DAY 1: WELCOME TO ASHGABAT — EXPLORE NISSA FORTRESS & CITY TOUR
- Arrive in Ashgabat, the dazzling capital city adorned with white marble architecture.
- You will be warmly welcomed by our local representative and transferred to Hotel
- After breakfast and check-in, relax and get ready for a day of discovery.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE DAY:
- UNESCO Heritage Site — Nissa Fortress: Ancient capital of the Parthian Empire.
- Monument of Magtymguly Fragi — The greatest Turkmen poet.
- City Tour of Ashgabat, the “White Marbled City,” featured in the Guinness World Records (2013):
- Ruhyyet Palace, Wedding Palace, Arch of Neutrality, Independence Park & Monument, Constitution Monument, Modern Yildyz Hotel, Ferris Wheel and more.
- Lunch at a local café.
- Free time to explore the city or relax at the hotel.
- Evening Highlight: Enjoy a lavish Turkmen cultural dinner show, complete with traditional music and dance.
DAY 2: DAY EXCURSION TO ANCIENT MERW (VIA MARY) — RETURN TO ASHGABAT
- Breakfast at the hotel, followed by an early departure via Awtoban Highway (approx. 4 hours) to Mary city.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE DAY:
- Experience a traditional “Tamdyrlyama” (local mutton delicacy) in a yurta-style lunch.
- Witness Turkmen folk dances and an exclusive Ahalteke horse show.
- Explore Ancient Merv — another UNESCO World Heritage site, once a flourishing center of Islamic civilization:
- Gyz Gala & Oglan Gala, Askhabs Complex, Gyaur Gala, Buddhist Monastery, Beni Makhan Mosque (the first mosque in Central Asia)
Return to Ashgabat by evening via domestic flight
DAY 3: ASHGABAT — DARWAZA (THE DOOR TO HELL ADVENTURE)
- After breakfast and checkout, begin your thrilling 4WD desert expedition to Darwaza Gas Crater (268 km), famously known as “The Door to Hell”, located in the vast Karakum Desert ("Black Sands").
En Route Experiences:
- Stop at a traditional Turkmen village:
- Visit local yurts, try Gowurdak (local fried meat), taste Chal (fermented camel milk), and enjoy an authentic camel ride.
Evening at the Crater:
- Witness the surreal burning gas crater, glowing since the 1970s — an unforgettable sight under the desert stars.
- Enjoy a delicious barbecue dinner in the open desert.
Overnight stay in traditional yurt camps near the crater.
DAY 4: DARWAZA — KUNYA URGENCH — DEPARTURE
- Early picnic breakfast, then depart to Kunya Urgench (110 km) — an ancient capital of the Khorezm Empire and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Sightseeing:
- Visit historical monuments:
- Mausoleums of Il Arslan, Sultan Tekesh, Nejmeddin Kubra, Sultan Ali, Turabek-Khanum
- Minaret of Kutlug Timur, Mamun II
Lunch at a local café in Dashoguz.
Post lunch, proceed to the Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan border at Shawad for onward journey or departure.
Thank you for traveling with us. Namaste — until we meet again!
