Azerbaijan – June 2025

Azerbaijan is, perhaps, a country overlooked by many or, most likely, peered down from 30000ft on the way to popular Asian destinations such as India, Thailand and Vietnam. However, when viewed from the ground, the nickname of “the land of fire” very much plays true with the various geographical phenomenons including the Fire Mountain and various mud volcano sites.

In terms of accessibility for wheelchair users, Azerbaijan is a mixed bag. However, one feels that Baku is one of the most easiest cities to navigate in the Caucasus region. Granted, the lack of drop kerbs makes it difficult to navigate on foot (with the exception of pedestrianised areas including Nizami Street), however, the wide availability of wheelchair accessible London cab taxis means that one can roll in and go wherever they please. For example, when walking to the iconic Flame Towers, one suddenly decided to catch a taxi for the remainder of the journey, it took under 10 minutes to hail an accessible taxi.

The majority of drivers are very willing to assist with ramps etc and will not charge a premium for a wheelchair. One caveat, however is that a large proportion of taxis do not possess floor restraint equipment despite the tie down points being present (courtesy of the UK legislation). Instead, they recommend that you position the wheelchair side on against the seats which can be tricky without damaging the vehicle! This can easily be remedied by bringing your own floor restraints.

As one discovered, providing that the price is right, drivers are happy to transport you to a large proportion of the country. In addition, it is clear that accessibility is slowly being improved at tourist hotspots hence, if one is looking for an adventure, why not consider Azerbaijan?

The original plan for today was to simply visit Yanar Dag, however, when booking accessible transportation with hotel, they made us aware that it was possible to hire a London cab for the entire day for an additional cost.

One took this offer as it was therefore possible to visit 2 other sites around the Baku area, the first one being Gobustan National Park. One of the notable points of interest within said park is it’s mud volcanoes. As with many geographical phenomenon’s, the site has been transformed into a tourist attraction complete with a gift shop and restaurant. Local disabled individuals can enter for FREE but foreigners must pay. However, the recent renovation means the majority of the site is now wheelchair accessible…

This accessibility extends to the actual mud volcanoes thanks to a circular path leading down from the visitor centre…

In addition, the restaurant (also wheelchair accessible) contains breathtaking views of the National Park…

Azerbaijani cuisine appears to be difficult to seek around the Candy Cane Mountains hence one ended up in the country’s second largest city, Sumqayit. In contrast to Baku, the shores of the Caspian Sea are full of beaches and restaurants, much like your average seaside city.

The only thing that separates this beach to the likes of Benidorm is that one is able to drive a vehicle straight onto the sand from the main road. Of course, one can drive as close to the waters edge as they wish (at their own peril!). This makes it perfect for individuals who are unable to walk long distances and wheelchair users (if the thing can withstand beaches)…

Unfortunately, no sign of beach wheelchairs, perhaps in the future.

Prior to visiting Azerbaijan, one had booked a rental car with the vision of visiting the Azerbaijani village of Lahich in the Greater Caucasus. However, there has been one slight issue this week in that London Gatwick misplaced the manual wheelchair meaning that Superbunny is the sole method of movement. Of course, an electric wheelchair is near impossible to fit in a conventional rental car hence a rethink was necessary.

The Candy Cane Mountains (named after the mountains colours) form part of Greater Caucasus range and are easily accessible thanks to the road which winds it way adjacent. This is perfect if one only wishes to walk a short distance…

The districts of Azerbaijan where the Candy Cane Mountains are located also contain various settlements if one wishes to experience village life or a road trip!