The tour itinerary is a PRELIMINARY one. Korea Konsult reserves the right to change some parts of the itinerary below if needed. Eventual itinerary changes after arrival in Turkmenistan are beyond our control. Under no circumstances can Korea Konsult be held responsible for any itinerary changes.
| Day 1: Ashgabat – Nissa – Ruhy Mosque – Ashgabat |
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- Arrival in Ashgabat International Airport early in the morning.
- Transfer to Ashgabat - capital of Turkmenistan, often called as "White city". Ashgabat is built in the Karakum Desert and is located 25km north of the border with Iran from which it is separated by Kopet Dag mountain range. Since the independence from Soviet Union in 1991, the city has completely changed its look. An impressive architectural re-styling effort led by the government of Turkmenistan resulted in Guiness Book Record for world's highest density of white marble-clad buildings.
- Check-in at the Sport Hotel - very good 4* hotel in Ashgabat city center. The Berkarar shopping center is just across the street.The Sport hotel was completed in 2017 for the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games. From the restaurant on the top floor you can enjoy a fantastic city panorama.
- Rest at the hotel, breakfast.
- Drive to Nissa fortress - the Sanctuary of Parthian Kings, UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2007. Nissa is described as one of the first capitals of the Parthians. It was founded by Arsaces I (reigned c. 250 BC – 211BC), and was reputedly the royal residence and necropolis. The ruins of the ancient settlement Nissa are located 18 km from Ashgabat at Bagyr village.
- Turkmenbashi Ruhy Mosque - located in 7 km from Ashgabat, this is one of the biggest mosques in Asia built in 2004 in the home town of the first president of Turkmenistan. Next to the mosque there is a mausoleum where the president was buried in 2006. His family rest here as well: his father who was killed in WWII, his mother and 2 brothers, all killed in the devastating Ashgabat earthquake in 1948
- Lunch
- ASHGABAT CITY TOUR:
- Pass by Presidential Palace - is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of Turkmenistan, located on Independence Square. It is forbidden to take pictures of the Palace.
- Rukhiyet Palace - built by the French company Bouygues, it is a place for holding official meetings and events, forums and inaugurations.
- Wedding Palace - "palace of happiness" in Turkmen. This impressive building is crowned by a cube with a ball displaying the map of Turkmenistan. The palace consists of several halls for celebrations, banquet halls for weddings, dozens of shops, photo and beauty salons, etc
- Yyldyz Hotel - "star" in Turkmen. It is one of the best hotels in Turkmenistan offering a fantastic panorama of Ashgabat city. This hotel is also one of the few places with good wi-fi.
- Constitution Monument - a 91-meter high four-sided pillar decorated with Turkmen carpet ornaments on all sides and crowned with a spire with a gold crescent moon and five stars. This monument is associated with the proclamation of Turkmenistan's independence on October 27, 1991 and the Constitution's adoption om May 18, 1992
- Arch of Neutrality - built in 1998, it is a 75-meter-high rocket-shaped tower topped with a gold statue of the former Turkmenistan's president Niyazov (died in 2006). The statue was rotating throughout the day so that its face would be always in the sun. In 2010 the monument was removed from the city center and reassembled in the outskirts of Ashgabat.
- Independence Monument - inspired by traditional Turkmen tents, this impressive monument is one of the largest of its kind. Together with the surrounding park which is the place of numerous statues, water fountains and pools, it covers an area of more than 80,000 m².
- Ferries Wheel - inaugurated in 2012, it holds Guiness Book Record for world's largest indoor Ferris wheel
- Ertugrul Gazi Mosque - named in honor of the father of Osman Empire first ruler, this building is a beautiful combination of Islamic and Byzantine architecture. It is also one of the first mosques built after the independence of Turkmenistan in the early 1990s
- Aziada 2017 - is the impressive infrastructure built in a central area of Ashgabat for the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in 2017(Aziada). It includes Olympic Stadium, 30 sport facilities, the Athletes Village, various support and administrative buildings. Aziada 2017 became the first major multi-sport event hosted in Turkmenistan and attracted 5,500 athletes from 62 countries to participate across 21 sports.
- Dinner
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OVERNIGHT: Sport Hotel**** or same level |
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| Day 2: Ashgabat – Gokdepe – Horse farm – Ashgabat |
- Breakfast
- Tolkuchka Bazaar - is the Ashgabat's largest bazaar. It offers a huge range of goods from fruits and vegetables to Turkmen carpets, handicrafts, jewelry, silks and even camels.
- Drive to Gokdepe Fortress - a place of important battle for annexation of Turkmen land by Russian Emperor at the end of the XIX century.
- Gokdepe Mosque - built on the orders of the first President of Turkmenistan on the site of the former Gokdepe fortress, it commemorates Turkmen civilians and soldiers who lost their lives in the bloody battle against the Russian Empire in 1881
- Horse farm - unique chance to see beautiful Akhalteke horses. This horse breed exists since 5000 years ago and is the real proud of the Turkmens. Akhaltheke horse breed was never mixed with other breeds.
- Lunch and cooking class at the horse farm: we will be preparing the Turkmen National dish Tamdyrlama (lamb).
- Drive back to Ashgabat
- Square of Revival (Galkynysh) - in the middle of this grandiose square there is a huge stele designed to embody the spirit of the new Turkmen statehood based on independence and permanent neutrality, peace and creativeness.
- Park of Inspiration - opened in 2010, it is located between two central avenues of the Turkmen capital. It is a series of four parks and each section is dedicated to famous Turkmen. More than forty statues are erected along the park tracks. The park is beautifully decorated by artificial river, bridges, fountains and flowerbeds.
- Lenin Monument - this first monument to Lenin in Central Asia dates from 1927. It stands atop three plinths, each one carrying traditional motifs of the Turkmen carpets. While most of the buildings in Ashgabat fell to the ground during the terrible 1948 Ashgabat earthquake, the monument survived it with virtually no damage.
- Alabay statue - this 6 meters high golden statue representing the Turkmen shepherd dog Alabay is placed on the pedestal of 9 meters height in the middle of one of Ashgabat's roundabouts in the Western part of the Turkmen capital. The monument was unveiled in November 2020 by the Turkmen president in person.
- Dinner
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OVERNIGHT: Sport Hotel**** or same level |
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| Day 3: Ashgabat – Kow Ata – Nokhur |
- Breakfast
- Drive to Nokhur Mountain Village by 4WD car (190km, 3,5 h) via Kow-ata underground lake.
- Kow Ata underground lake - located about 100 km away from Ashgabat, it is a cave that is 65 meter underground with natural underground lake inside. Kow Ata is home to the largest colony of bats known in Central Asia. The lake contains therapeutic warm water (34-37 degree Celsius) which includes more than 30 elements (iodine, magnesium, iron, potassium, sodium, sulfate, sulfur and others) good for blood circulation, rheumatism etc. Inside the cave the sulfur is responsible for the distinct odor. If you want to take a “therapeutic bath” in the lake, don’t stay in the water more than 20 minutes. We recommend to take precautions like wearing non slip footwear and use hand rails.
- Lunch
- Drive further to Nokhur - isolated village located in a valley of the Kopet Dag Mountains, mountain range on the border between Turkmenistan and Iran. The about 5,000 inhabitants living in an isolated settlement have retained a distinct cultural identity and customs. They speak a Turkmen dialect, which is difficult for other Turkmens to understand. The population there is polygamous. Nohurly regard themselves as descendants of the legionnaires led by Alexander the Great.
- In the evening enjoy a short introduction with a local silk textile weaver.
- Dinner at local family
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OVERNIGHT: Tents or local family's house
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| Day 4: Nokhur – Ashgabat – Mary |
- Breakfast at homestay
- Drive back to Ashgabat.
- Lunch
- Transfer to Ashgabat railway station to travel to Mary - the third largest city of Turkmenistan, located 370 km East from Ashgabat on an oasis in the Karakum desert. The city was founded in 1884 as a Russian military and administrative post and today it is a large industrial centre for the natural gas and cotton industries. The ruins of the ancient city of Merv are located in 30 km from Mary.
- Dinner at restaurant carriage
- Arrival in Mary in the evening and transfer Mary hotel – built in 2015, this hotel offers the best accommodation option in the heart of the city.
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OVERNIGHT: Mary Hotel****
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| Day 5: Mary – Chasgyn village – Merv – Mary |
- Breakfast
- Drive to Chashgyn village - local Turkmen village situated north of Merv, it is a place where we can see demonstration of differents crafts such as carpet making, felt rug making, dying yarns, weaving, broom making etc. Locals will show the milking of camel and demonstrate making traditional instruments.
- Lunch
- Drive to Merv - located in 33 km from Mary, it is an ancient city on the Silk Road. The earliest references of Merv were found in the 8-6th centuries B.C. During the XII and XIII centuries it became one of the largest cities in the world with a population of about 500,000 and chroniclers described Merv as “the city that holds the universe." In 1221 Merv was invaded by Mongolian nomads and completely devastated. Even after being rebuilt after the Mongol destruction, the city could never regain its former prosperity.
- Sightseeing in ancient Merv - we will be driving through the State Historical and Cultural Park to see the many remains. They include Bronze Age (2500-1200 BC), Iron Age (1200-300 BC) and other historic urban centers, as well as the post-medieval city. The Mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar and Kiz Kala fortress are one of the best preserved monuments of ancient Merv.
- Drive back to Mary
- Dinner
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OVERNIGHT: Mary Hotel****
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| Day 6: Mary – Ashgabat – Damla – Darwaza Gas Grater |
- Breakfast
- Transfer to airport for flight to Ashgabat.
- Arrival in Ashgabat and departure for overnight trip to Karakum desert
- Visit Damla village - located in the heart of the Karakum desert far of main roads, it is a beautiful semi-nomadic settlement. Over the last centuries local habits and traditions didn't change much so the trip to Damla is a very unique and genuine experience.
- Lunch
- Drive to Darwaza Gas Crater - located in 3,5 hrs ride from Ashgabat, this place is dubbed by locals as "The Door to Hell". The Darwaza area is rich in natural gas. While drilling in 1971, Soviet geologists discovered a cavern filled with natural gas. The ground beneath the drilling rig collapsed, leaving a large hole with a diameter of 70 meters. To avoid poisonous gas discharge, it was decided to burn it off. Geologists had hoped the fire would use all the fuel in a matter of days, but amazingly Darwaza is still burning today. In the evening, the view of the burning Darwaza is even more spectacular.
- Dinner with a view on the Gas Crater
- Overnight at Tents - every tent's capacity is 2 people, sleeping bags included
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| Day 7: Darwaza Gas Crater – Ashgabat |
- Breakfast with a view on the Gas Grater
- Drive to Ashgabat
- Lunch
- Free time in Ashgabat. You can enjoy walking in the city on your own. A good idea might be visiting Berkarar shopping center - one of the best in Ashgabat. This huge modern mall features stores of all kinds, a hypermarket, nice cafés, restaurants etc. Berkarar is located just in front of your hotel, across the street.
- Dinner
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OVERNIGHT: Sport Hotel****
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| Day 8: Ashgabat |
- Breakfast
- Transfer to the Ashgabat International Airport, departure by flight to your next destination
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Français/French
Deutsch/German
Русский/Russian
