Tour to Turkmenistan for 7 days

Meet the loсal guide at the Ashgabat International Airport. Transfer to the hotel. After lunch, Ashgabat city tour: visit main tourists’ attraction in the capital: parks and monuments, impressive mosque and other iconic building. After the lunch visit “Old Nisa” -The Sanctuary of Parhian Kings (UNESCO site), continue with “Gypjak” Mosque and Mausoleum of the late President of Turkmenistan. Dinner at local restaurant.  Overnight at the hotel.    

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. Lunch time. Then, After the breakfast hotel check out, drive to Mary city. On the way stop:  at Annau, the ruins of the 15th century Seyit Jamal-ad-Din Mosque. Abiward or Abi-ward, was an ancient Sassanid city in modern-day Turkmenistan. Archaeological excavations at the ancient city of Abiward have been made in the last century to about 8 km west of the Kahka station in an area of 12,000 m2. The central tell is 60 feet high and 700 feet round. Lunch on the way at road café. Continue to Mary city. Hotel accommodation. Rest time. Dinner at local restaurant. Overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast at 8:00 tour starts to visit the glorious Ancient Merv (UNESCO World Heritage Site). One of the major archaeological sites of Central Asia, Merv played an important part in the development of the Silk Road for more than 2 000 years. Within the limits of the archaeological park, which is 1200 ha, we will have a chance to observe all constituent parts of the “wandering city”. The splendid XII c. mausoleums of Sultan Sanjar and Muhammed ibn-Zeyd, demonstrating exquisite Seljuk period brickwork and architectural décor. Then drive to  visit Museum.  With an extensive ethnography section, including a large collection of Turkmen jewellery, carpets, stuffed animals, a fully decorated yurt and pottery from the time of the Mongol occupation. But best of all is the archaeological section, bringing together artefacts found at both Merv and Margush, including pottery, weapons, household implements and jewellery. The fine quality and design of household items from Margiana is striking and rivals the collection of the National Museum in Ashgabat. A skeleton of a Margiana priestess was once also on display, though a series of deaths and misfortunes among museum staff persuaded them to have the original returned to where it was found. Lunch time at local restaurant.  Drive to Ashgabat city. Dinner at local restaurant. Accommodation and overnight at hotel.

After the lunch, drive through the Karakum desert to Darvaza. 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.

After the breakfast, drive to North province of Turkmenistan, to the architectural monuments of Old Urgench, Capital of Khorezm in X-XII centuries. Visit the Mausoleum of Najm al-Din al-Kubra, Tyurabek Khanum, Il-Arslan, Tekesh Ibn Hadzhibey, the highest minaret in Central Asia Kutlyg Timur. Lunch at the local restaurant. Dashoguz city tour. Transfer to airport for a local flight at 20:10/21:00. From Ashgabat airport transfer to local restaurant for a dinner. Hotel accommodation and overnight.

Tour starts with visitng an Eastern bazaar of Turkmenistan “Tolkuchka”. You will feel real beauty of Turkmen carpets, national silver jewelers and souvenirs. Lunch at local restaurant. Drive to the horse-farm for exploring the pride of the Turkmen people – Akhal-Teke horses. In addition, Traditional Tea  party, short Akhal-Teke horse show program and can see the racks of horses. Return to Ashgabat, Dinner at a local restaurant.  Evening city tour. To see illumination of monuments of the city. Overnight at hotel.

In the morning is transfer to the airport.