Booking Terms

Last updated: 28 October 2026

1. Who we are
2. How to book
3. Prices and group size
4. Deposit and payment
5. e-Visa and border fees
6. Changes to the itinerary
7. Your responsibilities
8. Insurance
9. Our responsibility
10. Questions and complaints
11. Governing law

1. Who we are

Darvaza Tour is the trading name of "Iki Ganat" Hususy Kärhanasy, a tour operator registered in Turkmenistan (Tourism Licence No. 5-17-27-256), office No. 72, Elite Shopping Center, Türkmenabat, Turkmenistan. In these terms, "we" and "us" mean Darvaza Tour, and "you" means the person making the booking and everyone travelling on it.

Online card payments are processed on our behalf by our U.S. payment entity, DARVAZA TOUR LLC (Wyoming, USA). Your tour contract is with Darvaza Tour in Turkmenistan.

2. How to book

• Send us a request through our website, by email or on WhatsApp with your dates, number of travellers, entry and exit points.
• We reply with an itinerary and a price per person. You can ask for changes until it suits you.
• Your booking is confirmed when you have accepted the itinerary, paid the deposit and sent us the documents needed for your e-Visa.
• By paying the deposit, you accept these Booking Terms and our Cancellation & Refund Policy.

3. Prices and group size

All prices are in US dollars and are per person. Our prices depend on how many people travel together, because the cost of the vehicle, driver and guide is shared. The more travellers, the lower the price per person.

Private tours

The price is based on the number of travellers confirmed in your booking. If someone in your party cancels, the price for the remaining travellers is recalculated for the new group size.

Joining an existing group

When you join a group on our Group Dates page, each traveller pays their own deposit to secure a seat. If someone in the group cancels, we will first try to fill the free seat. If the seat is not filled by 14 days before departure, the remaining travellers can either continue at the price for the new group size, or cancel and receive their deposit back in full.

What is included

Each tour page lists exactly what is included and not included. Unless stated otherwise, international flights, the visa fee, border fees, personal expenses and tips are not included.

4. Deposit and payment

Deposit

A deposit of 10% of the total tour price confirms your booking. You can pay it by card online on our deposit payment page. There is no extra fee for paying the deposit by card.

Balance

Payment method	When	Extra fee
Cash in US dollars to your guide (recommended)	On the first day of the tour	None
Bank transfer via Wise	Before the tour starts	About 4% transfer fee, paid by the traveller
Card online (Stripe)	Before the tour starts	Card processing fee, paid by the traveller. We tell you the exact amount before you pay.

Cards are rarely accepted in Turkmenistan and ATMs often do not work with foreign cards, so please bring enough US dollars in cash for the balance and your personal expenses.

5. e-Visa and border fees

• Every foreign visitor needs a visa for Turkmenistan. We prepare and submit your e-Visa application after your tour is confirmed and we have received a scan of your passport, a photo and a few personal details.
• The visa fee is not included in the tour price and is paid by the traveller. It depends on your nationality and on standard or urgent processing. As a guide: about US$15–20 for Japanese citizens, about US$25–40 for most European citizens, about US$80 (standard) or US$100 (urgent) for Russian citizens. Urgent processing costs more.
• Border fees on arrival (migration registration and the medical check) are about US$49 per person, paid in cash at the border. They are not included in the tour price.
• Timing: please book at least 10 days before arrival for standard processing. Urgent applications can sometimes be processed in 3–5 days for an extra fee, but this cannot be guaranteed.
• The decision to issue a visa is made only by the State Migration Service of Turkmenistan. We cannot guarantee a visa. What happens to your deposit if a visa is refused is explained in our Cancellation & Refund Policy.

Visa and border fees are set by the authorities and can change without notice. We will always confirm the current amounts before your trip.

6. Changes to the itinerary

Travel in Turkmenistan can be affected by weather, road conditions, border procedures and vehicle problems. Your guide may change the order of visits or the timing of the day to keep the trip safe and on schedule. We always try to keep all the main sights of your itinerary. If a sight cannot be visited for reasons outside our control, we will offer an alternative where possible.

If you want to change your own itinerary or dates after booking, please contact us as early as possible. We will do our best to help, and we will tell you about any change in price.

7. Your responsibilities

• Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the end of your trip.
• You are responsible for giving us correct passport and personal details. Mistakes can lead to a visa refusal or problems at the border.
• Drones are not allowed in Turkmenistan.
• Do not photograph military sites, police, border posts or government buildings. Your guide will tell you where photos are not allowed.
• Please follow local laws and your guide's safety instructions, especially at the Darvaza Gas Crater and in the desert.
• Tell us before the trip about any health conditions, mobility limits or dietary needs we should know about.

8. Insurance

For every traveller, we arrange accident insurance for the time you are on tour in Turkmenistan, with cover of up to US$67,000 for injuries caused by an accident.

This does not replace full travel insurance. You must have your own travel medical insurance for the whole trip, ideally including illness, trip cancellation and lost luggage.

9. Our responsibility

• We are responsible for organising the services in your confirmed itinerary with care, using licensed guides and checked drivers, hotels and camps.
• We book train tickets for your tour. Railway schedules and delays are set by the railway, but if a train is delayed or cancelled we will arrange the best alternative.
• We are not responsible for flight delays or cancellations, or for border closures, including closures on public holidays. When we know about a closure in advance, we will tell you and help you rebuild your route.
• We are not responsible for losses caused by events outside our control, such as natural events, government decisions or strikes, or by information you gave us that was not correct.

10. Questions and complaints

Our managers answer messages 24/7 in two shifts. If something is not right during your trip, please tell your guide or contact us straight away, so we can fix it while you are still travelling.

• WhatsApp: +993 62 118617
• Email: next.darvazatour@gmail.com
• Urgent issues, directly to the founder: davud@darvazatour.com

11. Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of Turkmenistan. We will always try to solve any problem directly and fairly with you first.

We may update these terms from time to time. The version published on this page on the date of your booking applies to your trip.