Tour Itinerary
Day 1 — Farab Border → Dayahatyn Caravanserai → Turkmenabat City Tour
- 09:00 – Meet at Farab Border (Turkmenistan side)
- Our guide meets you at the border and helps with all formalities. With our LOI
- (Letter of Invitation), you receive your Turkmenistan visa on arrival.
- Estimated time for visa & procedures: around 1.5–2 hours.
- Drive to Dayahatyn Caravanserai (Silk Road site)
- After crossing, we begin the tour and drive to Dayahatyn Caravanserai, a beautiful
- medieval stop on the Silk Road near the Amu Darya River.
- Here you explore the ruins and enjoy the peaceful desert-and-river atmosphere.
- Picnic Lunch near Dayahatyn
- We arrange a Turkmen-style picnic lunch in a scenic area near the site — perfect
- for relaxing and photos.
- Return to Turkmenabat
- After lunch, we drive back to Turkmenabat.
- Turkmenabat City Tour (short program)
- On arrival, we continue with a city walk/drive including:
- Amul Fortress (Amul Galasy) — connected to the ancient city of Amul and local
- history
- Druzhba Park — one of the most popular parks in Turkmenabat, a nice place for
- an easy walk and local vibe
- Optional (if time allows): Lebap Regional / National Museum
- Overnight: Yupek Yoly Hotel (Turkmenabat)
Day 2 — Turkmenabat → Ancient Merv (UNESCO) → “Gadymy Turkmen Ojagy” Experience → Mary → Overnight in Mary
- Experience → Mary → Overnight in Mary
- 08:00 – Breakfast at the hotel
- After breakfast, we depart for Mary / Ancient Merv.
- Drive to Ancient Merv (UNESCO World Heritage)
- Transfer time: about 3 hours.
- We start sightseeing around 11:00.
- Explore Ancient Merv
- Merv was one of the greatest Silk Road cities and a major cultural center of the
- ancient world. You visit key sites such as:
- Kyz Kala
- Gyaur Kala
- Erk Kala
- Mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar
- …and other important monuments inside the archaeological park.
- Lunch & Cultural Experience: “Gadymy Turkmen Ojagy” (Traditional Turkmen
- Hearth)
- After Merv, we stop at a special local place where you can experience many
- traditions in one location:
- Traditional Turkmen lunch and hospitality
- Ahal-Teke horses and Turkmen camels (see them up close)
- Optional camel riding (if available)
- Traditional outfits for photos
- Meet the famous Turkmen dog breed Alabai
- (We can share an Instagram video link.)
- Drive to Mary city
- After lunch, we continue to Mary.
- Overnight: Margush Hotel (Mary)
Day 3 — Mary → Ashgabat (Autoban) → Old Nisa (UNESCO) → National Museum → Night City Tour → Overnight in Ashgabat
- 08:00 – Breakfast at the hotel
- After breakfast, depart for Ashgabat.
- Drive to Ashgabat (via paid highway / Autobahn)
- Fast and comfortable transfer. Driving time: around 3 hours.
- Approx. arrival: 11:00.
- Lunch in a National Turkmen Restaurant
- A great chance to try local dishes before sightseeing.
- Old Nisa (UNESCO World Heritage)
- We begin with Old Nisa, one of the most important ancient sites near Ashgabat.
- Your guide explains the Parthian history and why this place is significant.
- State / National Museum of Turkmenistan (Main Building)
- A perfect continuation after Nisa — many key historical findings and exhibits
- help you understand the country’s culture and timeline much deeper.
- Evening & Night City Tour (Ashgabat by night)
- Ashgabat looks especially impressive in the evening when the white-marble
- architecture is illuminated. We visit highlights such as:
- Independence Monument
- Other important city monuments (depending on time/interest)
- Alem Cultural & Entertainment Center (very photogenic at night)
- Dinner in Ashgabat (based on timing and your preferences)
- Overnight: Bagt Koshgi Hotel (Ashgabat)
Day 4 — Ashgabat → Gokdepe → Kow Ata Underground Lake → Nokhur Village→ Gyzylarbat → Overnight
- Breakfast at the hotel
- Today we travel west, enjoying the landscapes of the Kopetdag Mountains.
- Stops and highlights:
- Gokdepe Fortress / Memorial area — an important historical site connected to a
- major battle period
- Kow Ata Underground Lake — a famous cave lake with warm mineral water
- around +41°C all year (swimming optional)
- Nokhur Village — an authentic mountain village with unique traditions:
- Unusual cemetery where ram horns are placed on graves
- Famous large Chinar (plane) trees
- Beautiful mountain scenery and local atmosphere
- By evening, we arrive in Gyzylarbat (Serdar).
- Overnight: Chinar Hotel (Gyzylarbat)
Day 5 — Gyzylarbat → Turkmenbashi → Avaza → Yangykala Canyon (Sunset) → Gozli-Ata (Yurts) Overnight
- In the morning, we drive from Gyzylarbat to Turkmenbashi (about 2 hours).
- Today we enjoy the Caspian Sea coast.
- Lunch at “Tolkun” Restaurant (Seaside)
- A very nice place with a terrace overlooking the sea. You can try fish dishes
- (including Caspian fish), steaks, and other tasty options.
- Avaza Tourist Zone (Caspian seaside)
- After lunch, we visit Avaza for about 1.5 hours:
- Walk along the sea
- Relax and enjoy the coastal atmosphere
- Swimming possible if weather allows
- Drive to Yangykala Canyon (for sunset)
- Around 15:00, we depart toward Yangykala, one of the most beautiful natural
- sights in Turkmenistan.
- Our goal is to arrive before sunset to catch the best colors and take stunning
- photos.
- Dinner & Overnight near Gozli-Ata (Yurt Camp)
- While you enjoy Yangykala, our driver prepares for dinner near Gozli-Ata area.
- After the canyon visit, we arrive for dinner and rest.
- Overnight: Traditional Turkmen yurts at Gozli-Ata Yurt Camp — quiet, wide
- open landscapes, and a true travel atmosphere.
Day 6 — Gozli-Ata (Yurts) → Ashgabat → Gypjak Mosque → Berkarar Mall → Magtymguly Monument → Evening City → Overnight
- Early morning in the yurts (around 06:00–07:00)
- Breakfast at the camp, then we drive back toward Ashgabat.
- Driving time: about 5–6 hours, with short stops on the way.
- Arrival to Ashgabat (around 14:00)
- We continue with a rich half-day city program:
- Gypjak Mosque (Turkmenbashi Ruhy Mosque)
- One of the most famous and impressive mosques in the country, with grand
- architecture and a massive dome.
- Berkarar Shopping & Entertainment Center
- A modern place for walking, shopping, souvenirs, and feeling the city lifestyle.
- Magtymguly Monument (near sunset / evening)
- In evening lights this place looks especially beautiful — perfect for photos and a
- calm walk.
- Optional evening Ashgabat drive
- If time allows, we add more panoramic points, monuments, and illuminated
- avenues.
- Dinner + Overnight: Bagt Koshgi Hotel (Ashgabat)
Day 7 — Ashgabat → Russian Bazaar → (Optional Olympic Complex) → DarvazaCrater → BBQ Dinner → Overnight in Yurts
- Breakfast at the hotel
- Before leaving the capital, we visit the most famous market:
- Russian Bazaar (Tolkuchka / Russian Bazaar)
- A lively place to buy souvenirs, Turkmen sweets, dried fruits, and gifts. The best
- part is the atmosphere — locals, bargaining, and real city life.
- Lunch in the city
- After the bazaar, we have lunch at a restaurant.
- Optional: Ashgabat Olympic Complex (2017 facilities)
- If time allows, we can stop for a short visit — a huge and unusual modern area.
- Around 14:00 – Departure to Darvaza by 4WD vehicles
- We drive into the Karakum Desert toward Darvaza. On the way we can see the
- water crater, mud crater, and finally the main highlight:
- Darvaza Gas Crater (“Gates of Hell”)
- Arrive by evening, enjoy sunset, then see the crater glow in darkness — one of
- the strongest moments of the whole trip.
- Dinner: BBQ / shashlik near the crater
- Overnight: Darvaza Yurt Camp (traditional yurts)
Day 8 — Darvaza (Breakfast) → Kunya-Urgench → Dashoguz (Lunch) → Shavat Border → End of Tour
- 07:00 – Morning at Darvaza Yurt Camp
- Wake up in the desert, enjoy breakfast at the camp with a final view of the
- Darvaza area.
- Drive to Kunya-Urgench (Ancient UNESCO area)
- After breakfast, we depart toward Kunya-Urgench, one of the most important
- historical places in northern Turkmenistan — a truly ancient city with deep Silk
- Road heritage.
- Sightseeing in Kunya-Urgench (about 1.5 hours)
- We visit the main monuments, such as:
- Kutlug Timur Minaret (iconic tall minaret)
- Turabek-Khanum Mausoleum (one of the most beautiful architectural
- masterpieces in the region)
- Mausoleum of Najm ad-Din al-Kubra (a major spiritual/historical figure)
- Other key monuments of the complex (depending on time)
- Drive to Dashoguz for lunch
- Lunch at Soltan Restaurant or Baytown Restaurant (both are good options; we
- choose the best one on the day).
- Transfer to Shavat Border (Turkmenistan → Uzbekistan)
- After lunch, we drive to Shavat border and finish the tour.
- Crossing assistance provided up to the border procedures.
- End of the tour
- After crossing, you continue toward Khiva. If you want, we can also arrange a
- transfer to Khiva in advance.
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
Serdar - 1 nights
Standart: Cynar Hotel
Mary - 1 nights
Standart: Margus / Mary / Merv
Gozli Ata - 1 nights
Standart: Shared yurts / individual accommodation in yurts or tents available upon request
Turkmenabat - 1 nights
Standart: Yupek Yoly Hotel/ Lacyn Hotel