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Tours and itineraries
We have created the best possible itineraries to maximise your
stay in Turkmenistan, covering a wide variety of places such as
the stunning city of Ashgabat, the deep Karakum desert ancient
city of Merv, the far Northern Dashoguz area with its Uzbek peoples
and culture, the flaming gas crater of Darvaza as well as much
more. The price includes all guide and transport services including
internal flights, coach rides through the desert, full guide service,
meals, hotels in the cities (4 star hotel in Ashgabat), nights
away such as at a Stud farm in the countryside sleeping in a traditional
Turkmen yurt as well as visits to attractions such as the tallest
Minaret in central Asia, the regions largest Mosque, the world's
largest Bazaar and so much more, an unforgettable experience is
absolutely guaranteed!
2010
DATES and ITINERARIES |
Tour 1 - May 11th - 18th 2010
First tour of our fifth year of running tours to Turkmenistan takes place in the middle of May. Sunny and warm but not too scorching, this is a great time to visit Central Asia. This tour takes in the highlights of the capital, swimming in the underground lake, an overnight journey into the deep desert to camp next to the flaming gas crater at Darvaza, visiting the Caspian sea port city of Turkmenbashi and much much more in this truly remarkable and fascinating country
Price: 1100 Euros per person (plus international flight) ITINERARY |
Tour 2 - November 2nd - 9th 2010
Second tour of the year takes place in November, taking in all the highlights of the country and offering a taste of Contemporary, Soviet, and Ancient Turkmenistan. See how the country has adapted and changed and how things are today, a fascinating journey in the company of a well travelled and worldly group. This tour visits the capital, the Northern city of Dashoguz and the ruins of Konye Urgench, as well as an overnight desert trip to the Darvaza flaming gas crater and the ever-popular underground sulphur lake.
Price: 1100 Euros per person (plus international flight) ITINERARY |
Return flights from Beijing to Ashgabat cost approximately CNY 6900
Return flights from London to Ashgabat cost approximately GBP 420
(Prices subject to change, we can get these tickets for you or
you can buy them yourself)
It is entirely possible to join the tour by flying in from other destinations also, there are regular flights from Istanbul, Moscow, Frankfurt, Birmingham, etc – contact us and we can send an updated international flight schedule. We can also accommodate people joining the tour after entering by land or sea, and a range of exit methods (continuing on into Uzbekistan for example) are available to those joining this tour.
You will also have to pay the visa issuing fee, at Ashgabat airport this ranges from US$80 to $120 (depending on nationality) payable in cash only.
ITINERARIES
We have designed itineraries that will show you the very best Turkmenistan
has to offer, also allowing free time to wander around and soak
up as much of Turkmenistan's unique atmosphere as possible. The
tours enter the country from either London or Beijing. Flights
from both destinations arrive on the same day so the group will
assemble in Ashgabat after being met by our local guides at Ashgabat
Airport. Unlike our tours to North Korea there are no restrictions
on what nationalities can join the trip. However as in North Korea
journalists are not permitted to travel on tourist visas.
May Tour Itinerary
| Tuesday |
PM: Flight T5-604 from Beijing arrives (16:40), meet local guide at airport, transfer to hotel, Free time in the evening. Overnight in Nissa Hotel Ashgabat. Dinner provided |
| Wednesday |
AM: Flight T5-424 from London arrives (07:40), Group assembles. Ashgabat city tour including Arch of Neutrality, rotating gold statue of the Turkmenbashi, Independence Park, etc
Lunch in the city |
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PM: Old Nisa fortress (Ancient ruined capital of the Parthians), drive to Kow Ata underground sulphur lake for a swim in the year-round warm and medicinal waters (60m below the ground, in darkness and with bats flying in the cave!) return to Ashgabat via Gypjak Mosque, the region’s largest, and the family Mausoleum of the Turkmenbashi, dinner provided |
| Thursday |
AM: Carpet Museum, Museum of gifts to Turkmenbashi, Ruhnama Monument, Drive to picturesque Chuli gorge for lunch |
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PM: Return to Ashgabat, Hippodrome (horse racing), free time and dinner at leisure |
| Friday |
AM: Flight to Turkmenbashi City (formerly Krasnovodsk) on the Caspian sea, city tour including orthodox church, local museum, waterfront, and cultural palace, lunch in the city |
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PM: Avaza Beach, local bazaar (best place to buy caviar in the country), free time to wander the navigable and charming city, dinner at leisure |
| Saturday |
AM: Boat trip on Caspian sea, lunch in the city |
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PM: Japanese cemetery, return to Ashgabat by plane, free time and dinner at leisure |
| Sunday |
AM: Tolkuchka Bazaar, the largest Bazaar in the world, truly massive in scale and the main focal point for weekends in the capital. Anything from snacks to carpets can be bought here, an unforgettable shopping experience! Don’t miss the famous ‘Camel Winch’, drive into the desert to semi-nomadic village, lunch in local home in the village |
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PM: Drive to Darvaza flaming gas crater, the ‘mouth of hell’ and one of the strangest, most spectacular things it is possible to see, literally has to be seen to be believed and worth going to Turkmenistan for this alone, camping next to the crater with dinner cooked on the spot |
| Monday |
AM: Return to Ashgabat via mud crater and water crater (also caused by industrial accidents), lunch in the city |
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PM: Free time for photos, souvenir shopping, etc dinner at leisure. Overnight in Nissa Hotel |
| Tuesday |
AM: 01:00 flight departs from
Ashgabat Sapamurat Turkmenbashi the Great Airport to Beijing.
PM: 17:15 flight departs to London |
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November Tour Itinerary
| Tuesday |
PM: Flight T5-604 from Beijing arrives (16:40), meet local guide at airport, transfer to hotel,. Free time in the evening overnight in Nissa Hotel Ashgabat. Dinner provided |
| Wednesday |
AM: Flight T5-424 from London arrives (07:40), Group assembles. Ashgabat city tour including Blue Mosque, Arch of Neutrality, rotating gold statue of the Turkmenbashi, Independence Park, etc
Lunch in the city |
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PM: Old Nisa fortress (Ancient ruined capital of the Parthians), Geoke Depe fortress, On to Kow Ata underground sulphur lake for a swim in the year-round warm and medicinal waters (60m below the ground, in darkness and with bats flying in the cave!) return to Ashgabat |
| Thursday |
AM: Carpet Museum, Museum of gifts to Turkmenbashi, Ruhnama Monument, Drive to picturesque Chuli gorge for lunch |
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PM: Return to Ashgabat, Hippodrome (horse racing), free time and dinner at leisure |
| Friday |
AM: Gypjak Mosque, the region’s largest, and the family Mausoleum of the Turkmenbashi, Geok Deppe fortress, ruined site of valiant last stand by Turkmen tribesmen against the expansion of tsarist Russia in the 19th century |
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PM: Drive to Darvaza flaming gas crater, the ‘mouth of hell’ and one of the strangest, most spectacular things it is possible to see, literally has to be seen to be believed and worth going to Turkmenistan for this alone, camping next to the crater with dinner cooked on the spot |
| Saturday |
AM: Return to Ashgabat via mud crater and water crater (also caused by industrial accidents), lunch in the city |
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PM: Free time for shopping or relaxing in Ashgabat, the city has restaurants and bars for a night out as well as easy to find bazaars and souvenir outlets. Overnight in Nissa Hotel Ashgabat |
| Sunday |
AM: Tolkuchka Bazaar, the largest Bazaar in the world, truly massive in scale and the main focal point for weekends in the capital. Anything from snacks to carpets can be bought here, an unforgettable shopping experience! Don’t miss the famous ‘Camel Winch’ |
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PM: Flight to Dashoguz, brief tour of this city in the far North of Turkmenistan, right on the Uzbek border, very different to Ashgabat this place mixes Turkmen, Uzbeks, and also a large amount of Koreans!
Overnight in Uzboy Hotel Dashoguz. |
| Monday |
AM: Konye Urgench, once a major silk route stopping point, successive ravaging by Genghis Khan and Tamerlane have left a collection of fascinating ruins here, an enormous Minaret towers over the several mosques and ancient Mausoleums in the area, a bleak and evocative site. |
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PM: Brief stop at local Bazaar then flight back to Ashgabat, last chance for souvenir shopping, photos etc. Overnight in Nissa Hotel |
| Tuesday |
AM: 01:00 flight departs from Ashgabat Sapamurat Turkmenbashi the Great Airport to Beijing.
PM: 17:15 flight departs to London |
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