Tour Overview
The 3-Day Turkmenistan Tour from Bukhara is designed for travelers who want to combine Silk Road history, Ashgabat sightseeing and a traditional overnight train experience. Enter Turkmenistan through the Farap border, visit UNESCO-listed Ancient Merv, continue to Ashgabat and travel overnight by sleeper train toward Turkmenabat.
The second day is dedicated to a private exploration of Ashgabat. Discover its distinctive white-marble architecture, broad ceremonial avenues, cultural monuments and selected historical sites at a comfortable pace with your local guide. In the evening, board an overnight sleeper train from Ashgabat to Turkmenabat, adding a traditional railway journey to your Turkmenistan experience. After arriving in Turkmenabat on the third morning, explore the main cultural highlights of eastern Turkmenistan, including the historic Amul area and a local bazaar. Finish the journey with views of the Amu Darya River before returning to the Farap border and continuing onward to Bukhara.
This itinerary is especially suitable for travellers based in Uzbekistan who want to experience Merv, Ashgabat and Turkmenabat without continuing across Turkmenistan to another international border.
3-Day Tour Itinerary
Day 1 — Bukhara / Farap Border → Ancient Merv → Ashgabat
🛂 Farap Border Meeting
Your Turkmenistan journey begins at the Farap border crossing, conveniently reached from Bukhara via Alat.
The planned meeting time is approximately 09:00 on the Turkmenistan side. After completing immigration, passport and customs procedures, our local team will coordinate your meeting with the guide inside the permitted border area.
🚙 Journey toward the Merv Oasis
Leave the border region and travel southwest toward the historic Merv oasis.
The journey passes through the landscapes of eastern Turkmenistan before reaching the Mary region, one of the country's most important historical areas.
🍽️ Lunch in Mary / Bayramaly
Stop for lunch at a local restaurant before beginning the archaeological visit.
🏛️ Ancient Merv — UNESCO World Heritage Site
Spend the afternoon exploring one of Central Asia's great Silk Road archaeological landscapes with your guide.
The programme includes several of Ancient Merv's most important monuments:
🕌 Mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar
Visit the monumental 12th-century mausoleum of the Seljuk ruler Sultan Ahmad Sanjar, one of the architectural symbols of Ancient Merv.
🏰 Greater and Lesser Kyz Kala
See the imposing mud-brick structures distinguished by their unusual corrugated exterior walls.
🕋 Askhabs Mausoleums
Explore this important religious memorial complex associated with companions of the Prophet Muhammad.
💧 Ancient Sardoba
Learn how water was stored and managed in this arid Silk Road environment.
🏺 Erk Kala & Gyaur Kala
Explore remains of the earlier fortified settlements that demonstrate the extraordinary historical scale of Merv.
Depending on timing, other smaller archaeological remains inside the park can also be visited.
🚗 Drive to Ashgabat
After completing the Merv tour, continue west toward Ashgabat along the main Mary–Ashgabat road.
The drive is approximately 360 km and usually requires around 3.5–4 hours, depending on road conditions and stops.
🌃 Evening Arrival in Ashgabat
Arrive in the capital in the evening and transfer to your hotel.
If timing permits, dinner can be arranged at a local restaurant before hotel check-in.
🏨 Overnight: Ak Altyn Hotel, Ashgabat
Day 2 — Full-Day Ashgabat Tour → Overnight Train to Turkmenabat
🍽️ Breakfast
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before beginning your private sightseeing programme.
🏛️ Private Ashgabat City Tour
Spend the day exploring Turkmenistan's capital with your local guide.
Rather than following a rigid sightseeing schedule, the route can be adapted according to your interests, local opening times and the places already accessible on your travel date.
Possible sightseeing can include monumental public squares, white-marble architecture, mosques, memorial complexes, museums and panoramic city viewpoints.
📸 White-Marble Ashgabat
Take time to experience the capital's distinctive urban style, with its broad avenues, monumental buildings and carefully designed public spaces.
🕌 Culture & Heritage
Your guide can combine the modern city with selected historical and cultural sites to provide a wider picture of Turkmenistan.
🍽️ Lunch
Enjoy a break for lunch at a local restaurant during the sightseeing programme.
🛍️ Local Experience
When time allows, the day can also include a bazaar or other everyday local stop.
🍽️ Dinner before the Train
Before heading to the railway station, enjoy dinner in Ashgabat.
Depending on the final railway departure time, you may either have a sit-down meal or purchase drinks, fruit and snacks for the overnight journey.
🚉 Ashgabat Railway Station
Transfer to Ashgabat Railway Station in the evening.
Board the overnight sleeper train bound for Turkmenabat.
🛏️ Sleeper Compartment
Accommodation is arranged in a comfortable 4-berth sleeper compartment.
Whenever available, Darvaza Tour arranges the full compartment for your booking even when travelling as one or two guests, providing additional space and privacy.
Clean bedding, pillows and sleeping berths are provided for the overnight journey.
🚆 Overnight: Ashgabat → Turkmenabat sleeper train
Day 3 — Turkmenabat → Amul Fortress → Gok Bazaar → Amu Darya → Farap Border / Bukhara
🚉 Morning Arrival in Turkmenabat
Arrive at Turkmenabat Railway Station in the morning.
Your driver will meet you at the station and begin the final day's programme.
🏛️ Turkmenabat Cultural Exploration
Spend the morning discovering several highlights of Turkmenistan's eastern region.
The schedule remains flexible according to your arrival time and border plans.
🏺 Amul Fortress
Visit the remains of ancient Amul, an important settlement that once stood on one of the major trade routes linking Merv, Bukhara and Khorezm.
The site helps connect modern Turkmenabat with the much older Silk Road history of the Amu Darya region.
🛍️ Gok Bazaar
Continue to one of the city's local markets.
Walk through stalls selling fruit, vegetables, spices, dried products and everyday goods while experiencing the atmosphere of local life in Lebap.
🏙️ Turkmenabat City Orientation
Take a short drive through the central areas of the city to see modern avenues, public buildings and everyday urban life in eastern Turkmenistan.
🍽️ Lunch
Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant and try regional Turkmen dishes before heading toward the border.
🌊 Amu Darya River
On the way toward Farap, make a scenic stop near the Amu Darya River.
The river has shaped the history, agriculture and trade routes of Central Asia for centuries and remains one of the defining geographical features of the region.
🚗 Transfer to Farap Border
Continue approximately 40–45 km from Turkmenabat toward the Farap border crossing.
🛂 Border Assistance
Upon arrival, our team will assist with Turkmenistan customs and departure immigration procedures within the permitted border area.
After completing the formalities, cross into Uzbekistan and continue toward Bukhara.
🏁 End of Tour Services
3 days 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
Overnight Train — 1 night
Ashgabat → Turkmenabat Sleeper Train
Travel overnight from Ashgabat to Turkmenabat in a comfortable 4-berth sleeper compartment.
Whenever railway availability permits, Darvaza Tour arranges the full compartment for the booking even for solo travellers or couples, providing additional privacy and space during the journey.
The sleeper compartment includes proper sleeping berths, clean bedding and pillows, allowing guests to rest during the overnight railway journey.
The exact train departure and arrival times will be reconfirmed before travel according to the current railway timetable and ticket availability.
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.
