tours to turkmenistan

Turkmenistan Tours & Vacations

Turkmenistan is an eclectic country that oozes history and quirkiness, with warm inhabitants who enjoying extending a welcoming hand to visitors (even if the government is somewhat less effusive). Visit this eccentric nation to forge a path across windswept deserts and jagged mountains, through aromatic spice bazaars, along the ancient Silk Road, all the while encountering the distinctive faces of Central Asia .

Our Turkmenistan trips

6 ways you can go beyond Asia’s hotspots in 2023 

Turkmenistan at a glance

Capital city.

Ashgabat (population 883,000)

6.2 Million

Turkmen, Russian, Uzbek

(GMT+05:00) Ekaterinburg

CALLING CODE

Electricity.

Type B (American 3-pin) Type F (German 2-pin, side clip earth)

Learn more about Turkmenistan

Geography and environment.

Over 80% of Turkmenistan's land mass is covered by the Karakum Desert, which stretches from west to east for 550 Miles. Consequently, the landscape is dominated by undulating sandy desert dunes, with low mountains to the south and south-east, and the Caspian Sea running the length of the western fringe. Turkmenistan shares borders with Kazakhstan to the north,   Uzbekistan   to the east, Afghanistan to the southeast and   Iran   to the south.

Further reading

Best time to visit turkmenistan.

With a dry, subtropical desert climate, Turkmenistan earns the rank as Central Asia's hottest country. Spring (April-June) and autumn (September-November) are the ideal times to visit, as this is when weather conditions are the most comfortable. During summer - particularly July and August - the mercury can tip up to 49 °C (120 ° F) on a regular basis, while winters can get very cold, down to freezing in some parts of the north.

Top 5 things banned by Niyazov

Listening to car radios, lip-synching and recorded music were all prohibited as he believed they stifled the natural creative talents of Turkmen.

2. TV newswomen wearing make-up

Banned in 2004, because he believed Turkmen women were beautiful enough already without make-up. (Although, some reports claim this was actually because he was struggling to tell the difference between the male and female newsreaders!)

3. Gold teeth

Banned in April 2004 - instead Niyazov decreed the youth of Turkmenistan should chew on bones to preserve their teeth, in the same way dogs do.

4. Opera, ballet and the circus

Banned in 2001 for being unnecessary and 'decidedly un-Turkmen-like'.

5. Dogs in Ashgabat

Banished from the streets of the capital as a result of their 'unappealing odour'.

Turkmenistan travel FAQs

Do i need a covid-19 vaccine to join an intrepid trip.

Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards

From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travelers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 (excluding all Polar trips and select adventure cruises).

However, we continue to strongly recommend that all Intrepid travelers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.

Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.

Do I need a visa to travel to Turkmenistan?

TURKMENISTAN  All travelers to Turkmenistan require a visa. A Letter of Invitation (LOI) is also required before you can apply for the visa. We recommend all travelers plan to receive a Visa on Arrival at either the airport or land border, depending on your itinerary. Please follow the instructions below to have your LOI for visa on arrival issued before you travel.

To apply for your LOI we require the following: - clear, color scan of the photo page of your passport - digital copy of a color passport photo (not a scan of a printed photo) - Turkmen LOI Application form (please contact your booking agent)

After submitting these documents to your booking agent our local partners will process your LOI. This service is included in your trip cost. We advise that you apply for your LOI no later than 3 months before your trip to allow time for processing. Turkmenistan LOIs are processed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Turkmenistan and usually take around 4 weeks to be processed, with up to 6 weeks in peak travel season not uncommon. We strongly suggest submitting all documents no later than 2 months before arrival in order to allow sufficient time for processing.

NOTES: -  Independent travel in Turkmenistan is not permitted and your visa will only be valid for as long as tour services (including accommodation, guides, transport etc) are provided. - Make sure you have a print out of your LOI before boarding your flight or leaving for your trip.  - You will need to complete a migration card and pay a US$12 migration fee ($10 fee plus $2 admin charge) on arrival in Turkmenistan. - You will need 2 printed passport photos for your leader to submit to the migration office after your arrival in country. 

CUSTOMS: - A number of medications containing tramadol, morphine, opiates or any other similar constituent component are banned in Turkmenistan and are considered narcotic drugs. Do not bring any medications containing these drugs into the country.

Is tipping customary in Turkmenistan?

Tipping isn't customary in Turkmenistan. 

What is the internet access like in Turkmenistan?

Internet access is available in all large towns at state-run internet cafes. Free wi-fi is sometimes available, although may be also be charged in some places. All internet access is via the state-run domain so emails may be monitored and many websites (including social media like Facebook and Twitter) are blocked.

Can I use my cell phone while in Turkmenistan?

Roaming agreements are in place with some international phone companies, however cell phone coverage is mostly limited to Ashgabat. Remember to activate global roaming with your service provider before leaving home.

What are the toilets like in Turkmenistan?

Turkmenistan has a mix of squat toilets and flushable toilets. As a developing nation, expect to adjust to different levels of sanitation. Always carry your own toilet paper and hand sanitizer as these are rarely provided.

What will it cost for a…?

Soft drink = 3-4 TMT Bottle of imported beer = 5-6 TMT Simple lunch = 15-20 TMT Dinner in an inexpensive restaurant = 35-45 TMT

Can I drink the water in Turkmenistan?

Tap water isn't considered safe for tourists to drink and you should also be careful when eating salads and other uncooked foods that may have been washed in water, avoid ice in drinks and peel fruit before eating. For environmental reasons, try to avoid buying bottled water. Ask your leader and accommodation provider for local advice on where drinking water can be accessed.

Are credit cards accepted widely in Turkmenistan?

Credit card usage - including cash advances - is only available in Ashgabat, and even then, mostly in hotels. Large hotels, restaurants and tourist service providers generally accept credit cards, but expect smaller operators and shops to accept cash only.

What is ATM access like in Turkmenistan?

ATMs are difficult to find, even in Ashgabat. If traveling through rural and remote areas, be aware that there will be no ATM access. Most ATMs are only of use to locals and do not accept foreign cards.

What public holidays are celebrated in Turkmenistan?

• 1 Jan New Year
• 12 Jan Memorial Day
• 19 Feb National Flag Day
• 8 Mar International Women's Day
• 21 Mar National Spring Holiday
• 22 Mar National Spring Holiday
• 9 May Victory Day 
• 18 May Constitution Day
• 26 Jun Eid al-Fitr
• 2 Sep Eid al-Adha
• 3 Sep Eid al-Adha Holiday
• 4 Sep Eid al-Adha Holiday
• 6 Oct Day of Remembrance of the victims of the earthquake in 1948
• 27 Oct Independence Day
• 28 Oct Independence Day
• 12 Dec Neutrality Day

For a current list of public holidays in Turkmenistan go to:   http://www.worldtravelguide.net/turkmenistan/public-holidays

How do I stay safe and healthy while traveling?

From Australia?

Go to: Smart Traveller

From Canada?

Go to:  Canada Travel Information

From the UK?

Go to:  UK Foreign Travel Advice

From New Zealand?

Go to:  Safe Travel

From the US?

Go to:  US Department of State

The World Health Organisation also provides useful health information.

Do I need to purchase travel insurance before traveling?

Absolutely. All passengers traveling with Intrepid are required to purchase travel insurance before the start of their trip. Your travel insurance details will be recorded by your leader on the first day of the trip. Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is very much an essential and necessary part of every journey.

For more information on insurance, please go to: Travel Insurance

Does my trip support The Intrepid Foundation?

Yes, all Intrepid trips support the Intrepid Foundation. Trips to this country directly support our global Intrepid Foundation partners, Eden Reforestation Projects and World Bicycle Relief. Intrepid will double the impact by dollar-matching all post-trip donations made to The Intrepid Foundation.

Eden Reforestation Projects

Eden Reforestation Projects are helping to mitigate climate change by restoring forests worldwide; they also hire locally and create job opportunities within vulnerable communities. Donations from our trips support restoration across planting sites in 10 countries around the globe. Find out more or make a donation World Bicycle Relief

World Bicycle Relief provides people in low-income communities with bicycles to mobilize school kids, health workers, and farmers in far-out areas – giving them access to vital education, healthcare, and income. Donations help provide Buffalo Bicycles – specifically designed to withstand the rugged terrain and harsh environment of rural regions – to those who need them most. Find out more or make a donation

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Turkmenistan Tours & Trips

Find the right tour for you through Turkmenistan. We've got 10 adventures going to Turkmenistan, starting from just 3 days in length, and the longest tour is 15 days. The most popular month to go is September, which has the largest number of tour departures.

10 Turkmenistan tour packages with 3 reviews

• In-depth Cultural
• Christmas & New Year

Customized Private Turkmenistan Trip with Daily Departure

Alles hat bestens geklappt Es war eine Reise, an die wir uns gerne erinnern.

• Book With Flexibility This operator allows you to rebook your dates or tours with them for free, waiving change fees.

Tailor-Made Best Turkmenistan Tour with Daily Departure & Private Guide

Central Asia Tour - Turkmenistan Part from and to Uzbekistan

• Sightseeing

Explore Turkmenistan

Tashkent to Ashgabat

Some aspects of the trip were exceptional, others were, frankly, problematic. The overarching theme is that Intrepid, frankly, seems to have very little understanding of what is actually happening on the ground with its local operators. Starting with the good: our guide in Turkmenistan (Ali) really went out of his way to provide us with an amazing travel experience and presentation of Turkmenistan, including by filling in many of the inexplicable "free time" periods in the official Intrepid itinerary. Independent travel is not permitted in Turkmenistan; "free time" actually means a group activity at the discretion of the tour leader or else sitting around the hotel drinking beer and playing cards. Ali, in response to requests from us and other group members, revised the itinerary to allow an additional excursion to Gonor Depe from Mary (after visiting Merv) as well as a trip to the Carpet Museum in Ashgabat (after returning from Mary). The transport in Turkmenistan was a full-sized 50-person bus, which was admittedly very comfortable but it did seem a bit much for 9 people. Kudos to our driver for being at our beck and call for very long hours. The tent facilities at Darvaza were, frankly, more comfortable than I expected them to be. That segment of the trip was particularly well done. The Uzbekistan portion of the trip was full of problems, starting with the apparent arrest of the tour leader on Day 1 for not being a properly-licensed guide, which resulted in the orientation being cancelled and the group having to get themselves to the airport for the flight to Khiva without tickets or guide. We are not familiar with the particulars since we only joined the tour in Khiva on Day 2. The hotel in Khiva was, literally, a construction site. We arrived a day early and were its very first guests; the remainder of the group were its second guests. The hotel was not yet finished. Construction workers were hammering, moving around furniture, etc, all day. The dining room was occupied by a seamstress making curtains. In fairness to the hotel, the owner and manager really went out of their way to make us as comfortable as possible under the circumstances, including going above-and-beyond in hospitality. I am sure it will be a very nice hotel when it is actually completed. The last-minute replacement guide (Sasha) was knowledgable and made every effort to be helpful, but inexperienced. He candidly acknowledged that it was was first time guiding a group of more than 2 people and he only started learning English 6 months prior. He gets an A+ for effort and I am sure he will make a very good guide with more experience. The Intrepid itinerary misstates the border crossing into Turkmenistan as Xojeli instead of Shavat. This caused some confusion/consternation on the bus to the border as it appeared we were being taken to the wrong place and we were concerned about whether our Turkmenistan guide would be in the right place. Sasha could not explain the discrepancy. Overall, we enjoyed the tour, although we are forced to wonder whether Intrepid/Tourradar actually added much value and whether we could have a similar experience if we had just visited Khiva independently (as we did the rest of Uzbekistan) and dealt directly with a local Turkmenistan operator for that country.

Tailor-Made 10 Days Turkmenistan Adventure, Daily Departure & Private Guide

Ashgabat to Khiva (Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan tour)

Looking for tours beyond just turkmenistan.

Explore tours with itineraries going through multiple countries, including Turkmenistan.

• Local Living
• Intl. Flights Included

Over the Mountains of the Moon and through the Karakum to the "Gates of Hell

• Flights included

Desert Ride through Unknown Nomadic Land

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Young Pioneer Tours

Turkmenistan Tours – Group tours to Turkmenistan

We run a number of group tours to Turkmenistan throughout the year, as well as bespoke Turkmenistan tours that can be arranged according to your schedule and availability. Most of tours to Turkmenistan start and finish within the country, but we also combine with other “Stans” as part of bigger tours.

We are currently offering the following Turkmenistan tours for 2024 and 2025. This includes standalone Turkmenistan Tours, as well as those combined into our “5 Stans” Combo tours.

Turkmenistan 2024 Tours

Five Stans Budget Tour – June 2nd – 19th 2024 – $345 / $2895

Due to popular demand, we’ll be running our Five Stans tour taking you around Central Asia to Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.

Turkmenistan Summer Tour – July 16th – 24th 2024 – $1495

Don’t miss out on our triumphant return to Turkmenistan this summer!

Five Stans Budget Tour – September 15th – October 2nd 2024 – $345 / $2895

After the conclusion of the World Nomads games in Kazakhstan , we’ll be running our Five Stans tour taking you around Central Asia to Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.

Turkmenistan Independence Day Budget Tour – September 25th – 29th 2024 – $995

We have designed our Turkmenistan Independence Day Budget tour to be short and easier on your wallet as you take part in the celebrations in Ashgabat – easily our most favourite nation of “the Stans”.

Turkmenistan Independence Day Tour – September 25th – October 3rd 2024 – $1495

One of our most favourite Turkmenistan tours. You’ll be part of all the major celebrations, as well as seeing all the essential tourist sites as part of this trip to Turkmenistan.

Turkmenistan New Year Tour – December 28th 2024 – January 2nd 2025 – $1095

Join us in Turkmenistan on our New Year tour as you ring in the new year sipping champagne with fireworks as the backdrop next to the nation’s iconic Davaza Crater, or most famously known as the “Gates of Hell” .

Turkmenistan 2025 Tour s

Turkmenistan Spring Tour – March 24th – April 1st 2025 – $1495

Make the most out of your spring break and join us on our Turkmenistan Spring Tour! A country that falls well below most traveller’s radars but is one of the most unique countries not only within the Stans, but in the entire world!

Five Stans Budget Tour – April 2nd – 19th 2025 – $345 / $2895

For exciting road trip aficionados and country collectors alike, join us as we take you to five of the countries in Central Asia, that is Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.

All of our group tours to Turkmenistan are accompanied by an expert YPT guide, with us also using the best guides in Turkmenistan. You will notice our tours are extremely unique with our itineraries differing greatly from other companies, this is because we have been going to Turkmenistan for a long time and know the country inside out.

YPT will fully assist you with your visa for Turkmenistan. More details can be found in our Frequently Asked Questions about Turkmenistan section below.

Five Stans – Turkmenistan

YPT were the first company to offer five Stans tours, that is tours to (most of) the Stans countries. Turkmenistan being very much a “Stan” is part of this.

You can read more about what are the five Stans here .

Example Group Tour Extensions to Turkmenistan

• Day trip around Ashgabat – Explore some of the sites of Ashgabat that aren’t on the regular itinerary. These can include the Turkmenbashi Mausoleum, the Carpet Museum, part of the Walk of Health, the cable car, or anything else that takes your interest.
• Arriving/Leaving from Dashoguz or Konye Urgench borders (Uzbekistan)  – Once a thriving metropolis, this ancient city has been destroyed many times over the centuries, but is still home to some of the most interesting mausoleums and buildings in Turkmenistan.
• Merv and Mary Day trip – Merv is the oldest and best-preserved ancient oasis city along the Silk Road. Now UNESCO listed, several areas of the city are able to be visited, each part showcasing a different aspect of the rich history of the area.

Independent tours to Turkmenistan

One of the most closed countries in the world, with even fewer tourists every year than North Korea, Turkmenistan is a truly unique place.

Far from the beaten track, you will spend the entirety of your time in Turkmenistan being in awe of something. This could be it the “Dictator’s Playground” as Ashgabat has come to be known, the giant flaming crater called the “Gates of Hell”, the futuristic, unfinished, ghost town of a beach resort, Awaza, the incessant statues and pictures of the President and the former President, or the spectacular and completely untouched natural phenomenon of the Karakum Desert.

If our dates don’t suit, or the itinerary isn’t what you’re looking for, or if you’d simply prefer to travel alone, please contact us to arrange an Independent Tour.

The types of tours that we can tailor for you are endless, including but not limited to 4WDing, hiking, natural sites, sporting, cultural, ancient cities and many more. If you have any suggestions of what type of tour you’d like to do tell us your idea and we’ll further discuss.

See our overview of all the best tourist sites in Turkmenistan here .

See our Sample Turkmenistan Itinerary here .

Independent Turkmenistan Tour examples

We do not list all of our bespoke Turkmenistan itineraries, as we like to keep much our best bespoke Turkmenistan stiff proprietary. Below are merely some examples of independent Turkmenistan trips that we can offer.

• Cultural Turkmenistan Tours  – The Turkmen culture is about much more than the current cult of personality, so if you are looking for something more anthropological, then we can arrange this for you.
• School Trips to Turkmenistan – We can arrange school trips to Turkmenistan that cover any area of curriculum related to the country that you desire. Simply get in touch if you are looking for a Turkmenistan school trip.
• Aviation tours to Turkmenistan  – Turkmenistan still has a number of old Soviet vehicles, so is therefore interesting to many aviation enthusiasts. These can be tough to organize, so planning is definitely needed.
• Soviet tours to Turkmenistan – It might not look all that much like the old Turkmenistan Soviet Socialist Republic, but there are still enough vestiges to make a tour like this a possibility. If you want a Turkmenistan Soviet tour, then get in touch the experts to talk about possibilities.
• Turkmenistan Tours for journalists  – Journalists are not permitted to join regular group tours to Turkmenistan and special permission must be sought. YPT can arrange trips of journalist to Turkmenistan.
• Filming in Turkmenistan – For those looking to do filming projects in Turkmenistan and the wider Central-Asian region we can offer services via our partners at Pioneer Media.

Central Asia Tours

Turkmenistan might well be very central to Central Asia, but there is also a show heap of other stuff within the region worth seeing. YPT regularly run tours in Central Asia, inclusive of our legendary 5 Stans Tour.

You can check out our dedicated Central Asia Page here .

Turkmenistan Tours FAQ

Below are what we are frequently asked about Turkmenistan for those interested in traveling to the country. We feel that we answered pretty much everything you might need to know before you go to Turkmenistan, but please feel free to get in touch about visiting Turkmenistan, it truly is unique, so we no question is too strange!

Frequently asked questions about Turkmenistan Tours

I heard getting a visa is hard, what is an loi for a turkmenistan tour, can i receive a visa from a turkmenistan embassy, what about getting a transit visa, do i have to go in a group tour, when is the best time to go, what should i see, is it safe to travel to turkmenistan, is it ethical to travel to turkmenistan, can journalists travel to turkmenistan, do i need to take cash to turkmenistan, frequently asked questions about central asia.

Young Pioneer Tours has always taken interesting people to even more interesting destinations. It now happens to include an area commonly referred to as Central Asia. By Central Asia, we refer to the five Ex Soviet Stans: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.

It’s one of the least known, least travelled parts of the world and as such we get some pretty amazing questions, from the downright ridiculous such as “No, that’s not a real place. Surely, you’re making this up?” to the simply misinformed such as “Isn’t that where ISIS is?”

While it would take ions to write down all these types of questions and in the specific manner in which they are asked, what we’ve done is grouped together some of the types of questions we do get most commonly – all of which pertain at least slightly to Turkmenistan tours.

Is it safe?

Are they muslims, are they ‘dry’ countries, what if i have a dietary requirement.

• Suspendisse tincidunt nunc nec

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• Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan Tours

Turkmenistan Group Tours

Discover the very best of Turkmenistan with expert local guides. Turkmenistan small group tour will introduce you to absorbing modern and historical landmarks at a shared cost with travellers from all over the world.

Turkmenistan Small Group Tour 2024-2025

5-day Turkmenistan group tour will introduce you the sights of ancient Merv, medieval mausoleums and minarets of Kunya-Urgench and the unique attractions of Ashgabat. You will also have a journey to the Darvaza gas crater, where you will enjoy the beauty and tranquility of Karakum desert.

Ashgabat, Mary, Merv, Darvaza Gas Crater, Dashoguz, Kunya-Urgench

Details 5 Days | Spring, summer, autumn US$ 1,490 per person

Turkmenistan Highlights Group Tour 2024-2025

Discover the mysterious and fascinating country of Turkmenistan with this 8-day tour that takes you from the gleaming city of Ashgabat to the ancient ruins of Merv, the fiery Karakum desert, and beyond…

Ashgabat, Turkmenbashi, Balkanabat, Nokhur, Mary, Merv, Darvaza Gas Crater, Kunya-Urgench, Dashoguz

Details 8 Days | Spring, Autumn US$ 2,380 per person

Private Tours in Turkmenistan

Craft your dream journey through Turkmenistan with a personalized touch. Our private tours offer flexibility, privacy, and a tailored itinerary, perfectly matching your preferences.

Central Asian Tours

Central Asia in 2 Weeks Tour

Discover the historical, cultural, and scenic highlights of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan on a private tour that follows our bestselling 2-week Central Asia itinerary.

Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan

Details 14 Days | Spring, summer, autumn

Central Asia Tour by Road

Giving you more time and travelling mostly by road, our comprehensive 3-week Central Asia itinerary allows you to experience even more of the culture, scenery, and history of the five Stans.

Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan

Details 20 Days | end of May - September

Turkmenistan Cultural Tours

Door-to-Hell at Night Tour

Book 2-day Darvaza gas crater tour to explore “Door to Hell”, 60 meters diameter hole that has been burning since 1971. On the way to Darvaza you will enjoy pristine nature of Karakum, Central Asia’s hottest desert and one of the main caravan paths on the Great Silk Road. You will also discover more than 2000 years old Kunya-Urgench, the capital of ancient Khorezm Empire.

Kunya-Urgench, Darvaza gas crater, Karakum desert

Details 2 Days | April - November from US$ 450 per person

Turkmenistan Classic Tour

Visit the most remarkable places of Turkmenistan: Ashgabat, Mary, Merv, Darvaza Gas Crater, Dashoguz, Kunya-Urgench.

Details 6 Days | Spring, summer, autumn from US$ 1,470 per person

Day Tours in Turkmenistan

Darvaza Day Tour

Day tour to Darvaza gas crater located in the middle of Karakum desert.

Darvaza gas crater, Karakum desert

Details 1 Day | April - November from US$ 210 per person

A trip to beautiful village of Nohur that is according to local legends is a place where the Noah’s Ark moored. Road to Nohur is accompanied with visits to many interesting sites.

Kopet Dag Mountains, Turkmenbashi Mosque-Mausoleum, Gokdepe Mosque, Kow-Ata, “Bedev” Hippodrome

Details 1 Day | All year round from US$ 160 per person

Private and Group Tours in Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan is an unparalleled country, with broad deserts, wide avenues, and historical and natural sights unrivaled anywhere else. From Darvaza Gas Crater to the stunning architecture of Ashgabat, our best Turkmenistan tours take you everywhere.

Turkmenistan has a long history on the Silk Road, as caravans crossing the vast Karakum Desert would stop at oasis cities like Merv. However, most of the local population lived a nomadic life, traveling across the desert (the famous Akhal-Teke horses were prized for their speed and endurance in the desert). After becoming the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic, Turkmenistan became independent in 1991, and with plenty of natural gas reserves, the country soon developed (the Darvaza Gas Crater is one such gas field).

Whether you start with the modern streets of Ashgabat, or the ruins of ancient Merv, or the prehistoric and unchanging Karakum Desert, booking the best Turkmenistan tour is a choice you won’t regret. Advantour’s years of experience with the best guides, restaurants, and hotels means that your trip to Turkmenistan is sure to be unforgettable.

• Turkmenistan Tours

Turkmenistan Tours and Trips 2024/2025

If you’re looking for an unusual destination that sets you apart as a traveller, Turkmenistan should top your list. Photography here is mostly prohibited and guided tours are a must - but the things you see will be ingrained in your memory forever. Explore local culture and cultural, religious and historic sites in Ashgabat , or explore the natural wonders along the Silk Road.

• Turkmenistan Travel Guide
• Best Time to Visit Turmenistan

16 Trips in Turkmenistan with 72 Reviews

• Starts Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
• Ends Almaty, Kazakhstan

The Five Stans of the Silk Road

• Best price guaranteed
• No booking fees
• Tour Type Small Group Tour
• Activities Local culture & Cultural, religious and historic sites Local culture , Cultural, religious and historic sites & Trekking and Hiking 'data-more-tripid='10781'>+1 more
• Accommodation Hotel, Guest House & Home-stay
• Transport Flight & 4WD Jeep
• Age Range 16-95 yrs
• Operated in English
• Brochure Price: US$ 7,498
• Special Deal (10%): - US$ 733
• Total Price from: US$ 6,765
• Jun 01 Only 1 seat left
• Jun 08 Only 2 seats left
• View More Jan 1, 2019 Jan 2, 2019 Jan 3, 2019

• Starts Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
• Ends Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
• Activities City sightseeing & Cultural, religious and historic sites City sightseeing , Cultural, religious and historic sites , Natural landmarks sightseeing & Trekking and Hiking 'data-more-tripid='18975'>+2 more
• Accommodation Hotel, Guest House, Home-stay & Camping
• Transport Flight, Private Vehicle & 4WD Jeep
• Age Range 12-95 yrs
• Jun 18 Only 1 seat left
• Jun 22 Only 1 seat left

• Starts Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Best of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan

• Activities Cultural, religious and historic sites & Art and architecture
• Accommodation Hotel, Camping & Guest House
• Transport Private Vehicle
• Brochure Price: US$ 2,799
• Special Deal (15%): - US$ 420
• Total Price from: US$ 2,379
• May 31 Only 1 seat left
• Jun 10 Only 1 seat left

• Ends Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Wonders of the Silk Road

• Activities Cultural, religious and historic sites & City sightseeing
• Accommodation Hotel & Guest House
• Transport Train & Bus
• Brochure Price: US$ 3,230
• Special Deal (7%): - US$ 210
• Total Price from: US$ 3,020
• Sep 07 Only 7 seats left
• Sep 14 10+ seats left

Bishkek to Ashgabat

• Activities City sightseeing & Cultural, religious and historic sites City sightseeing , Cultural, religious and historic sites , Art and architecture , Museum and gallery visits & Natural landmarks sightseeing 'data-more-tripid='18480'>+3 more
• Transport Train, Bus & 4WD Jeep
• Age Range 15-99 yrs
• Brochure Price: US$ 6,700
• Special Deal (10%): - US$ 670
• Total Price from: US$ 6,030
• Jun 01 Only 2 seats left
• Jun 11 Only 1 seat left

The Five Stans of The Silk Road

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Bishkek To Ashgabat (20 Days)

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• Activities Overland Journeys
• Accommodation Camping, Hostel & Hotel
• Transport Train
• Age Range 18-95 yrs
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• Ends Beijing, China

Ashgabat To Beijing (56 Days)

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Uzbekistan & Turkmenistan Adventure

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• Starts Tbilisi, Georgia
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Tbilisi To Ashgabat (24 Days)

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• Age Range 18-80 yrs
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Ashgabat To Istanbul (44 Days)

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Bishkek To Ashgabat (37 Days)

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Ashgabat To Bishkek (37 Days) Silk Road Highlights

Ashgabat To Tbilisi (24 Days)

Traveling to Turkmenistan? Chat with a local travel specialist in Turkmenistan who can help organize your trip.

Turkmenistan Tour Reviews

Turkmenistan - tour highlights and travel tips.

Made up of nearly 80% desert but with access to the Caspian Sea, Turkmenistan is perhaps best known for its intricately detailed carpets. While tourism is welcome in Turkmenistan, the country's strict governance means a guided tour is absolutely necessary when on a trip to the country. Perhaps one of the world's most unusual destinations for tourists, photography is mostly prohibited and there is a heavy military presence across the country.

Tour Highlights

• See the golden dome of the Gypjak Mosque
• Visit the "Door to Hell", a massive gas crater in Darvaza
• Experience tradition at the Turkmen Carpet Museum
• Browse the hundreds of stalls at the Tolkuchka-Basar
• Find your inner archaeologist at Gonur Tepe, a larger former settlement of the Mouru civilization

Travel Tips

• Smokers take note - it is 100% forbidden to smoke outside in a public place. However, smoking is permitted inside some restaurants and shops. If you don't see anyone else smoking, you shouldn't either.
• Unless you particularly love sweltering heat, avoid a tour to Turkmenistan in the summer months. The country is mostly made up of desert, and summer temperatures often surpass 50°C (122°F).
• Travel outside Turkmenistan's capital city, Ashgabat, requires the accompaniment of a travel guide. This can be costly, so be sure to budget accordingly before your visit.
• While the country has generally been free of terrorism that has rocked its neighbouring countries, Turkmenistan is known for what is called "vodka terrorism". This crime occurs when Turkmen drink far too much vodka and attempt to fight or rob the people they come across on trains or in the streets. To be on the safe side, avoid men who are evidently drunk.
• There is a strict curfew of 11pm in Ashgabat, the capital city. This applies to locals and visitors alike. Always return to your hotel before curfew, and women, in particular, should never walk the streets alone at night.
• Feel free to converse with the friendly locals, but avoid talking about politics especially avoid commenting on the country's leader.

Turkmenistan has seasonal weather so please do check up on the  best time to visit Turkmenistan  before planning your tour. 

Tours in Turkmenistan - Questions and Answers

The best time to visit Turkmenistan is between March and June, when the weather is mild and pleasant, and most areas of the country are open and accessible, or between October and December, when the summer heat tapers off and the fall weather sets in, making it pleasant for outdoor exploration. The weather in Turkmenistan between July and September is often extremely hot, making it difficult to engage in any outdoor activities. The other low season is between December and March, when the winter sets in, but if you don’t mind the winter cold, you can still visit the country during this period.

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Turkmenistan Tours & Holidays

Small group tours & tailor-made holidays.

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Enjoying a somewhat unique reputation as, not only the least explored country along the old Silk Road, but also probably the most eccentric of the Central Asian republics, modern Turkmenistan is very much the product of its ex president,   Saparmurat   Niyazov , otherwise known as   Turkmenbashi . Sporting a gold statue of its former ruler on practically every corner, the country is awash with towns and ...

Enjoying a somewhat unique reputation as, not only the least explored country along the old Silk Road, but also probably the most eccentric of the Central Asian republics, modern Turkmenistan is very much the product of its ex president,   Saparmurat   Niyazov , otherwise known as   Turkmenbashi . Sporting a gold statue of its former ruler on practically every corner, the country is awash with towns and portraits dedicated to one of the world’s most flamboyant and repressive dictators.  

Much of the country is covered by the large, empty and very hot Kara   Kum   or Black Sands Desert, which for centuries was Turkmenistan's best defence against a long list of outsiders, adventurers and encroaching armies. It is its people though who are its great draw. Descended from the nomadic tribes that once occupied the Altai Mountains to the north of Mongolia, the   Turkmen   of today are amongst some of the most engaging people in Central Asia. Dressed in traditional clothes of huge sheepskin hats, long coats and boots, these people have remained in large part true to their nomadic roots. Excellent horsemen, they are well matched by their wonderful   Akhal   Teke   horses, distant ancestors of the famed Arabians.  

A visit to Turkmenistan holds the promise of a journey into a rich and colourful land still totally untouched by tourism, where strangers are merely friends that haven’t been introduced yet.

Meet the Expert

Start your journey, group tours.

Travel to Turkmenistan with like-minded people on one of our small group tours (usually max size 12), featuring knowledgeable local guides and an expert tour leader.

TAILOR-MADE HOLIDAYS

Whether you want to travel on one of our award-winning itineraries or build your own journey from scratch, our expert consultants will help create the perfect tour for your tastes and budget. Below are a few suggestions of the kind of trips we can offer, all of which can be tailored-made to you.

SUGGESTED ITINERARIES

Highlights of turkmenistan, top places to visit.

Situated between the Kara Kum Desert and the Kopet Dag mountain range, Ashgabat has a population of about 400,000. Its original founding fathers were Russian troops who landed in Krasnovodsk which ...

Its name translated as 'gates', Darvaza is a small Turkmen settlement located close to the border with the Dashoguz region, and the start of a special permit zone. Darvaza has 350 inhabitants, most ...

Konye Urgench

Located in the remote northern deserts of Turkmenistan, Konye Urgench was the capital of the ancient state of Khorezm. Part of the Persian Empire in the 6th century BC, Khorezm later flourished as ...

Mary & Merv

Mary is Turkmenistan's fourth largest city and is of historical and economic importance. It was developed by the Soviets into a centre for cotton production and natural gas reserves have been found ...

OUR FAVOURITE PLACES TO STAY

Darvaza Wild Camping, Darvaza

Mary Hotel, Mary

Oguzkent Ashgabat, Ashgabat

Discover more.

Like much of Central Asia the best time to be there is from late September to May when the skies are generally clear and the temperature in the high twenties to thirties. Be aware that the deserts can get extremely hot.

Meet the expert, Natalie

Natalie is our Central Asia expert, who has travelled extensively in the region.

Speak to Natalie by calling +44 (0)20 3944 6258

USEFUL INFORMATION

Health and Vaccinations  

There are no mandatory immunisations for travellers to Turkmenistan though you should be up-to-date with Typhoid, Tetanus, Polio and Hepatitis A. We recommend you seek advice from your local GP or travel centre as to the correct immunisations and preventative treatments. 

Currency  

In Turkmenistan the official unit of currency is the Manat. 

To check out the latest exchange rate for the places that you are visiting you can go to www.oanda.com .  

Cultural Sensitivity  

On our tours you will frequently interact with local people, each with their own distinct customs and traditions. We therefore ask you to be considerate and to treat them with respect. Your tour-leaders and guides will always be able to advise you accordingly.   

The first thing to say about travelling in Central Asia is that most areas, particularly the cities and towns, have a much more laid-back approach to Islam than their neighbours to the south in Afghanistan and Pakistan. However, it should also be remembered that Turkmenistan is technically a Muslim country and therefore a little bit of caution should be applied in certain areas. Outside of the cities, people are quite conservative and so you should dress modestly. When visiting active mosques women should wear a head scarf, and both sexes should ensure their shoulders and legs (to below the knees) are covered. 

Language & Religion  

Following the ’92 constitution, Turkmen is the official language of Turkmenistan.  Russian is still widely used within the cities and acts as the main means of inter-ethnic communication. Uzbek is also spoken by roughly 9% of the population. 

90% of the country’s population follow Islam, with about 9% following the Eastern Orthodox Church. Islam originally came to Turkmenistan through holy men acting as missionaries during the Muslim conquests in the 7-8th Century AD. 

Time   

Turkmenistan is 4 hours ahead of GMT  

A useful website to check the time zone differences is www.worldtimezone.com .  

Food and drink  

The food in Turkmenistan is based around meat and rice, although the salads on offer are very varied. Shashlik and plov are very popular dishes. 

With regard to alcohol, the choice tends to be limited to vodka or beer so anyone wanting something different - Scotch or Gin for example - should buy it duty free and bring it out. However, be advised that mixers, like tonic water, are extremely difficult to find in Central Asia! 

Travelling Solo In Turkmenistan 

All of our   small group tours   are designed to cater for   solo travellers : the number of solo travellers will vary from tour to tour, but usually over half will be travelling alone. Get all of the excitement of discovering new places combined with the security of travelling with an organised group, with like minded people.

THE 10 BEST Turkmenistan Tours & Excursions

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1. Saiga Tours

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5. Jahana Travel

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8. Opatrip.com Turkmenistan

9. Aziya Travel

10. Jeyhun Travel Agency

11. Irene Plus Travel LLC (Turkmenistan)

12. Ayan Travel

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14. Comrade Kiev Adventures

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17. sungur travel, 18. jahankeshde travel company.

19. Parahat Siyahat Hojalyk Jemgiyeti

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Turkmenistan is one of the former-Soviet “Stans” of Central Asia. It was once the border between the Soviet Union and the Middle East, and the Soviet Union and the Sub-Continent, with borders with Iran and Afghanistan to the south.

Part of the USSR until 1991, Turkmenistan is now an independent state with a “democratically elected” president. The current president is Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow whose predecessor was Saparmurat Niyazov, more commonly known as “Turkmenbashy” which translates literally to “The Father of All Turkmens”. Whilst in Turkmenistan you’ll become very familiar with these two men from the numerous posters, billboards, tv screens, carpets and of course gold statues, depicting them.

Ashgabat is the capital city, located in the Ahal region, one of the five regions of Turkmenistan. Although there was a large Russian population until the collapse of the Soviet Union, most since then have left, and it is now a majority Turkmen population, making up around 70%. Uzbeks make up the largest minority with about 10% of the total population, followed by Russians, Kazakhs, Balochi and plenty of other ethnicities from the region.

Turkmenistan is very closed-off to the rest of the world, with only around 6,000 foreigners per year gaining access, making it one of the 10 least visited countries in the world, alongside places like Somalia and Nauru. (North Korea comes in at number 16 to put that in context.) With a difficult and complicated visa process, and heavy restrictions when you’re there, it’s arguably one of the hardest countries to visit.

If you do make it to this truly unique country, you'll no doubt spend your entire time in total awe of something. There's the shimmering white marble of Ashgabat, dotted with pictures, statues and busts of the President and former President, the eternally flaming gas crater called the “Gates of Hell”, the absurd beach resort town of Avaza, which is somehow both futuristic and overly glitzy and glammy, yet is still dated and almost completely unused and of course the spectacular natural phenomena of the Karakum Desert, such as Yangykala Canyon and the mud volcanoes on the Cheleken Peninsula.

Although there is an obvious shared history and culture with its surrounding countries, Turkmenistan has in the last 30 years, really gone their own way, and there’s really nowhere else like it in the world.

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Everything You Need To Know Before Visiting Turkmenistan | A Complete Travel Guide

By Author Christian L.

Posted on Published: December 22, 2021  - Last updated: April 2, 2022

Categories Central Asia , Destinations , Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan is the strangest and the least explored of all the six countries in Central Asia. It’s also one of the least visited countries in the world, with less than 10 000 foreign tourists a year. This unique country is hard to get entry to but what awaits is a world of intrigue and an experience that will leave you with memories for a lifetime. 

With that in mind, here is a complete travel guide to Turkmenistan to get you prepared and ready, with a few Turkmenistan facts and strange laws to go along with it. 

During my visit to Turkmenistan so did I travel around a significant part of the country for eight days, visiting big parts of the country doing this itinerary: Ashgabat – Nisa – Geok Tepe – Kov Ata cave – Nokhur – Parau Bibi – Balkanabat – Yangy Kala Canyon – Turkmenbashy – Ashgabat – Darvaza Gas (The Gates To hell) – Ashgabat.

Getting to Turkmenistan

Officially, foreign tourists are welcomed, but the requirement for expensive guided tours and a lengthy and difficult visa process discourage many foreign visitors from visiting Turkmenistan.

Getting to Turkmenistan is the hardest part of the trip. There are no online bookings for flights with the national airline yet, so tickets can only be purchased through an agent. You can also only fly into Ashgabat city as this is the only port of entry for international arrivals and departures. 

To Turkmenistan with flights

There are only a few international flights to Turkmenistan, with only Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa being the international airlines flying into Turkmenistan. However, the local Turkmenistan Airlines offers international flights to London, Birmingham, Dubai , Bangkok , Beijing, Paris, New Delhi , Amritsar , Moscow, Saint Petersburg , Jeddah , and Minsk. NB. Since the outbreak of Covid, all international flights to Turkmenistan have been canceled.

Visa for Turkmenistan Travel

The visa process to gain entry to Turkmenistan is strict, to say the least. Probably the most difficult visa in the world. A tourist visa for Turkmenistan is only possible to obtain with help from a local Travel Agency, meaning you will have to book a guide and a tour, but the good news is with a pre-booked trip, are you able to get the visa on arrival at the international airport in Ashgabat. Once you get the invitation letter, so will it only take about 2 min to get your visa at the airport. If you are traveling overland, so it is possible to get a 3 or 5-day transit visa for Turkmenistan on your own without  too much difficulty. But over the recent years, rejections have become an estimated 50% rejection rate.

The most up-to-date information about Turkmenistan visas can be found here .

Registration in Turkmenistan 

After all the red tape that you have to jump through to get into Turkmenistan, you will have to register your stay with the local Migration officials upon arrival, and every city you stay in during your visit. This is only for those who manage to obtain a visa on their own, though. If you go with a tour agency, then they should take care of this for you. 

Best Places to Visit in Turkmenistan

During a visit to Turkmenistan, you can travel around a significant part of the country for eight days, and this is the best itinerary for it.

Ashgabat 

The capital city of Ashgabat is an odd place that once had elements and influences of Soviet Russia. This all changed when the new President took over. He demolished the older Russian structures and created all-new buildings made of white marble. 

One thing that’s a little creepy is that the city is very quiet, to the point where it almost feels like it’s abandoned. It is because of this that the city has the nickname ‘the city of the dead by many foreign tourists, however, I did really like Ashgabat.

Take a while to explore all the marble and gold buildings and take a trip to the Gates to Hell outside of the city. 

Just outside of Ashgabat is the ancient city of Nisa, also known as Parthaunia. This massive city was the first capital of the area and dates back to 250 BC. The fortress within the city was made a UNESCO Heritage site with Parthian remains discovered inside of it. 

It is believed that this was the Arsacid Empire’s first seat. It was an immensely important trading center for the Parthian Empire and was also famous for its incredible horses that were both beautiful and fast. 

Kov Ata Cave

One of Turkmenistan’s natural wonders, this cave dives down to around 59m/195 feet underground and has a naturally heated lake at the bottom of it. You can actually swim in this lake with the waters believed to have medicinal powers; thanks to the thermal heat of the lake, the lake is 35+ warm.

Oh, the cave is also home to an immense number of bats that will circle overhead while you are in the lake. Be aware that the lake is really deep, while there´s a small platform to stand on, so is it often crowded with locals, so you should be able to swim to enjoy the lake. You should only spend a maximum of 20 minutes in the lake and 45 minutes in the cave in total because of the sulfur fumes. But nobody checks.

There´s a small changing area at the lake, but the whole area is really dark without any safety guards or life jackets if someone gets into problems in the water.

NB. The place is absolutely not wheelchair available or for people with a bad knee.

This little area is very remote and has an interesting set of beliefs as they credit that they are descendants of Alexander the Great. The inhabitants speak a different dialect which other Turkmen struggle to understand. 

They are known for their odd customs and their work ethic. They are a rich little village with new cars being a pretty common sight.

This is a beautiful area to hike with the several different villages that make up the area being within walking distance. Take to the trails past the swimming areas and waterfalls and bask in the nature around you. 

But most people that visit Nokhur, come here for the Nokhur cemetery. A pretty strange site. The graves at Nokhur cemetery are marked by the horns of mountain goats, point to burial rites steeped in animism, sprinkled with Zoroastrianism. The goat horns are believed to fight off evil spirits, while the stones are marked with steps, to help the deceased ascend to heaven.

The white Parau Bibi mausoleum is a pilgrim site and shrine to the patron of all pregnant women and infants. Women from across Turkmenistan will gather here and ask for help when needed. This is an amazing area to visit and one that will leave a lasting impression. 

This city is the capital of the largest region in Turkmenistan but also one of the youngest. It’s famous for being where the oil and gas for the country were found. Here, you’ll take a step inside modern Turkmenistan, with all the interesting structures and also having a very small amounts of people. 

Yangykala Canyon

The Yangykala Canyon is an often overlooked or forgotten place that most Turkmenistan people haven’t even seen themselves. It´s a real off-the-beaten-path destination in Central Asia. This natural attraction is something to behold, with sights of yellow, red, and pink rock contrasting the sharp canyon walls. 

It is even possible to camp on a plateau there overnight so you can wake up to the solitude in the desert. 

Turkmenbashy

Sitting on the edges of the Caspian sea , Turkmenbashy is a port city that offers a link to Baku from either railway or by taking a ferry. Just outside of the city is a smaller area of Awaza, which happens to be an insanely popular holiday destination of the country. 

This area has a strong Russian influence and overall a very luxurious and more high-quality environment. For those looking to relax in luxury while in Turkmenistan, this is the place for you. 

What is Turkmenistan Famous for?

The first thing that comes to mind about Turkmenistan is its interesting government, but there is more when it comes to tourism in Turkmenistan so let’s take a look. 

Darvaza Gas Crater

The famous ‘ Gate of Hell’ is in Turkmenistan . Locally known as the Darvaza gas crater, it is a man-made crater in the desert that is continuously on fire.

The Gate of hell Turkmenistan was created by mistake in 1971 when a Soviet drilling rig accidentally punched into a massive underground natural gas cavern.

This caused the ground to collapse and the entire drilling rig to fall in. You can still see the old metal pipes sticking out of the ground in the crater.

Almost 50 years on, and geologists still have no idea how much longer it will burn for. It might die out tomorrow, or it might burn for another 100 years; nobody knows.

Taking a trip to see it at night is a must when the fires flare up and give a stark contrast to the sheer darkness of the desert.  

Silk Road Cities

The ancient city of Merv is one of Turkmenistan’s Silk Road contributions. It is a massive urban center that is the largest on Silk Road. This is an oasis of a city that is a UNESCO site, with another city, Kunya-Urgench, being another UNESCO site. 

The City Center is Made of Marble

Ashgabat is unique in that a majority of the structures and public areas are built with white marble. It actually holds a Guinness World Record for having the highest density of buildings made of marble in the world. 

There are no big billboards with commercials anywhere in the city, and best of all, there’s no Starbucks, no KFC, no Mcdonalds, etc. Only small, locally owned businesses here.

But the few tourists that make it to Ashgabat will see a city that is extremely well-organized with an easy bus system, and it’s also probably the cleanest city anywhere in the world. Dirty cars are not even allowed in the city.

What Language do They Speak in Turkmenistan

An interesting fact about Turkmenistan is that it has three spoken languages and only one written one. Uzbek, Russian, and Turkmen are the different languages that you can speak while in Turkmenistan. 

Turkmen is a member of the Turkic family of language. It is very similar to Turkish and is spoken in seven different dialects throughout the different provinces of the country. The sole written language, however, is Turkmen, so brushing up on a few key phrases is recommended. 

Things You Should Pack to Visit Turkmenistan

Your luggage will depend on what time of the year you are planning to travel. If going in summer, you can expect high temperatures, so lightweight and breathable clothing, as well as your swimsuit, is essential. Winter is the complete opposite, and multiple layers of clothing that are also waterproof are needed. 

For women, even though it is technically an Islamic country, it has a complicated relationship with its views, and so it’s not an unacceptable thing for you to show skin. Turkmenistan is, in fact, one of the most liberal Muslim countries in the world.

Essential medication is also a must as while there are pharmacies in major cities where you can get the basics, there is no access to any form of medication outside of these major areas. 

However, don´t expect much shopping in Turkmenistan, while there’s a big fancy shopping mall with “everything” in Ashgabat, so is there not much when it comes to shopping outside the capital. Maybe the best thing to buy in Turkmenistan is locally woven carpets which are among the best in the world.

Trips to Turkmenistan Information

When it comes to tourism in Turkmenistan and planning your trip, there are a few things that you need to know to make sure that you are fully prepared for what lies ahead of you. 

Getting Around Turkmenistan

If you make your own way into the country, then you only really have a train or taxi to use to get around.

If you go with a tour guide, then you should be taken around in a 4×4 vehicle while exploring the country. There are buses, but there aren’t many at all. 

All three of those options are pretty cheap ways to get around, but winter does have an impact on the transportation system with interruptions to power supplies. The trains and buses are also slow, but at least they are reasonably comfortable. 

But the fastest and cheapest way to get across Turkmenistan is by flying; domestic flights in Turkmenistan with the local airline Turkmenistan Airlines are subsidized by the government, making Turkmenistan probably the cheapest country in the world for local flights. My flight from Turkmenbashy to Ashgabat was only 7 USD.

Money in Turkmenistan

The Manat is the main currency of Turkmenistan, while a single Manat is made of 100 Tenne. It is worth remembering that there are not that many ATMs at all. Don’t bank on using a card either, as cards will rarely be accepted by any store.

There are currency exchanges throughout, and they will happily change US Dollars and Euros into local Manat at a fixed rate and take no commission. They love to exchange US Dollars and prefer them, so bring various low denominations in cash, which you can exchange as you need in a small discrete bag . 

The notes need to be in near perfect condition for them to be accepted, as any marked or damaged notes will not be accepted. You will be expected to settle your hotel bill in cash with US Dollars if you won’t use a credit card. All other payments will have to be made in cash. 

NB. Changing money on the black market, (strictly illegal) will give you a much, much better rate, often three times the official rate.

Internet in Turkmenistan

Don’t expect too much internet while you visit Turkmenistan. The connection has always been a struggle, but the state also has strict laws on internet access and is heavily filtered. When you do gain access, your online activity will be monitored, and a large number of websites are blocked from access. If you thought the Great Firewall China or the internet in Eritrea was strict, then you haven’t been to Turkmenistan, even with a premium VPN, so was about every social media still blocked and unavailable, even WhatsApp, telegram, etc. was impossible to log into, even with a VPN. In general, there is wifi in the higher-end hotels in Balkanabat, Turkmenbashi, and Ashgabatand at most one old-school internet cafe in each city. But even in the high-end hotels, so is the internet connection extremely slow.

If you are looking for a social media or internet detox, then a Turkmenistan holiday isn’t a bad idea while exploring this unique country.  Because while the first day it´s pretty frustrating with not being able to connect to the outside world, but after a few days, it feels actually good.

Safety in Turkmenistan

In general, Turkmenistan safety is considered to be good and a safe place to explore, but there are consequences of breaking the law. It is an authoritarian state and not widely known as a tourist hotspot. And criticizing the President is a serious offense. The standard safety precautions should be carried out as there is a crime, just like in any other major city. 

Seeing as that almost all sales are cash-driven, be careful with the amount that you carry on you at any given time and keep it in a discreet place. Going out alone, especially at night, is not recommended as the police can get a little suspicious. Also, don’t take any photographs of the military or any government buildings and markets.

And be aware there´s secret police everywhere, personally so did I get stopped 3 times by the secret police, once for taking a photo of the University in Asgahbat, the central market and just for walking down a random street, however, while the secret where polite, so are they strict and not open for discussion.

Electricity in Turkmenistan 

Surprisingly, there is plenty of access to electricity throughout Turkmenistan, with most of the population receiving gas and electricity for free. However, it is pretty inefficient, and there have been reports of various problems with the supply of electricity. There are even problems with the heating in Ashgabat, not a nice thing to have to endure while visiting in winter. 

The older power stations are heavily impacted by the weather so expect frequent blackouts in both the colder winter months and also in the warm summer months. Ensure that you always keep a bottle or two of water on you as the electricity going out in Ashgabat causes issues with the supply of water as well. 

Drinks and Alcohol in Turkmenistan

Although it is a predominantly Muslim country, Turkmenistan is still somewhat liberal around the consumption of alcohol. There are, however, quite a few strict laws in Turkmenistan around the sale of alcohol. But is not often strictly enforced. About every restaurant and shop in the country offers at least beer. But to the surprise of many, so do Turkmenistan, produce their own, beer, vodka, wine, and brandy. Mainly that it cannot be consumed on public transport or in public areas of any kind. Beaches, forests, and elevators, as well as at any sporting facilities, are a few other areas.

There is also a ban on the sale of alcohol on weekends from establishments that are not either bars or restaurants. But this rule doesn´t seem to be very strictly enforced. And there´s no shortage of bars and restaurants anywhere in Turkmenistan, so you don’t have to worry about staying “dry”. Beer is insanely popular and the drink of choice for almost everyone, even though it is pretty low in alcohol percentage. For all the wine lovers, there are some amazing local wines.

The Turkmenistan people also make stunning Brandy, and even vodka, believe it or not. Start your night off over a few bottles of Tac Premium beer, and then maybe sample some brandy after that. 

When Will you Travel to Turkmenistan?

There are surely a ton of interesting facts about Turkmenistan. But, if you are ready to pay the high price and go through the hassle to obtain a visa, Turkmenistan has a lot to offer. From three historical UNESCO World Heritage sites, two of the strangest natural sites in the world, and a one-of-a-kind capital covered with white marble. 

There are gold statues and a lot of obscure monuments and strange architecture to add even more reasons to travel here. So the question remains, when will you travel to Turkmenistan?

Thursday 23rd of December 2021

Thx for the report. I have been twice in Turkmenistan ( 2006 and 2017). strange but interesting country to visit.

Turkmenistan Small Group Tours

Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan’s landscape is characterized by beautiful sandy deserts and oases. In the middle of the Karakum desert at Darvaza lies the burning crater, also known as ‘the gate of hell’. One can spend the night in a yurt next to this gas drilling accident from Soviet times. The best time to visit Turkmenistan is Spring or Fall when the temperatures are more bearable than 40 degrees Celsius during the Summer months.

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Travel Highlights of Turkmenistan

The modern capital of Turkmenistan – Ashgabat (‘the city of love’) welcomes visitors with a unique architectural style that appears to be a blend of science fiction and Romanesque marble. The city is dotted with impressive monuments and tremendous fountains. Other interesting sights include a burning gas crater in the middle of the desert, a luxurious resort town along the Capsian Seashore, and – most importantly – the remains of ancient cities such as Konye-Urgench and Merv that were once important stopovers along the Great Silk Road. Turkmen people are very hospitable and proud of their ancient history and rich traditions and customs. Turkmen carpets are well appreciated around the world, but only in Turkmenistan, you can see how they are being crafted by hand. Another pride of every Turkmen is the Akhal Teke horse breed that you can find nowhere except in Turkmenistan. Get to know our  top 5 places to visit in Turkmenistan in our blog.

At a glance

• Population:
• Time zones:
• Turkmen Manat (TMT)
• Continental
• Desert Highest point: Aýrybaba, 3,139m
• Dialing code:
• Electricity:
• 220V, 50Hz, European plug

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MONEY & COSTS:

The Turkmen currency is called the Manat. In Ashgabat, you may find ATMs that accept international payment cards. VneshEkonomBank for example accepts Visa credit cards. However, most ATMs accept only local cards issued by Turkmen banks. Credit cards may be accepted in a few high-end hotels, but most stores and restaurants do not accept any cards. We recommend bringing all money in cash, in new USD banknotes of denominations of at least 20 USD. They will be easy to exchange. An emergency fund of around 500 USD in cash is always good to have during guided trips to Central Asia.

Turkmenistan is a safe country and most trips are trouble-free. There is a visible police presence and most citizens are law-abiding. That said, you are advised to wear a money belt, watch your belongings, steer clear of dark streets at night and avoid taking rides in unofficial taxis alone. Your safety is our first priority at Kalpak Travel; we know and regularly assess all our Turkmen partners and we closely monitor political events.

ENTRY & EXIT:

Citizens of every country in the world need a visa to enter Turkmenistan. As soon as you book a tour, we will ask you to provide some additional information to apply on your behalf for a letter of invitation. If the Ministry of Foreign Affairs approves your application, we will send you a letter of invitation. With this letter, you will be able to purchase the visa on arrival at Ashgabat Airport or at the land border. As soon as we receive the deposit payment for your tour, we will confirm your booking and send you an email with important pre-departure information. Please read it carefully as it contains important information on customs regulations for Turkmenistan.

BEST TIME TO GO:

The climate of Turkmenistan is continental and dry and the best seasons to visit are Spring and Autumn, from mid-April until early June and then again from September until early November. Autumn is drier than Spring, but even in Spring chances are high you can enjoy the bluest sky you have ever seen. Autumn is also the time when the country goes to harvest, meaning markets are full of fresh fruit and vegetables. If you don’t mind the dry heat of 40° Celsius, sometimes more, summer is the best time to go. There are few tourists and the sun is shining every single day. If you are considering visiting Turkmenistan in winter you will practically have the country all to yourself. We recommend you go in November or December when daytime temperatures are still around 10° Celsius and the often chilly winds of January & February have not yet begun to make their presence felt.

Do not drink water, unless it is bottled, filtered, or boiled. Do not use tap water for brushing your teeth or making ice either. Do not eat ice cream. Only eat well-cooked meat and fish, preferably served hot. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled. If you follow these basic rules, you are likely to avoid any health issues like traveler’s diarrhea. Diphtheria, Hepatitis A, and Tetanus are recommended vaccinations for Turkmenistan. Ensure you are fully insured for medical emergencies including repatriation. Medical services in Turkmenistan are basic at best.

FAQs on Turkmenistan

How does communication work during my travel to Turkmenistan?

WIFI Hotels in cities above three stars provide free Wi-Fi access, however internet in Turkmenistan is very slow and access highly restricted.

In the case of emergency your friends/family can call us and we will pass their message to you. Please take note of the 24/7 emergency number indicated in your travel documents.

What language do people speak in Turkmenistan?

Turkmen is the official language of Turkmenistan and Russian is spoken in large cities. Turkmen language is similar to Kazakh, Uzbek and Kyrgyz and part of the Turkic family of languages.  All our guides speak English, but overall in Turkmenistan very few people understand or speak English.

Is it easy to get in contact with locals in Turkmenistan?

Local population is friendly and hospitable, especially in shops and restaurants they will ask where you come from etc. Your guide and driver will be knowledgeable locals who can answer all the questions and tell about everyday life in Turkmenistan. If you are interested in getting in touch with locals we recommend you to familiarize yourself with social dos and do nots as explained in our blog article .

What is the religion in Turkmenistan?

Turkmenistan is a secular state and population is predominantly Muslim. Religion is practiced but still quite moderate and fully controlled by the state to avoid any kind of extremism.

How do I need to dress in Turkmenistan?

In Turkmenistan, you will see bright colored national dresses on women and modern European style clothing mostly on men and men wearing suit. Feel free to wear same clothes that you would wear back home. It’s that simple.  Only exception to this rule concerns visits of religious buildings like Mosques or Churches. When visiting these places, you will need to wear long pants and women need to cover their shoulders and head with a veil.

Is it safe to drink tap water?

No, it is not and we recommend you to drink bottled water, use filter or boil it. Moreover, please do not use tap water for brushing teeth and order your drinks without ice.

Is there vegetarian food in Turkmenistan?

Central Asia is generally not an ideal place for vegetarians, however you can order side dish such as plain rice, mashed potatoes and in some places, even grilled vegetables. Most of the national dishes in cafes are made with meat, predominantly mutton. In guesthouses and yurt stays you need to talk to the guide so he can arrange something. In some cases, you can also alter some meals with quick noodles that can be bought in stores. More information of food in Central Asia you can find here.

Is there coffee in Turkmenistan?

Ashgabat has nice coffee where you can use wifi and get some snacks. Outside these places the best coffee you can get is an instant coffee, if you are coffee-lover we recommend taking little Italian coffee machine.

How much to tip?

In restaurants, service of 10-15% is usually included on the bill, however, this does not go directly to the waiter, he gets only his salary. Usually, the amount is rounded up and If you are very content with the service you can leave some tips. Our guides and drivers are paid well, but if you are happy with the services provided they will certainly appreciate a little tip.

What are toilets like in Turkmenistan?

Most of the hotels are clean and have western standard toilets with shower. In Turkmenistan tourists are required to stay in hotels, so there will be always nice facilities.

Will I be able to do my laundry?

The most expensive services for laundry is in hotels, since they charge 1-3$ per laundry item. Another option would be to wash couple of things by hand in hotel sink.

What happens in emergency situations during my trip?

Your safety is the first priority for Kalpak Travel, in organizing our trips we discuss every detail to make sure that your tour runs smoothly and you will have a wonderful experience with us. Our guides are well trained to deal with emergency situations and we will get you help as quickly as possible. In case of serious illness, we will help you to get proper medical assistance, do everything possible to get you to your homeland and inform your family. To join our tours, you are required to have travel insurance. Please make sure it fully covers medical emergencies including repatriation costs.

How are the general road conditions and transport in Turkmenistan?

Main intercity roads have been recently repaired, newly paved and are well maintained. However, if you drive through the desert or to villages there are mostly dirt roads. Kalpak Travel has experienced and professional drivers who will drive you safely in Turkmenistan. All our vehicles are well maintained and checked before each departure.

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We just came back from a trip to Turkmenistan, which has been organized by Kalpak Travel. I can only say that I highly recommend booking your vacation with kalpak. The entire trip was perfectly organized: from planning the trip, tailoring it to our individual preferences, the communication before and during our trip. Also the tours, guides and hotels chosen were great.

We are an older couple in our 70's who enjoy unusual trips. I had wanted to see some of the Stans, so Luca arranged a trip for us. With our time constraint we could see three countries. Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan were the three. I was interested in sleeping in a yurt (which we did in Kyrgyzstan) and seeing the Gates of Hell in Turkmenistan. Wife wasn't wild about the yurt until she stayed there as it turned out to be very pleasant. The Gates of Hell was a little different - the fire-y cauldron was an unforgettable sight!! Really enjoyed it. My wife and I had a car and driver at each location. The drivers were very conscientious and friendly and the guides were excellent. I would certainly recommend Kalpak Travel if you are looking for a trip to Central Asia.

We were very lucky to have Kalpak Travel as our tour company which exceeded our expectations with flying colours. We highly recommend Kalpak Travel if you are planning a hassle-free tour of Central Asia.

I decided to go on some guided city tours in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. And what a good decision that was! Everything was organised perfectly, every tour turned out incredible with professional guides full of knowledge of the local culture and people. Kalpak always works with local guides and companies which definitely makes a big difference.

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Turkmenistan

By far the most mysterious and unexplored of Central Asia’s 'stans, Turkmenistan became famous for the truly bizarre dictatorship of Saparmyrat Niyazov, who ruled as ‘Turkmenbashi’ (‘leader of the Turkmen’) until his death in 2006. Niyazov covered this little-known desert republic with grandiose monuments and golden statues of himself. Although many of these statues have since been dismantled, plenty of visitors still think of Turkmenistan as a sort of totalitarian theme park. But the least-visited of Central Asia’s countries is far more than this – it's an ancient land of great spirituality, tradition and natural beauty.

Attractions

Must-see attractions.

Long before Merv raised its first tower, Bronze Age villages were assembling along the Murgab River in what is called the Margiana Oasis. The greatest of…

᠎Darvaza Gas Craters

One of Turkmenistan’s most unusual sights, the Darvaza Gas Craters are the result of Soviet-era gas exploration in the 1970s. The three craters are…

Mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar

The best remaining testimony to Seljuq power at Merv is the 38m-high Mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar, located in what was the centre of Sultan Kala. The…

Köw Ata Underground Lake

Like entering Milton’s underworld, only with changing rooms and a staircase, a visit to the Köw Ata Underground Lake is a unique experience. You enter a…

Turabeg Khanym Complex

Turabeg Khanym Complex, opposite the Konye-Urgench ticket office, is still the subject of some debate. Locals and some scholars consider this a mausoleum,…

National Museum

Looking like a lost palace in the urban desert, the National Museum occupies a striking position in front of the Kopet Dag. It’s actually a collection of…

Yangykala Canyon

With bands of pink, red and yellow rock searing across the sides of steep canyon walls, Yangykala is a breathtaking sight and one of the most spectacular…

Mary Regional Museum

This museum is housed in a sparkling white-marble palace across the river from the centre of town. The enormous premises is home to a collection of…

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Apr 4, 2017 • 2 min read

Photographer Christopher Herwig first discovered the unusual architecture of Soviet-era bus stops during a 2002 long-distance bike ride from London to St…

Feb 22, 2017 • 5 min read

Mar 17, 2016 • 4 min read

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The Silk Road Travel Guide

• Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan is not well-known as a travel destination. So far, the main reasons for visiting have been the difficult visa process , the astounding marble capital of Ashgabat and the flaming gas crater known as the Door to Hell .

There are other sights to see, detailed below, but for us, much of Turkmenistan’s charm lies in meeting its people. We love them for their unassuming manner, their openness despite the intense scrutiny from the top. Turkmenistan is much more fun than you would imagine.

Like North Korea, the country’s political system is a reason to visit all on its own. It can be disturbing, but not always in the way you would expect. Talk to people, and make up your own mind.

Unrelated, we think their food is the best in Central Asia.

Table of Contents

• Lean into the gas crater of Darwaza in the desert twilight
• Be blown away at the sight of Ashgabat, the White City
• Visit the spectacular Yangykala canyon
• Try to get your head around Turkmenistan’s frightening politics
• Learn about Turkmenistan’s ancient empires at Merv & Gonur Depe , Konye-Urgench and Nisa

For more ideas to plan your trip around, see our list of the 63 top things to do in Turkmenistan .

Itineraries

95% of all travelers in Turkmenistan will take the blue route, going between Mashad and Khiva or Nukus in Uzbekistan. On the way, you get to see Ashgabat (1), the Door to Hell (2) and Konye-Urgench (3).

It’s a good itinerary, because you get to see something new (Ashgabat), something ancient ( Konye-Urgench ) and in between you can experience the Karakum desert and its strange delights ( Door to Hell ), all within the 5-day time span that a transit visa allows.

Green route

Those arriving by ferry in Turkmenbashi (4) tend to take the green route to Ashgabat with a few stops in between, and then follow along the blue line north. However, if you are really into history and archaeology, you cannot miss Merv and Gonur Depe (6). In that case, follow the green line from Ashgabat to Mary and Turkmenabat and enter Uzbekistan at Bukhara .

With a tour or a decent off-road vehicle, you can tackle the desert route, taking in Yangykala Canyon (5), as well as some remote settlements, shrines and long-abandoned fortresses.

There are definitely other routes possible and more things to see, but with the limitations that travel in Turkmenistan has, this is what the majority of tourists go for. Continue your research at the border crossings page , or with these maps of landscapes and historical sights in Turkmenistan.

Central Turkmenistan

The modern developments of Ashgabat are stupefying. Their size and splendour must leave you speechless for a moment. Old Ashgabat on the other hand, is a surprisingly lively, leafy town of Soviet make. Nearby, visit the Parthian site of Nisa , and the blasphemous Kipchak mosque .

There is countryside too. Nokhur is a traditional village with homestays at the foot of the Kopet Dag mountains straddling the border with Iran.

Konye-Urgench is locally known as the Mecca of Turkmenistan. Its ancient architecture is thought-provoking. Turkmenistan’s particular brand of Sufism pervades every tree, well and ancient piece of brick in the country, but here its odor is particularly pungent.

Halfway between Ashgabat and Konye-Urgench lies the Door to Hell of Darwaza . Its blazing fireballs and unhealthy vapor are as awesome as they are epic. Casting irony aside, it is a unique sight and well worth visiting. If nothing else, a night in camp will give you a hint of the magic of the desert.

Those with more budget and a desire to see something truly different can get a custom tour into the heart of the Karakum desert . Meet the locals, and find yourself in a seldom-visited part of the world.

East Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan has an important place in the history of the many Persianid empires of the past 3 millennia, and unlike in  Uzbekistan , the mind really gets the opportunity here to delve into those histories, as few things are rebuilt. You can find relics all over the country, but Merv is the most important site.

In the far east of Turkmenistan lies the Kugitang reserve , home of dinosaur footprints and sulfur springs.

West Turkmenistan

The ancient Tethys Sea has carved capricious shapes into the desert floor in a rainbow of colours. Yangykala Canyon is breath-taking, but it’s a long drive. Adventurers with time and money can consult our landscapes itinerary to find pistachio forests, mud volcanoes, desert birds and an underground lake .

On the coast, Turkmenbashi is a somewhat cosmopolitan port town with a good bazaar and a resort town vibe. People come here for the Caspian Sea ferry , or to take the road north towards Kazakhstan’s Mangystau .

Avaza is a type of Ashgabat-on-Sea. It is still overpriced for foreigners, which is too bad, because it really is a nice place for a beach holiday. In summer it is packed with Turkmen families enjoying the sea air. Come out of season to enjoy that uniquely Turkmen zombie-takeover vibe.

Transport in Turkmenistan

If you are on a tourist visa, you will be traveling in a 4×4 with your tour guide while visiting Turkmenistan, while perhaps also taking an airplane or a train for a large transfer.

Ashgabat is the only city with international flights in and out of Turkmenistan. Online booking does not work yet for Turkmenistan Airlines, so if you are flying with them, you have to buy your tickets through an agent.

For independent travelers without their own means of transport, this leaves the train or the (shared) taxi. Some buses also exist. All 3 are inexpensive and relatively comfortable ways of getting around Turkmenistan.

Minibuses and taxis leave when full, while large buses leave according to a timetable; we recommend taking a minibus or taxi for comfort and speed. Roads are generally good – see  driving in Turkmenistan .

In cities, gypsy cabs or buses will take you around. Winter has little effect on the transport system in Turkmenistan.

For overland cross-border transport, see Turkmenistan’s border crossings .

• Self-driving in Turkmenistan
• Trains in Turkmenistan
• Caspian Sea ferry

Practical details

Have a look first to make sure you understand the visa situation in Turkmenistan . We discuss possible safety concerns in detail , but generally speaking, Turkmenistan is a very safe destination. Political repression has its perks.  Health-wise , diarrhea is the number one danger in Turkmenistan.

Generally speaking, food in the region is unhealthy and of little variety, based primarily on meat, fat, pasta and dairy products. Few tourists become fans of the tastes of Central Asia. But in case you do like Central Asian food, Turkmenistan represents the best cooking, in our experience. If you don’t, have a look at the  options for picky eaters .

The money situation is complicated. Exchanging at the bank is a bad deal. Instead, there is a black market for dollars where the rates are several times higher.

Taking out money from an ATM or paying by card is unheard of. Likewise, buying a sim card and accessing the internet in Turkmenistan is a complicated affair. We go into more detail in our articles on money and banking and communications  in Turkmenistan.

For orientation , Maps.me is often better than Google maps. If you are a reader, have a look at  our favourite books on Turkmenistan .

It gets very hot in Turkmenistan. The further away you are from summer, the more bearable the temperature gets. That’s really all you have to keep in mind.

For a more in-depth appraisal, see  when to visit Turkmenistan , and  events and festivals in Uzbekistan .

Budget and accommodation

After Turkmenistan’s dictators rid the country of its critical thinkers and spent all of its natural wealth on marble and gold, the economy is now ruined. Lines for bread. Paying in cigarettes. It’s not expensive to travel on a transit visa: 1 euro for a basic meal, 10$ for a bed in a basic hotel.

If you are on a tourist visa, the government forces a different price regime on you: expect to pay around 150$ per day for all your expenses. We go in depth on the budget question at the Turkmenistan travel budget page .

Turkmenistan has a decent hotel in every city, but for budget travelers on a transit visa, choice is limited. We discuss your options for cheap and expensive hotels, camping, couchsurfing and more in the accommodation chapter .

Tours and tour operators

It took us some time but, over the years, we have gotten to know a number of reliable Turkmen tour operators on the ground. Artur is a tour manager in one of Turkmenistan’s largest and oldest tour companies. Guvanch runs a small-scale, nimble operation outside of the capital.

Have a look at our  Turkmenistan tour template suggestions for trip ideas, or immediately send us  your own thoughts for a customised tour .

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• Uzbekistan : the fabled Silk Road cities

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Email address, phone number, discover turkmenistan with owadan tourism, ashgabat - white marble city, geokdepe mosque - a muslim pearl, karakum - sandy ocean, yangikala - fiery canyons, kyz kala - a fortress with history.

Welcome to the renewed website of Owadan Tourism. We are one of the oldest and largest agencies in existence in Turkmenistan: since 1996 we have been working continuously to improve, expand and innovate our services and make travel to Turkmenistan accessible for travelers with diverse interests, comfort requirements, time and budget limitations. In low season periods, our team travels through Turkmenistan in search of new exciting destinations, as well as stay on top of new developments in well-traveled parts of our country.

Our services are aimed at giving you the unique travel experience that you are looking for on your journey through Turkmenistan, ranging from short 3-day classical cultural tours to 15-day active and adventure journeys. You can opt for our fixed service package on one of our fixed departure tours , or compose  a tailor-made program with the support of our team, that fits your particular interests.

Owadan Tourism is a licensed travel agency, able to facilitate tourist visa support (including your Letter of Invitation and registration on arrival), overland transport by car or jeep, domestic airline and train ticket bookings, hotel room reservations and camping arrangements, and guided tours or local excursions.

Selected services are also available for business travelers (MICE), for those travelers passing through Turkmenistan on a transit visa, for travelers on overland expeditions, and for the expatriate community in Turkmenistan, seeking authentic day trips or short breaks. Please feel free to contact us for personalized advice and travel proposals.

We ensure that our advice to you is as accurate and realistic as possible. We'll be proud to have you as our guest!

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Special tour "Ahalteke Horses"

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• Central Asia
• Turkmenistan

Photo credit: Michel Behar

A Novel Mix of Old and New, Far from the Beaten Path

Come to Turkmenistan to discover a novel country with multiple personalities, none of them very well known to the outside world. Its natural fossil fuel wealth is apparent in the abundant marble embellishments of its capital, Ashgabat. Outside of the city, mountain tribes hold to ancient customs with little concern for the wider world, and archaeologists sift through massive sites dating back as far as the Bronze Age. Natural beauty here has a touch of the novel, too, from a lovely limestone canyon, striated pink and white, to a dramatically flaming gas crater nicknamed “the Door to Hell.”

Why travel to Turkmenistan with MIR

MIR’s destination experts are masters at leading travelers to remote, multifaceted, history-rich Turkmenistan. We bridge cultural divides so that you not only see the sights, you get to know the people as well. MIR clients travel with confidence, knowing we have decades of experience crafting wonder-filled adventures.

• 30 years of Turkmenistan travel experience
• Twice named one of  National Geographic Adventure’s  “Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth”
• Travel programs from the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia and the Harvard Museum of Natural History have chosen MIR to guide them to Turkmenistan
• Personalized travel planning from start to finish
• On-the-ground support, including a MIR affiliate office in neighboring Uzbekistan
• Guides and tour managers that clients rave about
• Quality you can trust

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• Build Your Own Design Your Own Trip to Turkmenistan Traveling privately on a custom program means flexibility.
• Campsite near the Darvaza gas crater, also known as the Door to Hell in Turkmenistan.
• Ashgabat - the capital city. Bill Fletcher
• Locals in Turkmenistan. Michel Behar
• Ashgabat Cable Car, Turkmenistan. Michel Behar
• Inside the Ertugrul Gazi Mosque in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. Michel Behar
• Hotel in Ashgabat. Donna Collins
• Karak-Kum desert ride in Turkmenistan Douglas Grimes

Stories To Inspire

Ashgabat: turkmenistan’s lavish capital of marble and gold, 6 ways to explore the silk road by private train, the great outdoors: 7 unusual destinations to go camping, traveler reviews.

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• Turkmenistan

Why should you choose Koryo Tours?

Choosing to travel to unusual destinations such as North Korea is a big decision, and choosing the right people to take you is an incredibly important part of that. Learn about how we facilitate tourism responsibly in some of the most interesting and unique destinations on our planet, and at the same time ensure you get the most out of your once-in-a-lifetime experience .

My next tour will be to:

Come with us to Central Asia's most enigmatic and fascinating Stan—unforgettable sights and experiences guaranteed on this remarkable journey!

Our tours to Turkmenistan will take you to all the country’s highlights. You will experience the local colour of Ashgabat (best described as a merging of Pyongyang and Las Vegas!), journey deep into the desert for some underground swimming, and camp next to the amazing and unique Darvaza Gas Crater - otherwise known as the 'Gates of Hell' or 'Doors to Hell'. You will visit the Silk Road ruins of Konye-Urgench, or experience Yangykala, the ‘Turkmen Grand Canyon’—a breathtaking area of amazing natural beauty. Wherever you go, your Turkmenistan tour will be an epic trip through a remarkable country. Turkmenistan tour dates don't work for you? We can also arrange Turkmenistan Independent Tours for individuals, families, friends, and groups. For more on Turkmenistan, visit our Turkmenistan Travel Guide page. Darvaza Gas Crater Ashgabat, Turkmenistan Yangykala Canyon Serdar Health Walk Turkmenabad, Turkmenistan Note: We require all travellers on international and North Korea tours to have valid travel insurance .

Turkmenistan is an overlooked Central Asia gem, a complicated and little-known place with a very rich history that more people should know about. I’ve entered and exited by air, by sea, and by land via both Uzbekistan and Iran, as one of the great attributes of the country is that it is located in the middle of the world – ideal for onward travel! — Simon Cockerell, Koryo Tours General Manager & Tour Leader.

May 2024 — 1 tour

May 11 - may 18 2024, turkmenistan tour (may) 2024: ashgabat, darvaza gas crater & beyond, 7 nights exploring turkmenistan.

Featuring the white marble fantasy-capital of Ashgabat, a night camping at the bizarre Darvaza gas crater, the ancient Silk Road ruins of Konye-Urgench, and much more! From 2250 USD per person

Please apply by 20th April, 2024 .

Turkmenistan Tour (May) 2024: Ashgabat, Darvaza Gas Crater & Beyond

This tour is managed by...

Rich Beal is our International Tours Manager.

Rich is  one of our most experienced tour leaders . He has led tours worldwide since 2004, specialising in Mongolia , Tajikistan , Turkmenistan , and the surrounding area. Currently living in Mongolia , he leads multiple specialised trips annually and has over 20 years of experience running and designing tours of the region. 

Join experts in Turkmenistan travel, Koryo Tours, on this epic journey to Central Asia’s most enigmatic and least-visited country; Turkmenistan.

We will see history unfold as we travel from ruined ancient cities to gleaming modern marble-clad towers. From flaming pits deep in the desert to deep subterranean pools of health-infusing water. We will make sure to visit the main sites during our time in Turkmenistan such as Ashgabat and the Darvaza Gas Crater (Gates of Hell) , but also take you off the beaten path to really experience and understand Turkmenistan. Meet local people, learn about their lives and history, their differences and commonalities.

We look forward to sharing it with you in Turkmenistan!

This tour will be led by our Destinations manager and travel specialist Rich Beal , who first travelled to Turkmenistan more than ten years ago. Over many trips, he has made close friends there, explored widely, and maintained a deep interest in the country and region. Rich now lives in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia - the perfect home for his many forays into the Central Asian region. You can rest assured that you will be in safe hands during your Turkmenistan tour and that you will get the most out of your trip into this unexplored land!

If dates don’t suit you, check out our Turkmenistan tour in October , or   contact us to organise a private tour.

Scroll down for an overview of the Turkmenistan Tour highlights, tour itinerary, transport options, Turkmenistan visa information, and extra add-ons.

• Nisa Fortress – UNESCO listed archaeological site.
• Darvaza Gas Crater - The ‘Mouth of Hell’.
• Kow Ata Underground Lake - Natural hot spring 80m under the ground.

May 11th - Saturday

• Assemble in Ashgabat - Airport pickups will be arranged wherever you fly in from and we will have a group dinner to get introduced and start the adventure! 

Meals: Dinner

May 12th - Sunday

• Tolkuchka Bazaar - The nation’s largest market, built outside the city and home to various sections selling household goods, clothes, the famous Turkmen carpets, camels & other animals, and much more!
• Ashgabat Hippodrome – Sunday is a day at the races, with the sacred Ahal-Teke horses in full display.
• Afternoon city tour including Independence Park and Monument, Arch of Neutrality topped by the gold statue of Turkmenbashi, Ahal-Teke Horse Monument, Earthquake Monument and Museum.
• This evening is free for further exploration of Ashgabat . 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

May 13th - Monday

Darvaza Gas Crater & Bokhurdag

• Desert adventure!  We head off in a fleet of 4x4s into the deep desert today.  
• Bokhurdag:  This Semi-nomadic village affords us a great look at what desert life is like today. The visit here is made even better as we enjoy lunch in a local family home.  
• Onwards to the bizarre mud and water craters, scenes of accidents that opened sinkholes in the desert.
• Finally, we arrive at the stunning and unforgettable   Darvaza Gas Crater  in the centre of the country and the scene of a 40-year-old industrial accident that ended with a giant flaming pit burning to this day. A hypnotic sight and one of the strangest and most spectacular things you can see.
• We camp tonight beside the crater; it is best seen at night. Dinner cooked on the spot.

Meals:  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Overnight:  Camping at the Darvaza Gas Crater - Camping in the desert with tents, sleeping bags and roll mats provided. We will also provide tents based on your rooming options. Camping affords us the best opportunity to view the fantastic gas crater from before sunset to sunrise.

May 14th - Tuesday

• We return to Ashgabat, driving through the morning with a stop at a monument to the Soviet defeat (or suppression) of the Basmachi Rebellion , guerillas who resisted first Russian Imperial and then Soviet rule in Central Asia.
• Once back in the capital the rest of the day is yours to do with as you please; explore, relax, shop, take a side-trip (drivers are available for hire), we and our local guides can advise on the spot.

Meals: Breakfast  Overnight: Olympia Hotel, Ashgabat

May 15th - Wednesday

Dashoguz & Konye-Urgench

• We take a morning 1-hour flight from Ashgabat to the northern city of Dashoguz , in the Uzbek-majority part of the country.
• We’ll see the local bazaar and a taste of life in this very different city.
• The ancient silk road ruined city of Konye-Urgench , ravaged by successive invaders over the centuries and now hope to minarets, impressive mausoleums, and all manner of historical tales and stories – one of the most important sites on the old silk-road.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Overnight: Hotel Uzboy, Dashoguz - This local hotel may be basic although there are not many options in this far-flung town. It does offer us the chance to walk out into the local streets and experience life away from the marble city of Ashgabat.

May 16th - Thursday

Ashgabat & Kow Ata

• We’ll fly back to Ashgabat and get on with some more touring activities straight upon arrival.
• Ahal-Teke horses considered as heavenly and sacred beasts in Turkmenistan; this stud farm visit will show you why. Have a ride on one of the horses if you like.
• We then drive on to the bizarre Kow-Ata underground lake . A Sulphur-heated lake 100m deep underground. Take a swim, explore the cave, and then have lunch at a shashlik restaurant on the spot.
• After lunch, we will visit a couple of large mosques; first, the Geok Deppe Mosque, built on the site of a late 19th Century massacre that marked the beginning of Russian dominance in the region.
• Then we see the even more massive Gypjak Mosque, built on the site of the 1949 Earthquake that devastated the city; this is also home to the Turkmenbashi Mausoleum which we will visit.
•  Back to the city for a relaxing evening before beginning the final day of this adventure!

Meals: Breakfast, lunch

May 17th - Friday

Ashgabat & Kopet Dag Mountains

• Free morning in Ashgabat for any final shopping, wandering, or relaxing that you want to do, and then we meet for a packed last afternoon.
• A cable car ride into the Kopet Dag mountains to see a view of the city from above.
• The world’s largest indoor Ferris Wheel – yes, indeed! A bizarre and quite fun trip to this oddity at the edge of town.
• An evening drive around the marble city, stopping at some viewpoints for some great photos of the nighttime illuminations which are very impressive.
•  Final dinner of the tour, time for goodbyes and the last night out if you’ve got the energy!

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

May 18th - Saturday

Departure day

• Departure day – airport transfers are provided for everyone regardless of the time of flight or where you are going

End of tour, OR; OPTIONAL EXTENSION (+550 EUR) Extension day 1: Mary & Margush

• Flight from Ashgabat to Mary, in the centre of the country and the nearest city to the ancient Silk Road metropolis of Merv.
• Visit Gonur-Deppe (Margush); another ancient city in this area, with some lovely extent architectural features.
• Back to Mary City and explore this modern town, mix with the locals, go to parks, bars, etc. as you like, a sleepy area with welcoming and friendly locals.

Meals: Breakfast

May 19th - Sunday

Extension day 2: Ancient Merv

• Excursion to  Ancient Merv .  Merv was once one of the most important cities in the world at certain times of its history. This ancient site is now a place where you will learn a great deal about the history of Central Asia, the rise and fall of dynasties and cities, the silk road, and human civilisation in this part of the world. Animals, travellers and archaeologists now roam the existing building, ruins, etc. All contribute to a sense of the dynamism of the ancient silk road.
• In the afternoon you fly back to Ashgabat for a final rest/night out before departure. Please let us know if you wish to book an extra night in Ashgabat. The flight should return to the capital at around 8 - 9 PM.

Upgrade to your own room in Turkmenistan

The default rooming option for this tour is shared hotel room or tent (one night). Each hotel room on tour has two separate beds. If you'd like a room to yourself then you can upgrade for an extra $50 USD per night

What is / is not included?

• English speaking guide
• Western tour leader
• Accommodation
• Internal flights
• All included sight seeing
• All taxes & entrance fees to protected areas

NOT INCLUDED

• Optional extension to Merv is USD 550
• Optional single supplement: USD 55 per night
• Visa issuing fee - USD 80 to USD 140 depending on nationality
• Room extension - USD 120
• International flights to/from Turkmenistan not included
• Return flights from Beijing to Ashgabat

**This tour will be accompanied by a Western tour leader if there are over five passengers booked**

HOW TO APPLY

Please email Rich Beal at  [email protected]  to begin your tour application. We do require a deposit paid upon booking the tour as we start paying tour costs when your visa application process had begun. We ask for a deposit of 50% of the tour fee. You must apply at least four weeks before the tour departure date as the Letter of Invitation that we need to obtain to facilitate the visa can take several days to be issued by the Turkmenistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Most travellers opt to have the visas issued upon arrival into Turkmenistan. If you would prefer to have the visa issued before your arrival or have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. The LOI will be issued to coordinate as closely as possible with the tour dates if you need extra days at each end of your journey please do let us know in advance of your application. If you are joining the tour from somewhere other than Beijing and buying a ticket via Koryo tours; We will email the e-ticket voucher to you as soon as it has been received into our office. If you are purchasing your flight ticket via other airlines or agents, we need these flight details ASAP. We, unfortunately, can not accept any liability for delayed flights and any issue associated with times associated letters of invitations. It is entirely possible to join the tour by flying in from other destinations also. We can also accommodate people joining the tour after entering by land or sea, and a range of exit methods are available to those joining this tour. Single supplement is accessible on this tour at 50 USD per night; if you are travelling alone and wish to share a room to avoid this fee, we will attempt to match you up with another traveller. You will also have to pay the visa issuing fee, at Ashgabat airport this ranges from US$80 to $130 (depending on nationality) payable in cash only.

CANCELLATION & REFUNDS

Please note: The visa fee for this tour is not covered in the tour cost and you will be responsible for this. Due to the extended amount of time that it takes to have a visa authorised and sent to an Embassy of Turkmenistan, it is much simpler to collect the visa on arrival at Ashgabat Airport, the fee payable here varies according to your nationality, it's usually around US$100. The visa is stamped in your passport and is the same as it would be if issued at a Turkmen Embassy. If you insist on having your visa issued at an Embassy, then please be sure to apply for the tour as early as possible.

If your visa is refused, a full refund (less banks charges) will be issued. Should the client wish to cancel after the visa application has been submitted, charges imposed on us by our Turkmenistan partners will be paid out of the 50% deposit and the balance returned to the client. If you have paid in full, we will return 50% plus the balance of what is left after charges. In all cases, we aim to return as much as we can, and we do not take a fee for the client's cancellation. Please be sure that you will be joinging the tour when you send all application details.

September 2024 — 1 tour

September 23 - october 12 2024.

Kazakhstan And Turkmenistan Adventure

Kazakhstan & Turkmenistan Tour; The Heart of Central Asia.

Visit vibrant multi-cultural Kazakhstan and eclectic Turkmenistan. Ticking off all the higlights as well as getting off the beaten path! From 4900 USD per person

Please apply by 1st September, 2024 .

On our most adventurous 20-night adventure, we will start in the new capital of Kazakhstan, Astana  and finish in the ostentatious city of Ashgabat Turkmenistan.

In between these two fascinating cities, we will travel by road, rail, and air as we adventure and explore parts of Kazakhstan only a few have seen before. We will be heading to the industrial base of Karaganda , the infamous Semipalatinsk (in two words; Gulags and Nukes), and Kurchatov - the Los Alamos of the USSR, where the Red Bomb was developed and tested. Plus, we will even visit ‘ The Polygon ’ ; the vast nuclear testing range full of abandoned measuring platforms, bunkers, craters, buried machinery, and the scenic yet chilling ‘Atomic Lake’.

Please Note : the situation vis-a-vis access to the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Polygon is very much changeable with no notice. So while we do intend to run the tour as scheduled here there is a chance that things may change and we have to adjust to which areas we visit, where we stay overnight, and so on. We have explored this area thoroughly though and have redundancies and backup plans in place, so we can still assure all visitors that they will experience as much access to the site as possible when they visit with Koryo Tours.

We will make sure to visit the main sites during our time in Turkmenistan such as Ashgabat and the Darvaza Gas Crater (Gates of Hell) , but also take you off the beaten path to really experience and understand Turkmenistan. Meet local people, and learn about their lives and history, their differences and commonalities.

Dates don't suit? Check out our Explore Kazakhstan | Astana to Almaty September Tour , or  contact us  for more information on private tours.

• Combine Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan for the ultimate adventure.
• Astana | Ashgabat | Almaty Nuclear Polygon – USSR’s testing range for atmospheric and underground nukes.
• Darvaza Gas Crater - This Giant burning crater known as the ‘Mouth of Hell’.

Day 1 of 21

Monday 23rd September

Arrival Day

• Flights to  Astana (airport code NQZ) arrive from many international destinations – let us know which flight you will be on, and we will arrange your pick-up and transfer to the hotel. Arriving even earlier is, of course, fine and can be accommodated.  
• Today we start the tour with a group dinner of some excellent local food, coordination and briefing session, before the adventure ahead!

Overnight: Astana - Kazakhstan's shiny new Capital City!

Tuesday 24th September

• Astana is a new city rightly famed for its unique approach to architecture; it piles together with a wide range of different styles and forms. The result is either a glimpse at the future of post-modern cities or a horrifying un-curated mish-mash of clashing buildings.  
• Bayterek Tower – now the icon of the city, this ornate monument has a viewing platform 97 metres above the ground (1997 is when Astana become the capital city) and is designed to evoke a folk tale about a bird laying an egg in a tree. Amazing views over the city from here.  
• Palace of Peace and Reconciliation – glass Pyramid from the eminent architect Norman Foster with the vague but noble aim of reconciling the world’s faiths and ideologies and bringing an end to violence. Even if this goal remains elusive, it is a stunning building and worth exploring!  
• Hazret Sultan Mosque – the biggest in Kazakhstan (and second in the region only to the monstrous Gypjak Mosque in Turkmenistan). Classically Islamic in style and Kazakh in décor, this impressive building can house up to 5000 worshippers at once.  
• Khan Shatyr Entertainment Centre – perhaps the building that architecturally sums up modern Astana more than any other. Another Carbuncle/work-of-genius (delete as you prefer) from Norman Foster, this ingenious structure looking somewhat like a lop-sided tent maintains an even temperature year-round and provides leisure facilities, shopping, entertainment in general.  
• River Ishim – we’ll stroll the banks of this waterway in the centre of town, a good way to see a slice of local life and people enjoying their time. Remember that almost all of Astana’s population are recent arrivals so a big mix of people from around the country and beyond can be met with here.

Overnight: Astana

Wednesday 25th September

Akmol & Karaganda

• We take a drive out of the city to the nearby village of Akmol ; home of the chilling Museum of the Camp for Wives of Traitors to the Motherland – A sensitively-done spot telling the story of the loyal (going to such a place could often be avoided with a divorce and public denunciation) women sent here when their husbands were persecuted.  
• We see a little more of this settlement on a walk around; church, mosque, and apartment buildings now occupy this former gulag-site before leaving for a 3 hour drive to the major city of Karaganda (lunch along the way)  
• An introductory walking tour of the city centre - focusing on the architecture, history, and local culture of this city (all of which is varied and fascinating), we’ll visit the central park as well and see and mix with locals spending leisure time here.  
• Karaganda is a large city but with a very walkable centre – the Russian/Soviet influence here is strong and our guide (a local to this place) will tell us all about the city, you’ll find it fascinating for sure! He can also recommend good spots for dinner/evening socialising/etc  
• We will also visit a local painter - famed for having no arms and painting with the brush in his mouth. He sells his amazing work and can speak about his history growing up close to the nearby nuclear weapons testing area

Overnight: Chaika Hotel – amazing brutalist Soviet monstrosity. Real time-warp stuff. One part of the hotel was built specifically for the visit of Valentina Tereshkova , the first woman in space. The rooms are comfy and modern. The building itself is timeless!

Thursday 26th September

• We drive an hour out to the museum of KarLag , the local gulag system – a dark part of history indeed told through the rooms of this former NKVD HQ . State ‘enemies’, departed nationalities (a vast number of whom were dumped in central Asia due to Stalin’s paranoia about enemies within – the largest numbers being Germans from the west and Koreans from the east. Their stories are told here in this chilling memorial to the all-too-recent evils.  
• The village around this museum is made up largely of former Gulag barracks, admin buildings, and medical centres, we will take a look around and also visit the depressing cemetery for children who died in this cruel system.  
• The nearby town of Shahtinsk hosts us for lunch and some views of local industries; coal mining primarily, but also steel production and agriculture.  
• In the afternoon we offer the choice between free time to further explore Karaganda City or a trip to a former execution ground (what a choice, we know!) marked by tasteful and meaningful memorials to the various nationalities whose people were among the unfortunate souls to perish here.

Overnight: Chaika Hotel

Friday 27th September

Astana/Train Ride

• We return to Astana by road in the morning. A special lunch with a local family awaits us when we arrive back in the Kazakh capital and then time to shop for some supplies for the overnight train ride ahead of us.  
• All aboard! We jump onto a sleeper train making its way through the night and across the country to the city of Kurchatov - home of the Soviet atomic weapons program. Comfy beds and a clean restaurant await us and rolling steppe outside the windows for this 800km journey. We will have dinner delivered to us on the platform at Ekibastusz Station that evening.

Overnight: Onboard the train – 4 beds in each room. Comfortable and clean

Saturday 28th September

Semey/Nuclear Polygon/Kurchatov

• We arrive in the morning in the eastern city of Semey and grab breakfast and the chance to leave our luggage in a local hotel (we will be back in a couple of days) - we then board our vehicles for an epic adventure in a fascinating and formerly forbidden area  
• We go deep into the Polygon - heading for a wide range of sites associated with the Soviet nuclear weapons program - the Atomic Lake , abandoned and derelict ICBM sites , underground bunkers , buildings erected and then destroyed in nuclear test explosions, and much more. it will be an epic adventure and, of course, protective clothing is provided when required.  
• We’ll make a few stops on the way through but most significantly Atomic Lake – caused by a deep underground nuclear blast – this was in fact made deliberately and is known as the world’s first and only use of industrial nuclear weapons. Find out what on earth they were thinking and meet some fishermen looking for three-eyed fish in the 180m deep lake.  
• We’ll have a Roadside Picnic (note to non-literature lovers, this is a joke – read this book and you will find some eerie similarities to this part of the trip) and continue to see some relics of the testing program. A local expert will also be with us to explain in detail, answer questions, etc.  
• We arrive in Kurchatov and check in at our hotel, used mainly by scientists still studying the effects of all the nuclear tests in this region.  Kurchatov was founded in 1947 simply to make Soviet Nuclear weapons a reality. Under the control of then KGB Chief Lavrentiy Beria and scientist Igor Kurchatov, this is where the arms race became a two-horse event.

Overnight: Mayak Hotel – another time-warp hotel with period furnishings and decor.

Sunday 29th September

Kurchatov/Chagan

• Museum of the Semipalatinsk Test Site – a detailed and deep explanation of what this place is, what happened here, and what effect their inventions can have. Some machines from that time are displayed here too. (note: this museum opens and closes at the whim of higher powers, so its opening cannot be 100% confirmed - if not open we will have a lecture on the history of the area at a different location  
• We board our vehicle and take a drive, deep into a formerly off-limits (very off limits!) area; the Semipalatinsk Polygon – nuclear testing ground chosen due to its remoteness, lack of population, and because it seemed like a good spot to blow a few things up. we provide protective gear of course  
• Next stop is Chagan – once a deeply secret long-range bomber base . Now a deeply abandoned former long-range bomber base. See the massive runways, the remaining ammunition hangars, and the collapsing main buildings of the base. Plus the garrison town nearby which housed the base staff from 1954 to 1994 and now stands completely stripped like a spooky post-apocalyptic warning. A bit of UrbEx here  
• We will visit a local family who used to live in Chagan - hear their stories of what it was like living at the front line of the Cold War so far in the USSR interior, and what things have been like for them since the base closed and their lives changed forever.

Overnight | Mayak Hotel

Monday 30th September

• We leave Kurchaov and the Polygon/Test Field behind us today as we return to Semey. Semipalatinsk is actually the former name of this city; correctly it is now referred to as Semey , we explore with a city tour of this little-visited settlement.  
• We will spend some time with a very special group of people - a local school who specialise in teaching disadvantaged children from more modest backgrounds. They teach English to a very high level here and we will meet with some teachers and children from the school who will give us some information about their hometown, give us a performance, and give us a chance to learn from these kids as well as helping them with a chance for conversation time with visitors - this is another Koryo Tours exclusive and something you will never forget  
• After lunch we liberate you for free time – a couple of recommendations include;​​​​​​ Fine Arts Museum – not just the best collection in Kazakhstan but also a display of abnormal anatomy, something quirky and troubling (especially with our trip to the nuclear test site coming up) Stronger Than Death Monument – in the Tatar section of town (itself an attraction we will explore some more) – shows the resilience of those who live and have lived in this remote part of the world.  
• Free time from the later afternoon to explore the city, have an evening out away from the shadow of nuclear tests and enjoy a very unique place indeed on a very special day.

Overnight: Semey Hotel – very Soviet-style place with an aesthetic unlike what you may be used to! All the charm of the late-USSR but with free wifi! You’ll love it!

Tuesday 1st October

Semey/Almaty

• Once upon a time Semipalatinsk was a wealthy trading city, situated between China and Russia, and acted as a gateway to the Central Asian territories added to the Russian Empire in the 19th Century. We will explore mainly on foot and see buildings from various eras, statues and monuments, mosaics and a little-known part of history. All explained to us as we make our way on a short walking tour around this unexpectedly-charming place. Sites we visit include...  
• Lenin Alley – a common sight in Kazakhstan’s smaller cities; a collection of Lenin's in a nice park setting. The central piece is awe-inspiring.  
• Victory Park – with statues, tank monument, and a hang-out place for locals.  
• Dostoyevsky Museum – the titan of Russian Literature, was exiled out here in Semipalatinsk and this museum explains the importance of his works. Pro-tip: read Crime and Punishment before your visit.  
• After an early lunch we head to Semey Airport for a flight to Almaty - the former capital and the most charming city in the country  
• We transfer to our hotel and you can head out for exploring, enjoying the very lively coffee shop scene, hot up some amazing restaurants and bars, pamper yourself at a beauty centre. Do whatever you like in this very modern but also laid-back place. You've earned it after the long journeys of the last few days!

Overnight: Hotel Kazakhstan – a towering monstrosity offering great views over the city as well as faded-luxury. An iconic structure in an iconic city; ideal for finishing off our Kazakhstan adventure

Wednesday 2nd October

• We embark on a walking tour of this amazing city - Almaty. Nestled against the precipitous Tian Shan Mountain range and dotted with parks, theatres, boulevards, and much more. Sites we visit include...
• Almaty Metro – one of only two subway systems in the whole of Central Asia (the other is the Moscow knock-off in Tashkent) this system opened in 2012 and strikes a balance between Moscow opulence and modern efficiency
• Green Bazaar & Rakhat Chocolate Factory – these neighbouring sites are local institutions. You can smell the sweetness from the latter all across this part of the city. Banter and barter with sellers in the market, pick up the apples that Almaty is known for as well as all manner of other delicious local delicacies. Get your sweet tooth into action with the terrific and very affordable selection at the chocolate factory (ideal for gifts too!)  
• Panfilovets Park – Almaty's main place of leisure. Very pleasant and marked with stunning and evocative monuments to the Kazakh soldiers who fell while fighting to defend Moscow from the Nazi invasion. Zenkov Cathedral is also located in this park.  
• Central Mosque – With its broad ethnic mixture and clear secularism, it is easy to forget that Kazakhstan is a majority-Muslim country. We’ll have a look at the main mosque in Almaty to see how the locals worship and what their faith means to them.  
• Arbat Street – every good former USSR town has one; a pedestrian area ideal for promenading, window shopping, café culture, public art sales, and so on. This one is very modern, and is lined with some great examples of brutalist apartment buildings.  
• Kok-Tebe – a cable car ride up to a mountain overlooking the city. Amazing views, a statue of the Beatles, A Ferris Wheel and toboggan ride, small zoo, bars, and entertainment in general. Simply put, this is the city’s best spot and a very popular area for local families, youths, and everyone really. We’ll have a final lunch of the tour along the way. A fitting relaxing end to an intense, mind-blowing week!

Overnight: Hotel Kazakhstan

Thursday 3rd October

Goodbye Almaty welcome Ashgabat

Today you travel between Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan - two fascinating and very different states in the same region. In terms of logistics, there are only occasional flights directly on this route - if one is available we will help you with that, but otherwise, the safer and most reliable route would be to fly via Istanbul or Dubai - two places well-connected several times daily to both Almaty and Ashgabat. Get in touch with us for help with planning this route.

You can make this journey all in one day, or arrive the following day, this will still get you there in time for the Turkmenistan tour to begin, so explore options and let us know what you think.

Arriving in Ashgabat/ Turkmenistan you pass through its multi-billion dollar marble-clad eagle-shaped airport - the kind of ostentatious building any country in the Middle East would be proud of. Exchange the Letter of Invitation (LOI) we have sent you in advance for a visa on arrival and a pickup and transfer to the hotel will be provided along with a local guide.

This evening is free for your short own exploration or to relax in another exciting country.

Overnight: Olympia Hotel, Ashgabat - Built for the 2017 Asian indoor martial arts game this well-located and modern hotel allows access to malls, shops, and restaurants, and provides guests with quality facilities in a fascinating part of the city

Friday 4th October

This morning there is time to relax and soak up your surrounding before this afternoon's orientation walk around the city visiting.

• Tekke Bazaar - Walk through this real, local slice of life, a true local market very popular amongst local people for shopping. On weekends, there are also local booksellers in the park opposite the market selling a selection of second-hand books. If you're lucky, you may pick up a copy of the Ruhnama the book written by Saparmurat Niyazov, the Turkmenistan president. Niyazov famously said, "a person that reads Ruhnama three times becomes smart, and after it, he will go straight to heaven".  
• Inspiration park - A public park at the centre of Ashgabat this narrow parkland is lined with sculptures of Persian poets, scholars and great thinkers all surrounding an artificial river and impressive water fountains.   
• Russian Bazaar - located in the very centre of town, this covered bazaar is where you can buy almost everything you may need in daily life; fruit & nuts, cables & chargers, sweets, kimchi, baked goods, souvenirs, and so on. Nearby is also the Alty Asyr Shopping Centre which is a good place to buy cotton goods (tracksuits, towels, bedsheets, etc. all made from local cotton, and all very cheap).  
• Lenin statue - Best described as a small Lenin on a giant plinth decorated in central Asian tile work.   
• Pushkin Monument - this small bust erected to Russia's most famous poet Pushkin is easily visited only 5 minutes from Lenin.  
• Pervyy park - this is one of Ashgabat's oldest parks founded in 1890 named officer park, Lenin park, first park and independence park.  
•   Ashgabat Train station - originally built in 1888 the first railway station was destroyed in the earthquake of 1948 along with much of the city. A new station was built shortly after in 1950 although this was remodelled 2009 taking on its now grand form crowned by the eight-pointed star (Rub El Hizb).

We return to the hotel after this mini-adventure to meet the new tour members at dinner. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Overnight: Olympia Hotel, Ashgabat

Saturday 5th October

A free day in Ashgabat. We can make recommendations for what to do and help to arrange drivers, and guides, as needed for excursions outside of the city. Or you can simply wander, relax, go shopping, use leisure facilities, and so on.

Ashgabat has malls, galleries, museums, and other sites open to visitors. Just tell us what kind of thing you would like to do and our local partners and we can help with making a plan for you.

The tour starts properly this evening with a group dinner and orientation. Meet those arriving just for the Turkmenistan part of the tour and get ready for a further group adventure! Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Sunday 6th October

Ashgabat City Tour

• Tolkuchka Bazaar – The nation's largest market, built outside the city and home to various sections selling household goods, clothes, the famous Turkmen carpets , camels & other animals, and much more!
• Cooking course  – for today's lunch, we attend a local restaurant which gives us a tutorial and the opportunity to bake some local Turkmen pies. If it's not for you, don't worry, you'll be able to relax whilst your meal is cooked for you. 
• Afternoon city tour – Including Independence Park and Monument , Arch of Neutrality topped by the gold statue of Turkmenbashi, Ahal-Teke horses monument , Earthquake Monument and Museum .
• Free evening for a night out in the city.

Monday 7th October Darvaza Gas Crater & Bokhurdag

• Desert adventure! We head off in a fleet of 4x4s into the deep desert today.
• Bokhurdag semi-nomadic village for a look at what desert life is like today and lunch at a local family home.
• Onwards to the bizarre mud and water craters , scenes of accidents that opened sinkholes in the desert.
• Finally, we arrive at the stunning and unforgettable   Darvaza Gas Crater in the centre of the country and the scene of a 40-year-old industrial accident that ended with a giant flaming pit burning to this day. A hypnotic sight and one of the strangest and most spectacular things you can possibly see.
• We camp tonight beside the crater; it is best seen at night, and dinner is cooked on the spot.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Overnight: Camping at the Darvaza Gas Crater - Camping in the desert with tents, sleeping bags and roll mats provided. we will also provide tents based on your rooming options. this affords us the best opportunity to view the amazing gas crater from before sunset to sunrise.

Tuesday 8th October

• We return to Ashgabat, driving through the morning with a stop at a monument to the suppression of the Basmachi rebellion.
• Once back in the capital the rest of the day is yours to do with as you please; explore, relax, shop, take a side trip (drivers are available for hire), we and our local guides can advise on the spot.

Wednesday 9th October

Nisa Fortress and Kow Ata Underground Lake

• Nisa Fortress - a UNESCO site and former capital of the mighty Parthian state in ancient times.
• Ahal-Teke horse s are considered heavenly and sacred beasts in Turkmenistan, and this stud farm visit will show you why. Have a ride on one of the horses if you like.
• We will drive in our 4x4 fleet on to the remote city of Balkanabad ; this sleepy town is easily explored on foot in a couple of hours of free time before dinner and overnight in a hotel shaped like a giant yurt.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Overnight: Hotel Niebitchi , Balkanabat - Yurt-shaped curiosity in the town centre, well-situated for wandering around and exploring.

Thursday 10th October

Yangykala Canyon & Turkmenbashi

• We drive to the stunning Yangykala Canyon , known as the ‘Turkmen Grand Canyon’ little-known but a gorgeous area with shifting colours in the rocks, amazing formations, and some wonderful photos to be taken.
• Through the afternoon we make our way across the country, stopping at scenic areas, pilgrimage sites and so on until we reach our destination; the Caspian sea city of Turkmenbashi and the bizarre ‘touristic zone’ of Awaza . This place has to be seen to be believed, and we will have a look around the hotel-covered peninsular before checking in for a relaxing evening at the coast.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 

Overnight:  Serdar Hotel. A comfortable beachside option. You can also upgrade to the Yelken Yacht Club, the finest establishment in Awaza. Contact us for more details!

Friday 11th October

Awaza to Ashgabat

• A free morning to relax at the coastal resort, try swimming (although the Caspian is a cold sea) or some watersports, wandering around, or even sleeping in!
• Late morning we will take a boat ride down a canal stretching the length of the Awaza area, see the different architectural styles of the buildings here, all of which have sprung up in the last few years.
• We will drive to Turkmenbashi city for lunch, the oldest city in the country and one settled by Russians during their invasion from across the sea during the late Great Game.
• A city tour of Turkmenbashi – the local bazaar, railway station, Oil Workers’ Square, various monuments, and even a cemetery for Japanese POWs who were brought here to labour after their capture at the end of WWII, and never got home again.
• Flight back to Ashgabat for the final dinner of the tour, time for goodbyes and the last night out, if you’ve got the energy!

Saturday 12th October Departure

• Departure day – airport transfers provided for everyone regardless of the time of flight or where you are going.

End of tour, OR; OPTIONAL EXTENSION (+600 EUR) Extension day 1: Mary & Margush

• Flight from Ashgabat to Mary, in the centre of the country and the nearest city to the ancient silk road metropolis of Merv.
• Visit Gonur-Deppe (Margush); another ancient city in this area, with some lovely ancient architectural features.

Meals: Breakfast 

Sunday 13th October Extension day 2: Ancient Merv

• Excursion to Ancient Merv , probably the most important city in the world at certain times of its history and a place where you will learn a great deal about the history of Central Asia, the rise and fall of dynasties and cities, the silk road, and human civilisation in this part of the world in general. This vast area is roamed by animals, explorers, extant buildings, ruins, etc. All contributing to a sense of the dynamism of the ancient silk road.
• In the afternoon you fly back to Ashgabat for a final rest/night out before departure. Please let us know if you wish to book an extra night in Ashgabat. the flight should return to the capital at around 8 PM - 9 PM.

Upgrade to your own room in Kazakhstan

All hotel rooms on our all-inclusive group tours to Kazakhstan feature twin beds, and will be shared. If you'd like a room to yourself then you can upgrade for an extra $50 USD per night

• English-speaking local guides
• Meals where indicated
• Internal trains
• All included sightseeing
• All taxes & entrance fees to areas where special permits are required
• Airport transfers
• An amazing time in two very different yet amazing countries!
• Tips for local guides and drivers
• Incidentals, extra drinks, etc
• Optional single supplement: USD 50 per night (Kazakhstan) and USD 55 Per night (Turkmenistan)
• Kazakhstan: Visa fee - depending on nationality – most Western nationalities do not need visas to Kazakhstan. Please do check first to be sure
• Turkmenistan: All visitors will need a visa USD 80 to USD 150, depending on nationality; we will do the work required for this
• International flights to Kazakhstan and from Ashgabat
• Flight between Almaty and Ashgabat - we can assist with recommendations for this route

How to Apply: To apply simply click on the application button listed with this tour and fill out the online form, upload a passport copy and photo (or send to us by email) and you can consider yourself to be booked on this adventure! For any questions, comments, etc about this trip get in touch with Rich at [email protected] We ask for an application to be completed a minimum of one month in advance of the tour, ideally six weeks or more if possible: We will require a deposit to be paid at this time as we start taking on administrative costs as well as an obligation to pay for the visa invitation as soon as we send off an application. We ask for a deposit of 50% of the tour fee. Cancellation & Refunds: Please note that if you require a visa for Kazakhstan you will need to pay this fee yourself. Most visitors do not require visas though.

Check https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Kazakhstan For Turkmenistan everyone will need a letter of invitation this is used upon arrival to obtain your visa for the country. We will send you further details upon booking. We practice the same cancellation policy with this tour as we do with our DPRK tours. This is listed on our website T&C. However, we do not seek profit from people who cannot go on tours but we do make arrangements and commit to payments in good faith once a booking is received and payment is made. So we always try to refund more than the minimum. As with any trip it is best to be as sure as possible that you will be able to attend the trip when making the final booking. If the tour is cancelled by Koryo Tours for any reason then a full refund is of course made. In all cases we return as much as we can and we do not take a fee for client's cancellation. Please be sure that you will definitely be joining the tour when you send all application details.

October 2024 — 2 tours

October 5 - october 12 2024, turkmenistan tour (october): ashgabat, darvaza gas crater & beyond, an amazing turkmenistan adventure.

Spend 7 nights in Central Asia’s least visited country! Visit Ashgabat, Turkmenistan’s white marble fantasy capital, see the bizarre Darvaza Gas Crater, and explore the coast of the glorious Caspian! From 2400 USD per person

Turkmenistan Tour (October): Ashgabat, Darvaza Gas Crater & Beyond

Join Koryo Tours this October for our Turkmenistan tour as the adventures continue. Turkmenistan is Central Asia’s least visited country.

This means it may be a bit difficult to access and travel around, but it certainly doesn’t have any less to offer! Join Koryo Tours as we explore the beautiful capital city Ashgabat , camp over at the famous Darvaza Gas Crater , otherwise known as ‘the Gates of Hell’, and be dazzled by the colourful desert canyons to the Caspian Coast.

As we journey through the country we will see the serious and the sublime, the freaky and the frivolous – join us on this amazing adventure that we simply do better than anyone else. Koryo Tours have been working in Turkmenistan for over a decade. Over this time, we’ve built this special experience through dozens of visits and the best local contacts and relationships meaning our Turkmenistan tours are unrivalled in quality, experience, and fun !

This tour will be led by one of our most experienced tour leaders, Rich Beal . Rich has led tours all over the world since 2004 and has been leading   tours to Turkmenistan for a decade (and to the rest of Central Asia much longer!). He is incredibly knowledgeable about the area and a great storyteller — ask and he will tell you plenty of fascinating travel anecdotes from his many adventures!

If dates don’t suit, check out our Turkmenistan tour in May , or  contact us to organise a private tour.

• Ashgabat - All the highlights and local colour Darvaza Gas Crater - The ‘Mouth of Hell’
• Kow Ata Underground Lake - Natural hot spring 80m under the ground
• Nisa Fortress – UNESCO listed archaeological site
• The stunning Yangykala Canyon, known as the ‘Grand Canyon of Central Asia’
• The Caspian Sea city of Turkmenbashi & the unique & Weird Awaza Area
• Extend the tour to visit the Capital of the Silk Road – Ancient Merv

Saturday 5th October  Arrival in Ashgabat

• Assemble in Ashgabat , airport pickups will be arranged wherever you fly in from, and we will have a group dinner to get introduced and start the adventure!
• For those who arrived in Turkmenistan earlier, there will be an optional walking tour around Ashgabat this afternoon; we'll see some architecture, local markets and a slice of local life. 

Meals: Dinner 

Overnight: Olympia Hotel, Ashgabat - Built for the 2017 Asian indoor martial arts game, this well-located and modern hotel allows access to malls, shops, and restaurants and provides guests with quality facilities in a fascinating part of the city. Should the heat of the day prove too much you can quench your thirst in the rooftop bar or take a plunge in the included swimming pool.

Sunday 6th October Ashgabat City Tour

• cooking course  – for today's lunch, we attend a local restaurant which gives us a tutorial and the opportunity to bake some local Turkmen pies. If it's not for you, don't worry, you'll be able to relax whilst your meal is cooked for you. 
• We camp tonight besides the crater, it is best seen at night, dinner cooked on the spot.
• Once back in the capital the rest of the day is yours to do with as you please; explore, relax, shop, take a side-trip (drivers are available for hire), we and our local guides can give advice on the spot.

Wednesday 9th October

• Ahal-Teke horse s are considered as heavenly and sacred beasts in Turkmenistan, this stud farm visit will show you why. Have a ride on one of the horses if you like.
• We then drive on to the bizarre Kow-Ata underground lake . A Sulphur-heated lake 100m deep underground. Take a swim, explore the cave, and then have lunch at a shashlik restaurant on the spot
• We will drive in our 4x4 fleet on to the remote city of Balkanabad, this sleepy town is easily explored on foot in a couple of hours of free time before dinner and overnight in a hotel shaped like a giant yurt.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Overnight: Hotel Niebitchi , Balkanabat - Yurt-shaped curiosity in the centre of town, well-situated for wandering around and exploring.

Thursday 10th October

• We drive to the stunning Yangykala Canyon , known as the ‘Turkmen Grand Canyon’ little-known but an absolutely beautiful area with shifting colours in the rocks, amazing formations, and some wonderful photos to be taken.
• Through the afternoon, we make our way across the country, stopping at scenic areas, pilgrimage sites and so on until we reach our destination: the Caspian sea city of Turkmenbashi and the bizarre ‘touristic zone’ of Awaza . This place has to be seen to be believed and we will have a look around the hotel-covered peninsular before checking in for a relaxing evening at the coast.
• A free morning to relax at the coastal resort of Awaza, try swimming (although the Caspian is a cold sea) or some watersports, wandering around, or even sleeping in!
• A city tour of Turkmenbashi – the local bazaar, pre-Soviet railway station, Oil Workers’ Square, various monuments, and even a cemetery for Japanese POWs who were brought here to labour after their capture at the end of WWII, and never got home again.
• Flight back to Ashgabat for the final dinner of the tour, It's time for goodbyes and the last night out, if you’ve got the energy!

Saturday 12th October Departure

• Departure day – airport transfers are provided for everyone regardless of the time of flight or where you are going.

End of tour, OR; OPTIONAL EXTENSION (+600 EUR) Extension Day 1: Mary & Margush

• Back to Mary City and explore this modern town, mix with the locals, go to parks, bars, etc as you like, a sleepy area with welcoming and friendly locals.
• Optional extension to Merv is USD 600
• Visa issuing fee - USD 80 to USD 140, depending on nationality
• Return flights from Beijing to Ashgabat cost approximately USD 1000 Return flights from London to Ashgabat cost approximately USD 1040 (Estimates only, we can book these tickets for you or you can purchase separately)

Please email Rich Beal at [email protected] the following information a minimum of one month in advance of the tour, ideally six weeks or more if possible: Full Name Gender Date of Birth Passport Number Address Job Title Company Details of any previous visits to Turkmenistan Please also indicate where you plan to join the tour from (London, Beijing, Istanbul etc). We also require a deposit to be paid at this time as we start taking on administrative costs as well as an obligation to pay for the visa invitation as soon as we send off an application. We ask for a deposit of 50% of the tour fee. You must apply at least 4 weeks before the tour departure date as the Letter of Invitation that we need to obtain in order to facilitate the visa can take several days to be issued by the Turkmenistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We can arrange to have the visas issued on arrival at Ashgabat airport or any other point of entry to the country, but if you would prefer to have it issued at the Turkmenistan Embassy in your home country or have any questions at all about the visa process (it is rather complicated!) please contact us early! the LOI's will be issued to coordinate as closely as possible with the tour dates if you need extra days at each end of your journey please do let us know in advance of your application. If you are joining the tour from somewhere other than Beijing and buying a ticket via our offices we email the e-ticket voucher to you and also inform you if anyone else is joining the tour from your place of departure so that you can meet up on the way to join the tour. If you are purchasing your own flight ticket via alternate airlines or agents we need these flight details ASAP. We, unfortunately, can not accept any liability for delayed flights and any issue associated with times associated letters of invitations. It is entirely possible to join the tour by flying in from other destinations also. We can also accommodate people joining the tour after entering by land or sea, and a range of exit methods are available to those joining this tour. Single supplement is available on this tour at 55 USD per night, if you are travelling alone and wish to share a room to avoid this fee we will attempt to match you up with another traveller. You will also have to pay the visa issuing fee, at Ashgabat airport this ranges from US$80 to $150 (depending on nationality) payable in cash only.

Please note that for this tour you are required to pay the fee for the issuance of the visa yourself. Due to the extended amount of time that it takes to have a visa authorized and sent to an Embassy of Turkmenistan it is much simpler to collect the visa on arrival at Ashgabat Airport, the fee payable here varies according to your nationality, its usually around US$100. The visa is stamped in your passport and is the same as it would be if issued at a Turkmen Embassy. If you insist on having your visa issued at an Embassy, then please be sure to apply for the tour as early as possible. The deposit is non-refundable if the tourist cancels himself. If however, we cannot arrange visas or for whatever reason, it is not possible to travel at the specified time (or you cannot make rescheduled dates) a full refund will be made. Should the client wish to cancel after visa application has been made, charges imposed on us will be paid out of the 50% deposit with the balance being returned to the client. If you have paid in full we will return 50% plus the balance of what is left after the cancellation fee we pay to our partners in Turkmenistan. If you book and cancel a plane ticket through us we charge only the airline’s cancellation fee. In all cases we return as much as we can and we do not take a fee for client's cancellation. Please be sure that you will definitely be joining the tour when you send all application details.

October 5 - October 17 2024

Turkmenistan & uzbekistan adventure, combine the best of two stans; explore the deserts of turkmenistan, ancient cities of uzbekistan, & meet the locals.

Join us as we venture across the deserts of Turkmenistan, ancient cities of Uzbekistan, and meet the local people who call this incredible region home! From 3750 USD per person

Please apply by 10th September, 2024 .

Turkmenistan & Uzbekistan Adventure

This adventure will take us through the heart of  Central Asia , beginning with a journey across  Turkmenistan ’s vast deserts, experiencing the stunning  Darvaza Gas Crater  and the shining white capital city of Ashgabat , built entirely of marble. Plus, you will take a visit to the far west of the country to venture through the mysterious  Awaza Resort .

After Turkmenistan, we’ll make a crossing into neighbouring  Uzbekistan  for a trip through time as we visit the ancient capitals of  Samarkand  and  Bukhara. After here, you'll head north to round off your adventure in the nation’s capital,  Tashkent . It's home to incredible history and a few secrets which few know about!

If you’re looking for a true adventure in Central Asia, this is the trip for you. Hitting all the highlights of these two great republics, you can mix ancient history with stunning modernity. All in the company of Koryo Tours and local experts. 

A truly great Central Asian adventure that you won't find anywhere else!

• Gateway to Hell: The Darvaza Gas Crater
• The Mysterious Caspian Resort at Awaza
• The Rarely Visited Turkmenbashi City
• The Pearls of Persia: Bukhara & Samarkand
• The Mighty Tashkent Solar Furnace

Day 1 of 13

Saturday, 5th october.

• We’ll meet in the heart of  Turkmenistan ’s capital. After a bit of rest, we’ll begin our day with an optional in-depth orientation walk around  Ashgabat .  
•   Tekke Bazaar.  Upon leaving the hotel, we’ll wander along the tree-lined boulevards of the nation’s capital, heading to the  Tekke Bazaar . Tekke Bazaar is a busy market, popular amongst local people; this covered bazaar sells it all. Meat, fruits, vegetables, flowers, and clothing. Opposite, second-hand booksellers set up on weekends in the small park. If you’re lucky, you may find a copy of the Ruhnama, written by the president of Turkmenistan, Saparmurat Niyazov. Niyazov famously said, ”A person who reads Ruhnama three times becomes smart, and after it, he will go straight to heaven”.  
• Inspiration Park.  From the Tekke Bazaar, we will wander to  Inspiration Park. This is a public park at the centre of downtown Ashgabat. Inspiration Park is a narrow parkland lined with sculptures of Persian poets, scholars and great thinkers, surrounded by beautiful natural scenery.  
• Russian Bazaar.  We’ll continue our exploration, calling at another Bazaar, the  Russian Bazaar . A covered market where you will be able to pick up a vast array of items – the perfect stop if there’s anything you’ve forgotten to pack! Cables, chargers, sweets, kimchi, baked goods, fruit & nuts as well as souvenirs. This market has it all, unless you’re after Turkmen cotton.  
• The  Alty Asyr Shopping Centre  over the road is an excellent stop for some well-priced Turkmen cotton goods offering everything from tracksuits and T-shirts to towels and bedsheets.  
• Statue of Lenin.  Once we have stopped for a spot of lunch, we will continue the walk, checking out Ashgabat’s Soviet past on our visit to the  Statue of Lenin . Ashgabat’s Lenin may not be the biggest, but his enormous carpet-patterned plinth compensates for this. Not far from Lenin, we’ll catch a glimpse of Russia’s most famous poet, Pushkin at the  Pushkin Monument . From Pushkin, we will walk onwards to visit Pervyy Park – Ashgabat’s oldest park, founded in 1890, formerly named Officer Park, Lenin Park, First Park and Independence Park.  
• From the park, it’s a short stroll to  Ashgabat Train Station . Initially built in 1888, the first railway station was destroyed in the 1948 earthquake along with much of the city. A new station was built in 1950 and remodelled in 2009; the station looks impressive, crowned by the eight-pointed star (Rub El Hizb). Finally, we will head back to the hotel for our first group meal.

Accommodation:  Olympic Hotel,  Ashgabat

Included Meals:  Dinner

Sunday, 6th October

• Altyn Asyr Bazaa.  After a hearty breakfast, we’re up and out into Ashgabat, our first stop, the  Altyn Asyr Bazaar , formerly the Tolkuchka Bazaar. Located on the outskirts of Ashgabat, it’s the largest market in the country and one of the largest in Central Asia. Relocated to its current location in 2011, Altyn Asyr is a massive affair. It sells everything from household goods, clothes, Turkmen carpets, camels and much more!  
• Ashgabat Hippodrome.  After our mega shopping experience, it’s off to the races as we make our way to the  Ashgabat Hippodrome . Sunday is race day here in Ashgabat, and what better animal to watch racing than the legendary Turkmen  Akhal-Teke Horses . The greyhound of the horse world, the Akhal-Teke horse is one of the oldest existing horse breeds in the world.  
• Independence Park   & Moument . After a delicious lunch, we’ll explore a little more of Turkmenistan’s marbled capital. Our first visit to  Independence Park  and  Independence Monument , was constructed to celebrate the independence of Turkmenistan on the 27th of October 1991. As well as the memorial, the park is home to an impressive array of statues of characters from Turkmen history.  
• Monument of Neutrality.  From Independence to Neutrality, we go! Our next visit is the  Monument of Neutrality  built in 1998. A gold statue of Turkmenbashi tops this impressive structure.  
• Earthquake Monument and Museum.  We hope you’re not too tired of statues just yet as we have a few more to go. Next up, the  Earthquake Monument and Museum . A grim reminder of the terrible earthquake that struck Ashgabat in 1948, killing 110,00 people and levelling the city. Both are tastefully presented and very educational.  
• Ashgabat's Unusual Architecture. On our way back to the hotel, we will pass a few of Ashgabat’s more unusual buildings, The Ministry of Gas is shaped like a giant cigarette lighter. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is shaped like a globe... And our personal favourite, The Ashgabat Dental Hospital is shaped like a massive tooth!  
• Once we have returned to the hotel, you are free to continue exploring Ashgabat or enjoy some well-deserved rest.

Included Meals:  Breakfast, Lunch

Monday, 7th October

• Free time. This morning there is a bit of free time for relaxing or shopping for supplies. This is useful as later today we’re off into the desert.  
• Into the Desert . Our first stop is the small desert village of  Bokhurdag . It is here that we stop to sample the local cuisine and learn a little more about living outside the bright lights of Turkmenistan’s flamboyant capital. After lunch, before heading a little deeper into the  Karakum Desert , we will make a stop at the village of  Erbent .  
• Erbent . Erbent is similar to most of the surrounding desert settlements, however, it is here that the  Monument to the Basmachi Revolution  is located. The Basmachi revolutionary monument was built here as this area was a Basmachi stronghold during the 1920s. The Basmachi were an Islamic group fighting the occupying Soviet forces.  
• Once our journey resumes, we’ll continue stopping as we travel to see other examples of the desert’s mining history. We visit two other craters (one filled with water, the other with mud). A perfect pretext for the great  Darvaza Gas Crater .  
• Darvaza Gas Crater. The incredible Darvaza Gas Crater, continuously burning since 1971, was created when Soviet engineers were drilling what they thought were vast oil fields. No oil was found, and the fields turned out to be rich in gas, evident when the drilling rig at Darvaza hit a void and collapsed in on itself. Sometime later it’s believed that the escaping gas was set alight to prevent methane from polluting a nearby village. Here we are all these years later. And the gas crater has now become one of the world’s most unusual tourist attractions.  
• We’ll arrive during daylight hours to observe the transition from light to dark as the night sky becomes illuminated by the flickering blaze of the crater.  
• Camping at Darvaza Gas Crater. Camping next to this burning void, we will enjoy a delicious  Turkmen BBQ  prepared by our local crew.

Accommodation:  Camping, Darvaza Gas Crater

Included Meals:  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Tuesday, 8th October

• For some, it may be a little bit of a hazy start after enjoying a night of peering into the flaming heart of the Darvaza Gas Crater. After breakfast, we’ll climb back into the 4X4s, arriving in Ashgabat before lunch.  
• Ashgabat . Once we have checked in and had a chance to freshen up, we will take local taxis into Ashgabat’s marble-clad city centre to see its famous white heart. First stop, Ashgabat’s grandiose, opulent shopping mall, Berkerar.   
• Berkerar Mall  was opened in 2015 and it looks like a cross between a mosque and a palace, from the outside at least. While the inside is just as grand, for us it’s an excellent opportunity to grab a spot of lunch and see some local life before starting our walk.  
• City Tour. Once we’ve eaten, it’s out into the city passing wide open streets and pristine white apartments as we make our way back to the hotel. The start of our city hike takes us past the imposing  2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games Stadium Area . The stadium area was built at the cost of around 5 billion USD. At its heart lies the  Saparmurat Turkmenbashy Olympic Stadium , noticeable as part of the stadium is the shape of a giant Akhal-Teke Horse Head.  
• As we walk on through the city, we will skirt the  Presidential Area Complex , forbidden to head inside, but we can still marvel at the magnificent golden domes and massive structures.  
• Before we reach our hotel, we will pass more statues, mosaics, and impressively whitened buildings.

Accommodation:  Olympic Hotel, Ashgabat

Wednesday, 9th October

• After breakfast today, we’ll be checking out of our hotel and once again heading out of Ashgabat to explore a little more of Turkmenistan.  
• Nisa Fortress.  Our first stop is the ancient  Nisa Fortress. A UNESCO-listed site, this former Parthian capital is now just a shadow of its former self. But still fascinating. A journey around Nisa Fortress is a must for those interested in history. Believed to have been started by the first Parthian king, Arsaces I, Nisa Fortress was later named Mithradatkirt (Fortress of Mithradates) after the famed Parthian who elevated the Parthian Empire to historic greatness!  
• Akhal-Teke Horses.  The Parthians, like their Turkmen descendants, were famed for their beautiful horses. And our next stop gets us up close to the magnificent  Akhal-Teke horses  as we visit a nearby stud farm. We will learn more about the famed Turkmen horse and its actual value at the stud farm.  
• Bakharden Cave.  As we slowly edge away from Ashgabat, we’ll make one more stop at the Bakharden Cave around 60 km away from the city. The  Bakharden Cave  is a popular stop for locals on holidays and weekends who travel here to venture deep underground and swim in the  Kow-Ata Underground Lake .  
• Kow-Ata Underground Lake.  Yes, it’s dark, smelly, and a little bizarre, but the 100m deep sulphur-heated lake is one of those things worth trying just once. Once you’ve taken a swim or watched everyone else attempt it, we will have lunch at one of the delicious Shashlik restaurants just outside.  
• Balkanabad.  After lunch, it’s on with the adventure as we travel further with our 4X4s to the remote desert city of  Balkanabad . We should arrive in late afternoon, giving you the chance to explore a little of this friendly city on your own.

Accommodation:  Hotel Niebitchi, Balkanabat

Thursday, 10th October

• We’ll depart our hotel early this morning as we have a lot of driving and a lot to see. Our first stop is the  Balkanabat Market . It may be small, but it’s still an exciting stop to catch a little of the local life in this town. As we pass many of the local Soviet-style buildings on our way through town, we will make one final stop.  
• Monument to the Desert Explorers . Located on the outskirts of town, the Monument to the Desert Explorers is an impressive memorial constructed to honour those early Russian researchers who discovered oil and were responsible for the founding of Balkanabat.  
• Yangykala Canyon.  Once we leave the dusty streets of  Balkanabat , we’re out into the desert on our way to the  Yangykala Canyon . Along the way, we pass impressive desert features such as rolling dunes, cliffs and geological features such as fossil beds containing evidence that this whole area was once a vast inland sea.  
• Turkmen Grand Canyon.  Known by some as the  ’Turkmen Grand Canyon’, the Yangykala Canyon  is an impressive yet little-known geological feature located deep within the desert. Never failing to impress, the canyon plays host to rock formations sporting many varied colours and cliffs and canyons to make even the best-travelled visitor happy to have made this lengthy detour. With breathtaking views all around us, we will be sure to stop and enjoy our packed lunch in this most stunning location. Once you have taken as many photos as you can, we will board our 4X4s and drive to Turkmenbashi.  
• Caspian Sea.  As we cut our way through the desert, we’ll eventually catch sight of the mighty  Caspian Sea , the largest inland sea in the world. Clinging to the Caspian coast, we will pass through the port city of Turkmenbashi on our way to our final destination of the day, the resort town of  Awaza .  
• Awaza.  A bizarre collection of grandiose tourist hotels, attractions and sites, Awaza is a place that has to be seen to be believed. We have a real treat in store as our accommodation is one of the best in the area, and the most surreal. We will check in with enough time to catch the sunset over the Capsian before a well-deserved rest.

Accommodation:  Yelken Yacht Club, Awaza

Friday, 11th October

• Today, unlike previous days on this Turkmen adventure, you’ll have a free morning to rest, relax or explore your unusual surroundings. If it’s warm enough or you're feeling particularly daring, you can take a plunge into the Caspian, wander along the shoreline looking at the interesting architecture or enjoy the Truman Show feel of our hotel resort.  
• Awaza Canal.  If it’s operating, we will make the day a little more bizarre and take a boat ride on the artificial  Awaza Canal . A short 50-minute ride set to puzzle and confuse you is a perfect prelude to a pleasant lunch in  Turkmenbashi , the oldest city in the country. Whilst the city is nowhere near as visually impressive as Ashgabat, it does have some exciting sites dotted around, many of which we will be sure to visit.  
• Turkmenbashi.  Formerly Krasnovodsk, the city was named after a fort built by the Russians after their second invasion in 1869. Krasnovodsk served as a vital jumping point for Russian imperial soldiers as they continued forward with their conquests of Khiva and Bukhara.  
• Turkmenbashi Railway Station . On the 8th of October 1993, President-for-Life Saparmurat Niyazov renamed the city after himself Turkmenbashi (Head of all Turkmens). First, we will visit the Turkmenbashi Railway Station. This pleasant Russian-built station was constructed in 1895 and still departures and arrivals to and from locations across Central Asia.  
• From the station, we’ll cross the road to see the  Oil Worker’s Square  and the  Monument to the Great Patriotic War  commemorating all of those Turkmen who lost their lives in this distant conflict. Including Atamurat Niyazov, the father of Saparmurat Niyazov. From the square, we will look at some of the city’s architecture, which may not be so inspiring, but much of it was built by Japanese and German POWs from the war.  
• Our final stop of the day will be the  Cheryomushki Bazaar , located at the heart of Turkmenbashi. This bustling market is one of the country’s best, with friendly stallholders selling local snacks and crafts. For those interested in fish from the Caspian, the fish market on site boasts an impressive selection of the sea’s bounty.  
• Once we’ve had our fill of Turkmenbashi, we’ll head to the nearby airport for our flight to  Ashgabat. We will arrive in time for our last group meal in Turkmenistan, and prepare ourselves for the adventure onward to Uzbekistan!

Saturday, 12th October

Turkmenistan - uzbekistan.

• Border Crossing. This morning we’ll depart Ashgabat and make our way to the airport for our connecting flight to  Turkmenabat , Turkmenistan’s border city with its northern neighbour, Uzbekistan. Once we’ve arrived in the city, we’ll head for the border, passing through the various customs checks before finally waving goodbye to our Turkmen friends, and heading into  Uzbekistan .  
• Bukhara.  Once we’ve crossed the border, we’ll meet up with our new Uzbek guides, and head towards the nearby city of  Bukhara , an ancient city that was once the heart of empires in the region. Along with nearby Samarkand, Bukhara served as the heart of the Persian world for centuries under numerous empires, and continues today as Uzbekistan’s seventh largest city, and one of its most popular attractions for foreign travellers, owing to its rich history as a Persian capital, and an outpost on the renowned Silk Road.  
• We’ll head straight for our hotel where we’ll have a free evening to relax, before heading out tomorrow to experience Bukhara!

Accommodation:  3* Hotel

Sunday, 13th October

• Today we’ll enjoy a day in the picturesque surroundings of  Bukhara , exploring the ancient legacy of this stunning city. Our first stop of the day will be the magnificent Kalyan Minaret.  
• Kalyan Minaret.  Built in 1127, the  Kalyan Minaret  is all that survives of a once grandiose  Djuma Mosque , designed for crowds of people to worship at once. Today, the site has been rebuilt around the footprint of this great tower, now at the centre of a courtyard surrounded by galleries and stunning architecture. It’s from here that the ancient call to prayer would have blasted across the city, and many locals would have descended on the site. It was built twice. Evidence suggests the soft ground led it to collapse after being nearly completed the first time. However, after almost a millennium, it shouldn’t fall again!  
• Khoja-Gaukushon.  Next, we’ll make our way to  Khoja-Gaukushon. A great ensemble at the heart of the city, home to a mosque, madrassah, and minaret. The area once served as a kind of plaza for local people to meet, trade, set up market stalls, and (rather oddly) slaughter animals. The name ‘Gaukushon’ means ‘Slaughter of Bulls’. Later, a large minaret, mosque, and madrassah were built on the site, adding to the great patchwork of beautiful buildings littered across the skyline of Bukhara.  
• Finally, we’ll wrap up with the  Mausoleum of Naqshbandi  and the summer residence of the last Emir of Bukhara which sits a few kilometres outside the city itself. The mausoleum is a place of pilgrimage for many Sufis and a place of incredible beauty, whilst the summer palace is known as ‘the place where the moon meets the stars.  
• This evening, we’ll head to the train station to catch a late high-speed train to nearby  Samarkand , another gem in the heart of this region.

Monday, 14th October

• Samarkand.  This morning we’ll wake up surrounded by the ancient city of  Samarkand.  We have a full day to experience the sights and sounds of this bustling place.  
• Registan Square.  Our first stop will be  Registan Square . The Registan is an ensemble of majestic and stunningly beautiful madrassahs, the most incredible example of Islamic architecture. The plaza would once have been dominated by a great bazaar, allowing local people to go about their business. Meanwhile, the surrounding madrassahs allow scholars to work and create a centre for Islamic scholars across Central Asia. Today, the Registan is the number one, must-see sight in the country. An unmissable experience!  
• Mausoleum of Tamerlane.  We will also make a stop at the  Mausoleum of Tamerlane , known as the Gur Emir, a national icon in Uzbekistan. This is followed by a visit to a necropolis which graces the northern part of the city,  Shah-i-Zinda . A fabulous example of traditional Islamic architecture in the region, comprising numerous buildings, towers and beautiful domed rooves. The turquoise mosaic tiling contrasts against the arid sandy backdrop of Samarkand’s desert surroundings.  
• Bibi-Khanym Mosque.  We’ll also visit the  Bibi-Khanym Mosque , once the largest in Central Asia.  
• Siab Baazar.  We break away from the ancient history to explore the local market, known as the  Siab Baazar . Whether you’re searching for textiles and fabrics, exquisite and intriguing foodstuffs, or just looking for an opportunity to rub shoulders with Samarkand’s locals – Siab Baazar is the place to visit. The market is a great place to pick up souvenirs, clothes, snacks, and all manner of things, but it’s also an oddly peaceful and fun place to spend some time. Wander the aisles, chat with shoppers and market vendors, and experience life as it’s truly lived in this city.

Tuesday, 15th October

• Tashkent.  This morning we’ll bid farewell to  Samarkand  as we head to the train station to catch a high-speed train from the city and head north. This journey will take around 3 hours to our destination,  Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan . Since its near destruction during an earthquake in 1966, the city has been redeveloped. This was initially by the Soviet Union, leaving an obvious trace of the USSR in its city planning.  
• Institute of Solar Physics.  This afternoon, we’ll take a trip outside of the city to the  Institute of Solar Physics.  A huge series of mirrors used to heat a large furnace. The institute will open just for us. They will run a test of the system to demonstrate the immense power of this Soviet-era megaproject.  
• Uzbekistan’s Countryside.  45km outside the city, we’ll pass through some of Uzbekistan’s northern countryside, a far cry from the dry desert-like environment which dominates the rest of the country. Upon arrival, we’ll witness the effect of these huge parabolic mirrors, heating the furnace to over 3000*C. We’ll also learn about the potential that exists for clean energy from this system, since the energy produced is completely clean, and could be put to work in the future for clean energy.  
• Our accommodation tonight will be the  Hotel Uzbekistan. This was once the premiere hotel in the country for visiting dignitaries, government officials, and rare foreign tourists.

Accommodation:  Hotel Uzbekistan

Wednesday, 16th October

• Tashkent . This morning we’ll step out into the bustling city of  Tashkent .  
• Amir Timur Square.  Our day begins with a visit to  Amir Timur Square  at the heart of this vibrant capital.  One of the main squares in Tashkent, Amir Timur is graced with a magnificent  Statue of Tamerlane , a medieval conqueror, on horseback. Although Amir Timur is not the largest square in the city, the tree-lined pavements and bright green grass make it perfect for an evening stroll amidst the locals of Tashkent.  
• Chorus Bazaar.  From here, we will spend some time in the beautifully domed  Chorus Bazaar.  A great place to observe local life or buy those last-minute bargains, and another chance to chat with locals from the city, as well as support local independent businesses in Tashkent.  
• Tashkent Metro.  No visit to Tashkent would be complete without a ride on the  Tashkent Metro  built in the former USSR. The metro network consists of three lines which crisscross beneath the streets of the city. This incredibly ornate metro system opened in 1977 and has only grown in beauty. Not only is it an incredible tourist attraction in its own right, but you can use it to get between Tashkent’s other incredible above-ground sites! Tashkent Metro is one of only two subway systems currently operating in Central Asia (the other is the Almaty Metro).  
• Fine Arts Museum of Uzbekistan.  Our last stop for the day will be the  Fine Arts Museum of Uzbekistan . There are, of course, hundreds of museums across the Uzbek capital worth poking your head in. However, our favourite must be the State Fine Arts Museum, home to thousands of artefacts from across Russia and Europe. This Soviet-era museum holds many of the treasures confiscated from the Grand Duke Romanov, who himself likely stole them from St Petersburg. In addition, artwork from across Russia and the Soviet Union is displayed throughout this museum.  
• Hotel Uzbekistan . Finally, we’ll return to our Soviet hotel – from here, we’ll have a free evening. You’ll be able to wander the streets, find and try unusual delicacies, and meet local Tashkenters.

Thursday, 17th October

This morning, airport transfers will be provided to all travellers heading to the airport for international flights. For extension opportunities, please contact your tour manager.

END OF TOUR

Included Meals:  Breakfast

• English Speaking Guide
• Western Tour Leader
• All Listed Meals
• Internal Flights
• All Included Sightseeing
• All Taxes & Entrance Fees

Single Supplement

• Extra Night(s) Accommodation
• International Flights
• Uzbekistan Visa

May 2025 — 1 tour

May 10 - may 17 2025, turkmenistan tour (may) 2025: ashgabat, darvaza gas crater & beyond.

Please apply by 20th April, 2025 .

Turkmenistan Tour (May) 2025: Ashgabat, Darvaza Gas Crater & Beyond

We will see history unfold as we travel from ruined ancient cities to gleaming modern marble-clad towers. From flaming pits deep in the desert to deep subterranean pools of health-infusing water. We will make sure to visit the main sites during our time in Turkmenistan such as Ashgabat and the Darvaza Gas Crater (Gates of Hell) , but also take you off the beaten path to really experience and understand Turkmenistan.

Meet local people, and learn about their lives and history; their differences and commonalities.

This tour will be led by our Destinations manager and travel specialist Rich Beal , who first travelled to Turkmenistan more than ten years ago. Over many trips, he has made close friends there, explored widely, and maintained a deep interest in the country and region. 

May 10th, Saturday

• Assemble in Ashgabat | Airport pickups will be arranged wherever you fly in from. We will have a group dinner to get introduced and start the adventure! 

Meals |  Dinner

May 11th, Sunday

• Tolkuchka Bazaar  | The nation’s largest market, built outside the city and home to various sections selling household goods, clothes, the famous Turkmen carpets, camels & other animals, and much more!
• Ashgabat Hippodrome  | Sunday is a day at the races, with the sacred Ahal-Teke horses in full display.

Meals | Breakfast, Lunch

May 12th, Monday

• Bokhurdag |  This Semi-nomadic village affords us a great look at what desert life is like today. The visit here is made even better as we enjoy lunch in a local family home.  
• Finally, we arrive at the stunning and unforgettable   Darvaza Gas Crater . It lies in the centre of the country and is the scene of a 40-year-old industrial accident that ended with a giant flaming pit burning to this day. A hypnotic sight and one of the strangest and most spectacular things you can see.
• We camp tonight beside the crater. It is best seen at night. Dinner cooked on the spot.

Meals |  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Overnight |  Camping at the Darvaza Gas Crater. Camping in the desert with tents, sleeping bags and roll mats provided. We will also provide tents based on your rooming options. Camping affords us the best opportunity to view the fantastic gas crater from before sunset to sunrise.

May 13th, Tuesday

• Once back in the capital the rest of the day is yours to do with as you please. Explore, relax, shop, or take a side-trip. Drivers are available for hire. We and our local guides can advise on the spot.

Meals |  Breakfast  Overnight |  Olympia Hotel, Ashgabat

May 14th, Wednesday

• The ancient Silk Road ruined city of Konye-Urgench . It was ravaged by successive invaders over the centuries. Today, it is home to minarets, impressive mausoleums, and all manner of historical tales and stories. It's one of the most important sites on the old Silk-Road.

Meals |  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Overnight |  Hotel Uzboy, Dashoguz. This local hotel may be basic although there are not many options in this far-flung town. It does offer us the chance to walk out into the local streets and experience life away from the marble city of Ashgabat.

May 15th, Thursday

• Ahal-Teke horses are considered as heavenly and sacred beasts in Turkmenistan. This stud farm visit will show you why. Have a ride on one of the horses if you like.
• After lunch, we will visit a couple of large mosques. Fiirst, the Geok Deppe Mosque. It was built on the site of a late 19th-Century massacre that marked the beginning of Russian dominance in the region.
• Then we see the even more massive Gypjak Mosque. This mosque was built on the site of the 1949 Earthquake that devastated the city. This is also home to the Turkmenbashi Mausoleum which we will visit.

Meals |  Breakfast, lunch

May 16th, Friday

• Free morning in Ashgabat for any final shopping, wandering, or relaxing that you want to do. We meet for a packed last afternoon.
• The world’s largest indoor Ferris Wheel. Yes, indeed! A bizarre and quite fun trip to this oddity at the edge of town.

Meals | Breakfast, Dinner

May 17th, Saturday

• Visit Gonur-Deppe (Margush). This is another ancient city in this area, with some lovely extent architectural features.

Meals |  Breakfast

May 18th, Sunday

• Excursion to  Ancient Merv .  Merv was once one of the most important cities in the world at certain times of its history. This ancient site is now a place where you will learn a great deal about the history of Central Asia, the rise and fall of dynasties and cities, the Silk Road, and human civilisation in this part of the world. Animals, travellers and archaeologists now roam the existing buildings and ruins, etc. All contribute to a sense of the dynamism of the ancient Silk Road.
• In the afternoon, you fly back to Ashgabat for a final rest/night out before departure. Please let us know if you wish to book an extra night in Ashgabat. The flight should return to the capital at around 8 - 9 PM.
• All included sight-seeing

Please email Rich Beal at  [email protected]  to begin your tour application. 

We require a deposit paid upon booking the tour as we start paying tour costs when your visa application process has begun. We ask for a deposit of 50% of the tour fee.

Application Deadline

You must apply at least four weeks before the tour departure date as the Letter of Invitation that we need to obtain to facilitate the visa can take several days to be issued by the Turkmenistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Turkmenistan LOI & Turkmenistan Visa

Most travellers opt to have visas issued upon arrival into Turkmenistan. If you would prefer to have the visa issued before your arrival or have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

The LOI will be issued to coordinate as closely as possible with the tour dates if you need extra days at each end of your journey please do let us know in advance of your application.

Flight Purchases

If you are joining the tour from somewhere other than Beijing and buying a ticket via Koryo Tours, we will email the e-ticket voucher to you as soon as it has been received in our office. If you are purchasing your flight ticket via other airlines or agents, we need these flight details ASAP.

We, unfortunately, can not accept any liability for delayed flights and any issue associated with times associated letters of invitations. It is entirely possible to join the tour by flying in from other destinations also.

Entry by Land or Sea

We can also accommodate people joining the tour after entering by land or sea, and a range of exit methods are available to those joining this tour.

Single supplement is accessible on this tour at 50 USD per night. If you are travelling alone and wish to share a room to avoid this fee, we will attempt to match you up with another traveller.

Visa Issuing Fees

You will also have to pay the visa-issuing fee. At Ashgabat airport, this ranges from US$80 to $130 (depending on nationality) payable in cash only.

Please note: The visa fee for this tour is not covered in the tour cost and you will be responsible for this. Due to the extended amount of time that it takes to have a visa authorised and sent to an Embassy of Turkmenistan, it is much simpler to collect the visa on arrival at Ashgabat Airport. The fee payable here varies according to your nationality.

The visa is stamped in your passport and is the same as it would be if issued at a Turkmen Embassy.

If you insist on having your visa issued at an Embassy, then please be sure to apply for the tour as early as possible.

The deposit is non-refundable if the tourist cancels himself.

If however we cannot arrange visas or for whatever reason, it is not possible to travel at the specified time (or you cannot make rescheduled dates) a full refund will be issued. Should the client wish to cancel after the visa application has been submitted, charges imposed on us will be paid out of the 50% deposit with the balance being returned to the client. If you have paid in full, we will return 50% plus the balance of what is left after the cancellation fee we pay to our partners in Turkmenistan.

If you book and cancel a plane ticket through us, we charge only the airline's cancellation fee. In all cases, we return as much as we can, and we do not take a fee for the client's cancellation. Please be sure that you will be joining the tour when you send all the application details.

October 2025 — 1 tour

October 4 - october 11 2025.

Please apply by 1st September, 2025 .

As we journey through the country we will see the serious and the sublime, the freaky and the frivolous. Join us on this amazing adventure that we simply do better than anyone else. Koryo Tours has been working in Turkmenistan for over a decade. Over this time, we’ve built this special experience through dozens of visits and the best local contacts and relationships meaning our Turkmenistan tours are unrivalled in quality, experience, and fun !

Saturday 4th October Arrival in Ashgabat

• Assemble in Ashgabat , airport pickups will be arranged wherever you fly in from, and we will have a group dinner to get introduced and start the adventure!  

Overnight: Olympia Hotel, Ashgabat. Built for the 2017 Asian indoor martial arts game, this well-located and modern hotel allows access to malls, shops, and restaurants and provides guests with quality facilities in a fascinating part of the city. Should the heat of the day prove too much you can quench your thirst in the rooftop bar or take a plunge in the included swimming pool.

Sunday 5th October Ashgabat City Tour

• Tolkuchka Bazaar  | The nation's largest market, built outside the city and home to various sections selling household goods, clothes, the famous Turkmen carpets , camels & other animals, and much more!
• cooking course  | For today's lunch, we attend a local restaurant which gives us a tutorial and the opportunity to bake some local Turkmen pies. If it's not for you, don't worry, you'll be able to relax whilst your meal is cooked for you. 
• Afternoon City Tour | Including Independence Park and Monument , Arch of Neutrality topped by the gold statue of Turkmenbashi, Ahal-Teke horses monument , Earthquake Monument and Museum .

Monday 6th October Darvaza Gas Crater & Bokhurdag

Tuesday 7th October

Wednesday 8th October

Thursday 9th October

Friday 10th October

Saturday 11th October Departure

Sunday 12th October Extension day 2: Ancient Merv

Next tour departure dates

Camel winch.

Desert 4x4 - these notoriously stubborn animals sometimes have to be moved in unorthodox ways at local animal bazaars

Gypjak Mosque - outside Ashgabat

Central Asia's largest mosque - also home to the mausoleum of the Turkmenbashi and his family

Local schoolchildren

kids in national costume visiting Ashgabat's Independence Park on a national holiday

Turkmenistan has the world's best wool carpets - every pattern and motif has its own meaning. see for yourself!

Constitution Monument - Ashgabat

One of Ashgabat's many mega-monuments. seen here at its opening night ceremony

Door to Hell! - Darvaza

An unforgettable night on each tour - camping next to this massive flaming gas crater deep in the desert - utterly amazing place!

Yangykala Canyon - the Crocodile's Mouth

The 'Turkmen Grand Canyon' - remote and amazing place. Utterly stunning views in this massive and almost-unknown natural formation

Awaza Touristic Resort

Some of the many usually-empty marble-clad hotels in the bizarre Awaza area on the Caspian Sea coast

Shashlik and beer with the locals

Our favourite watering hole in Ashgabat - the Zip Cafe (Gunes is the real name). a must-visit on at least one evening of every tour

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Turkmenistan.

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Souvenirs/Gifts

Welcome to Turkmenistan

Sunny Turkmenistan welcomes you on the land of warm Turkmen hospitality and reveals its rich cultural heritage. DN Tours invites you to plunge into unforgettable excursion exploration of ancient trade and cultural relations where mysterious ruins of Ancient Dehistan, routs of Great Silk Road, a symbol of cultural integration of East and West, majestic Nissa, a capital of Parthia, monuments of Ancient Khorezm, Ancient Merv and many other monuments attracting many tourists from the world will appear in front of you.

We will organize for you the most exciting tour in different parts of the country where you will see and feel deeply all the charming beauty of Turkmen heritage.

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Turkmenistan

• 3.1 Archaeological sites
• 3.2 Medieval monuments
• 3.3 Nature reserves
• 3.4 Pilgrims' shrines
• 4.1.1 Pre-independence
• 4.1.2 The Niyazov years
• 4.1.3 The Berdimuhamedow dynasty
• 4.3 Geography
• 4.4.1 Main public holidays
• 4.4.2 Professional holidays
• 4.4.3 Other holidays
• 4.5 Climate
• 5.1 Visa requirements
• 5.2.1 Vaccinations
• 5.2.2 Registration
• 5.2.3 Travel permits
• 5.3 By plane
• 5.4 By train
• 5.6.1 From Iran
• 5.6.2 From Uzbekistan
• 5.6.3 From Kazakhstan
• 5.7 By boat
• 6.1 By plane
• 6.2 By train
• 6.4 By boat
• 9.1 Suggested itineraries
• 10.3 Shopping
• 15.1 Corruption
• 15.2 Authorities
• 15.3 Photography
• 15.4 Traffic conditions
• 15.5 Relationships with the Turkmens
• 15.6 Other things to watch out for
• 16 Stay healthy
• 17.1 Sensitive issues
• 17.2 Home Etiquette
• 19.1 By phone
• 19.2 Internet

Turkmenistan ( Turkmen : Türkmenistan) is one of the most isolated countries in the world and has dubbed itself as the "motherland of neutrality". Formerly a part of the Soviet Union , it is situated in Central Asia and is surrounded by Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Iran. The country has been a thoroughfare for several empires and cultures; many of Turkmenistan's cities were main points of trade on the Silk Road , linking Eastern and Western civilizations. Three of its cities are UNESCO World Heritage Sites .

Modern Turkmenistan is dominated and run by a very strict, controlling, and totalitarian government that maintains a very tight grip over its people. Turkmenistan's past and current presidents have imposed their eccentricities and bizarre beliefs − for instance, banning dogs from the capital city, banning black cars because they are "bad luck", closing hospitals outside the capital city, and so on − upon the country and are usually treated, at least publicly, as "gods" in Turkmen culture. Tourists may only travel to Turkmenistan as part of a guided tour. About 10,000 to 20,000 people visit this mysterious, isolated nation annually.

Regions [ edit ]

While the provinces are a helpful way to break down large Turkmenistan into regional travel areas, there is one geographical region present throughout them all, dominating the country: the brutal desert wasteland that is the Karakum .

Cities [ edit ]

• 37.95 58.383333 1 Ashgabat (Aşgabat) — the capital and largest city in Turkmenistan, with a million inhabitants as of 2022. Known for its dazzling, impressive white marble buildings, the city was completely razed to the ground by a massive earthquake in 1948. It sits about 15 miles north of the Iran-Turkmenistan border.
• 39.511944 54.365 2 Balkanabat (formerly Nebit-Dag) (2004: 140,000 inhabitants)
• 41.816667 59.983056 3 Daşoguz (formerly Tashauz) (2004: 210,000 inhabitants)
• 37.6 61.833333 4 Mary (2004: 160,000 inhabitants)
• 39.1 63.566667 5 Türkmenabat (2004: 256,000 inhabitants)
• 40.016667 52.966667 6 Turkmenbashi (Türkmenbaşy) — a beautiful coastal city on the Caspian Sea. It serves as Turkmenistan's main access to the sea and has much of the country's oil refineries.

Historically, most of these towns were oases along the Silk Road .

Other destinations [ edit ]

• Avaza — a multi-billion-dollar construction project near Turkmenbashi aimed at creating a "national touristic zone" of over 60 world-class hotels, shopping, and a new international airport. The government likens the project to Dubai , but there is little foreign investment thus far.
• 39 60 1 Darvaza — Probably Turkmenistan's single most famous site, at this spot near the former town of Darvaza, an oil rig accidentally struck a large pocket of natural gas in 1971. The rig collapsed into the cavern, resulting in a large crater filled with fire. It was decided to let the fire burn rather than let the poisonous gas escape into the nearby town. The fire burns to this day and it is popular for its Dantesque atmosphere.
• Pay a visit to Kow Ata underground sulphur lake , found in the mountains an hour or so outside Ashgabat. It is possible to swim in the year-round warm, mineral rich, and medicinal waters. Expect a walk down increasingly slippery steps, and a corrugated shack to change in - unless you're handy with your towel. Kow Ata means Father of the Lakes . The cave is more than 200 m long, 20 m high and at some point more than 50 m wide. The water has a constant temperature of 33 to 37 °C.

Archaeological sites [ edit ]

• 36.857917 60.432375 2 Altin Depe
• 37.9 58.5 3 Anau (Anew)
• 38.1907 62.0343 4 Gonur Depe
• Jeitun — Mesolithic settlement on a sand dune in the Kara Kum desert, 30 km north of Ashgabat
• 37.662778 62.1925 5 Merv — with Erk Kala, Giaur Kala, Kyz Kala and Sultan Kala
• Namazga Depe
• 37.951147 58.212408 6 Nissa — one of the most important cities of the Parthian Empire, 19 km west of Ashgabat

Medieval monuments [ edit ]

• Abiverd , medieval city (10th to 18th century)
• Abu Said Mithkene Mausoleum (11th to 15th century)
• Astana-baba , 15 km from Mount Atamurat, country estate of Omar-Kali with mausoleum and mosque
• Dayakhaty , near Turkmenabad , caravan serai (11th century)
• Darganata , medieval city, mausoleum (11th to 15th century)
• Dekhistan , historical area in Western Turkestan, big Mashat cemetery, Shir Kabir Mausoleum (10th century), ruins of Missirian city (10th to 15th cent.)
• Devkesengala , north west of Konye Urgench , fortress, mausoleums,
• Ekedeshik , near Tagtabazar, near the Afghanistan border, about 245 km south of Mary , cave settlement with more than 40 rooms, dating back to the Early Middle Ages, eventually a Buddhist monastery
• 38.157778 57.966389 7 Geok-tepe , place of a bloody battle between Turkmen and Russians in 1881,
• Imukshir , near Tara, ancient city, fortifications
• 42.316667 59.158611 8 Konye Urgench , remains of the capital of Horezmshah with magnificent architectural monuments,
• Mane Baba Mausoleum , about 40 km south of Tejen in the Khaka region. The mausoleum was built in the 11th and 12th centuries over the grave of the famous Sufi teacher and philosopher Abu Said Maneyi (968-1049). The legend tells that Abu Said met Abu Ali Ibn Sina (Avicenna) for a conversation that lasted three days. Afer this conversation Abi Said said: 'Ibn Sina knows everything that I see' and Ibn Sina answered: 'Abu Said sees everything that I know'.
• Parau , medieval settlement, Parau-bibi and Parau-ata (12th century)
• Sarakhs , ancient city with the Mausoleum of Abul-Fazi ("Sarakhs-baba" and Yarti-Gummez
• Seyitdzhemaledin Mosque , masterpiece of Muslim architecture (15th century)
• Shakhsenem , medieval settlement, mosque
• Talkhatan-baba , 30 km west of Mary , mausoleum (12th century)
• Tasharvat , 38 km west of Balkanabat , big medieval fortress

Nature reserves [ edit ]

• Köpet Dag Nature Reserve in the mountains near Ashgabat
• Syunt Hasarday Nature Reserve in the mountains south of the Ashgabat-Turkmenbashi road,
• Esenguly Nature Reserve on the Caspian Sea near the border to Iran
• Krasnovodsk Nature Reserve on the Caspian Sea south of Turkmenbashi ,
• Gaplangyr Nature Reserve in the Karakum Desert.
• Quzilqum Nature Reserve along the Amu Darya on the border to Uzbekistan ,
• Amu Darya Nature Reserve along the Amu Darya on the border to Uzbekistan, north of Turkmenabat .
• Repetek Nature Reserve in the desert on the road between Mary and Turkmenabat,
• 37.8 66.5 9 Köýtendag Nature Reserve in the mountains in the south east of the country on the border to Uzbekistan .

You must obtain a special permit to visit a nature reserve, and it will be necessary to apply for it through a travel agent well in advance.

Pilgrims' shrines [ edit ]

Shrine pilgrimage ( ziyarat ) and its underlying beliefs have played an important role in islamization of Central Asia as well as in creating and sustaining communal identity up to the present day. Recent research suggests that Musilm "holy men" (Sufi shaykhs) were key players in the conversion to Islam due to their knowledge of Inner Asian pre-Islamic religious traditions and their ability to translate the meaning of Islam to the local population. The prominent position of ancestor worship in Turkmen traditions is shown by the fact that the progenitor of a tribe or community is often ascribed to "islamizers" among the Turkmen. The burial sites of these Muslim founding fathers became a focus of veneration and were accompanied by what is called "Muslim shamanism": ancestral spirits were identified with the companions of the "Saint-progenitor". The communities also accepted saints with outstanding spiritual, intellectual or physical powers. Thus the burial sites of Islamic saints, local rulers, learned scholars, warriors or pre-Islamic figures have become shrines. Turkmen tradition also recognizes six non-Turkmen öwlat groups, which trace their lineage to the first caliphs of Islam, e.g. the progenitor of the öwlat group Ata is Gözli Ata who in the 14th century came from Turkestan, a center of Sufi teaching, in order to carry on his teachings in Western Turkmenistan. The legends describe him as an extremely powerful saint, outdoing other saints in miracle performances and winning large numbers of followers.

• Gözli Ata , about 160 km north of Balkanabat . Gözli Ata ("Father Eye") was a famous Sufi teacher of the 12th century. It is told that he was able to recognize the good and the evil in the soul of all men. He was killed by the Mongols and buried here, next to his wife Bibi Aysulu .
• Ibrahim Sultan
• Ismamut Ata
• Kyrk Giz , in a spectacular canyon in the Köýtendag Nature Reserve
• Kyrk Molla at Konye Urgench
• Mohammed Ibn Zaid Mausoleum
• Nedjmeddin Kubra Mausoleum at Konye Urgench
• Parau Bibi Shrine , about halfway between Ashgabat and Balkanabat , about 20 km north west of Gyzylarbat and about 8 km south of the main road, in the village of Paraw. The shrine is set 100 meters up a rocky mountainside overlooking the village and the steppe. It consists of a white mausoleum-like structure, a guest house and a roofed platform where the pilgrims congregate and have meals. According to the legend Paraw Bibi was a beautiful and virtuous maiden. A jealous woman wanted to hand over Paraw Bibi to invaders in exchange for the promise not to attack the village. Paraw Bibi cursed the woman and let her turn into black stone. When the enemy attacked, Paraw Bibi ordered the mountain to split into two parts so that she was able to enter it and to preserve her purity and virtue. The locals built a shrine to Paraw Bibi, as they believed that because of her bravery and refusal to submit she was a true hero blessed by the holy breath of the prophets. It is reported that at least at the end of the Soviet era pilgrims from all over western Turkmenistan visited the shrine, seeking fertility and a cure from insanity.

• Khoja Yusup Baba (Hemedani) is a large complex in southeastern Turkmenistan near Bairam Ali, on the territory of the ancient state of Merv . Khoja Yusuf Hamadani is a well known figure in Islamis history. He is considered as the first in a line of Sufi masters from which the lineages of the most important Sufi orders Naqshbandi and Yasavi are derived, and is described as an exemplary Muslim, pious and unpretentious, devoted to Islamic scholarship and deeply inspired by his work to promote Islam. He died in 1140 and his body was interred at Merv , presumably at the site carrying his name. In the Soviet era the Moseque of Khoja Yusup Baba was declared an official architectural monument and one of the four official mosques in entire Turkmenistan. It is popular belief that two pilgrimages to Khoja Yusup Baba equal one to Mecca. The pilgrims circle the tomb from right to left, surrounding the tomb three times. Most people repeatedly touch the wall of the tomb with both hand and bring their hands to the face. Some even kiss the wall. After they had completed the circling they sit together while the caretaker recites a blessing. When the blessing os finished they give the caretaker offerings of money. In the complex is a well said to contain holy water. Women tie small strips of cloth on the branches of the bushes or trees that line the path leading to the well. These strips signify prayers or wishes to the saint. For the same reason pilgrims set up two old bricks in the form of an upside-sown "V". Miniature imitation cradles made from sticks and cloth are set up by women hoping for the saint's aid in order to become fertile.
• Baba Gambar has several shrines. The best known is in southeastern Turkmenistan, about 120 km south of Mary : it is often considered as an example how a pre-Islamic deity was transformed into an Islamic saint. According to Islamic legend Ganbar was the stableman of Ali and caretaker of his horse Duldul. In Turkmen legends Ganbar is considered as the patron of musicians and creator of the first dutar , the traditional two-string music instrument. According to the legend Ali remarked that Duldul was ill and underfed. When he questioned Gambar, Gambar did not give an answer. Then, Ali saw Gambar playing the dutar to Duldul. When Ali confronted Gambar, Gambar commanded the earth to swallow him and fled underground to Mecca, saying that the two will meet again on judgment day. The site consists of the shrine-mausoleum, a "chile agach" and a tree the leaves of which have the shape of dutar tuning pegs. It is claimed that the tree grew from Gambar's original dutar and that its roots lead to the underground passage through which Gambar fled.
• Hazret(i) Ali is about 12 km southwest of Ashgabat , near the village of Bagir and the archaeological site of Nisa . The small mosque, called "namazga" (hall of prayer), is considered as a place where Ali prayed when he was promoting Islam. Impressions in the rocks are said to have come from Ali's hands and from the hooves of his horse Duldul.
• Khoja Alem Baba is near the town of Kaka, about 130 km south east of Ashgabat . It is an excellent example of a small, local shrine, serving one specific village only due to "öwlat" (clan lineage). The tomb is housed in a clay mausoleum with two chambers, an entrance or sitting area and the tomb chamber proper. Tomb and chamber are decorated with votive offerings and objects connected with Khoja Alem Baba. Sites as Khoja Alem Baba are very common in Turkmenistan. Apparently Turkmen tradition stipulated that each community has an "öwlüya" and by this way has access to the protection provided.

Understand [ edit ]

Tucked away and isolated from the rest of the world, Turkmenistan is, without a doubt, one of the world's mysterious nations. North Korea may get all the press, but even the Kim Family's cult of personality fades when compared to the surreal totalitarian state set up by Turkmenistan's former president, Saparmurat Niyazov .

History [ edit ]

Pre-independence [ edit ].

The Turkmens, the natives of Turkmenistan, have their roots to the Oghuz Turks, a nomadic clan from the Altai region. Having previously been under Persian rule , Turkmenistan was annexed by the Russian Empire in 1881 and became an indigenized Soviet republic during the 20th century.

The Niyazov years [ edit ]

Turkmenistan became an independent nation on 27 October 1991 after the dissolution of the Soviet Union . The former head of Turkmenistan's Communist Party at the time of independence, Saparmurat Niyazov , was elected president of the newly independent nation.

Niyazov was widely regarded as one of the world's most eccentric and repressive dictators of his time. He adopted the title Turkmenbashi ("Father of All Turkmen"), renamed the city of Krasnovodsk to Turkmenbashi , built a 15-meter tall golden statue that rotates to face the sun in the capital city, and renamed the months and the days of the week. One of the most glaring and controversial aspects of his rule was the publication and forced adoption of the Ruhnama , meaning "Book of the Soul." Niyazov made it compulsory to read the Ruhnama in schools, universities, and governmental organizations; anyone who wanted to work for the government or acquire a driver's license had to pass a test on their knowledge of the book.

In addition, Niyazov issued decrees that banned lip-syncing, ballet, long hair, video games, and golden tooth caps, closed libraries and hospitals outside the capital city, among other things. Despite all these grandiose gestures, Niyazov pretended to remain modest and once said, "I'm personally against seeing my pictures and statues in the streets, but it's what the people want."

On December 21, 2006, Niyazov abruptly died of a heart attack, the only president in the country's history to die in office.

The Berdimuhamedow dynasty [ edit ]

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, a dentist by profession and a high ranking official in Niyazov's government, became the country's second president after Niyazov's death.

Although he peeled back many of the worst excesses of the Niyazov regime, the political environment in the country remained largely unchanged and a significant personality cult developed around him. He adopted the title Arkadag ("The protector"), publicised his love for horses and music, portrayed himself as a man of multiple talents, banned black cars from being imported because he considered the colour black to be unlucky, and among other things.

He stepped down in 2022 and was succeeded by his son, Serdar Berdimuhamedow, the so-called "son of the nation", ensuring that Turkmenistan was the first post-Soviet country to be ruled by a dynastic system.

People [ edit ]

The people of Turkmenistan are predominantly Turkmen (plural Turkmen or Turkmens), also spelled Turkoman, in both ethnicity and language. Turkmenistan traditionally was home to sizeable Russian and German populations, but they largely emigrated to their mother countries following the break up of the Soviet Union. As of 2012, 86% of the population was ethnically Turkmen, followed by 6% ethnic Uzbek and 5% ethnic Russian.

According to the Ruhnama , the Turkmens originated from Oguz Han and all Oguz people descend from Oguz Han's 24 grandsons. The original homeland of the Oguz tribes was the Ural-Altay region of Central Asia. The Orhun inscriptions (6th century) mention the "six Oghuz tribal union", referring to the unification of the six Turkic tribes. This was the first written reference to Oghuz, dated to the period of the Göktürk Empire. The Book of Dede Korkut , the historical epic of the Oghuz Turks, was written in the 9th and 10th century. They migrated westwards in the area of the Aral Sea and the Syr Darya Basin in the 10th century. A clan of the Oghuz, the Seljuks took over Islam, entered Persia in the 11th century and founded the Great Seljuk Empire. The name Oghuz is derived from the word 'ok', meaning 'arrow' or 'tribe' and an archer shooting an arrow was shown on the flag of the Seljuk Empire. The term Oghuz was gradually supplanted by the Turks themselves by Türkmen or Turcoman . This process was completed in the 13th century.

The main tribes of the Turkmen are the Tekke (around the oases of Ahal, Tejen and Merv), the Ersari (along the Amu Darya), the Yomud (in the Balkan Region and Khorzem Oasis) and the Goklen in the Southwest.

Geography [ edit ]

Turkmenistan is largely covered by desert, with intensive agriculture located in irrigated oases. One-half of its irrigated land is planted with cotton, making it the world's tenth largest producer.

About 80% of Turkmenistan's surface is covered by the biggest desert in Central Asia, the Karakum (Black Sand) , which forms together with the Kyzylkum (Red Sand) in Uzbekistan the fourth biggest desert in the world. The Karakum covers about 350,000 km².

The Kopet Dagi Mountains (Many Mountains) in Southern Turkmenistan form the border to Iran . In the Kugitang Mountains in North East Turkmenistan is the highest mountain of the country, the Airbaba (3,117 m). The lowest point of the country is the Akdzhak depression , 80 m below sea level.

The country measures about 1,100 km from west to east and about 650 km from north to south.

Holidays [ edit ]

Main public holidays [ edit ].

• 1 Jan: New Year
• 21–22 March: Nowruz (Navrouz: Spring festival)
• First Sunday of April: Drop of Water is a Grain of Gold Day
• 27 Apr: Ahalteke Horse Day
• 18 May: State Flag and Constitution Day
• 27 Sep: Independence Day
• 6 Oct: Day of Remembrance (to remember the earthquake of 1948)
• 17 Nov: Student Youth Day
• 30 Nov: Bread Day
• 12 Dec: Day of Neutrality
• Eid al-Fitr (date varies)
• Eid al-Adha (date varies)

Professional holidays [ edit ]

• 12 Jan: Remembrance Day (Battle of Geok Depe)
• 9 May: Day of Remembrance of National Heroes of Turkmenistan in the 1941-1945 World War
• 19 May: Day of Revival, Unity, and the Poetry of Magtymguly
• 29 May: Day of the Ministry of Internal Affairs
• Last Sunday of May: Turkmenhaly Bairamy (Carpet Day)
• 27 Jun: Day of Turkmen Workers of Culture and Art
• Third Sunday in July – Galla Bayramy (celebration of the wheat harvest)
• 11 Aug: Border Guards Day
• Day of the Workers in the Oil, Gas, Power, and Geological Industry (Second Saturday in September)
• 30 Sep: Day of the Worker in the Organs of National Security
• 9 Oct: Day of the Navy
• Last Sunday of November: Harvest Festival
• Health Day (First Saturday in November)

Other holidays [ edit ]

• Second Sunday of August: Melon Day
• First Sunday of Dec: Good Neighbourliness Day
• Day of Remembrance of the First President of Turkmenistan Saparmurat Niyazov

Climate [ edit ]

Turkmenistan has a continental climate with long hot summers. Winters are not too cold. The average temperature is 26-34°C in summer and -4°C to 4°C in winter.

However, in northern regions the temperature in winter months can decrease to -20°C.

Read [ edit ]

• The Lost Heart of Asia by Colin Thubron, Penguin, 1994
• Daily Life in Turkmenbashy's Golden Age by Sam Tranum
• Joe & Azat by Jesse Lonergan

Get in [ edit ]

Visa requirements [ edit ].

Turkmenistan does not have an extensive diplomatic network around the world. You may need to travel to another country to apply for a Turkmen visa.

You typically need to submit the following with your visa application:

• A valid passport (with a validity of more than six months)
• A letter of invitation (LOI) that has been authenticated by the State Migration Service. (hotel reservations don't count)
• A copy of the first page of your passport.
• A copy of your identity card or driver's license.

It normally takes 10 business days to process any kind of Turkmen visa. Prices for Turkmen visas are generally reasonable: a single-entry ten-day visa — which is what most people would apply for — costs US$35 in the United States .

If your country does not have a Turkmen embassy, or if you desperately need to visit Turkmenistan, you can obtain a visa on arrival at Ashgabat International Airport. Make sure you have your passport and letter of invitation in hand.

Agencies [ edit ]

There are more than 24 government approved travel agencies in the country. Here is a partial list of them:

• Owadan Tourism − one of the leading tour agencies in the country. They offer custom tours, festival tours (ideal for those wishing to learn more about Turkmen festivals), and so on.
• Ahalsiyakat − offer all kinds of tours and they even have an option that allows you visit all five "stans" in Central Asia .

Vaccinations [ edit ]

The World Health Organization recommends vaccinations against diphtheria, hepatitis A and B, measles, mumps, polio, rubella, tetanus, typhoid and chickenpox (varicella). In addition, vaccinations against meningitis, rabies and tuberculosis are recommended for long term travellers.

Registration [ edit ]

All foreigners entering Turkmenistan have to pay a registration fee of US$12 (2012) and will receive a green entry and departure card . Take particular care of the departure card, as it must be presented when leaving the country.

Foreigners staying for more than 3 days in Turkmenistan must register with IVOR in Ashgabat , Asady köcesi, ☏ 391337 (domestic) or with IVOR branch offices in other towns. You are responsible for registration, even when staying in a hotel. The hotel will give you a confirmation of the accommodation only. This confirmation and the receipt for the registration fee paid when entering the country have to be presented to IVOR. Two photos are required. Registration will be stamped into your passport. You have to give notice to the IVOR in order to be permitted to leave the country. This notice will be stamped into the passport as well. Border controls will check if you have registration and notice to leave stamped into your passport.

Travel permits [ edit ]

Travel permits are required for many border regions. You do not need a travel permit for Ashgabat , Merv , Turkmenabat and Balkanabat . Transit visas allow you to travel along the main roads on your way to the next country on your itinerary. It is, however, absolutely necessary to have a travel permit for the following regions:

• in Western Turkmenistan : for Bekdash, Turkmenbashi , Haza, Dekistan, Yangykala , Gyzletrek, Nokhur and surroundings,
• in Northern Turkmenistan : for the entire region of Dashogus including Konye Urgench , Dargan-Ata and Gazachak,
• in Eastern Turkmenistan : for Farab, Atamurat (Kerki) and surroundings, Köýtendag Nature Reserve , Tagtabazar and Serkhetabat.

By plane [ edit ]

Turkmenistan Airlines has direct flights to Ashgabat from Abu Dhabi , Almaty , Amritsar , Bangkok , Beijing , Birmingham , Delhi , Dubai , Frankfurt , Istanbul , Kyiv , London , Minsk , Moscow , and Saint Petersburg . Look out for the portrait of Sapamurat 'Turkmenbashi' Niyazov at the front of the cabin. The schedules are often less-than-convenient, and there is no website for the airlines with flights listed. It's usually best to visit the webpage of the airport from which you are departing to find the schedule.

Turkish Airlines flies to Ashgabat from Istanbul . Lufthansa flies from Frankfurt to Ashgabat. See Ashgabat page for more detailed information. FlyDubai offers services from Dubai to Ashgabat.

By train [ edit ]

Virtually impossible. No official international trains exist and the only train (Moscow-Dushanbe) that transits the country is virtually inaccessible unless you are a Turkmen citizen. Turkmenistan does not issue transit visas "from-then-again-to Uzbekistan" and one would need a standard non-transit visa (Tajiks don't need any papers for transiting Turkmenistan with this train). This train has no official stops on the Turkmen territory but it physically runs via Amudarya.

By car [ edit ]

If you want to enter Turkmenistan with your own car, you need a liability insurance. The green International Insurance Card is not valid in Turkmenistan. In addition you have to pay an additional tax (about US$150) for the government subsidized fuel prices, depending on the distance of your travel in Turkmenistan. This tax has to be paid on the border in US dollars. Be prepared to have long waiting times at border controls. By vehicle, you can get in through Kazakhstan, Iran, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan.

The road from Kazakhstan to Turkmenistan is in terrible condition. If you don't have an SUV, the drive from Zhanaozen to the border may take up to 3 hours. Traffic is not permitted to cross these borders until further notice; the FCO advises those driving go via routes in Uzbekistan. The drive from the border to Garabogaz may take another 3 hours. Make sure to bring enough supplies since the border post is really isolated. Paperwork may take a long time but everything is very straightforward and people are really friendly and helpful. Very few tourists cross this border.

By bus [ edit ]

Visitors holding visas can enter Turkmenistan from all neighbouring countries. Checks at the border usually take one or two hours and maybe even more. Border points are open daily from 09:00 to 18:00.

From Iran [ edit ]

Since no public transportation goes across the Turkmen border, to get to Ashgabat in Turkmenistan from Mashhad ( Iran ), the following option is the most convenient:

• Take a bus to Quchan : every 2 hours from 06:30. Cost: 8000 rial. Duration: 2hr 30min.
• From Quchan , take a private taxi to Bajgiran (village at the border). Cost: 60,000 rial for 2, or less if you can. Duration: about 1hr.
• At Bajgiran , go to the border (opening time: 07:30-15:30 Iran time). Crossing the border can take up to 2 hours. Turkmen police will ask for an entry tax of USD10 (per person) + USD2 of bank fees (per group), to be paid in US dollars only.
• In the Turkmenistan side, take a taxi to Ashgabat , which can cost up to USD15 per person. Duration: about 1 hr.

From Uzbekistan [ edit ]

Each crossing may require 15 minutes' walk across no-mans land, sometimes shared taxis are available. There are three crossings from Uzbekistan to Turkmenistan:

• Farab from Bukhara : Take a taxi from Bukhara to the border (USD8) or a shared taxi to Uzbek Olot (Qarakul) and then a taxi to the border. From the border it is about 45 km to Turkmenabat . A taxi should cost about USD5 and a seat in a shared taxi less than USD1.
• Dashgous from Khiva or Urgench : Take a taxi from Khiva or Urgench to the border for about USD10 and another one on the Turkmenistan side from the border to Dashgous for about USD1.
• Khojeli from Nukus in Karalpakstan : Take a taxi for the 30 minutes' drive from Nukus to the border for about USD10 or public transport from Khojeli for about USD1 and a taxi for the 10 minutes' drive to Konye Urgench for about USD1.

From Kazakhstan [ edit ]

It is two hours' drive from Zhanaozen to the Turkmenistan border and another 40 minutes drive from the border on a dirt road to the city of Karabogas (formerly Bekdash). The last 50 km on each side of the border is a very bad dirt road. (approx. USD100 private car or KZT10,000 per person shared). From Karabogas there is a good road to Turkmenbashi with fine views on the Caspian Sea. About 60 km south of Karabogas the road crosses a bridge over the channel connecting the Caspian Sea with the inland gulf. The border is closed to traffic until further notice.

By boat [ edit ]

Several popular travel guides discuss travelling by “ferry” across the Caspian Sea from Baku , Azerbaijan, to the port of Turkmenbashy in western Turkmenistan. Some people have faced problems attempting to travel to Turkmenistan by boat. Travellers should be aware that these “ferries” are in fact cargo ships that take on some passengers incidental to their primary function. Passengers are generally not provided food or water on these ships, and sleeping and sanitary facilities are likely to be rudimentary. Travellers should be aware that ships arriving at the port of Turkmenbashy often wait days offshore for outgoing ships to vacate the dock to allow incoming ships to disembark. Some people have spent more than a week offshore while their ship awaited permission to enter the port, and they have run out of stores of food and water, or had their Turkmen visas expire before they could be used. For this and other reasons travellers, especially those who plan to enter Turkmenistan by boat, are discouraged from using transit visas to enter Turkmenistan.

Get around [ edit ]

Internal flights are possible on Turkmenistan Airlines which flies daily between Ashgabat, Mary, Turkmenbashi, Dashoguz and a couple of other destinations. Flights are subsidised, and due to fuel costs, extremely cheap. Prices are around USD5 for a flight from Ashgabat to Mary or Dashoguz. Turkmenistan Airlines operates with a fleet of Boeing 717s, purchased in 2001. You might not be able to photograph freely in and around the airport, though this is not unheard of elsewhere.

Turkmenistan has at least one daily train between major cities in the country. Timetable here [dead link] . Journeys are slow but heavily subsidized (a few USD in the 1st sleeping class to anywhere in the country). Tickets can't be bought online and trains fill up fast so be sure to get one in advance. Train classes are typical for the ex-Soviet Union but most of the Soviet trains have been replaced with modern Chinese air-conditioned cars.

Rail service in Turkmenistan is provided by Turkmendemiryollari (Turkmenistan railways) , Ashgabat, phone 3632 255545, fax 3632 473858. On the principal trains they offer soft and hard accommodation with sleeping and dining cars.

Turkmenistan has a well-developed intercity bus network, with regular services connecting most of the major cities and towns in the country.

You can typically book bus tickets at the bus station or through a travel agency. Some bus companies also offer online ticket booking, so you may want to check their websites to see if this is an option.

The Amu Darya is an important inland waterway for Turkmenistan.

The traffic culture in this country is markedly different from that of the West and poses a significant risk to both motorists and pedestrians. Traffic rules are routinely ignored, and speeding is commonplace. Moreover, real crossings are virtually nonexistent, making it challenging to navigate the roads safely. Cars may be in poor condition or lack essential safety features such as seat belts.

In urban areas, only the main streets are usually illuminated, while roads outside of large cities are in poor condition, making driving particularly hazardous at night. Safety checkpoints in towns and cities often cause traffic to slow down, further adding to the challenges of getting around.

In Ashgabat and Turkmenbashi, taxis are largely informal, and hailing a car by the roadside is the norm. If you plan to take a taxi, be sure to negotiate the destination and price in advance, preferably with knowledge of Russian. While the roads in these cities are in excellent condition; the road from Turkmenbashi to Ashgabat is undergoing significant upgrades in 2014, to a two-lane, divided highway.

It is advisable to exercise caution when driving in this country, and if your instincts suggest that something is not quite right, it is best to err on the side of caution. Roadblocks are in place throughout the country, and motorists are frequently asked to present their passports and car papers, which can be inconvenient but is a routine part of travel here.

When driving, remember to keep to the right side of the road, adhere to the speed limit, and carry an international permit. Minimum age is 17. Speed limit is 60 km/h in urban areas, 90 to 120 km/h on highways. Police officers may stop you without reason, but it is important to remain polite and not pay bribes. Radar guns may also be used to measure your speed, and if caught speeding, it is possible to negotiate a small fine in most cases.

Talk [ edit ]

The official language of the country is Turkmen . Turkmen is closely related to Azerbaijani and Turkish, sharing varying degrees of mutual intelligibility with each of those languages. If you're a native speaker of one of those languages or know enough to communicate in either, picking up Turkmen should be easy.

Russian is widely spoken in Turkmenistan due to its history as part of the Soviet Union. Turkmen state press and websites regularly publish material in Russian.

Uzbek is widely understood in Turkmenistan, due to both languages sharing common Turkic traits. Ethnic Russians and Uzbeks each number about a quarter of a million, and most of those are native speakers of Russian or Uzbek.

Kazakh is also understood in the country (because of Turkic traits), but to a much more limited extent.

English is not widely understood in Turkmenistan, even though it is increasingly becoming a popular foreign language. Thus, it's recommended to have some solid Russian or Turkmen skills should you choose to travel independently.

See [ edit ]

Ancient cities, once major centers of trade and culture:

• Konye Urgench

Natural features:

• Karakum Desert
• Yangykala Canyon

Do [ edit ]

• Horse trekking with Akhal Teke horses : Orexca [dead link] offers a 12 day Turkem Akhalteke Horse Ride Wonders of the Karakum Desert with transfer from Ashgabar to Geokdepe Stud Farm, ride through the North East of the Karakum Desert to Tummekli, to the nomadic villages of Chyria, Gurrukly, Hakysh Gongurajy, Orazsahet and to the Geokdepe Reservoir.
• Hiking in the Köýtendag Nature Reserve (travel permit required) or in the mountains around Nokhur.
• Adventure tour and camel trek in the Kara Kum Desert . Stantours offers a 14-day off-road and camel tour through Eastern Turkmenistan with a drive from Ashgabat to the Yangykala Canyon, visiting Gozel Ata, camel treks in the Eastern Karabogaz basin and Kaplankyr National Park, and visiting Karashor salt lake, Sarakamysh lake and Yabgysu Canyon.  

Suggested itineraries [ edit ]

• Turkmenistan in 3 days : if you are short of time, you can visit the most important sites in a few days: day 1 arrival in Ashgabat , day 2 flight to Dashoguz , and visit Konye Urgench , return flight from Dashoguz to Ashgabat in the same evening, overnight in Ashgabat, day 3 morning flight to Mary , visit of Merv , return flight to Ashgabat in the same evening, overnight in Ashgabat, day 4 Ashgabat, sightseeing, day 5 departure from Ashgabat.

Buy [ edit ]

Money [ edit ].

The official currency in Turkmenistan is the new manat , sometimes denoted by the symbol " m " (ISO code: TMT ). It is divided into 100 tenge.

Coins in Turkmenistan come in denominations of 1-, 2-, 5-, 10-, 20 and 50 tenge and 1 and 2 manat. Banknotes in Turkmenistan come in denominations of 1-, 5-, 10-, 20-, 50 and 100 manat.

The U.S. dollar is widely accepted, although it should only be accepted in international hotels or at the airport according to regulations. You will be asked to pay with dollars in hotels, certain tourist sights and for your tour operator. Be sure to take lots of US$1 bills for small purchases.

You cannot exchange manat outside of Turkmenistan, so only exchange what you intend to use, as it is impossible to exchange manat back into dollars or other foreign currencies inside Turkmenistan.

There is a black market for currency in Turkmenistan. The black market rate was 19-19.5 manat to US$1 in July 2023. Black market exchanges can be found at the Gulistan market (Russian Bazaar) in Ashgabat. The black market exchangers, however, know many tricks for scamming travelers.

Credit cards are only accepted in big international hotels and banks in the bigger cities. Visa credit cards are the most useful. MasterCard is accepted at one bank in Ashgabat, and at the ATM in the Hotel Grand Turkmen and the Ak Altyn Hotel in Ashgabat.

Costs [ edit ]

Turkmenistan is the most expensive country in Central Asia. Expect to pay US$30 for a basic double room. A more comfortable option is around US$60. A street snack is US$1 to US$3. A meal in a good restaurant in Ashgabat costs about US$20. A "tourism tax" of US$2 per day was introduced in August 2017; expect it to be added to your hotel bill.

Shopping [ edit ]

The bazaars are the heart of every town in Turkmenistan. Bazaars are usually open daily 08:00-20:00 including Sundays. Large markets, like the Tolkuchka Bazaar in the outskirts of Ashgabat are open two or three mornings per week only. Bazaars outside Ashgabat will be closed at daylight hours during the cotton harvest season in autumn. Government shops are closed on Sundays and at lunch time.

Why not add to your own despotic library by adding Turkmenbashi's self-penned Ruhnama book, exploring his views on what it means to be a Turkmen. Surprisingly, this is a fairly sensible read.

Rugs [ edit ]

Turkmen rugs are famous, tending towards rich reds with geometric patterns. Some traditional patterns are unique to each tribe, and an expert can generally identify the tribe from the shape of the medallion-like pattern elements called guls . However, it is fairly common to find a mixture; when a weaver from one tribe marries into a different tribe, she may use elements from both in her creations.

Sometimes Turkoman rugs are called "Bokhara" rugs because Bukhara in neighbouring Uzbekistan was a centre for their trade. Turkmenistan is not the only source of Turkoman rugs; Uzbekistan and northern areas of both Iran and Afghanistan have some Turkoman people. Other Afghan rugs are heavily influenced by Turkoman design and Turkoman designs are often copied in India and Pakistan ; dealers may also call those rugs "Bokhara" but, while some of them are fine rugs, in general they are neither as high quality nor as valuable as real Turkoman rugs.

Today, wool is often coloured with synthetic and not with natural dyes; at one time this was a problem because early synthetic dyes were of low quality. Today, it is much less of an issue but some collectors still prefer natural dyes, mainly because they give better arbrush , the subtle variation in colour across a rug.

Back in the 19th and early 20th century, some merchants bleached these rugs, removing the red colour, before export and called the result Golden Bokhara . Apparently this fit better into the colour schemes of their US and European buyers. Many collectors of Turkoman carpets scorn these rugs, both because the colour scheme is inauthentic and because the bleach often damaged the wool. However, they are still produced and newer ones are not bleached but woven with the "golden" colour scheme.

You need an export permission for carpets purchased in a bazaar or private shop. The Expert Commission on the back of the Carpet Museum in Ashgabat (phone 398879 and 398887, opening hours M-F 14:30-17:30, Sa 10:00-12:00) has to certify that the carpet is not more than 50 years old and may be exported. This costs 115 manat per square metre and can take a few days. In addition carpets exceeding 1.5 square metres are subject to an export duty of 400 manat per square metre payable in USD at the official rate of exchange at customs on departure.

Some carpet factories are run by the state owned company Turkmenhaly [dead link] . If you buy a carpet in a state shop, the export fees normally are included in the price, although customs will charge a commission fee of 0.2 per cent of the price of the carpet.

For an accessible (still in print and sanely priced) guide to these carpets, look for books by the California collector Dr. Murray Eiland. If you intend on spending a lot, and especially if you are interested in older carpets, it may be worth looking deeper. The classic book on Turkoman rugs is Tappiseries de l'Asie Centrale by AA Bogolyubov, who was Tsarist governor of Turkmenistan, published in Russian and French in St. Petersburg in 1905. It was a limited edition and is now rare and extremely expensive (several thousand U.S. dollars). If you are passing through London, the British Museum has a copy and will let visitors browse through it. A translation (the original French plus English), Carpets of Central Asia ( ISBN 978-0903580052 ), was published in Britain in the 1960s; it is no longer in print but can be found in libraries. On the used market, it is both much easier to find and far less expensive than the original.

Eat [ edit ]

Expect distinctly average Russian cuisine in restaurants. As in Uzbekistan , plov and more central Asian-type fare can be found in markets. If you can find it, try sturgeon from the Caspian Sea, sometimes prepared in a tempura style.

Meals often start with a soup, as chorba , a meat and vegetable soup. Another national dish is plov , rice with mutton, onions, carrots, spices, raisins, peas or quinces. Manty are steamed dumplings filled with lamb. Ku'urma is lamb, cooked in its own fat. Ichlekli is a meat and onion pie and gutap is a pie filled with meat, potatoes, spinach and pumpkin.

Drink [ edit ]

Look out for a range of Turkmenbashi labeled vodka, which can be washed down with the range of Russian Baltika brand beer. It can be harder to find local beers in outlets catering to foreigners, but Berk is well worth asking for; Zip, on the other hand, is awful.

Tea is excellent and readily available.

Best to err on the side of caution, and stick with bottled water. As in Russia , you may want to specify byehz gah-zah (literally, 'without gas' or 'still; plain') if you do not like fizzy water. Borjomi mineral water from Georgia is available in Ashgabat's shops.

Local people prefer to drink gok chai (green tea), often with dried fruits or herbs, as mint.

Sleep [ edit ]

Finding affordable accommodation in Turkmenistan can be challenging; you can expect to pay between US$100-200 a night for a single room in a comfortable hotel.

Learn [ edit ]

Most universities are located in Ashgabat .

Stay safe [ edit ]

Turkmenistan is a very safe country, largely because the government severely punishes crime. Turkmenistan is an authoritarian dictatorship and has one of the worst human rights records in the world. You need to watch what you say and do, always. As the saying goes, "If you have nothing good to say, don't say anything at all."

Corruption [ edit ]

Corruption is a huge problem in Turkmenistan. According to Transparency International, Turkmenistan is one of the most corrupt countries in the world.

Given how the police earn very low salaries, it's not uncommon for them to target people for bribes. As a foreigner, you may be seen as a "walking wallet" to them. Should you be stopped for any reason, do not argue or fight back, even if you've not done anything wrong ; simply pay the bribe and be on your way.

Authorities [ edit ]

You are advised to not trust the Turkmen police at all; they routinely harass, threaten, extort, and misbehave with people. Being a foreigner might make you an easy target.

Turkmen law enforcement authorities are known for being very touchy and aggressive, and it's common to be rudely treated by them. Do expect some harassment from them. If a police officer misbehaves with you, do not feel tempted to fight back or argue with them because you do not want to pick a fight with the wrong person in a country far away from home.

In accordance with the law, you are required to have an identification document on you at all times, and the police have the legal right to ask you for it. If they ask you for it, just give it to them. Not doing so can result in trouble with the authorities. Also, you have the legal right to ask them to present their identification.

Do not photograph or record law enforcement personnel without their consent; you can expect to be interrogated for doing so.

Photography [ edit ]

While Turkmenistan may be brimming with all kinds of beautiful things, photography and video recording are two of the easiest ways for a visitor to get into trouble. The Turkmens in general are particularly sensitive about pictures that portray Turkmenistan negatively.

Taking photographs or recording videos of strategically important structures − for example, government buildings or structures, police stations, border crossings, military installations, shopping malls, street markets, and airports − is illegal. The authorities enforce and take this rule very seriously .

Traffic conditions [ edit ]

Driving by the majority of Turkmens is wild and reckless . Speeding, reckless passing, and failure to obey traffic laws are common, as is driving under the influence. Drivers attack their art with an equal mix of aggressiveness and incompetence.

Most taxi services are not regulated and the vast majority of taxis do not have seat belts or other safety devices. For safety reasons, visitors should strongly consider hiring a private car and driver through their travel agency or hotel.

Police checkpoints and roadblocks are common. Do not be scared or intimidated; just be firm and polite when you run into a police checkpoint.

Relationships with the Turkmens [ edit ]

The Turkmen authorities do not take too kindly to foreign men mingling with Turkmen women. During the Niyazov years, foreign nationals wanting to marry Turkmen women had to pay a fee of at least $50,000 to the Turkmen government.

Other things to watch out for [ edit ]

• Your guide does not have to accompany you if you want to leave your hotel and go for a walk. If you are a man, try not to walk with a female companion (if it is not your wife or girlfriend) — the police may think that this is a walk with a prostitute, and may simply arrest you. In Turkmenistan, both prostitutes and clients are severely punished.
• Turkmenistan is perhaps the hottest country in the post-Soviet space. There is a sharp, dry, subtropical-inland climate, that is, palm trees do not grow, but in summer it is extremely hot and dry. Winter is cold and windy, and in spring and autumn it is cloudy and rainy. In summer, from May to September, Turkmenistan is even hotter than in neighboring Uzbekistan, but slightly cooler than in Iran. In June, July and August, the temperature in cities can approach +50 degrees Celsius, which is why there are very few people on the streets during the day. The locals try to do all their business in the morning or in the evening, when it's not so hot. Severe gales and dust storms often occur (a dry and hot wind called the "Afghan wind" is active here).
• When talking to ordinary citizens, not to mention civil servants, be extremely careful in your statements about the ruling regime, politics and the current socio-economic situation in the country. There are a lot of Turkmen security officers disguised in civilian clothes, who are primarily interested in foreigners. They also analyze the current mood among the people. You can acquire the status of a political criminal. Rights and freedoms are not respected in the country. Turkmen security officers are especially vigilant towards journalists and bloggers.
• It is better not to go outside after 22:00, as you may be accused of violating the curfew, which is often announced without notice. Turkmen security officers and security forces in general are obsessed with espionage. Even at night there are a lot of police patrols.
• Turkmenistan borders Afghanistan from the southeast through steppe hills. Try not to approach the border zone both with Afghanistan and with other neighbors, since the danger comes not from imaginary Afghan militants, but from Turkmen border guards and security officers, who, seeing a foreigner in this zone, will definitely detain you.
• In Turkmenistan, even voluntary homosexual relations between men are still a criminal offense and can be punishable by imprisonment from 2 to 20 years. If this is relevant to you, try not to advertise your orientation at all.
• Since most of the country is occupied by deserts and steppes, it is very likely that you will encounter snakes and scorpions. There are many poisonous ones among them. Be careful when walking off the roads.

Stay healthy [ edit ]

Medical supply does not correspond to American or European standards. Bring the medicines you need for your personal use with you, as they will be unavailable outside of Ashgabat. A travel insurance covering hospital care and an emergency flight to your home country is strictly recommended.

Vaccinations against diphtheria, tetanus, polio, hepatitis A and B are recommended. A vaccination against typhus is also recommended in case you stay in poor hygienic conditions, and a course of 3 vaccinations against rabies is recommended for long term stays and frequent contact with animals or if you are not able to get to a clinic to be treated within 18 hours of being bitten.

Avoid drinking tap water. Tap water in Turkmenistan is known to contain traces of toxic metals, and this can cause long-term health problems.

Fruits and vegetables should be peeled before consumption. Avoid dairy products as they are not pasteurized.

Respect [ edit ]

The Turkmens in general are friendly and hospitable, sometimes even to a fault.

Saving face is an important cornerstone of Turkmen culture, so try to be prudent and careful with what you say; Turkmens are sensitive to being beckoned directly.

Although the country may have wonderful photo opportunities, do not photograph or record people without their permission .

Although Turkmenistan is a Muslim (but secular) country, most people hold secular, liberal views (but this does not apply to tolerance of LGBT people and freedom of speech outside the family). They are not as devout as their neighbors, for example. Alcohol consumption is normal for most men.

Turkmens, as a rule, do not participate in public displays of affection, as this is considered disrespectful. Holding hands and hugging in public is also tacitly prohibited.

Sensitive issues [ edit ]

For your own safety, it is strongly advised that you refrain from discussing politics and anything negative about the country.

The Turkmen government — in particular the leaders Serdar Berdimuhamedow and Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow — are, at least publicly, very highly revered in Turkmen culture. Any form of disrespect — such as criticisms or insults — towards them and the government is taken very seriously and is severely punished. Keep your personal views about them to yourself.

Turkmens, in general, are remarkably sensitive to negative comments and views about their country. Insulting or negative comments about the country or locals may culminate in arguments.

Home Etiquette [ edit ]

• When entering someone's home, always take off your shoes . Not doing so is considered impolite.
• Never show up to someone's home empty handed . A small gift would suffice. Very expensive gifts will be viewed with suspicion.
• When visiting someone's house you will usually be offered bread . Be sure to use both of your hands to eat it. Refusing this would reflect poorly on your hosts.
• Turkmens (especially women) are incredibly superstitious. Whistling is unacceptable in every Turkmen house. It is commonly believed that whistling will make the owner of the house poor. Turkmens on certain days do not wash, do not cut their nails, do not clean, and abstain from multiple other seemingly common actions, and expect the same from guests. For example, stand right on the doorstep or cleaning the house after dark is considered a bad act.

Work [ edit ]

Although Turkmenistan is in dire need of qualified and simply skilled workers, Turkmenistan has extremely strict immigration laws, and it is impossible for a foreigner to get a work permit, with rare exceptions, if you are an employee of a lucky company that miraculously concluded an agreement with the government of Turkmenistan on the construction or maintenance of some building, construction or industrial facility. Here, foreigners are not welcome to move to work at the state level, primarily because of the country's isolationist policy and fear of imaginary spies, and not because the state wants to protect the country's jobs from foreigners for its citizens.

Connect [ edit ]

Turkmenistan is, by design, one of the most expensive and difficult places in which to communicate.

By phone [ edit ]

Turkmenistan has only one mobile phone provider: TM Cell.

Internet [ edit ]

Internet services are heavily monitored and censored in Turkmenistan. In addition, the internet is characterised by a few other features: it is very expensive (normally 5$/hour), slow and unreliable. Major hotels have access to Wi-Fi. Other places do not.

Access to social media websites such as Facebook, Twitter, Tiktok and YouTube are blocked, as is access to messaging services like WhatsApp, Telegram, and WeChat. Furthermore, you cannot access many news sites, including Russian news sites.

Even blogging about Turkmenistan can restrict your internet privileges . Always assume that the Ministry of Industry and Communication is watching your every move online. If you are not comfortable with them violating your privacy, it would be better to not connect at all.

VPNs cannot be used in Turkmenistan.

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Turkmenistan

Travel Advisory January 22, 2024

Turkmenistan - level 1: exercise normal precautions.

Updated to reflect new Travel Advisory level and “if you decide to travel” section.

Exercise normal precautions in Turkmenistan.

Please read the  country information page  for additional information on travel to Turkmenistan.

If you decide to travel to Turkmenistan:

• Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)  to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Follow the Department of State on  Facebook  and  Twitter/X .
• Review the  Country Security Report  for Turkmenistan.
• Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the  Traveler’s Checklist .
• Visit the CDC page for the latest  Travel Health Information  related to your travel. 

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Embassies and Consulates

U.S. Embassy Ashgabat

9 1984 Street (formerly Pushkin Street) Ashgabat, Turkmenistan 744000 Telephone:  +(993)(12) 94 0045 Emergency After-Hours Telephone:  Local calls: 940045; When calling from the U.S.: +(993)(12)94 0045 Fax: +(993)(12) 94-26-14 Email: [email protected]

Email: [email protected]

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Learn about the U.S. relationship to countries around the world.

Entry, Exit and Visa Requirements

See the Embassy of Turkmenistan’s website for visa information.    

There is still a requirement for all incoming foreigners to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19. All arriving passengers are  required  to undergo mandatory COVID-19 testing upon arrival at the airport. The cost of the test is $45.  

Turkmenistan’s Law on Citizenship does not recognize dual citizenship for its citizens. Consequently, U.S.-Turkmen dual citizens are often denied departure from the country until they renounce their Turkmen citizenship, a process that can take several months. The ability of the U.S. Embassy in Ashgabat to assist such dual citizens is very limited. We strongly urge all dual U.S.-Turkmen citizens to contact the Embassy for more information before traveling to Turkmenistan.

Please see the Embassy's page on dual citizenship for additional information.

A letter of invitation is required for entry into Turkmenistan. The person or organization inviting you must submit a request to the State Migration Service (SMS), along with a copy of your passport ID page. After receiving the letter of invitation, apply for a visa at the Embassy of Turkmenistan in Washington, D.C. or at the airport in Ashgabat upon arrival. A $29 registration fee is also required upon arrival.

We cannot help private citizens obtain letters of invitation.

If you arrive without a visa or certified letter of invitation, authorities may hold you at the airport until you arrange transportation out of Turkmenistan.

Register yourself and apply for visa extensions with the SMS in Ashgabat. You are required to register with SMS if you plan to remain in Turkmenistan more than three working days. You must also register your departure with SMS one day prior to your departure.  

Foreigners are forbidden to travel to “restricted zones” without special permission from the SMS. Restricted zones include border areas and along the Caspian coast.

Failure to register properly or to update your visa with SMS can result in fines, arrest, and/or deportation. Visit a local SMS office to learn about additional requirements.

If you are deported for these violations, authorities will bar your return to Turkmenistan for up to five years.

HIV/AIDS Information: Some HIV/AIDS entry restrictions exist for visitors to and foreign residents of Turkmenistan. Foreign workers may be required to undergo HIV testing for business visas. Please verify this information with the Embassy of Turkmenistan before you travel.

Find information on dual nationality , the prevention of international child abduction , and customs regulations on Travel.State.gov .  

Safety and Security

Crime: There are limited reports of violent crime in Turkmenistan. Take normal safety precautions, such as avoiding travel after dark or in deserted/unfamiliar areas.

Prostitution is illegal. The definition of a prostitute is subjective and law enforcement entities are known to conduct prostitution raids at local establishments.

Police and military are present in all regions of Turkmenistan. Security personnel maintain checkpoints on major roads and may place visitors under surveillance. Hotel rooms, telephones, e-mail, and fax machines may be monitored, and personal possessions in hotel rooms may be searched.

Carry your passport at all times; otherwise, you may be detained. Police asking to see identity papers can be aggressive and have been known to solicit bribes. Ask for identification if you are unsure the person requesting to see your documents is an official.

International Financial Scams: See the Department of State and the FBI pages for information.

Victims of Crime: Report crimes to the local police at 02 and contact the U.S. Embassy at the following numbers: 

• Local calls: 940045;
• When calling from the U.S.: +(993)(12)94 0045 

Remember that local authorities are responsible for investigating and prosecuting crime.

See our webpage on help for U.S. victims of crime overseas .

• Help you find appropriate medical care
• Assist you in reporting a crime to the police
• Contact relatives or friends with your written consent
• Provide general information regarding the victim’s role during the local investigation and following its conclusion
• Provide a list of local attorneys
• Provide our information on victim’s compensation programs in the U.S.
• Provide an emergency loan for repatriation to the United States and/or limited medical support in cases of destitution
• Help you find accommodation and arrange flights home
• Replace a stolen or lost passport

Domestic Violence: U.S. citizen victims of domestic violence are encouraged to contact the Embassy for assistance.

Tourism: The tourism industry is unevenly regulated, and safety inspections for equipment and facilities do not commonly occur. Hazardous areas/activities are not always identified with appropriate signage, and staff may not be trained or certified either by the host government or by recognized authorities in the field. Tourists participate in activities at their own risk. Emergency response capabilities are limited or unreliable, and urgent medical treatment can be inappropriate or not available in-country. U.S. citizens are encouraged to purchase medical evacuation insurance .

Local Laws & Special Circumstances

Criminal Penalties: You are subject to local laws. If you violate local laws, even unknowingly, you may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. Individuals establishing a business or practicing a profession that requires additional permits or licensing should seek information from the competent local authorities prior to practicing or operating a business.

Furthermore, some laws are also prosecutable in the United States, regardless of local law. For examples, see our website on crimes against minors abroa d and the Department of Justice website .

It is illegal to take pictures of certain buildings. Ask before taking pictures of anything of possible military or security interest, including government buildings and food markets.

If you stay overnight in a location other than the one where you are registered with the SMS, you may be arrested.

Arrest Notification: If you are arrested or detained, ask police or prison officials to notify the U.S. Embassy immediately. See our webpage for further information.

Money: Turkmenistan has a cash economy. Most businesses, including airlines and hotels, do not accept credit cards. While there are some ATMs in Ashgabat, getting personal checks cashed can take up to two months.

The official currency in Turkmenistan is the Turkmen Manat. It is illegal to use foreign currencies and to exchange money on the black market. You can obtain Manat in ATM machines.

Customs: Customs regulations are strict, particularly regarding carpets, jewelry, musical instruments, art, archaeological artifacts, antiques, and protected animals. Before purchasing such items for export, see the Embassy of Turkmenistan website for their customs information.

Faith-Based Travelers: See our following webpages for details:

• Faith-Based Travel Information
• International Religious Freedom Report – see country reports
• Human Rights Report – see country reports
• Hajj Fact Sheet for Travelers
• Best Practices for Volunteering Abroad

LGBTQI+ Travelers: Same-sex sexual contact between men is illegal and carries criminal penalties. Social norms in Turkmenistan are extremely conservative, and harassment, detention, and prison sentences are possible.

The Embassy cautions all travelers against displays of affection in public.

See our LGBTQI+ Travel Information page and section 6 of our Human Rights report for further details.

Travelers with Disabilities: Public transportation, sidewalks, many buildings, and public areas are not wheelchair accessible.

Students: See our Students Abroad page and FBI travel tips .

Women Travelers : See our travel tips for Women Travelers .

The Government of Turkmenistan requires all visitors ages 18 and over entering the country to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. 

For emergency services in Turkmenistan, dial 03 .

Ambulance services are not staffed with trained paramedics and often have little or no medical equipment.

The U.S. Embassy does not pay medical bills. Be aware that U.S. Medicare/Medicaid does not apply overseas. Most hospitals and doctors overseas do not accept U.S. health insurance.

Medical Insurance: Make sure your health insurance plan provides coverage overseas. Most care providers overseas only accept cash payments. See our webpage for more information on insurance overseas. Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more information on the type of insurance you should consider before you travel overseas.

We strongly recommend supplemental insurance to cover medical evacuation.

Medical care is limited and well below U.S. standards. U.S. citizens in Turkmenistan often travel to other countries for medical treatment, including many routine procedures.

Basic medical supplies, including disposable needles, anesthetics, and antibiotics, are often in short supply. The U.S. Embassy strongly recommends that U.S. citizens not undergo invasive procedures in Turkmenistan. Undergoing any such procedure may place you at risk of serious illness. If you have a serious medical condition, check with your physician before planning travel to Turkmenistan.

Prescriptions : If traveling with prescription medication, check with the Government of Turkmenistan to ensure that the medication is legal in Turkmenistan. Always carry your prescription medication in original packaging, along with your doctor’s prescription.

The U.S. Embassy maintains a list of doctors and hospitals . We do not endorse or recommend any specific medical provider or clinic.

Vaccinations: Be up-to-date on all vaccinations recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Further health information:

• World Health Organization
• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Water Quality: In many areas, tap water is not potable. Bottled water and beverages are generally safe, although you should be aware that many restaurants and hotels serve tap water unless bottled water is specifically requested. Be aware that ice for drinks may be made using tap water.  

Travel and Transportation

Road Conditions and Safety: Traffic accidents involving serious injury to drivers, passengers, and pedestrians are common. Many city roads are hazardous because of potholes, uncovered manholes, poor lighting, and pedestrians ignoring oncoming traffic. Most roads outside of major cities are narrow, not lighted, and lacking road signs. Avoid driving at night on rural roads.

Drive defensively and use an abundance of caution. Driving practices differ from those in the United States, and can include drivers going down the wrong way on one-way streets or divided highways, sudden lane changes, left-hand turns from the right lane, etc.

There is no roadside assistance in Turkmenistan.

Traffic Laws: If you drive while intoxicated, you may be fined, imprisoned, and have your license revoked. You may be fined if you don’t use seat belts or if you drive while using a cell phone. Police at checkpoints (where cars are required to stop and register) may arbitrarily fine motorists.

Driving Requirements: You must have a valid international driving permit. Foreigners residing in Turkmenistan must apply for a local driver’s license with the Road Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Turkmenistan. For more specific information about driving in Turkmenistan, contact the Embassy of Turkmenistan at 202-588-1500.

See our Road Safety page for more information.

Public Transportation: Most taxis are not regulated and lack basic safety features. Always negotiate fares in advance with unregulated taxi drivers.

Avoid taking taxis after dark or sharing a taxi with other passengers. When traveling at night, hire a driver through your travel agency or hotel.

The only government-owned/government-regulated taxi company operates in Ashgabat (telephone 993-12-760501)

Travel by Ferry: “Ferries” crossing the Caspian Sea are cargo ships that also take on passengers as space permits. Food and water are not typically provided, and sleeping and sanitary facilities are basic. Ships arriving in Turkmenbashy may take a week to find a vacant dock.

Airlines:   Regular international commercial flights have resumed, but demand for available seats remains high. Tickets for Turkmenistan Airlines flights may only be purchased in-person in Turkmenistan. Travelers should also note that delayed flight times are common when entering or exiting Turkmenistan.

Aviation Safety Oversight: As there is no direct commercial air service to the United States by carriers registered in Turkmenistan, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed the government of Turkmenistan’s Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards. Further information may be found on the FAA’s safety assessment page . 

Maritime Travel: Mariners planning travel to Turkmenistan should also check for U.S. maritime advisories and alerts . Information may also be posted to the U.S. Coast Guard homeport website , and the NGA broadcast warnings website (click “Broadcast Warnings”). In general, there is very little information available about maritime travel to Turkmenistan.  Caspian ferry services are considered unreliable and generally inadvisable.

For additional travel information

• Call us in Washington, D.C. at 1-888-407-4747 (toll-free in the United States and Canada) or 1-202-501-4444 (from all other countries) from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
• See the  State Department’s travel website  for the  Worldwide Caution  and  Travel Advisories .
• Follow us on  Twitter  and  Facebook .
• See  traveling safely abroad  for useful travel tips.

Review information about International Parental Child Abduction in Turkmenistan . For additional IPCA-related information, please see the International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act ( ICAPRA ) report.

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Lord Cameron woos Central Asian leaders on historic tour on Russia’s doorstep

Foreign Secretary seeks closer links in resource-rich region where the Kremlin and Beijing see dominance as vital

The Foreign Secretary has completed a historic tour of all five former Soviet central Asian states and Mongolia to drum up support for the West along Russia’s southern border.

During his five-day mission, Lord Cameron became the first British foreign minister to visit Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan,  and the first to visit Uzbekistan since 1997.

“We’re here because we believe you should be able to make a choice, to partner with us in a way that is good for both our security and our prosperity,” he told Kazakh reporters after meeting Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the president of Kazahstan, in Astana, the country’s futuristic capital.

A parliamentary report last year criticised the government for a lack of interest in central Asia despite its strategic importance. 

The resource-rich region is wedged between China, Russia, Afghanistan, Iran and the Caspian Sea, and Beijing and Moscow consider dominance there a priority.

Since its invasion of Ukraine two years ago, the Kremlin has looked to central Asia to help it dodge sanctions and has expanded military and security ties. 

It has also used central Asia’s railway network to send fuel to Iran as payment for drones and missiles.

Rick Fawn, a professor at St Andrews University, said Lord Cameron’s visit was a prestige trip for Britain in which his status as a former prime minister impressed regional leaders.

“It is at least some British flag-waving, especially in central Asia where there is now fluidity, opportunity and danger because of shifting Russian capacities. This is space that will otherwise continue to be filled by China,” said Prof Fawn.

Lord Cameron posed for dozens of photo-ops during his trip, including inspecting a yurt in Turkmenistan and tasting plov, a local lamb pilaf, in Uzbekistan.

In Bishkek, he was photographed shaking hands with Sadyr Japarov, the Kyrgyz president, less than three weeks after he imposed a Kremlin-inspired law designed to undermine Western-backed NGOs and media groups.

Central Asia’s leaders initially publicly doubted Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine but have since given the Kremlin more support.

Erica Marat, a professor at the National Defense University in Washington DC, said that the West has fallen behind in the race to win influence in central Asia because it has not been consistent in its interest since the region’s nations won independence in 1991.

“I think the feeling in central Asia is that this increased attention from Western countries is temporary, it’s not going to last for too long,” she said.

As well as looking to sweet talk central Asia’s leaders, Lord Cameron also discussed strengthening labour routes to Britain.

Over the past couple of years, the government has encouraged migrant workers from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to Britain to plug workforce gaps created by Brexit.

In June last year, Leo Docherty, then the Europe Minister, visited central Asia to agree deals for fruit pickers to travel to Britain. Nicholas Bowler, the British ambassador in Kyrgyzstan, has described Kyrgyz workers as “hard-working” and “reliable”.

• Kyrgyzstan,
• Kazakhstan,
• David Cameron,
• Turkmenistan,
• Uzbekistan,
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