Göygöl National Park

Göygöl Nature Reserve, now a national park, stretches across the northeastern slopes of the Lesser Caucasus. Mountains give way to forests of oak, alder, and black locust, with vines and undergrowth hidden among the shrubs. Its 127 km² support wolves, jackals, foxes, wild boar, and red deer, while trout inhabit the lakes. Established in 1925 to protect subalpine ecosystems, the park remains one of Azerbaijan’s most unspoiled natural areas.

According to legend, Lake Maralgöl was created through the love of a shepherd and the daughter of the khan of Ganja. To win her heart, the young man brought water to a drying lake in the Kapaz Mountains. The spring that appeared there became known as the ‘Khan’s Daughter’s Spring,’ while the lake was named Maral.