Azerbaijan has one of the highest concentrations of mud volcanoes on Earth — here's where to see them and why they form
Mud volcanoes form when underground gas — often linked to oil and gas deposits — pushes through soft sediment layers, carrying mud and water to the surface in a slow, continuous seep rather than a genuine volcanic eruption. Azerbaijan's position atop significant hydrocarbon reserves explains its unusually high concentration of these formations.
The most accessible and frequently visited example, a short drive from the main Gobustan rock art site. Small conical formations bubble with cool grey mud, and visitors can walk right up to observe (and, per local tradition, sample) the mud.
Beyond Gobustan, Azerbaijan has mud volcano fields scattered across the Absheron Peninsula and further south, some large enough to occasionally produce dramatic gas-ignition flares visible from a distance, though these are less commonly included on standard tourist itineraries.
Unlike true volcanoes, mud volcanoes don't involve molten rock — the process is driven by gas pressure and sediment liquefaction, occurring at much lower temperatures. Azerbaijan's mud volcanoes are considered scientifically significant, studied for insight into similar processes suspected on Mars.