Best of Turkmenistan — 8 Days Comprehensive Tour

Best of Turkmenistan — 8 Days Comprehensive Tour

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive Ashgabat

Arrive at Ashgabat International Airport. Private transfer with welcome amenities. Afternoon private tour of Ashgabat: the Arch of Neutrality, Independence Park, the Earthquake Memorial, and the Ertugrul Gazi Mosque — a gift from Turkey modeled after Istanbul’s Blue Mosque. Welcome dinner at a restaurant in the Berkarar Shopping & Entertainment Center. Overnight at a 4-star hotel in Ashgabat.

Day 2: Ashgabat — Ancient Nissa & Modern Marvel

Full-day private exploration of Ashgabat and surroundings. Morning: Old Nissa (UNESCO), the 3rd-century BC Parthian capital, with its fortress walls, royal residence, and temple complex. Visit the Turkmenbashi Ruhy Mosque and mausoleum in Kipchak. Afternoon: the National Carpet Museum housing the world’s largest handmade carpet (301 square meters), and the Museum of Fine Arts with its excellent collection of Russian and Turkmen art. Evening ride on the Ashgabat Ferris wheel for glittering night views. Overnight at hotel.

Day 3: Ashgabat to Darvaza — Kow Ata Cave

Morning visit to an Akhal-Teke horse stud farm — witness these magnificent golden horses and learn about their 3,000-year history. Visit the Kow Ata Underground Lake — descend 180 steps into a limestone cave to swim in the warm thermal waters (36°C, 60 meters underground). Afternoon 4×4 drive into the Karakum Desert. Arrive at the Darvaza Gas Crater. Set up your comfortable camp with proper beds and dining area. As night falls, the crater transforms into a hypnotic spectacle — flames dancing in the desert silence under a canopy of stars. BBQ dinner. Overnight in deluxe yurt camp.

Day 4: Darvaza to Yangykala Canyon

Sunrise at the crater. After breakfast, continue the 4×4 journey west across the Karakum Desert to Yangykala Canyon. Arrive at this breathtaking hidden gem — a spectacular canyon with layered rock walls in brilliant shades of orange, pink, cream, and deep red, sculpted by wind and water over millions of years. Often called the “Grand Canyon of Central Asia,” Yangykala is virtually unknown to international tourism. Sunset photography at the canyon rim. Overnight camping near Yangykala.

Day 5: Yangykala to Turkmenbashi — Caspian Sea

Morning photography at Yangykala in the golden light. Drive west to Turkmenbashi (formerly Krasnovodsk) on the Caspian Sea coast. Visit the Awaza National Tourist Zone, Turkmenistan’s ambitious resort project on the Caspian shore. Afternoon at the Caspian Sea — walk along the beach and dip your toes in the world’s largest inland body of water. Fresh Caspian seafood dinner. Overnight at a hotel in Turkmenbashi.

Day 6: Turkmenbashi to Ashgabat — Balkanabat & Nohur

Morning drive back toward Ashgabat. Stop at Balkanabat, a city at the foot of the Balkan Mountains. Continue to the mountain village of Nohur, one of Turkmenistan’s most traditional communities. The Nohur people maintain unique customs blending pre-Islamic and Islamic traditions. Visit the village cemetery where gravestones are decorated with mountain goat horns. Lunch with a Nohur family. Continue to Ashgabat. Overnight at hotel in Ashgabat.

Day 7: Ashgabat to Mary — Ancient Merv

Morning flight to Mary. Full-day private tour of Ancient Merv (UNESCO), one of the greatest cities of the medieval Islamic world. Explore the Sultan Sanjar Mausoleum (12th century), the ice houses (sardobas) that stored ice year-round, the Greater and Lesser Kyz Kalas with their distinctive corrugated walls, and the Erk Kala, the oldest part of Merv dating back to the Achaemenid Empire. Visit the Mary History Museum. Afternoon flight back to Ashgabat. Farewell dinner at a top Ashgabat restaurant. Overnight at hotel.

Day 8: Ashgabat Departure

Morning at leisure — last visit to Tolkuchka Bazaar for Turkmen carpets, silver jewelry, and craft souvenirs. Transfer to Ashgabat International Airport for departure. Leave with an intimate knowledge of one of the world’s most closed and fascinating countries — from the marble madness of Ashgabat to the eternal flames of Darvaza and the timeless canyons of Yangykala.

What’s Included

• 7 nights accommodation (5 nights hotel, 2 nights deluxe camp)
• Daily meals including two BBQ dinners
• Private English-speaking guide & 4×4 driver
• Old Nissa, Kow Ata Cave, Yangykala Canyon
• Darvaza Gas Crater overnight
• Akhal-Teke horse stud visit
• Ancient Merv full-day tour (UNESCO)
• Nohur mountain village experience
• Turkmenbashi & Caspian Sea visit
• Domestic flights (Ashgabat ↔ Mary)
• Visa support letter
• Airport transfers

What’s Excluded

• International flights
• Travel insurance
• Turkmenistan visa fee & migration tax
• Alcoholic beverages
• Tips & personal expenses