Short description
This journey explores some of Central Asia's most extraordinary places—the Karakalpakstan region with the Aral Sea, the Ustyurt Plateau in Uzbekistan, and nearly all of Turkmenistan to the Caspian Sea. Our adventure begins in Karakalpakstan, flying into Urgench. From there, we'll journey by jeep across the dried-up Aral Sea bed to reach its remaining waters, spending the night in yurts along the shore. We'll traverse the breathtaking Ustyurt Plateau and visit the renowned Savitsky Museum in Nukus, Karakalpakstan's administrative capital.
Crossing into Turkmenistan, we'll travel by private transport reserved for our group, including two domestic flights and a night train from Ashgabat to Turkmenbashi on the Caspian coast. We'll discover Ashgabat—the world's record holder for most marble buildings according to Guinness—and explore the archaeological complex of Nisa. Our journey continues to Mary, gateway to Ancient Merv, a crucial stop along the historic Silk Road.
Our adventure continues to the spectacular Darvaza gas craters. We'll camp in yurts or tents near the largest crater, enjoying an evening barbecue under the stars. En route, we'll visit the desert village of Yerbent, offering a glimpse into traditional Turkmen life.
From Ashgabat, we'll take a night train to Turkmenbashi, the country's main Caspian Sea port. Our journey then leads through the stunning Yangi Kala canyon, where 60-100 meter rock formations display striking pink, red, and yellow hues—an untouched marvel that few travelers ever see. We'll spend the night in the nearby city of Balkanabat.
The tour includes visits to Geok Tepe's historic mosque and Akhal-Teke horse farm, followed by a refreshing swim in the mineral waters of Kou Ata underground lake. We'll also explore the authentic village of Nohur, situated near the Iranian border.
All photos and travelogues are from our journey to Turkmenistan and Karakalpakstan in Uzbekistan.
Optionally, the trip can be extended by one or two days with a visit to Khiva (UNESCO) in Uzbekistan and/or Kunya-Urgench (UNESCO) in Turkmenistan, which are located in the area.
Basic Information
Dates: 15-26 April 2025; 15-26 May 2025; 16-27 September 2025;
Duration: 10 nights/12 days;
Group: 6 people;
Program price in Turkmenistan excluding international airfares: 2,330 euros/person;
The price includes:
Guides: Agency guide and a local guide;
Transport: comfortable bus transportation according to the program; jeep and bus transport in Karakalpakstan; 2 domestic flights in Turkmenistan: Dashoguz - Ashgabat and Mary - Ashgabat; tickets for the night train Ashgabat - Turkmenbashi; all transfers to/from airports;
Accommodation:
2 nights in a hotel in Nukus, Uzbekistan, 1 night in yurts on the shore of the Aral Sea, 5 nights in 4-star hotels in Turkmenistan; 1 night in a sleeping car; 1 night in a yurt or tent in Darvaza in Turkmenistan;
Overnight stays in hotels are in double rooms with breakfast included. The names of the hotels for each day are noted in the program.
Accommodation in hotels is in double/twin rooms with breakfast included.
Food: Included meals for each day are noted in the program
Entrance tickets: Entrance tickets for 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 meals except those mentioned in the program, as well as personal expenses.
(1) Flight tickets with Turkish Airlines:
Departure:
Istanbul 01.15 - Urgench 07.10;
Return:
Ashgabat 08.15 - Istanbul 10.30;
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 (requirements vary by nationality), 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 Flights from your home to Istanbul or Urgench in Uzbekistan
We can arrange your flights to Istanbul airport where you can join the group. You can also join the group directly in Urgench, Uzbekistan.
Day 2 Arrival in Urgench, Uzbekistan
Istanbul 01:15 – Urgench (Uzbekistan) 07:10
Upon morning arrival in Urgench, our private group bus will take us to Nukus, the administrative capital of Uzbekistan's Karakalpakstan province (150 km, about 2.5 hours). After checking in and resting at our hotel, we'll explore the city, focusing on the Savitsky Museum—one of Central Asia's finest cultural institutions - http://museum.kr.uz/museum/. Note: Museum entrance fee is not included in the total price.
Hotel: 3-star hotel in Nukus;
Meals included: no meals included today;
Day 3 Moynaq, Ustyurt Plateau, and Aral Sea
In the morning, we depart from Nukus to Moynaq, situated on the former shore of the Aral Sea. Here, we'll explore the haunting "Ship Graveyard"—a former port where abandoned ships rest in the sand—and visit the local history museum. Our journey continues to the Ustyurt Plateau, renowned for its striking beauty and otherworldly landscapes.
By late afternoon, we'll reach the remnants of the Aral Sea. Along the way, we'll pause to photograph the magnificent canyons, hills, and distinctive rock formations. We'll spend the night in a specially arranged yurt camp.
Hotel: yurt camp;
Meals included: breakfast and dinner;
Day 4 Kurgancha Kala, Kungrad, Urga, Lake Sudochie, and Historical Sites
We rise early to capture the stunning Aral Sea landscapes at dawn.
After breakfast, we board our jeeps and drive to the 13th-century village of Kurgancha Kala. Our next stop is Kungrad, a historic Silk Road trading center. En route, we'll discover the remains of an old lighthouse and explore the ruins of Urga settlement. At Lake Sudochie, we'll visit a fascinating abandoned village once home to Old Believers of Russian, German, and Polish descent, complete with its cemetery and deserted fish factory. Our final stop is the impressive Gyaur-Kala fortress. As evening approaches, we return to our hotel in Nukus.
Hotel: 3-star hotel in Nukus;
Meals included: breakfast;
Day 5 Crossing the border into Turkmenistan
Today we cross from Uzbekistan into Turkmenistan through one of two available border checkpoints. We'll arrive in Dashoguz, a Turkmen city close to Nukus and the border. From there, we'll take a domestic flight to Ashgabat, where we'll spend the night.
Hotel: AkAltyn hotel (4 stars);
Meals included: breakfast;
Day 6 Tour of Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan; Nisa
Our exploration begins at the stunning Ertogrul Gazi Mosque as we stroll through the capital's parks and squares. The city's crown jewel is its vast marble architecture—the largest collection of marble buildings in the world, recognized by the Guinness Book of Records.
We'll then visit the magnificent Turkmenbashi Mosque and Kipchak Mausoleum. As day turns to dusk, we'll take a special walking tour to capture Ashgabat's breathtaking evening panorama.
Today we will visit the archaeological complex of Nisa, featuring well-preserved brick remains of fortifications, palaces, temples, a ceremonial hall, and a treasury vault. The site belonged to an ancient Persian civilization that shared notable similarities with Roman and Greek cultures. Its magnificent architecture reflects the immense wealth and power of both secular and religious authorities of the time. Archaeological excavations, which began in the 20th century, continue to this day. Nisa is believed to have been the first capital of this ancient Persian civilization, which flourished along the Kopet Dag mountain range in modern-day Turkmenistan and Iran. The city served as both a barrier against Roman expansion and a vital trade and communication hub in the region.
Here are the most interesting places in Ashgabat, most of which we will visit.
Hotel: AkAltyn hotel (4 stars);
Meals included: no meals included today;
Day 7 Ashgabat - Merv
We'll depart for Merv (350 km) in the morning.
In the afternoon, we will visit Merv (near Mary), one of the most famous cities along the Silk Road. This 2,500-year-old site is a UNESCO World Heritage treasure. The complex encompasses five significant sites: the ruins of Alexandria Margiana (Erk Kala) and Antiochia Margiana (Gyaur Kala), the mausoleums of Sultan Kala and Sultan Ahmad Sanjar, the tomb of Yusuf Hamadany, the mausoleum of Mohammed ibn Zaid, 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.
Merv served as a crucial hub where four major trade routes intersected: northward to Kunya-Urgench, eastward to Bukhara and Samarkand, southward to Herat, and westward to Mashhad (in present-day Iran).
Hotel: Hotel Margush or Hotel Mary (3 stars);
Meals included: breakfast;
Day 8 Ashgabat - Darvaza (225 km)
This morning we have a domestic flight to Ashgabat.
In the afternoon, we depart for Darvaza, stopping at the unique village of Yerbent—a settlement nearly engulfed by the Karakum Desert.
As evening approaches, we'll encounter the famous gas craters along our route. These remarkable formations contain either water or mud, all bubbling with naturally escaping gas. Taking a dirt road, we'll reach the largest crater. Since the eruptions are most spectacular after dark, we time our arrival for late evening. We'll enjoy a picnic dinner beside the crater and spend the night in tents or yurts under the desert sky.
Hotel: tents or yurts by the crater;
Meals included: breakfast and dinner;
Day 9 Return to Ashgabat and Night Train to Turkmenbashi
Today we return to Ashgabat, where we'll have time to rest at the hotel and refresh ourselves with a shower or sauna. In the late afternoon, we head to the station to board our overnight train to Turkmenbashi, a city on the shores of the Caspian Sea. The journey promises to be comfortable in well-appointed sleeping cars. This unique train route offers stunning morning views along the Caspian Sea before arriving at a beautifully renovated station near the city center—a peculiar station that exclusively serves this single train line.
Hotel: night train;
Meals included: breakfast;
Day 10 Turkmenbashi - Yangi Kala Canyon - Balkanabat (350 km)
We'll start with a morning walk through Turkmenbashi. At noon, we'll depart for Yangi Kala Canyon, where we'll explore on foot and stop at various viewpoints for photography. This hidden gem remains largely unknown to the outside world. The vast canyon features stunning cliffs rising 60-100 meters high, painted in shades of pink, red, and yellow. Dating back 5.5 million years, the site's red limestone rocks are actually remnants of ancient coral reefs from the prehistoric Parateis Sea.
By evening, we'll reach Balkanabat—a city with its own unique character. We'll spend the night here.
Hotel: Hotel Margush or Hotel Mary (3 stars);
Meals included: breakfast and lunch;
Day 11 Nokhur Village, Kou Ata Cave, Geok Tepe and Horse Farm - Ashgabat (390 km)
Today we travel by bus to the village of Nokhur near the Iranian border, home to the distinctive Nokhur Turkmen tribe. We'll visit the ancient plane tree beside the local market, where herbs and traditional products are sold. As we explore the village's steep streets lined with adobe houses, we'll immerse ourselves in local life. In the evening, we'll enjoy a traditional dinner at our guesthouse, learning about our hosts' customs, culture, and daily routines while staying overnight with them.
The unique cemetery in the village of Nokhur, Turkmenistan
Our journey continues to the remarkable Kou Ata cave, featuring a therapeutic underground lake with warm mineral waters perfect for swimming.
Finally, we visit the village of Geok Tepe to see its historic mosque and the renowned Akhal-Teke horse farm. Here, they breed one of the world's oldest horse lineages, believed to be direct descendants of the ancient Turkoman breed that dates back to before 2400 B.C.
In the evening we return to Ashgabat. Overnight at the hotel.
Hotel: AkAltyn Hotel (4 stars);
Meals included: breakfast;
Day 12 Departure from Ashgabat
See schedule.
Map
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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