An Unforgettable Horse Ride and a Burning Mountain in Azerbaijan

Back in 2019, I went to Azerbaijan for an Erasmus exchange. At the time, I wasn’t really into photography yet—I didn’t even have a proper camera with me, just my phone. So I don’t have many photos, but I do have a story that’s stuck with me ever since. Honestly, it’s one of the most fun and surreal travel experiences I’ve ever had.

One day, a couple of us women decided to visit a famous natural phenomenon near Baku—Yanar Dag, also known as the burning mountain. It's a place where a flame has been burning continuously for years due to natural gas seeping through the earth. Instead of heading straight to the entrance, we took a short walk around to check out the panoramic views of the fields nearby.

As we turned the corner, we saw two men sitting in the shade, one of them on a horse, smoking a cigarette—it looked like something out of a movie. The man on the horse greeted us warmly and told us he could get us into Yanar Dag without paying the entrance fee. Before that, though, he asked if we wanted to sit on the horse. We were all a bit nervous, but back then, I felt more adventurous—so I said yes!

It was my first time ever on a horse, and I had no idea what to expect. The man helped me up, and before I realized it, he was walking me and the horse deeper into the fields. It was such a surreal and funny moment—me slowly riding away from my friends, not knowing where we were going, just laughing and taking it all in. We passed fields full of goats, the sun was bright, and everything felt like a dream.

Eventually, we came back, and the man led all of us around the paid entrance to Yanar Dag. He showed us some bubbling pits of water nearby and talked about the healing properties of the mineral mud that seeps from the ground. He let us put some on our hands, and we washed it off with water from another spring. It was such a kind and generous gesture—he never asked for any money, just showed us around and let us experience something special.

Before we said goodbye, I also took a photo of the man hugging his horse (see below). That image is still my favorite photo I've ever taken, even though it was just captured on a phone. It holds so much emotion and memory.

Looking back, I feel proud of myself for saying yes to something unexpected. That moment of courage led to one of the most memorable travel stories I have. Here are a few pictures from that incredible day—hope you enjoy this little window into my adventure in Azerbaijan.