Wow, what a place! This was probably the highlight of our self-drive tour round Azerbaijan. Having managed to avoid the suicidals trying to cross the dual carriageway by dodging cars speeding at 100kph, we were grateful to arrive without incident. We were anxious to return the hire car and, given that Baku is the location for a grand prix event, that the roads are marked out to accommodate this and that local drivers seem to imagine themselves participating in that event, we were keen to give ourselves enough time to get back without having to participate in the imaginary grand prix. We allowed ourselves just two hours, therefore, to take in this site which was a mistake as you can easily spend much longer. The location, looking out over the Caspian and the desolation in the foreground make this an altogether other-worldly experience. It's difficult to imagine life 11,000 years ago on this site.

The state of preservation and the extensive range of petroglyphs here are truly incredible and the information centre does a very good job of explaining what you can see. It is also air-conditioned which was very welcome even at the end of September.

Azerbajian is a great country with a huge range of visual treats from Qobustan to the flame towers to the lower Caucasus. Driving in Baku is at the Naples end of the spectrum ranging from Namibia to Naples but is fine out in the country. The oil money is lavished on architetctural vanity projects in Baku while the E119 to Quba, while scenic, requires some careful evasive action to avoid potholes.

Interesting ancient rock carvings can be found here. Loved the landscape in this world heritage site. A must visit when in the country.

At nearly 64 kms South of Baku stands an Unesco appointed, in 2007, "World Heritage Site" - the "Gobustan Rock Art", an archeological park. The area was discovered between 1939 and 1940 by a local miner and represents the history of humanity, from the Upper Paleolithic era up to the Middle Ages. The rock carvings, known as petroglyphs, represent the flora, fauna, hunting, lifestyles and culture of pre-historic and medieval times. There are over 6,000 rock engravings, covering a period of 40,000 years! As it is not so close to Baku, visiting demands time and planning, and is recommended only to those that are real fans of this type of attraction. A lot of walking and good legs are needed. Enjoy!