00 compensates for the heat.
- Winter — rare snowfall over the red and white stripes creates a completely unique image. Roads can be challenging.
Drones. The Candy Cane Mountains are one of the few locations in Azerbaijan where drone photography is essentially unrestricted (away from settlements, airports and military zones). From the air, the full scale of the striped pattern becomes visible in a way that ground-level photography simply cannot capture.
Practical tips: what to bring
There is absolutely no infrastructure at the mountains themselves. No café, no toilets, no shops, no signage. This is not a drawback — it is part of the appeal. You have the place entirely to yourself. But it means coming prepared:
- Water — at least 1.5–2 litres per person, especially in summer
- Food — pack a snack. There are small roadside cafés on the Quba highway, but very few inside the district itself
- Sturdy footwear — shale is slippery and sharp-edged; a solid sole is essential
- Sun protection — the mountains reflect light; protection is needed even in overcast weather
- Offline map — download Organic Maps or Maps.Me with the “Candy Cane Mountains” pin before leaving Baku
- Phone charger / power bank — you will photograph constantly
Which vehicle to choose for this route
The main Baku–Quba highway is excellent asphalt. The turn-offs to the most interesting sections of the mountains are dirt tracks of varying quality.
Sedan — suitable for the standard route along the main highway and the most accessible points near the road.
Crossover — gives substantially more freedom. Possible to turn onto secondary tracks, reach more remote sections of the mountains, and handle rough approaches without concern for the undercarriage. For Altyagach Park’s forest tracks, a crossover is also the better choice.
Four-wheel drive SUV — if you are travelling in the rainy season or planning a serious canyon excursion off the main tracks.
Conclusion
Khizi and the Candy Cane Mountains are a one-day route that creates a memory lasting years. A geological rarity, panoramic viewpoints, dawn light on striped slopes, 100-million-year-old fossils underfoot — all of this within 104 km of Baku. This route cannot be done by bus, cannot be bought in a tour package — it can only be lived independently, at your own pace, stopping wherever you choose.
This is precisely why Karavan Rent A Car in Baku exists. Airport GYD meet-and-greet with a ready vehicle, delivery to your hotel or any address, 24/7 multilingual support, over 400 vehicles from economy to full four-wheel-drive — and complete freedom to go where you want, when you want.
👉 Book your vehicle now at karavan.az — and the Candy Cane Mountains are yours this weekend.
Looking for more routes across Azerbaijan? Visit our Travelers Club — every route we publish is one we have driven ourselves.
