Tour Overview
The 3-Day Turkmenistan Tour from Ashgabat is designed for travelers who want to experience three of Turkmenistan’s major highlights in a short itinerary. Visit the white-marble capital, spend an evening at the Darvaza Gas Crater and continue to the ancient Silk Road city of Merv.
Begin with an introduction to Ashgabat before travelling north into the Karakum Desert. Spend your first evening beside the Darvaza Gas Crater, enjoy a freshly prepared dinner at the desert camp and stay overnight in a traditional Turkmen yurt beneath the open desert sky. The following day, return south toward Ashgabat with stops at the Water and Mud Craters along the way. Continue exploring the capital’s distinctive white-marble architecture, monumental avenues and cultural landmarks before spending the night at a comfortable city hotel.
On the final day, travel east toward the historic Merv oasis and explore one of Central Asia’s most important archaeological sites. Visit the great monuments of UNESCO-listed Ancient Merv before returning to Ashgabat for your final dinner and airport transfer. This route is ideal for travellers with limited time who want to combine Turkmenistan’s capital, desert landscapes and Silk Road history in one short round-trip itinerary.
3-Day Tour Itinerary
Day 1 — Ashgabat Airport → Ashgabat City Tour → Darvaza Gas Crater
✈️ Arrival at Ashgabat International Airport
Your private Turkmenistan tour begins upon arrival at Ashgabat International Airport.
After completing passport, immigration and customs procedures, meet our local guide and driver in the arrivals area.
🍽️ Breakfast / Refreshment Stop
Depending on your arrival time, transfer to a local restaurant for breakfast or refreshments before beginning the sightseeing programme.
🏛️ Introduction to Ashgabat
Start with a private orientation tour of Turkmenistan’s capital.
Your guide will introduce you to Ashgabat’s distinctive white-marble cityscape, monumental architecture and broad ceremonial avenues.
The sightseeing route remains flexible and can be adjusted according to your arrival time, local access and personal interests.
🍽️ Lunch in Ashgabat
Enjoy a traditional lunch at a local restaurant before departing for the desert.
🚙 Journey into the Karakum Desert
Leave Ashgabat in the afternoon and travel north toward Darvaza.
The journey covers approximately 270 km and normally takes around 3.5 hours, depending on road and local conditions.
Some sections of the route can be rough and uneven, especially closer to the desert area.
🔥 Darvaza Gas Crater
Arrive at the famous Darvaza Gas Crater in the late afternoon or early evening.
As daylight fades, the fire becomes increasingly dramatic against the surrounding Karakum Desert.
Take time to walk around the viewing area, enjoy the landscape and photograph one of Turkmenistan’s most recognizable natural-industrial landmarks.
🍢 Dinner at the Desert Camp
Enjoy a freshly prepared open-air barbecue dinner at the nearby camp.
After dinner, return to the crater viewing area to experience the flames under the night sky.
⛺ Overnight: Traditional Turkmen yurt near Darvaza Gas Crater
Day 2 — Darvaza → Water & Mud Craters → Ashgabat
🌅 Optional Sunrise Visit
Guests who wish to wake early can make an optional pre-sunrise visit to the crater for a different view of the desert landscape.
🍽️ Breakfast at the Camp
Enjoy breakfast before leaving the camp and beginning the return journey south.
🌵 Water Crater
Make a short stop at the Water Crater, one of the unusual geological features of the Darvaza region.
🌋 Mud Crater
Continue to the Mud Crater for another brief stop and a closer look at the contrasting geological landscapes of the Karakum Desert.
🚙 Return to Ashgabat
Continue south toward Ashgabat.
The drive is approximately 270 km and usually takes around 3.5 hours, although road conditions and stops may affect the final arrival time.
🍽️ Lunch in Ashgabat
Enjoy lunch after reaching the capital.
🏙️ Private Ashgabat City Tour
Spend the afternoon exploring more of Ashgabat with your guide.
Depending on your interests and the sites already visited on Day 1, the programme may include monuments, cultural landmarks, mosques, museums, panoramic viewpoints or selected local markets.
The route is deliberately flexible so your guide can make the best use of the available time.
🍽️ Dinner
Enjoy dinner at a local restaurant in the evening.
🏨 Overnight: Ak Altyn Hotel, Ashgabat
Day 3 — Ashgabat → Ancient Merv → Ashgabat Airport
🍽️ Breakfast & Early Departure
After breakfast, depart Ashgabat at approximately 07:30 for the journey east toward the Mary region.
🚗 Ashgabat–Mary Drive
Travel along the main Ashgabat–Mary motorway.
The distance is approximately 360 km, with a typical driving time of around 3.5–4 hours.
🍽️ Lunch in Mary / Bayramaly
Arrive in the Merv region and enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before the archaeological visit.
🏛️ Ancient Merv — UNESCO World Heritage Site
Begin a guided exploration of Ancient Merv, one of the most important historical cities along the Silk Road.
The visit includes the key monuments of the archaeological park.
🕌 Mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar
See the monumental 12th-century Seljuk mausoleum of Sultan Ahmad Sanjar, one of the great architectural landmarks of medieval Central Asia.
🏰 Greater & Lesser Kyz Kala
Explore the famous mud-brick fortresses with their unusual corrugated exterior walls.
🕋 Askhabs Mausoleums
Visit this important religious memorial complex connected with companions of the Prophet Muhammad.
💧 Ancient Sardoba
Learn about the historic water-storage systems used in this desert environment.
🏺 Erk Kala & Gyaur Kala
Discover some of the earliest fortified areas of Ancient Merv and appreciate the enormous historical scale of the site.
Additional minor monuments can be visited when time permits.
🚗 Return to Ashgabat
After completing the Merv programme, begin the drive back to Ashgabat.
Enjoy the changing desert landscape during the return journey.
🍽️ Farewell Dinner
Depending on your flight schedule, stop for a farewell dinner in Ashgabat.
✈️ Transfer to Ashgabat International Airport
Private transfer to Ashgabat International Airport will be arranged according to the confirmed departure time.
The airport transfer should normally be planned 2–3 hours before the international flight, depending on airline requirements.
🏁 End of Tour Services
3-Day Tour Price
Price per person based on the total number of travelers in the group.
1 Traveler
US$ 1,154
per person
2 Travelers
US$ 1,154
per person
3 Travelers
US$ 1,154
per person
4 Travelers
US$ 1,154
per person
Groups of more than 4 travelers are also welcome. The larger the group, the lower the price per person may become.
Price includes:
- Visa support and registration: assistance with the e-visa application and foreigner registration in Turkmenistan.
- E-visa fee: the electronic visa fee is included in the tour price.
- Hotel accommodation: one night in a comfortable 4-star hotel in Ashgabat with breakfast, based on twin-room sharing according to guests’ gender unless another room arrangement is agreed.
- Darvaza accommodation: one night in a traditional yurt near the Darvaza Gas Crater, including dinner, breakfast, bed linen and access to shower facilities.
- Ground transport: comfortable air-conditioned vehicles with experienced drivers throughout the land itinerary.
- Transfers: pick-up on the Turkmenistan side of the Shavat border, intercity road transfers, sightseeing transfers and the confirmed final transfer to Haudan border or Ashgabat International Airport.
- Meals: breakfasts, plus dinner and breakfast at the Darvaza yurt camp.
- Guiding: a licensed English-speaking guide throughout the programme.
- Sightseeing: guided city tours and entrance fees for museums and sites included in the agreed programme.
- Medical insurance: coverage up to USD 64,000 per guest, subject to the policy terms.
- Driver and guide costs: fuel, meals, accommodation and other route-related expenses for the driver and guide.
- Taxes and organisation: applicable taxes, road fees and organisational costs for the included services.
- Flexible programme: the order and timing of visits may be adjusted according to border processing, road conditions, local access, flight timing and the time available.
- Mobile internet: access to the guide’s portable Wi-Fi router where mobile network coverage is available, supporting up to 10 connected devices at a time.
- Happ VPN: the guide will provide an access key after arrival in Turkmenistan.
Price doesn't include:
- Meals not expressly listed as included. Allow approximately USD 3–8 per person per meal as an indicative budget; actual restaurant prices vary.
- Personal expenses, including souvenirs, snacks, alcohol, laundry, minibar purchases, additional hotel services and other personal purchases.
- Tips for guides and drivers, which are optional and appreciated.
- Onward transport and services after crossing into Iran, unless separately agreed.
- International flights departing from Ashgabat, unless specifically stated in the quotation.
Accommodation
Ashgabat — 1 night
Ak Altyn Hotel 4*
Accommodation in Ashgabat is planned at Ak Altyn Hotel, a centrally located hotel with convenient access to the main sightseeing areas, restaurants and major city attractions.
The hotel is officially classified as a 4-star property, although it is an older-established hotel with a more traditional interior style compared with newer luxury hotels in Ashgabat. We use Ak Altyn because of its practical location, reliable service and easy access to the main places included in the city sightseeing programme.
Breakfast is included. Twin, double or single room arrangements can be provided according to the confirmed booking.
Darvaza — 1 night
Traditional Turkmen Yurt Camp
One night near the Darvaza Gas Crater. The stay includes bedding, dinner, breakfast and access to camp washing/shower facilities. Accommodation in the desert is simpler than a city hotel and is designed as part of the Karakum experience.
