Laza

Laza sits at around thirteen hundred metres in a bowl below the Shahdag massif, a small village of stone houses with the cliffs rising directly behind it and several waterfalls dropping off them into the valley. It is Lezgin country, close to the Russian border, and the road in follows the river up through gorges. The village works as a base for walking in summer and is close enough to the Shahdag ski area to take some winter traffic, though it remains small and largely undeveloped.

What you actually see

• The waterfalls - several falls dropping off the cliffs directly above the village.
• The stone houses - flat-roofed village architecture set against the rock wall.
• The Shahdag wall - the massif rising behind, snow-covered for much of the year.
• The valley road - gorges and river crossings on the way up from Qusar.

When to go

June to September for walking, when the meadows are out and the passes are clear. December to March brings snow and the nearby resort traffic. Spring meltwater makes the falls strongest and the road worst.

Honest expectations

There are two villages called Laza in the region and they are frequently confused; this is the one above Qusar. The road is rough and unsuitable for a low car after rain. Accommodation is guesthouse level and English is rarely spoken.

Nearby

Shahdag Mountain Resort is over the ridge, and Qusar is an hour down the valley.