Arrival at Farap border. After exiting Uzbek border, use 2 shuttle transfers (each transfer costs $1 per person) to reach the Turkmen border. Meet your guide and complete arrival formalities (COVID19 test, visa stamp, declarations form and customs). The border crossing might take 1.5-2 hours, depending on the number of travelers and arrival time. Transfer to Turkmenabat city for lunch (optional), 40-50 minute drive.

After lunch we will take a 4-5 hour drive to Mary city.

Arrival and hotel check-in. The rest of the day is free at your leisure.

Dinner and overnight in Margush or Mary hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel and check-out. In the morning we will take 40 minute drive to Bayramali to visit Ancient Merv, known as “Maru Shau Jahan” – “The Queen of Cities” (UNESCO World Heritage Site). The tour will include:

• Sultan Sanjar Mausoleum (the last Sultan of the Great Seljuk Empire)

• Yusuf Hamadani Mosque (Yusuf Hamadani was one of the most influencial Sufi masters whose teachings spread across Central Asia)

• Erk gala (was founded in the 6th century BCE; in the 3rd century BCE it became the citadel for the larger Hellenistic city of Antiochia/Margiana)

• Sultan gala (built in between 800-1400 AD, Sultan–Kala offers to explore the mudbrick work of Seljuk fortifications)

• Great and Small Gyz kala (7th-12th centuries), known as “Ladies Fortress”. One of the most well-preserved fortresses made from mud bricks.

• Mohammad ibn Zayd Mausoleum (the leader of the Shia movement against the Abbasid Caliphate)

After the tour in Merv we will stop for lunch at “Ancient Turkmen Hearth” guesthouse where you can watch Turkmen traditional activities like making “pishme”, embroidery, felt making, ride a camel and enjoy the folk show (folk show at additional cost – $50).

After lunch, we set out for a 3.5 hour journey to Ashgabat via the newly built highway through the Eastern Karakum desert. 2 possible pit stops on highway.

Arrive in Ashgabat by the evening and transfer to the hotel for check-in.

Dinner at a local restaurant.

Overnight in Ashgabat.

Breakfast at the hotel.

The first half of the day will be dedicated to history of Turkmenistan. We start off by visiting the State Museum of History and Ethnography where you can take a close look at exclusive ancient artifacts and treasuries from different historical and archaeological sites of Turkmenistan.

Next, we drive to Bagir village to explore the ruins of Old Nisa Fortress (UNESCO World Heritage Site), located 15 km from Ashgabat city center. The earliest of Parthian Empire capitals (III c. BC – III c. AD). Located in an atmospheric area at the foot of the Kopet-Dag Mountains. Archaeological excavations in two parts of the site have revealed richly decorated architecture, illustrative of domestic, state and religious functions. Situated at the crossroads of important commercial and strategic axes, this powerful empire formed a barrier to Roman expansion while serving as an important communication and trading center between East and West, North and South.

Lunch at a local restaurant in Bagir or Chuli (optional).

Continue driving along the Kopetdag mountains to Geokdepe city to see the Akhal Teke horses – the pride Turkmen nation. On the way to Geokdepe we will pass by a newly constructed “smart” city called “Arkadag” with a possible short stop for pictures. The village was once the site of the biggest battle for Russian domination in Central Asia in the late 19 c. We will be warmly greeted by Ashir Aga, the owner of the “Arkadash” private stud-farm and you will have a chance to see, feed and ride the unique breed of Turkmen Ahal-Teke horses. After spending some time at the stud-farm we return back to Ashgabat.

On the way to Ashgabat we will make a stop in Kipchak village to see an impressive complex consisting of the biggest single-domed mosque in Central Asia “the Spiritual Mosque of Turkmenbashi” and the family mausoleum of the first president of Turkmenistan.

Arrive in Ashgabat in the evening for dinner.

Overnight in Ashgabat.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Today’s tour will be dedicated to the capital of Turkmenistan – Ashgabat, translated from Persian as “the City of Love”. We first visit the Memorial Complex of Ashgabat “Halk Hakydasy” with a collection of monuments dedicated to the victims of WW2, Geokdepe Battle, and the monument to the victims of 1948 earthquake. The complex also includes a museum with three halls inside: diorama of Geokdepe Battle with special light and sound effects that will make you feel like in the center of the battlefield; room dedicated to Turkmens who fell in Great Patriotic War; and a separate exposition hall that has reconstructed pictures of the Ashgabat earthquake and exhibits of documentary chronicles.

Next, we will start highlighting the most iconic landmarks of the city. Drive to “Bagt Koshgi”, translated as “the Palace of Happiness” hill platform with a scenic panoramic view of the city and the rocket shaped “Yyldyz Hotel”.

Drive through lavish streets passing by the Ruhyyet Palace, Parlament, and Olympic City. Arrive in Berkarar Mall, one of the biggest and busiest malls in Ashgabat where we can have lunch.

After lunch, we continue exploring rest of the monuments. Short stops at Monument of Constitution and Alem Cultural and Entertainment Center (awarded the Guinness World Record for the largest indoor Ferris Wheel) ever made. Continue driving along Archabil highway until we reach the giant statue of famous Turkmen poet Magtymguly Pyragy at the foothills of Kopetdag Mountains. On the way back to the city we will have few more stops for pictures by the Bicycle Monument, Arkadag Hotel, the Monument of Neutrality and we end the tour visiting the Independence Park and the monument to the giant book of Ruhnama (translated as the Book of Soul, a book that was written by the first president of Turkmenistan).

Dinner and overnight in Ashgabat.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today we will explore the older part of the city built in Soviet times and then hit the road to the center of Karakum Desert.

Begin a walking tour starting at Ashgabat Park along Magtymguly Avenue. Magtymguly is the oldest and main avenue in Ashgabat, crossing the city from northwest to southeast. Historically, it was called Mervskiy Avenue that ran through the entire city and then merged with the road leading to Merv/Mary. During USSR it was called Svoboda Avenue. Take a walk to the Lenin Square The Monument of Lenin is the only monument that stood the 1948 earthquake that completely destroyed the city. Continue to the “Russian Bazaar” (now known as “Gulistan”), one of the main bazaars of the city since Soviet times and city’s popular landmark. In this bazaar you can shop for dry fruits, sweetest fruits from the fields of Turkmenistan, melons and watermelons that the country is famous for. Also, here you can find nice souveniers, traditional embroideries and Turkmen carpets. Duration of the walking tour – 2-3 hours.

After lunch we get in our SUV rides and start our 4-hour journey to “the Gates of Hell” located in the heart of the desert. 1 pit stop available on the road. Make a stop in Yerbent village to the monument to the suppression of the Basmachi Rebellion. Continue driving to Darvaza. On arrival to Darvaza explore the site while dinner being prepared. Enjoy the dinner and traditionally prepared green tea in “tunche” pot.

Overnight in tents or yurt camp.

Breakfast at camp and bid farewell to the flaming crater and head north to Kunya Urgench.

Note: Be prepared for the road challenge for the next 5 hours. The road from Kunya Urgench to Darvaza is quite damaged but our experienced drivers have strong wheels to handle it.

Upon arrival to Kunya Urgench we will have a lunch break before KU sightseeing. After lunch we will visit the historical city Kunya Urgench (UNESCO World Heritage Site) – once a glorious capital of the medieval Khorezshah Empire, the biggest Muslim empire of the late 12 and early 13 centuries. We will take a close look at the outstanding 14-century mausoleum of Turabek Hanum, one of the best examples of the architecture of its period; the minaret of Kutlug Timur, a former highest minaret of Central Asia that used to form a part of the main cathedral mosque of the city; the mausoleum of Sultan Tekesh, a beautiful 12-century mausoleum with one of the earliest portals of the east and a unique cone of a dome; Kyrk-Mollah mound, the fabled al-Mamun’s Academy of Sciences; the mausoleum of Il-Arslan; Najmeddin Kubra and Piryar Wali shrines.

Transfer to Dashoguz (2 hour drive from Kunya Urgench) and hotel check-in.

Overnight in Dashoguz hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel we transfer to Dashoguz/Shavat border to exit to Uzbekistan/Khiva. Our guide will assist you with border crossing formalities and see you off. This marks the end of the Turkmenistan Tour! End of services.

After exiting Turkmen border use 1 shuttle transfer (costs $1 per person) to get to Uzbek border.

Tour price information

Tour price per 1 pax on the bases of TWN/DBL room accommodation + breakfast – from $865