Arrival in Ashgabat International Airport. Complete the formalities (visa, payment for a PCR test, migration fee). Transfer to the hotel. Time for rest and acclimation.

In the afternoon, visit the lively Gulistan Bazaar (Russian Bazaar), a Soviet-era landmark, where you can experience local life and browse stalls of dried fruits, famous Turkmen melons, carpets, and traditional souvenirs. After lunch, explore the Halk Hakydasy Memorial Complex, honoring national heroes and historic tragedies, before enjoying panoramic city views from the Palace of Happiness. Continue along Archabil Highway to see the Magtymguly monument, ending at Independence Park and the monumental buildings. Conclude the day with a welcome dinner overlooking the illuminated city skyline.

Accommodation: Hotel in Ashgabat

Meals: B, D

After a relaxed breakfast at the hotel, travel to the unique mountain Nohur Village, whose name means “Nine Heavenly Maidens” and where pre-Islamic traditions still echo in local culture. Communicate with hospitable locals and taste real Turkmen dishes. We will explore the area, including the Kyz Bibi cave and the tribal cemetery with horns of mountain sheep on the tombstones.

Meet a local family, in which the traditional keteni fabric, Turkmen silk is still made. A local craftswoman will demonstrate the manufacturing process. After that, drive to Geokdepe stud-farm to see the legendary Ahalteke horses, famed for their speed, endurance, and shimmering coats, with opportunities to ride, feed, and photograph them. The area is also historically significant as the site of the fortress that was the site of a battle during the Great Game in 1881, as well as the Geokdepe Mosque, built in memory of those events. Conclude the day with a dinner at the restaurant in Ashgabat.

Distance: 140 km | Drive: ~2 hrs.

Accommodation: Hotel in Ashgabat

Meals: B, L

After breakfast at the hotel, check out and explore ancient artifacts, then travel to the UNESCO-listed ruins of Old Nisa, the former capital of the Parthian Empire, set against the scenic Kopetdag Mountains. Afterwards, start your 4-hour journey to the Darvaza also known as “The Gates of Hell“, a methane-belching fire pit in the Turkmenistan desert. On the way to the crater, experience village life in Bokurdak. Explore homes built from unfired bricks and authentic yurts. Meet locals and see traditional crafts like embroidery and “pishme”-making. Enjoy a homemade lunch, learn about Turkmen cuisine and take a photo shoot in the national outfits.

After spending 2-3 hours with a local family, continue your journey. The next stops will be “turquoise water” and “mud” craters. Arrive in Darvaza by early evening. Settle into a traditional yurt camp and visit the legendary Darvaza Gas Crater, a massive natural gas crater burning continuously since the 1970s. As night falls, the glowing flames create an unforgettable desert atmosphere. Dinner at the camp and bakhshi show. Bakhshi are masters of folk art, musicians and singers who preserve cultural traditions. After dinner, a photo session at the flaming crater.

• ~160 km of smooth asphalt / ~103 km of uneven asphalt roads / ~7 km of off-road terrain
• comfortable 4×4 vehicles (max. 3 passengers per vehicle) to ensure safety and comfort.

Distance: 270 km | Drive: ~4 hrs.

Accommodation: yurt in Darvaza

Meals: B, L, D

After breakfast at the camp we say goodbye to the gas crater and head to the capital of Turkmenistan, Ashgabat. On the way, stop at “bubbling water” and “bubbling sulfur-mud” craters and in Yerbent to experience village life and to visit the monument to the struggle against the Basmachi movement in Central Asia. Upon arrival in Ashgabat, check in at the hotel.

In the afternoon, enjoy a master class at ART Upcycling studio KEŞDE. Make jewelry and souvenirs with our own hands, under the guidance of Sheker, an artist, designer and founder of the studio. Afterwards, visit the Ertugrul Gazi Mosque in Ashgabat, built in elegant Ottoman style and reflecting the country’s cultural and spiritual ties to the wider Turkic and Islamic world. Conclude the day with a dinner at the restaurant in Ashgabat.

Distance: 270 km | Drive: ~4 hrs.

Accommodation: Hotel in Ashgabat

Meals: B

Early in the morning, check out at hotel and take a 40-minute flight to Mary (arrival at 07:05). Enjoy breakfast at the hotel, where you can leave your luggage, and drive the city of Bayramali. Today we will have the unforgettable opportunity of visiting Ancient Merv Historical Park (UNESCO World Heritage Site). Merv includes ancient cities Erk-Kala and Gyaur-Kala, medieval cities Sultan Kala, Abdullakhan-Kala and Bayramalikhan-Kala, the oldest of still standing corrugated mud-brick palaces – Great and Little Gyz Kalas, mausoleums of Sultan Sanjar and Muhammad ibn Zaid, and tombs of the Profet’s companions, Askhabs, and some others.

At the local guesthouse ‘Ancient Turkmen Hearth’, you will watch Turkmen traditional activities like making ‘pishme’, embroidery, felt making, ride a camel and watch the folk show. Dinner at the guest house. Then we return to Mary and check in at the hotel.

Distance: 25 km | Drive: ~40 mins

Accommodation: Hotel in Mary

Meals: B, D

Breakfast at the hotel, check out and drive to Ashgabat via the newly-built highway. With two potential pit stops, arrive in the Turkmen capital. Upon arrival, check in at the hotel, free time for relaxation.

After lunch, visit the Ashgabat Carpet Museum to discover the artistry and symbolism of Traditional Turkmen carpet making art (included in UNESCO, the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity), from the tiniest keychain carpet to the world’s largest handmade masterpiece. Conclude the day with a dinner at the restaurant in Ashgabat.

Distance: ~350 km | Drive: ~4 hrs

Accommodation: Hotel in Ashgabat

Meals: B

After midnight/breakfast, check out from the hotel and transfer to the airport for your international flight.

Meals: B

NOTE: B – breakfast, L – lunch, D – dinner.

Tour price information

ACCOMMODATION

Important Accommodation Policy

In the event of government-level events or official delegations requiring priority accommodation, our company reserves the right to substitute the originally confirmed hotel with an alternative property of the same category and comparable standard.