Great Silk Road-Caravan Route 5 d-4 n

Shavat border-Dashoguz-Kunya Urgench-Dashoguz

Upon arrival to the border point go through custom procedures and continue drive to Kone-Urgench (261km, 4:35 min), Lunch at Kone-Urgench city.  Drive to Kone Urgench (UNESKO 2005) ancient capital of Khorezm.  Visit mausoleums of II Arslan and Soltan Tekesh, Nejmeddin Kubra, Soltan Ali, Turabek –Khanum (12th c), minaret of Kutlug Timur, Mamun II. After excursion, return to Dashoguz city. Dinner & overnight in hotel.

Day –Dashoguz-Darvaza 270 km

In the morning breakfast. Then drive to Cas Crater- Darwaza. On the way to see 2 more creators. It lies in the settlement of Darvaza itself, just off to the west of the main road. First one crater is deep, circular hole; a metal barrier surrounds this somewhat smaller crater. There is no fire here, though it too offers a strong smell of gas. Second, one lies some 18km south of Darvaza, on the west side of the main road and just about visible from it. This crater has neither fire nor a particularly pungent smell. Instead, it is partly filled with water, through which gas bubbles gently up. The settlement was once the site of a sulphur works, which closed in the 1960s. Prospecting for gas during the Soviet period has resulted in a curious series of sights around the area: several large, circular craters, one of which is aflame. To reach the flaming crater, a 4×4 is essential, as is a good driver who knows the route. The gas crater is roughly circular in plan, some 60m in diameter. Its floor crackles with hundreds of small fires, the flames fiercest around the edge. Dinner at Gas Crater. Overnight in a camp/ tents.

3 Day –Darvaza-Ashgabat-Nissa-Horse Farm-  270 km

In the morning breakfast.  After breakfast  drive to Ashgabat, visiting   Gokdepe fortress and horse farm. Gokdepe fortress that was attacked in December 1880 by Russians under General Mikhail Skobelev. The siege of Gokdepe lasted twenty-three days, after which the city was taken by storm. Gokdepe Mosque was built to commemorate the defeat and is noted for its mint-turquoise blue colored roof and white marble structure. Also you will visit Gokdepe museum that dedicated to the war. At the horse farm you can see proud of Turkmen national Akhalteke horses. Over the 30 beautiful horses, you can see at the horse farm. 5000 years ago, Turkmens began breeding Akhalteke horses. A Unique breed in the world that’s not mixed with other breeds. Lunch. After visiting the archeological site “Old Nisa”-Parthian period. After come back to the Hotel. Traditional restaurant dinner. Overnight in Hotel.

Day –Ashgabat – Mary-Gonurdepe-Mary 450 km

Early morning breakfast . Transfer to Ashgabat airport. Flight  to Mary (T5-127, 06:15-06:55). Drive to Gonur depe (90km). Driving off-road for what seems several hours and leaving clouds of dust behind, your car climbs a hill from where you can see excavations into the ancient country Margush. The American newspaper “Boston Globe” wrote that before we knew the four oldest centers of the world’s civilization: Mesopotamia, Egypt, India and China, and now due to the fantastic results of the Margiana expedition it’s quite possible to think that there was another, the fifth center. Lunch box at the sight. Drive back to Mary city. Overnight in Hotel.

Mary-Ancient Merv-Turkmenabat-Farap 290  km

After breakfast, then drive to “Ancient Merv”: visit Gyz Gala& Oglan Gala, Complex of Askhabs, Gyaur Gala, Erk Gala, Soltan Gala, Sotlan Sanjar Mausoleum etc. After continue to the Turkmenabad city.Lunch in Turkmenabat city.  Transfer to the “Farap” border.(Turkmenabat city-“Farap” border 40 km) cross into Uzbekistan (Alat Bukhara) arrival in old Bukhara (from Uzbek-Turkman border to Bukhara 105km) check-in and overnight in Bukhara