Qusar, Azerbaijan — a guide to the town at the foot of Shahdag

Updated: September 2026

Qusar (also spelled Gusar, or Kusary in Russian) is a town in northern Azerbaijan at the foot of the Greater Caucasus, and the centre of the district of the same name. It lies about 180 km from Baku and 29 km from Shahdag Mountain Resort. Azerbaijan's highest peaks, Bazarduzu (4,466 m) and Shahdag (4,243 m), are in Qusar district.

Where is Qusar, Azerbaijan?

Qusar district is in north-eastern Azerbaijan, on the border with the Russian Federation (Dagestan). The district covers 1,542 km² and includes 1 town (Qusar), 1 settlement (Samur) and 88 villages. The district centre lies 690–730 m above sea level (Qusar District Executive Authority).

At the start of 2019 the district had 98,097 residents, 20,745 of them in the town (Qusar District Executive Authority). Qusar is often called Azerbaijan's “Northern Gate”; it became a town in 1938 (shahdag.az). For the exact spot of Qusar Residence on the map, see location and directions.

Qusar, Azerbaijan to Baku: how to get there

By car — about 2 hours

The Baku–Quba–Russian border toll highway, opened on 20 October 2023, is 150 km long with 4 lanes and is 13 km shorter than the old road (APA). The toll section runs from km 52 of the M-1 road to the junction with the Qusar–Khudat road (Report).

By bus

Buses leave Baku International Bus Terminal for Qusar every half hour from 07:00 to 18:00; a ticket costs 6.49 AZN. A taxi from Qusar to Shahdag costs about 10–15 AZN (shahdag.az).

Things to do in Qusar

Shahdag Mountain Resort — the ski resort 29 km from Qusar

Shahdag, 29 km from Qusar, is Azerbaijan's main ski resort: 37 runs, 45 km of pistes, 20 lifts and altitudes from 1,435 to 2,552 m (shahdag.az). In 2025 the resort welcomed 300,000 visitors, 10% more than the year before (Report). In March 2026 it hosted the European Ski Mountaineering Championships (idman.biz).

Laza village and its waterfalls

Laza, a village at the foot of Shahdag, and its waterfalls are among the most visited places around Qusar in summer. The drive from Qusar town takes about 30 minutes; the new Laza road to Shahdag also runs this way.

The Qusarçay river and forests

The Qusarçay river and the forests around the town are Qusar's everyday scenery: from town you see mountain peaks, forest and the river valley. You do not have to go far for walks, picnics or photography.

Living in Qusar: four seasons

Qusar offers a different life in every season: skiing and snow at Shahdag in winter; forests, mountain air and waterfalls in spring and summer. At 2 hours from Baku, the town works both as a permanent home and as a weekend or holiday base.

The town's growth is planned: the “General Plan of Qusar town” is on the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture's list of approved master plans (arxkom.gov.az). The new highway and the rising number of visitors to Shahdag (278,955 in 2024, 300,000 in 2025) make Qusar an attractive location for new residential projects (Trend).

A home in Qusar: Qusar Residence

Qusar Residence is a new residential complex under construction on Heydar Aliyev Avenue in Qusar: 12 buildings on a 2.6-hectare site, 328 apartments (76.68–145.88 m²), an outdoor pool, a 7,800 m² park, 509 parking spaces and 24/7 security. It is 1 minute from the town centre and 20 minutes from Shahdag. Apartments are sold directly by the developer with a 30% down payment and 0% interest instalments for up to 36 months.

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