About Us


Our Story


Welcome to Feride Buyuran Tours!

We design unique, highly immersive cultural and culinary journeys built around connecting people and cultures in a most authentic way.

Discover cozy little towns along the Silk Road, eccentric large cities, and far-flung villages nestled in the Caucasus Mountains. Along the way, meet local artisans engaged in art and crafts unique to the region. Savor lively market visits in the countryside, learn how to cook tantalizing regional specialties, and dine with friendly locals around abundant dinner tables in their homes. And of all this with me as your host. Now a U.S. citizen and Long Beach, California, resident, I am a native of Azerbaijan and I want to share with you the culinary and cultural treasures of my homeland.

How did these tours come to be? It all started with my food blog AZCookbook and book Pomegranates and Saffron: A Culinary Journey to Azerbaijan. My readers asked me if I would consider conducting culinary tours to the place where this food originated. That’s how the seed was planted. One thing lead to another and in October of 2017 I made the decision to lead my very first food and culture tour to Azerbaijan and neighboring Georgia.

I sat down and developed a vision – it had to be a unique tour that goes off the beaten path, where a traveler gets to take in the sights, tastes, and rich history of the Caucasus region while learning about a culture through connecting with everyday people. At the same time, I wanted to positively contribute to the lives of the locals. I created an itinerary and after a few months of meticulous work on the details, I was ready to lead my first tour. My vision came alive when a friendly group of culture and food enthusiasts signed up, among them food writer Charles Perry, President of the Culinary Historians of Southern California and former staff writer for the food section of the Los Angeles Times.

During the tour, my travelers marveled at the unique experiences they had on every stop in both countries. Mr. Perry raved about the variety of baklavas he was able to sample in Azerbaijan. Another traveler, Kathy S. Rice, called the trip ‘a once in a lifetime opportunity!’ The tour was such a success!

I hope you join me on my next journey to Azerbaijan and beyond. Together, we will explore the vibrant traditions of an ethnically diverse landscape where East and West are intricately woven into the history, culture, and cuisine, and where hospitality is a way of life. You will receive the warmest welcome everywhere you go. The Caucasus will be your home away from home. That is my ultimate goal.

Happy travels!


~ Feride Buyuran



Our Philosophy



Established in 2017, Feride Buyuran Tours* is a small travel company specializing in food and culture tours to the Caucasus (primarily Azerbaijan, also Georgia).

We are on a mission to build bridges of trust, respect, and understanding across cultures, through food and more, while also promoting Azerbaijan as an authentic culinary and cultural destination with a lot to offer. Our goal for our travelers is to have fun and culturally broadening trips to the largely undiscovered, off-the-beaten-path destinations that allow for full immersion in the local culture in a most authentic way. We do this by drawing upon a deep passion for the Caucasus and our intimate personal knowledge of the region.

We strive to promote sustainable tourism and to design travel experiences that make a positive impact on the local society, economy, and environment. We do so mostly through working with small-scale producer and family-owned establishments, and celebrating remarkable traditions around meals cooked by the locals from their home-grown organic produce. We communicate directly with these suppliers, allowing for the local families and businesses to benefit financially. We keep our groups small as we are aware of the environmental downside of mass tourism.

On our tours, travelers get to meet with community members exceptional in their efforts whether it’s organic farming and revival of forgotten centuries-old wine-making techniques, or keeping traditional recipes from perishing and preserving the otherwise disappearing arts and crafts. Although food is the highlight of most of our tours, our traveler experiences extend far beyond cuisine. In each destination, we explore nature, history, architecture, arts and crafts, folklore, and music. All that embodies the unique culture of the fascinating region is awaiting travelers who have an open mind and heart, as well as an adventurous spirit.

We care for our travelers, our hosts, and the land we impact on our journeys.

*DBA AZ Cookbook