Arrival: Arrive at Ashgabat International Airport. After completing arrival formalities, meet the Ayan Travel representative outside the terminal and transfer privately to the hotel. Early room access and an arrival breakfast are included for the planned early arrival, subject to the confirmed flight schedule and hotel reconfirmation.

After time to rest, meet the guide in the hotel lobby and begin at the Halk Hakydasy Memorial Complex, dedicated to the victims of the 1948 Ashgabat earthquake, the Second World War and the Battle of Gokdepe. Continue with photo stops at the Alem Cultural and Entertainment Centre, the Monument of Neutrality, Independence Park and selected monumental landmarks.

After lunch at Berkarar Mall or a local restaurant, paid directly by guests, explore older parts of the capital, including the historic Clock Tower, Ashgabat Circus, Magtymguly Avenue, the Russian Bazaar and the Lenin Monument. Dinner is at guests’ own expense.

Overnight: Ashgabat
Meals: arrival breakfast

Morning: Breakfast at the hotel and check out. Drive to Kipchak to visit the Turkmenbashi Ruhy Mosque and the family mausoleum of Turkmenistan’s first president. Continue to Old Nisa, part of the UNESCO-listed Parthian Fortresses of Nisa and an important centre of the Parthian world.

Afternoon: After an early lunch at guests’ own expense, begin the overland journey across the desert to Mary. The drive is approximately 370 km and normally takes about 5–6 hours including a comfort stop, subject to traffic, checkpoints and road conditions. Arrive in the evening, check in and enjoy dinner at guests’ own expense.

Overnight: Mary
Meals: breakfast

Morning: Breakfast at the hotel and check out. Drive to Bayramaly and the State Historical and Cultural Park Ancient Merv, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that preserves the remains of several cities developed across more than two millennia on the Silk Road.

Explore key monuments such as the Sultan Sanjar Mausoleum, the Greater and Lesser Gyz Kala, Erk Kala and Gyaur Kala, the Askhab Mausoleums, the Muhammad ibn Zayd Mausoleum and the Yusuf Hamadani complex. The exact selection depends on access, weather and the pace of the group.

Afternoon: Time permitting, make a brief stop at the Orthodox Church of St. Alexis in Bayramaly. After lunch at guests’ own expense, return overland to Ashgabat. The drive normally takes about 4 hours plus stops; arrival is expected in the evening. Check in and rest. Dinner is at guests’ own expense.

Overnight: Ashgabat
Meals: breakfast

Morning: Breakfast at the hotel. Discover two national symbols of Turkmenistan: Turkmen carpets and the Akhal-Teke horse. Visit the Turkmen Carpet Museum to see historic examples and learn about regional designs, then continue to an equestrian facility or the Ashgabat Hippodrome when access is confirmed.

Afternoon: Continue to the State Museum of History and Ethnography, subject to its festive opening schedule. The sequence may be adjusted if a museum observes a weekly or holiday closure. Later, visit the Ertogrul Ghazi Mosque and drive along decorated avenues to see Ashgabat’s principal New Year trees and festive public spaces.

Evening: Conclude the day at the Ertogrul Ghazi Mosque, often called the Blue Mosque of Ashgabat, followed by free time at Arkach Mall, with the option to enjoy dinner at a local restaurant offering panoramic views of the illuminated mosque and the city.

Overnight: Ashgabat
Meals: breakfast

Morning/Afternoon: Breakfast at the hotel. The day is free to rest, shop or explore independently. This unhurried schedule gives guests time to prepare for the evening celebrations. Lunch is at guests’ own expense.

Evening: Meet the guide for the confirmed festive programme. A New Year’s Eve dinner may be arranged at a selected local restaurant or, subject to host availability, with a local family. At approximately 23:00, transfer towards the Bagt Koshgi area or another permitted viewpoint selected according to official access and traffic arrangements. Return to the hotel after midnight.

Note: The festive dinner is optional and quoted separately. Venue or host availability, menu, start time, viewpoint access and any official fireworks display remain subject to final written confirmation.

Overnight: Ashgabat
Meals: breakfast, festive dinner

Morning: Breakfast and a relaxed morning after the celebrations. Check out by 11:00 and depart in 4WD vehicles for the Karakum Desert, with a maximum of three guests per vehicle.

Midday: Stop in Bokurdak for a hosted late lunch and an introduction to desert family life. Depending on household activities, guests may see pishme preparation, camel milking, embroidery, traditional cooking and the use of yuzarlik incense.

Evening: Continue to Darvaza and arrive before dusk, subject to road conditions. View the crater from the guide’s designated safe area as daylight fades, then enjoy a freshly prepared desert dinner and an overnight stay at a traditional yurt camp nearby.

Overnight: Darvaza, in yurts
Meals: breakfast, hosted lunch, dinner

Morning: Breakfast at the yurt camp and a final view of the Darvaza Gas Crater. Begin the return journey to Ashgabat, with stops at the smaller Water and Mud Craters when local access, visibility and road conditions permit.

Afternoon: Continue south through the Karakum Desert. A short roadside stop in the Yerbent area may be made when permitted. Arrive in Ashgabat in the mid-afternoon, check in to the hotel and enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure. Lunch and dinner are at guests’ own expense.

Overnight: Ashgabat
Meals: breakfast

Morning: Depending on the international flight schedule, check out and transfer privately to Ashgabat International Airport. This marks the end of Ayan Travel’s services.

Note: The final hotel night is included through the morning of 3 January. For a very early flight, a packed breakfast may be requested but remains subject to hotel confirmation.

Meals: breakfast