How about a trip to Azerbaijan

While hilly and mountainous, eastern Azerbaijan is also a land of wide open spaces and near-desert conditions during the summer in the lower elevations. Vegetation is low-lying and tall trees are virtually non-existent given the windy conditions which prevail. The far east is dominated by the coastline with the worlds largest inland body of water, the Caspian Sea and where you’ll find the country’s rapidly modernising capital, Baku. The far north east is the lowest reaches of the Caucasus Mountain range and here you’ll find steep sided high hills and mountains, snow-capped peaks in winter and deep valleys. The west of Azerbaijan is a land of mountains, valleys, forested foothills and few large settlements. Travelling here in winter is very difficult and often requires advanced planning and 4-wheel drive vehicles, but in summer, if you can find some well-paved roads, can be a real treat. The largest town in the region lies in the northwest, Ganja, a historic town with significant connections to past geographical ties to both Russia and Georgia and with a large number of traditional and religious buildings from numerous faiths