CENTRAL ASIA TRAVEL BLOG

Choosing the right tour operator in Turkmenistan is an important part of planning a smooth and well-organised trip. Travel in the country can involve long-distance drives, border crossings, remote destinations, local guides and e-Visa procedures, so reliable local support matters.

A good Turkmenistan tour operator should offer more than an attractive itinerary. Before booking, it is worth checking the company’s licence, recent independent reviews, pricing transparency, experience with your entry and exit points, quality of guides and drivers, and the support provided before and during the trip.

In this guide, we explain what to look for when comparing tour operators in Turkmenistan, which questions to ask before paying a deposit, and how to recognise a professional local travel company that matches your route, budget and travel style.

Before booking a tour, take a few minutes to check who will actually organise your trip. A reliable Turkmenistan tour operator should be transparent about its legal status, local presence, traveller feedback and the people responsible for your journey.

Two Turkmenistan tours can look similar on paper but offer very different levels of service. Before choosing the cheapest quotation, compare both what is included in the price and how the actual journey will be organised.

In Turkmenistan, a good tour operator should understand more than sightseeing. Visa procedures, land-border crossings and arrival arrangements need to match your confirmed itinerary.

Since the introduction of the electronic visa system in October 2026, travellers should make sure their route, travel dates and entry and exit points are confirmed before beginning the e-Visa procedure.

This is especially important for travellers combining Turkmenistan with Uzbekistan through the Shavat or Farap border crossings.

Working directly with a local tour operator means that the people planning your trip are also coordinating the practical arrangements inside Turkmenistan.
This can make communication easier when organising guides, vehicles, accommodation, border transfers, e-Visa support and last-minute itinerary changes.

 
 
 
 
  EXCELLENT  
  
 Based on 76 reviews 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Google  
 
  
 
 
 Matthew Neal 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
We had a fantastic 3 day tour of Darvaza Gas Crater and Ashgabat. I highly recommend the company who were very easy and accommodating to deal with from start to finish. We started planning this trip a year ago and the company gave plenty of help and advice before we agreed to use them. They made the visa process as simple as possible by asking once for our detailed information and then doing it on our behalf before sending us our LOIs. They adapted the itinerary to our preferences and booked accommodation that we wanted. Very quick replies by e-mail and were obliging with any questions I had about other aspects of Central Asia, such as currency. The guide (Ruslan) was extremely friendly and accommodating. It was clear that his main objective was to make sure that we had a good time and he did his very best to achieve this. His English was excellent and it made it very easy to understand what he was explaining to us and he was adaptable to do whatever we wanted. The 2 drivers were also very good who had specific local knowledge of the 2 locations and acted as an additional guide, for which Ruslan translated. Between the 3 of them, the itinerary was often adapted to make sure that we were making the best use of time and doing what we wanted. We were very happy with all 3 of them and it made a change from trips in other countries as it felt like a friend was showing us around his place rather than a formal guide.

The border crossing at Shavat was slow (3 hours), so be prepared for that. Firstly we ate dinner at Bay Town restaurant in Dashoguz. This was upmarket and wouldn’t look out of place in Europe, but had cheap prices. Ruslan chatted to us here and asked our opinions on his plans. Before leaving the town we went to the supermarket to buy supplies for the camp site. This allowed us to pick food which we like to eat.

Darvaza was obviously the highlight of the trip. Seeing it in the dark is amazing and I strongly recommend anyone going and seeing it, particularly before it slowly dies out. We were allowed as much time as we wanted there. Ruslan acted as a great photographer and adapted himself to the angles that we wanted. The dinner and morning afters breakfast was cooked at the camp site by the employees there using the food that we bought. The Yurt itself was spacious and comfortable, a great experience. It was not as cold as I expected in the desert overnight. It had 2 single beds and ample room to move around. There was a separate toilet block and no showers. We awoke early to see sunrise and the surroundings looked very different in the daylight. We left at 7:15am.

In Ashgabat, firstly we had lunch at another very good restaurant with lots of tasty options at very good prices. I had chicken & pineapple curry and we shared a crispy eggplant salad. Then we went to the horse stables booked for 2pm. This was interesting to see the Turkmen horses and ride a horse.

Afterwards we drove around and saw some buildings and went to the Turkmen museum. I commented that we were less interested in ancient history than modern history and then our guide & driver showed their adaptability again to take us to a different museum which had modern history including Russian occupation and the 1948 Ashgabat earthquake. This was interesting and a better museum in our opinions.

We rode the Ferris wheel. This was great and we were given a souvenir fridge magnet too. The views were brilliant. We visited again after dark to see it lit up. After this we went to the bazaar to buy souvenirs. The stall was a recommendation from the driver and there were multiple good and cheap options.

In the evening we had a drive around to see the lit up buildings. The driver was happy for us to stop and take photos. He knew good routes and avoided traffic to make the best use of time. We saw several monuments, the mall and Olympic village.

We ate dinner in a modern shopping centre at a high quality French styled restaurant, frequented by Turkmens. This was very tasty food with local options and a good idea to see how local city life is like.
  
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Google  
 
  
 
 
 Sara Wiatrak 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
The trip was absolutely wonderful! Mekan was an amazing guide, making the whole experience truly special. Everything was perfect, and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Highly recommend! ✨
  
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Google  
 
  
 
 
 Anna B 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
I would like to thank the DarvazaTour team for helping with all the nuances.

What about the guide Mekan, at first I didn’t immediately understand what kind of person he was, but he turned out to be very kind and polite, helped me until the moment of departure and made me a delicious gift. And since lamb is very expensive in California, he decided to please me with lamb. A very attentive young man. I hope that I will still be able to visit this wonderful country and get to know the whole team in person.
  
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Google  
 
  
 
 
 Mireille La maison jaune 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
Magnifique escapade au Turkménistan
Équipe aux petits soins
Je recommande vivement
  
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Google  
 
  
 
 
 david chen 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
I have just completed a 5-day fully guided tour through Turkmenistan provided by Darvazatour and had a wonderful time. Our tour guide, Gujian is very nice, thoughtful, considerate and her knowledge of local history, culture and nature is wonderful and her English is near native speaker. 3 drivers supported us throughout the travel - long distance travels on bumpy road and they did their best to search for the better part of the road.  I am also grateful for the tour organizers who arranged everything details smoothly before the tour so the entry visa, Uzbekistan hotel pickup, etc were all well settled, removing all the concerns that I had before the tour.   I highly recommend this company and especially Gujian if you are planning to visit Turkmenistan in the future
  
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Google  
 
  
 
 
 Aubin Arrouet 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
I had the amazing privilege to do a tour with the amazing guide Mekan.
The tour was great and he went more than out of his way to make us able to see as many places (even ones that weren't initially included) and meet as many people as possible. He was helpful, kind, fun and always ready to help. He also bought me a huge cake for my birthday😊
Davud also made sure that before the tour everything was clear and sorted out for us and he was very helpful for the preparation and Letter Of Invitation.
I very strongly recommend Darvazatour for everything that you need in turkmenistan. Weither it is the help before the tour, the actual tour itinerary, the guide, the drivers, the cost, and the overall experience; everything was more than perfect and more than we expected. I am certain that I will go back to Turkmenistan in the future and I will make sure to go through DarvazaTours and especially try to get a tour with Mekan😊

Thank you again for everything
Aubin
  
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Google  
 
  
 
 
 Aare Kase 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
This was one of the best trips ever. It was so well organized.
The communication from Gozel was professional and excellent, everything promised was delivered.
I really enjoyed my 5-day tour of Turkmenistan. Tour was seamless and well-organized
My guide, Mekan, was excellent.
He also made me love Turkmenistan, its people, and its culture. He was always ready to help.
A friendly, humorous, and cheerful fellow.

Thank you Darvaza Tour
You made this trip even more enjoyable and memorable.
  
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Google  
 
  
 
 
 Kathryn Strachan 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
I had a fantastic 8 day tour of Turkmenistan with Darvaza Tours. My guide Jakob was super professional and really knew his stuff. I didn’t know what to expect going to Turkmenistan but I was so amazed and impressed with the diversity in the country. From the canyons to the sea to ancient sites and modern cities, the country really truly has it all. If you just go to the gas crater, you’ll be massively missing out!
  
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Google  
 
  
 
 
 Ailsa Gemmola 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
Absolutely loved this tour! Our tour guide was amazing, and she was very accommodating and caring towards our toddler. It was a jam packed itinerary that gave great insight into the Turkmenistan history, present culture, and way of life. Would highly recommend this tour.
  
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Google  
 
  
 
 
 Vera Montejo 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
Espectacular , de inicio a fin. Nuestra guía Guljan nos acompañó en todo momento y nos sentimos muy bien con ella. Realmente volvería a contratar este tour.
  
 
  
 
 
 
   
 
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Tell us your travel dates, preferred route, entry and exit points, and number of travellers. Our local team will help you choose the most suitable itinerary and explain the practical arrangements before you book.