Short description
Our Turkmenistan tour, crafted through extensive exploration of the country, offers a refined itinerary showcasing its most significant and captivating places and hidden jams.
Our adventure begins in Ashgabat, the capital city, which holds the Guinness World Record for the most marble buildings. We'll explore the archaeological complex of Nisa before venturing to Mary, where we'll discover the "Ancient Merv" complex—a crucial stop on the historic Silk Road. En route, we'll visit Abiverd, one of Turkmenistan's eight historic reserves.
Our next stop is Geok Tepe village, featuring an ancient mosque, the renowned Akhal-Teke horse farm, and Ko-Aitau's underground lake, where we'll swim in warm mineral waters. We'll then spend a night in a guesthouse in the authentic village of Nokhur, near the Iranian border, hosted by a local Turkmen tribe.
Following this, we'll journey to Turkmenbashi, the country's largest port city on the Caspian Sea. We'll also explore the stunning Yangi Kala canyon—a vast expanse of 60-100 meter high rocks in vibrant pink, red, and yellow hues. This hidden gem remains largely undiscovered by tourists.
Our adventure continues with a visit to the fiery Darvaza craters, known as the "Door to Hell" or "Gates of Hell." We'll camp in yurts or tents near the largest crater, enjoying a barbecue on its edge as night falls. On our way, we'll stop at Yerbent, a unique Turkmen village nearly swallowed by the Karakum Desert. From Darvaza, we'll proceed to Kunya-Urgench, a UNESCO World Heritage site boasting monuments from the 11th to 16th centuries. Our journey concludes with a flight from Dashoguz, near the Turkmen-Uzbek border, back to Ashgabat for our return home.
Please note, so far, we haven't had a single case of a rejected visa application.
All photographs featured are from our journeys through Turkmenistan.
Basic Information
Dates: 24 April - 2 May, 2025; 21-29 October 2025;
Duration: 7 nights/8 days;
Group: 6 people;
Program price in Turkmenistan excluding international airfares: 1,995 euros/person;
The price includes:
Guides: Agency guide (Pavel Gospodinov) and a local guide;
Transportation: comfortable air-conditioned bus with a local driver ; 3 domestic flights in Turkmenistan as follows: Mary - Ashgabat; Turkmenbashi - Ashgabat and Dashoguz - Ashgabat; all transfers to/from the airports;
Accommodation: Turkmenistan - Ak Altyn Hotel in Ashgabat or similar (4 stars); Hotel in Mary "Mary" (4 stars) or similar; guesthouse in the village of Nokhur; Deniz Hotel in the resort town of Awaza (4 stars); overnight stay in tents in Darvaza;
Accommodation in hotels is in double/twin rooms with breakfast included.
Food: all breakfasts and dinners;
Entrance tickets: Entrance tickets for all museums and places to visit;
Taxes/insurance: daily tax collected in each hotel or place of stay in Turkmenistan; visa services for issuing a Turkmen visa (excluding the visa itself);
Price does not include:
The immigration fee for Turkmenistan is around $14 and is collected separately at the airport. A Turkmen visa costs $87/€79. Travel insurance can be purchased from your own country or we can arrange it for you. The price does not include lunches and personal expenses.
(1) Flight tickets with Turkish Airlines:
Departure:
Istanbul 20.30 - Ashgabat 02.10;
Return:
Ashgabat 03.30 - Istanbul 05.40;
We can book your flights from any location in the world to Istanbul airport, where the group will meet, or directly to Ashgabat.
Visas and fees:
To obtain a Turkmen visa, you'll need:
• A Letter of Invitation (LOI) from Turkmenistan- we arrange this, and its cost is included in the package price. The LOI takes 14 working days to process. Please provide a clear scanned copy of your passport, two color photos, and a completed visa form (which we'll supply when you sign up).
• The visa itself, which costs $87 and is not included in the package price. You'll obtain this upon arrival at Ashgabat airport.
• $14 for the migration fee, payable upon arrival at Ashgabat airport. This fee is also not included in the package price.
Don't worry—we'll handle all the necessary paperwork for you! So far, we haven't had a single case of a rejected visa application.
This program offers an overview of the key aspects of the trip. If you require customized solutions based on your specific case and circumstances, please contact us via email. We can arrange flight tickets from any location worldwide to the trip's starting point. Furthermore, we can handle hotel transfers and any necessary documents. Our team will provide assistance throughout the entire organization process. Feel free to reach out to us without hesitation via email!
Program
Day 1: Arrival in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan; Nisa
We'll arrive in Ashgabat at night, reaching our hotel around 4 AM (overnight stay included in the price). After resting, we'll embark on a city tour. Ashgabat's main attraction is its vast marble cityscape—the world's largest, earning a place in the Guinness Book of Records. Our itinerary includes visiting the Ertugrul Gazi Mosque and strolling through the capital's parks and squares.
We'll also explore the Turkmenbashi Mosque and Kipchak Mausoleum during our Ashgabat visit. To cap off the day, we'll take a special pre-sunset walk to enjoy the city's stunning nighttime vistas.
Today, we'll explore the archaeological complex of Nisa. Here, we'll witness the remnants of an ancient Persian civilization, including brick structures such as fortifications, palaces, temples, a ceremonial hall, and a treasury for valuable artifacts.
Excavations at Nisa began in the 20th century and are ongoing. It's believed to have been the first capital of the ancient Persian civilization, acting as a bulwark against Roman expansion. The site also served as a crucial trade and communication hub in the region. We'll return to our hotel for the night.
Day 2: Ashgabat - Merv - Ashgabat
We'll depart for Merv (350 km) in the morning.
En route, we'll stop at the ancient settlement of Abiward (or Abi-ward), one of Turkmenistan's eight historical reserves alongside Kunya-Urgench, Nisa, and Merv. Ancient sources describe Abiward as "a city with fertile lands and rich harvests, renowned for its magnificent market and mosque," highlighting its significance as a major center of Northern Khorasan.In the afternoon, we'll reach Merv (near Mary), a 2,500-year-old UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most famous cities on the Silk Road. Our exploration begins with the ancient ruins near Baýramaly town. We'll visit five key sites within this complex: the ruins of Erk Kala and Gyaur Kala, the mausoleums of Sultan Kala and Sultan Ahmad Sanjar, Yusuf Hamadany's tomb, Mohammed Ibn Zaid's mausoleum, and the palaces of Gyz Kala.
Merv was strategically situated at the intersection of four major trade routes: northward to Kunya-Urgench, eastward to Bukhara and Samarkand, southward to Herat, and westward to Mashhad (in modern-day Iran).
We'll spend the night in Mary.
Day 3: Ashgabat - Geok Tepe - Kou Ata - Nokhur Village
This morning, we'll take a domestic flight to Ashgabat. Our bus will be waiting at the airport to drive us directly to Geok Tepe village, renowned for its ancient mosque.
Next, we'll visit an Akhal-Teke horse farm. These magnificent steeds are direct descendants of the Turkoman breed, dating back to 2400 B.C. During the Middle Ages (500–1500 A.D.), Akhal-Teke horses roamed with nomadic tribes around the Kopet Dag mountains. Treated as family members, they were even raised in the nomads' shelters. In the 19th and 20th centuries, Russians prized these horses for cavalry use. Today, they're primarily bred for racing, thanks to their exceptional toughness and resilience—traits inherited from their ancient nomadic upbringing in the isolated Karakum Desert. For those interested, horseback riding is available at an additional cost.
Our next destination is the Kou Ata Cave, home to an underground lake filled with warm mineral water where we can swim. This location is truly unique.
Next, we'll visit the village of Nokhur, nestled near the Iranian border and home to the Turkmen Nokhur tribe. We'll wander its steep streets lined with brick houses. At our guesthouse, we'll enjoy a hearty dinner of local traditional dishes and immerse ourselves in the customs, culture, and daily life of our hosts. We'll spend the night here.
Short text and photos of the unique cemetery in the village
Day 4: Nokhur Village - Turkmenbashi City - Awaza
Today we're heading west towards the Caspian Sea and Turkmenbashi, Turkmenistan's largest city and port. After exploring the city, we'll travel a short distance north to the resort town of Awaza. We'll spend the night in a hotel here, with the option to enjoy the beach or take a leisurely stroll if the weather permits.
Day 5: Awaza - Yangykala Canyon - Ashgabat
After breakfast at the hotel, we'll head to the Yangykala Canyon. We'll drive and hike through this little-known wonder, stopping at various points for photos and panoramic views. The canyon features an extensive area of cliffs 60-100 meters high, painted in striking shades of pink, red, and yellow. This prehistoric site, dating back 5.5 million years, showcases red limestone cliffs—remnants of massive coral reefs from the ancient Paratethys sea.
In the evening, we'll catch a return flight to Ashgabat for an overnight stay at our hotel.
Day 6: Ashgabat - Darvaza
Today, we'll journey to Darvaza. En route, we'll stop at Yerbent, a unique Turkmen village nearly swallowed by the Karakum Desert.
As evening falls, we'll encounter the mesmerizing gas craters. While some are filled with water or mud, all of them bubble with spontaneously escaping gas. The highlight of our journey will be reaching the largest gas crater. These natural wonders are most spectacular at night when their fiery eruptions illuminate the darkness. We'll enjoy a picnic beside the crater and spend the night camping in tents or traditional yurts, immersed in this otherworldly landscape.
Day 7: Darvaza - Kunya-Urgench (UNESCO)
After breakfast, we'll visit Kunya-Urgench, a UNESCO World Heritage site on the left bank of the Amu Darya River. Once the capital of the Khorezm region within the Achaemenid Empire, the old town boasts monuments primarily from the 11th to 16th centuries. These include a mosque, caravanserai gates, fortresses, mausoleums, and a 60-meter minaret. These structures represent exceptional architectural and craftsmanship achievements, influencing styles as far as Iran and Afghanistan.
Following our exploration, we'll travel to Dashoguz, near the Uzbekistan border. From there, we'll catch an evening flight to Ashgabat. We'll enjoy dinner before heading to the airport around midnight for an early morning flight to Istanbul. Please note that this overnight stay isn't included in the package price.
Day 8: Flight back to Istanbul and your home country
Our return flight departs at 03:30 in the morning.
How to join us
Please email us for more information about this trip or to sign up. We'll respond promptly and keep you updated on all organizational details. If you're a group of 5–8 people, we can discuss dates that suit you. You can also join the list for future trips—just send us your names. It's that simple!
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