Sheki Khan Plateau is one of the most intriguing natural and cultural sites in Azerbaijan located high above the ancient city of Sheki. The peak is at 2,088 meters high and this amazing place provides the visitor with unique combination of breath taking worldviews, rich heritage and ancient traditions that remain to be a wonder to the visitors and nature enthusiasts.
The plateau stretches in spectacular mountain ranges and lush alpine meadows and offers an unmatched beauty of the scenery. Each twist and turn on its paths leads to a new adventure, rolling green pastures, bright wild vegetation and impressive views that appear to reach the sky. The trip itself is as interesting as the place that is to be visited, the historic Khan Road that goes between the legendary Khan Palace in Sheki, towards the plateau that generations of visitors, shepherds and the heads of the kingdom used to walk over. A modern road, starting at Marxal, today, also leads to this great highland sanctuary.
As the road winds upward through dense forests it will make any visitor arrive with astonishing landscapes which progressively open into expansive alpine landscapes as the altitude ascent hits about 1,700 meters above the sea level. In summer the plateau is an attractive pastoral scene, with shepherds driving their herds over the area, and with domesticated horses grazing the rich mountain grasses in quiet repose. Such customs are a mirror of the lifestyle that has existed centuries since and which still plays a significant role in the rural Azerbaijani history.
The plateau was traditionally very significant to the Sheki khans as a place where their cattle grazed during summer and where they rested to have a peaceful rest and hunt. The plateau is likened to this rich historical intercourse, with the history of the past harmoniously blending with the beauty of the natural world.
Nature lovers are also attracted by the presence of wild raspberries, blackberries, and medicinal plants thriving in the unpolluted mountain climate in the plateau. The abundance of wildlife also creates an extra dimension of beauty to the view, which makes it a heaven on earth to hikers, botanists and photographers.
The views of the Greater Caucasus Mountains are gorgeous, and the visitors are introduced to a panorama of the landscapes at its heights. It is the dominance of high mountains like Seyityurd (3,889 m) and Nohurdagh (3,663 m), Chikhoturmaz (3,561 m), Tislaqhan (3,546 m) and Zandag (2,930 m) creating a majestic backdrop that leaves a lasting impression on all who witness it.
Today Sheki Khan Plateau in Azerbaijan remains to be a living symbol of the harmonious relations between nature, history and culture. Since its ancient pastoral culture to its increased popularity among the modern adventurers and travelers, the plateau still amazes the visitors with its eternal grace and rich history.
To the ones who want to enjoy the tranquility, as well as explore, Sheki Khan Plateau can be the destination, as well as an experience that will stay with them forever, into the very core of the Azerbaijan nature and its history.
Muhammad Ali Pasha
Chairman of The Gulf Observer Research Forum and Owner of “The Gulf Observer” and Sr. Foreign Affairs Expert
