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 Caspian sea port city of Turkmenbashi and the nearby ‘Turkmen Dubai’ of Avaza, 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, transportation between sites, full guide service, meals, hotels in the cities (4 star hotel in Ashgabat), as well as visits to attractions such as the tallest Minaret in central Asia, the region’s largest Mosque, the world's largest Bazaar and so much more, an unforgettable experience is absolutely guaranteed!

GAS CRATER – As you may have heard there are plans afoot to close the Darvaza Gas Crater, one of the highlights of any trip to Turkmenistan and quite simply one of the most remarkable places you can possible visit anywhere in the world. IF you look up any videos or photos of it do note that they simply don’t do it justice, it has to be seen to be believed! We don’t expect this closure to come into effect for some time yet due to the logistics of such an effort so we are confident that our tours in 2011 will be able to visit the site and camp there as planned, if anything changes or any timescale for the closure is announced then we will update the site and anyone who has booked or expressed interest in the tour, to be frank though this really is something that will blow you away no matter where you have been before, why not join us?

INDEPENDENCE DAY – ON Oct 27th 1991 Turkmenistan declared its independence from the crumbling USSR, since then this has become one of the most important dates on the Turkmen calendar and in 2011 they will celebrate the 20th anniversary of this landmark event, the creation of the first independent Turkmen state and the date at which the Russian yoke was thrown off since the defeat of the main Turkmen tribe in 1880 (we visit the site of this battle). We don’t yet know what form the celebrations will take or to what degree we can experience them but we will keep an eye on the situation and no matter what we will do everything we can and this will be a landmark occasion, a great time to visit and see just what they do to celebrate such an event!

2013 DATES and ITINERARIES

Turkmenistan 2013
September 28th - October 5th 2013


Back again for 2013 our fascinating tour to Turkmenistan runs this year in the first week of October, if you’ve ever wanted a trip to central Asia’s most unique and interesting country then this could be for you, why not join us on this journey that will take us around the capital city of Ashgabat (see the amazing contrast between the Soviet part of town and the marble-clad monoliths dominating the modern part – built on the back of the country’s gas wealth), to the northern city of Dashoguz by domestic flight (to visit the ancient silk road ruined city of Konye-Urgench as well as the modern town with its interesting ethnic blend of Turkmen, Uzbeks, and even some Koreans!), as well as going deep into the desert to camp next to one of the most unique spots in the world – the giant flaming gas crater at Darvaza, a place that we promise you will never forget (Google it, and know that pictures and video pale next to the experience of the real thing!), we’ll go on the world’s largest indoor Ferris wheel (yes, that’s a thing), we’ll dine with a semi-nomadic family, we’ll learn about the long and storied history of this land as well as seeing what the current idiosyncratic system looks like. We’ll do as much as we can on the tour and have free time for wandering, trying out the local food, markets, bars, and sports. In short a week you’ll never forget!

Price: 1400 Euros per person (plus international flight) ITINERARY

Return flights from Beijing to Ashgabat cost approximately CNY 6000
Return flights from London to Ashgabat cost approximately GBP 500
(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 $130 (depending on nationality) payable in cash only. Single supplement is available on this tour at 40 Euros per night, if you are travelling alone and wish to share a room to avoid this fee we will attempt to match you up with another traveller

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 various locations and the exact arrival dates can therefore vary, however we can accommodate people arriving early or even a little late, we are as flexible as possible with these tours. 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

turkmenistan   carpets

2013 Tour Itinerary (Sep 25 - Oct 5, 2013)

Saturday Sept 28th Assemble (flights from Beijing, London, Istanbul all arrive on this day) Free time in the evening. Overnight in Grand Turkmen Hotel Ashgabat. Dinner
Sunday
Sept 29th
AM: Tolkuchka Bazaar – recently moved to a new location we will see if the anarchic spirit of the world’s largest market has been able to make the transition! Hippodrome – to see the famous Ahal-Teke horses of Turkmenistan race, Lunch in the city
  PM: City tour including Independence Park and monuments, free time in the evening and dinner at leisure

Monday
Sept 30th

AM: drive into the desert to semi-nomadic village, lunch in local home in the village
  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

Tuesday
Oct 1st

AM: Return to Ashgabat via mud crater and water crater (also caused by industrial accidents), lunch in the city at leisure 

  PM: Free time for shopping, exploring, etc – local guides can recommend places to visit such as ‘Disneyland’ (AKA the World of Turkmen Fairy Tales), the Russian Bazaar, the Serdar Health Walk (8km trail in the nearby mountains bordering Iran), the carpet museum, national history museum, or just take a stroll around the very different areas of this fascinating city
Wednesday
Oct 2nd

AM: 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! – lunch in the city

 

PM: 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. Dinner and overnight in Uzboy Hotel Dashoguz.

Thursday
Oct 3rd
 

Flight back to Ashgabat, Local Stud Farm – we will see the famed Ahal-Teke horses of Turkmenistan, renowned as the purest bred horses in the world we can see them ridden in the traditional way here as well as having a go ourselves if we dare ride the horses who were believed by visitors to the region in the past to sweat blood! transfer to Hotel, lunch in Ashgabat
  PM: Free time in Ashgabat for shopping, sightseeing, resting, etc
Friday
Oct 4th
AM: Drive to Kow Ata underground lake, a remarkable natural hot spring 80m under the ground, go swimming in the year-round heated waters in the pitch darkness, a surreal and unforgettable experience!, Visit the Geok Deppe Mosque and lunch at a local restaurant
  PM: Gypjak Mosque, the largest in Central Asia, also this site houses the family Mausoleum of the Turkmenbashi, the first president of the country, return to Ashgabat for final farewell dinner


Saturday
Oct
5th


Flights depart to various destinations throughout the day, airport transfers provided

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