Khizi Mountains

One of Azerbaijan’s most scenic routes branches west from the Baku-Guba highway, stretching some 40 kilometres towards the mountain village of Altiaghaj. Roughly halfway along the road, travellers pass through a striking valley framed by hills patterned in vivid bands of red, orange, pink and chalky white.

The British travel writer Mark Elliott, author of the well-known Azerbaijan guidebook, famously dubbed them the “Candy Cane Mountains” - a name that has since gained popularity among visitors. The unusual colouring is said to result from groundwater altering the oxidation levels of iron compounds within the rock, creating the distinctive striped effect.