Historical and Cultural Heritage. Turkmenistan Tour

Ashgabat
Meet your local guide at the Ashgabat International Airport.
Transfer to the hotel.
9:30 Ashgabat city tour: visit main tourists’ attractions in the capital with the stop at the Carpet Factory to discover the secrets of hand-made carpet-weaving art passed on from generation to generation.
After lunch, visit the Carpet Museum. Established in 1994, it has the largest collection of Turkmen carpets, ranging from the medieval through to the 21th century, including over 1000 carpets originated in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Dinner at the local restaurant.

Overnight at the hotel.

During the first half of the day, visit the Museum of Fine Arts. You will be impressed by its huge collection of items of sculpture, paintings, graphics, carpets, tapestry, ceramic vessels and precious jewels made mainly by Turkmen, Russian and foreign artists.

After the lunch, drive through the Karakum desert to Darwaza. Visit a small nomadic village on the way to the main attraction and immerse into the traditional life style of Turkmen people.

Visit the gas deposit. Stay in a camp with tasty catering; the perfect way to enjoy this highlight. Observe the fantastic view of the crater at daylight and at night, feel the heat and listen to the wind and the sound that this giant oven creates. Overnight  in a tent under the starry sky

Darwaza – Ashgabat

After the picnic style breakfast return to Ashgabat through the Karakum desert. The trip takes about 4 hours. Check-in to the hotel. Lunch at the local restaurant.

In the afternoon, visit the State Museum of Turkmenistan. It stores ancient artifacts found at the excavations of the settlements Nisa, Merv and Gonurdepe, collection of vintage Turkmen carpets, rare examples of national clothing, jewelries, and antique weapons. The 9 halls display figurines of Athens, Eros, silver gilded griffin, horn-shaped ivory vessels-rhytons of the Parthian era, gold jewelries, medallions-stamps from Margiana and Buddhist artifacts. There are also a fossilized piece of wood of the Paleozoic period, aged 270,000,000, dinosaurs’ footprints, an 820-kg meteorite fallen in Kunya-Urgench in 1998 and a lot more. Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight at hotel.

Ashgabat – Mary – Camel Breeding Farm – Mary

Transfer to the airport to board a domestic flight to  Mary at 06:15/06:55. Take a drive to Camel Breeding Farm located in Sakarchage village. Enjoy all the pleasure of riding the camel and watching the milking process. Camel milk known as “Chal” is a magical elixir for the human health. You will definitely like this light and refreshing drink. Continue indulging yourself into Turkmen hospitality; share the gorgeous traditional meal with a host Turkmen family. Watch a demonstration of felt making and try making one yourself!

In the second half of the day, return to Mary. Check-in to the hotel.

Sightseeing city tour in Mary, walk in beautiful public parks.

Dinner at the restaurant. Overnight at the hotel.

Margush/Gonur Depe – Mary

Early morning breakfast. Take a 2-hours’ drive to Gonurdepe – a unique and amazing archaeological site in the depth of the Karakum desert. The area of Margush or Margiana used to be 3000 square km wide and consisted of more than 70 oasis and 150 settlements. Your exploration of this immense site will take 2 hours. Take a lunch break right at the site under the tent. Drive back to Mary. Enjoy dinner at a restaurant and a special folklore performance of young Turkmen dancers and performances. Overnight at the hotel.

After the breakfast, visit Ancient Merv. Guided tour: Gyz Gala and Oglan Gala, Complex of Askhabs, Gyaur Gala, Erk Gala, Soltan Gala, SoltanSanjar Mausoleum, IbnZeid Mausoleum.

In the afternoon, visit Museum of History and Ethnography. Its first exposition opened in 1974. Today the museum boasts about 40,000 exhibits. Observe the artifacts found at the archeological sites.

Transfer to the airport to catch an evening flight to Ashgabat at 18:10/18:50.   Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight at the hotel.

In the morning visit Oriental bazaar “Tolkuchka” – the biggest market place in Central Asia. One can find anything from camels and cars to antiques, carpets, and pottery! Walk the booths to witness the impeccable beauty of Turkmen handmade clothes and silver hand-made jewelry, purchase souvenirs. 

In the second half of the day visit, travel to the village of Bagir to visit the ruins of Old Nisa (UNESCO site). Explore the remnants of one of the most important cities and the capital of the Parthian Empire, a major power between the III millennium BC – III millennium AD. Then, visit a mosque and mausoleum of the late President of Turkmenistan in Gypjak.

Return to Ashgabat.  Overnight at the hotel.

 

International airport OF ASHGABAT

Night transfer to the Ashgabat International Airport to board a flight to your next destination. End of the Program

Groups:	Price	Transportation
2-3 pax	$ 1295 per pax	Jeep-Sedan
6-7 pax	$ 940 per pax	Jeep-Minibus
10-12 pax	$ 880 per pax	Jeep-BUS
13-15 pax	$ 850 per pax	Jeep-BUS
S/s	$ 120

 

Cities	Hotels
Ashgabat	“AkAltyn” 4*
Mary	“Mary” 4*