Alpine valley in western Nakhchivan, high above Bichanak village near the Armenian border.
Batabat is an unpopulated alpine valley in the western part of Nakhchivan, near the Armenian border, high above the quaint, partly wooded village of Bichanak. Locals come here regularly for day trips and barbecues.
The main feature is Batabat Gol (also called Ganli Gol, 'Blood Lake'), on which a couple of large, flat turf islands appear to float. This is less dramatic than it sounds — it can take days for them to move a few metres. Still, the alpine setting, the surrounding meadows of the Shahbuz Nature Reserve, and the views across to the Zangezur range make it a worthwhile detour.
To get there from Nakhchivan, head towards the regional centre of Shahbuz, where you need to sign in at the police station before continuing to Batabat.
Guide
Getting There
There is no public transport up to Batabat. The standard approach is to hire a taxi or driver in Nakhchivan city for the day — the round trip is about 130 km on a mix of tarmac and rough mountain road and takes most of a daylight stretch with time to walk around at the top.
From Nakhchivan head north-east on the M7 to Shahbuz, the regional centre, and then west on the local road that climbs through the Bichanak Pass towards the plateau. Foreign visitors are sometimes asked to register at the police station in Shahbuz before continuing; bring your passport. The road is closed by snow from late November to April, and even in shoulder season a four-wheel drive vehicle is more reliable than a sedan.
