Turkmenistan: independent travel and group tours

Welcome to our website for tours to the Republic of Turkmenistan! Brought to you by Koryo Tours, a British-run company based in Beijing who have been running tours to North Korea for the last 15 years. In 2006 we added Turkmenistan as the only other country we take people to visit. We hope you can join us in exploring this fascinating place which is one of the least visited countries in the world, a land with a remarkably rich history featuring guest appearances from some of history’s most colourful characters such as Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, Tamerlane, the Russian and British Empires and of course the Soviet Union all the way up to the reign of Sapamurat ‘Turkmenbashi the Great’ Niyazov; President from the founding of the Republic until his death in December of 2006. Relics from all these eras survive and can be seen and visited in modern day independent Turkmenistan.

Since the death of President Niyazov the country has been rules by the new President Gurbanguly Berdymuhammedov who has busily erected a few portraits of his own around town while also liberalizing in some expected areas while remaining a hardliner in others; time will tell whether he will turn out to be Turkmenbashi the Second or a President to lead Turkmenistan into the modern age. One thing’s for sure; this time of transition is an exciting time to visit and experience a place like no other!

Our tours here will expose you to all the oddities and fascinating elements of life under the current unique post-soviet system, remnants of Socialism remain with free services such as schooling and education combined with a recent massive effort to give the whole country a make-over by cladding nearly every building in white marble! The pristine streets of the modern capital Ashgabat give way to sand dunes as we travel into the mighty Karakum desert to the ancient and UNESCO listed city of Merv, and the somewhat post-apocalyptic scenery around the Northern site of Konye-Urgench, with Central Asia’s tallest minaret and a selection of hardy Mausolea all that survived the ravages of the great Tyrants of the region Genghis and Timur. Swimming in underground sulphur-infused lakes, staying in a yurt on a farm for the famous Ahal-Tekke horses, seeing the unique flaming gas crater deep in the desert, visiting the largest Bazaar in the world and so much more are also included in this trip, don’t miss it!

We really do guarantee a unique and fascinating time on this tour, while the silk road in other parts of central Asia and into China is becoming ever more crowded with tourists Turkmenistan remains the enigma of the bunch, a wonderful mix of ancient and modern, giants of history merging with a personality cult that outshines any in existence today, you cannot fail but be blown away by what Turkmenistan has to offer.

Again welcome to our website, please look inside and we hope you like what you find!