Tour Itinerary
Day 1 Arrival in Ashgabat & City Tour
- Late Night Arrival: Meet and greet at Ashgabat International Airport. Transfer to your hotel for immediate check-in so you can rest.
- After a good rest and breakfast, embark on a private Ashgabat City Tour. Your expert guide will tailor the pace to your interests, ensuring you experience the perfect mix of ancient history, rich culture, and striking modern architecture.
- Overnight: Hotel in Ashgabat.
Day 2 Ashgabat → Flight to Dashoguz → Kunya-Urgench → Darvaza
- 06:00 AM: Domestic flight from Ashgabat to Dashoguz.
- Drive to the UNESCO Historical Park of Kunya-Urgench. Tour the Kutlug-Timur Minaret, Turabek-Khanum Mausoleum, and the monumental Caravansaray Gate.
- Return to Dashoguz for a traditional lunch and a visit to the local market to shop for desert snacks.
- Journey across the Central Karakum Desert to the Darvaza Gas Crater (~300 km, 5 hours).
- Experience the sunset over the “Gates of Hell.”
- Enjoy a traditional BBQ Dinner served at the campsite, followed by spectacular nighttime viewing of the burning crater.
- Overnight: Stay in a traditional Turkmen Yurt or tent campsite.
Day 3 Darvaza → Ashgabat
- Breakfast at the camp (optional pre-dawn sunrise visit to the crater).
- Drive from Darvaza back to Ashgabat.
- En route: Short photo stops at the unique natural Water and Mud Craters in the desert.
- Afternoon: Continue your private Ashgabat City Tour, visiting any highlights you missed on Day 1.
- Overnight: Hotel in Ashgabat.
Day 4 Ashgabat → Merv → Mary
- After breakfast, depart Ashgabat heading east towards Merv.
- Special Experience: Arrive at the Turkmen Ojagy ethnographic complex near Merv for a traditional lunch and folklore show. Meet majestic Alabay dogs, take photos with Bactrian camels, try on authentic Turkmen national dress in a traditional yurt, and enjoy a hands-on bread-baking masterclass at a clay oven.
- Guided Tour of Ancient Merv (UNESCO): Visit the Mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar, Kyz Kala fortresses, and climb the ancient Erk Kala citadel for panoramic views.
- Arrival in Mary City and check-in to your hotel.
- Overnight: Hotel in Mary.
Day 5 Mary → Turkmenabat → Farap Border
- Early departure from Mary for the final leg of your journey.
- Arrival in Turkmenabat.
- Explore the ruins of Amul Fortress, an ancient Silk Road site.
- Short city tour with photo stops and lunch at a local restaurant.
- Visit the Green Bazaar, the city’s main market, to experience an authentic Oriental market atmosphere.
- Enjoy a photo stop by the majestic Amu Darya, the largest river in Central Asia.
- Drive to the Farap border. Our guide will escort you through the border formalities for your exit to Uzbekistan.
- End of Tour.
Price Includes:
- – Invitation letter support and Foreigner registration in Turkmenistan.
- – Accommodation. Standart rooms.
- – Ashgabat City tour
- – Transport and guide.
- – Meals at Darvaza and yurt night stay at Darvaza.
- – All breakfasts
- – All the expenses of the driver/guide, including gasoline, meals and accommodation, transfer to the point of meeting at border, and separating with the guest at the border.
- – Entrance fees to Museums and others as per the tour. roughly not more 10$ per day if any.
- – All taxes
- – The tour starts at the Turkmenistan border and ends at the Turkmenistan border.
- – You will see everything that is possible to see within that time. The tour can be changed on the go as possible.
Not included:
- – Visa and other fees at the border. (Usually costs not more than $110, per person)
- – Meals ($3-8/ 1meal/ 1person)
- – Tips. Tips are welcomed
Accommodation
Ashgabat – 2 nights
Standart: Bagt Kosgi / Mizan / Sport / Ashgabat
Comfort: Archabil / Yyldyz / Oguzkent
Darvaza – 1 nights
Standart: Shared yurts / individual accommodation in yurts or tents available upon request
Mary – 1 nights
Standart: Margus / Mary / Merv