Tour Itinerary

DAY 1 (02 July) Shavat Border (Khiva side) → Dashoguz → Kunya-Urgench (Köneürgench) (UNESCO) → Darvaza Gas Crater (sunset + night view) → night drive to Ashgabat

• Optional transfer (Uzbekistan side)
• If you need a transfer to the Shavat border, please tell me in advance.
• We can arrange pick-up from your hotel in Khiva or from Urgench (hotel / airport) and bring you to the border.
• Cost: 29 USD.
• Border crossing + tour start
• 09:00 – Arrive at Shavat Border (the border opens at 09:00). You cross the border and complete passport control. On the Turkmen side, our professional English speaking guide will be waiting for you and will help you pass all formalities and documentation. With the approved LOI, you receive the visa at the border with 100% guarantee, your passport is stamped, and you enter Turkmenistan. This usually takes about 1.5 hours.
• 11:00 – Start your bright itinerary in Turkmenistan.
• Dashoguz lunch
• 12:00 — Lunch in Dashoguz at Bay Town Restaurant.
• This is a very good local place with tasty dishes — perfect to rest a bit after the border and before the road. Kunya-Urgench (UNESCO) historical park
• Drive to Kunya-Urgench (about 1h20). 13:00 — Arrive and start UNESCO sightseeing. We visit the main highlights of the historical park, including:
• Turabek-Khanum Mausoleum
• Sultan Tekesh Mausoleum
• Il-Arslan Mausoleum
• Najmuddin Kubra Mausoleum
• Sultan Ali Mausoleum
• Kutlug-Timur Minaret
• Kyrk Molla Hill
• (and other key monuments in the area)
• Darvaza Gas Crater (sunset + night view) – no overnight at Darvaza
• 15:00 – Depart toward Darvaza Gas Crater.
• On the way, we stop to buy everything needed for the evening: water, snacks, and food for BBQ (shashlik). We also buy everything we need to enjoy Darvaza comfortably (including drinks).
• We plan it so you catch the best light and arrive before sunset (sunset time depends on the day, but approximately 15:00-19:05).
• You will have enough time to: see the crater in daylight, enjoy the sunset view, and then see the crater fully dark (the most impressive moment). While you explore the crater and take photos, your professional guide prepares BBQ/shashlik and makes dinner for you (in a Turkmen yurt area or outside). If it is hot, we do dinner outside in fresh air. We spend about 3.5–4 hours around the crater, including the night view. Night drive to Ashgabat + 4 star hotel
• 23:00 Leave Darvaza and drive to Ashgabat (night drive). 01:00 – Arrival in Ashgabat. We feel the beautiful night atmosphere of the city and then check in to a 4-star hotel: Sport Hotel Ashgabat.Overnight in Ashgabat.

DAY 2 (03 July) Nokhur Village → Kow-Ata Underground Lake → Ashgabat sightseeing (best spots + evening monuments) + dinner at Central Park Restaurant

• Morning 08:00 Breakfast at the hotel, then depart toward the mountains. Nokhur Village (Kopetdag Mountains) We drive to Nokhur Village, high in the Kopetdag Mountains (around 50 km, usually about 1.5 hours depending on the road). Nokhur is one of the most unique places in Turkmenistan, with a very traditional way of life. Here you will see:
• the legendary plane trees (Cynar agajy), the Gyz Bibi holy place, locals selling healing herbs and pure mountain honey, and the famous local cemetery tradition, when a person dies, people place horns on the grave (a sign of respect in local tradition). If time allows, we also continue to Sharlawuk Waterfall, also known as the “Mountain of Love.” Kow-Ata Underground Lake (natural spa feeling) Then we continue to Kow Ata.
• 11:00 – Visit Kow-Ata.
• This is a warm underground lake inside a cave — the water stays warm all year (around 38°C, in summer and winter). It feels like a natural sauna / natural spa.
• You go down many stairs (around 350–400 steps) to reach the water, swim / relax, and then go back up. After the warm cave, when you come outside, the fresh air feels amazing.
• Lunch at Kow-Ata After the swim, we stop for lunch at the local place near Kow-Ata.
• They usually cook different types of shashlik / lula kebab and other grilled dishes (options depend on availability). Also there is a very nice local atmosphere — you can even eat in a yurt-style place or outside on topchans.
• Ashgabat sightseeing (afternoon)
• After Kow-Ata, we drive back to Ashgabat.
• 15:00 — Start Ashgabat sightseeing (main highlights):
• Turkmenbashi Ruhy Mosque (Gypjak Mosque) + memorial area
• Very impressive mosque with a big dome. We also visit the memorial area nearby and the resting place of the first president.
• Ancient Nisa (UNESCO)
• Parthian heritage site — the guide explains the history clearly, and you see the remains and the atmosphere of ancient times.
• National Museum of Turkmenistan
• The best place to understand Turkmenistan deeper — history, archaeology, culture, and the most important discoveries.
• Russian Bazaar (Gulistan Sowda Merkezi) The most popular bazaar for souvenirs, local sweets, Turkmen products, and a very local atmosphere. You can feel the city, meet people, and enjoy the market vibe.
• Evening monuments (best time for lights/photos)
• We plan the monuments in the evening, because Ashgabat looks the most beautiful at night:
• Independence Monument — very impressive in evening lights.
• Neutrality Monument — looks amazing at night with beautiful lighting.
• Alem Cultural & Entertainment Center — evening view is very beautiful, and you feel the night city atmosphere.
• Ertugrul Gazi Mosque — night view is extremely beautiful, one of the best places for evening photos.
• Dinner at Central Park Restaurant (prestigious evening spot)
• After the evening sightseeing, we will be hungry, so we go for dinner at Central Park Restaurant.
• This is one of the most prestigious and beautiful restaurants in Ashgabat (popular for its kitchen and especially for its terrace).
• From the terrace, you can enjoy a very beautiful evening view of Ashgabat and relax in fresh air — especially good in warm weather.
• (If you want to keep the exact location link, here it is, exactly as you shared it:) https://share.google/KHz6UmOfM4HpgXn4m
• After dinner, we return to Sport Hotel Ashgabat (4*) for overnight.

DAY 3 (04 July) Mary → Ancient Merv → drive to Turkmenabat → exit at Farap Border (transfer possible to Bukhara)

• Morning: Ashgabat → Mary
• In the morning we do breakfast at Sport Hotel — a good and filling breakfast — and after that at 08:00 we drive toward Mary.
• Mary is a very important and famous city in Turkmenistan — a real Silk Road region, where trade and caravan history is strongly felt.
• The road from Ashgabat to Mary is very comfortable: there is a new paid highway (toll autobahn), fast and smooth, with no discomfort — it is a new road.
• It takes around 3 hours.
• Mary → Ancient Merv sightseeing (Silk Road heart)
• After arriving in Mary, we go directly to Ancient Merv — the heart of the Silk Road.
• First we visit:
• Kyz Kala
• Then we continue to:
• Erk Kala
• Gyaur Kala
• And after that we also visit:
• Great Ice House (Merv)
• This is a special historical place — like an old “refrigerator” from ancient times, where they used to store and keep things cool.
• Then the main highlight:
• Mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar
• We visit the mausoleum and feel the power of this historical place.
• New popular place: Gadymy Ojak (local culture + lunch)
• After the main Merv highlights, we go to a new place that is becoming very popular with tourists: Gadymy Ojak.
• Here you can see everything in one place:
• Turkmen Alabay dog,
• Akhal-Teke horses,
• camels (and you can ride camels like a caravan),
• Turkmen national food and local kitchen (pishme and many other things),
• local people and a real cultural atmosphere.
• You can check their Instagram (as you said): gadymy_ojak
• We also do lunch there without any problem — very tasty Turkmen cuisine. While lunch is being prepared, you can enjoy the horses, the Alabay, the animals, and the atmosphere. And honestly, any wish can be arranged there — everything is on the spot, and it is very comfortable for tourists.
• Afternoon: drive to Turkmenabat → Farap border exit
• After lunch and this cultural stop, around 15:00 we drive toward Turkmenabat.
• Turkmenabat (historically known as Charjou) is a big city — sometimes people call it like a “second capital” feeling, and it has its own special importance in the country.
• The drive from Merv area to Turkmenabat is around 4 hours (depending on road and stops).
• We see the evening city atmosphere in Turkmenabat, and then we continue to the Farap border.
• Farap border is open 24/7, evening and morning.
• ~21:00 — Arrive at Farap border, say goodbye to your professional English-speaking guide, exchange contacts, share impressions and feedback about the tour, and finish the program.
• Optional transfer Farap → Bukhara (Uzbekistan side)
• If you need a transfer from Farap border to Bukhara, please let us know.
• Cost: about 35 USD.
• We can organize an individual transfer with our partner — pick-up at the border and drop-off at your hotel in Bukhara.

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

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