Tour itinerary

Day 1: Arrival at Farap Border – Transfer to Mary (Approx. 300 km, 4.5 hrs)

Welcome to Turkmenistan! After crossing the Uzbek side at the Farap/Alat border, take two local shuttles (approx. $1 each) to reach the Turkmen checkpoint. Meet your local guide and complete border formalities (COVID-19 test, visa stamping, declarations).

Transfer to Turkmenabat for lunch (optional), followed by a scenic 4–5-hour drive across the Karakum Desert to Bayramaly to explore Ancient Merv, the legendary “Queen of Cities” and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Highlights include:

• Sultan Sanjar Mausoleum
• Yusuf Hamadani Mosque
• Erk Gala (6th c. BCE)
• Sultan Gala (Seljuk fortifications)
• Great & Small Gyz Gala – the “Ladies’ Fortresses”
• Mohammad ibn Zayd Mausoleum

Evening check-in at your hotel. Free time at leisure. Accommodation: Margush or Mary Hotel 3* Meals: - Transport: 4WD cars

Day 2: Mary – Ashgabat (Approx. 350 km, 4 hrs)

After breakfast, drive to Ashgabat via the modern desert highway. Arrive in the capital and check-in.

Explore Ashgabat, starting with the Halk Hakydasy Memorial Complex, dedicated to victims of WWII, the Geokdepe Battle, and the 1948 earthquake.

Visit the scenic viewpoint at Bagt Koshgi (Palace of Happiness), drive past landmarks like Ruhyyet Palace, the Parliament, and Olympic Village. Enjoy lunch at the Berkarar Shopping Mall.

In the afternoon, stop by:

• Constitution Monument
• Alem Cultural Center with the world’s largest indoor Ferris wheel
• Magtymguly Monument
• Bicycle Monument & Monument of Neutrality
• Independence Park & Ruhnama Monument

Welcome dinner with panoramic city views.

Accommodation: Sport Hotel 3*/Olimpia Hotel 4*/Diwan Hotel 5* Meals: breakfast Transport: Minivan/bus

Day 3: Ashgabat – Bagir – Darvaza Gas Crater (Approx. 272 km, 4 hrs)

Start your day at the National Museum of History and Ethnography, followed by a short trip to Bagir to visit Old Nisa Fortress, a UNESCO site and capital of the Parthian Empire.

After lunch, set out in SUVs for the journey into the Karakum Desert. Stop at Yerbent Village and continue to the Darvaza Gas Crater, famously called “The Gates of Hell.” Enjoy dinner by the flaming crater and tea in a traditional “tunche” pot.

Accommodation: traditional yurt Meals: breakfast, dinner Transport: 4WD cars

Day 4: Darvaza – Dashoguz (Approx. 285 km total, 6 hrs)

After breakfast, transfer to the Dashoguz/Shavat border for your onward journey or return to Uzbekistan.

Accommodation: - Meals: breakfast Transport: 4WD cars