Overall, everything was excellent. We visited all the attractions, and the scenery was beautiful. However, the lunch spot was at least twice as expensive as normal. I didn't pay much attention at the time because I was really hungry, and the restaurant had a stunning view! But after all the tours were over, the guide took us to local gift shops. I looked around, didn't find anything I liked, and tried to leave. He pulled me back in, started showing me things, and insisted I had to buy something, refusing to let me go. His tone and attitude were very firm. I figured that place was at least a three-hour drive from the city center, so I reluctantly bought something. But then I thought, if I hadn't bought anything at the restaurant during lunch, he probably would have been very angry too. So, my conclusion is that the rest of the trip offered good value for money, and the scenery was lovely. If you only go to the Shahdag resort and then leave the group to stay there, it's actually fine. But if you're just doing a day tour, the extra expenses are a bit excessive, and somewhat mandatory. Although he didn't explicitly say I 'must' buy, his expression and attitude made me feel like something bad would happen if I didn't… If you're considering going, proceed with caution! And the most annoying thing was that after forcing us to buy all those gifts, the guide specifically emphasized that we should give a five-star review! He even threatened us, though maybe it was just a joke. Anyway, he said if we didn't give a five-star review, he would find us using various methods 😂. Actually, spending the day with the guide was quite pleasant, but once we got to the gift shop at the end, he completely changed.
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