Turkmenistan: Modern & Ancient

Board your overnight flight from London Gatwick to Ashgabat, beginning your journey into one of Central Asia’s most intriguing and least-visited countries.

Arrive in Ashgabat and meet your expert local guide, who will accompany you throughout your journey. After settling into your centrally located hotel, enjoy a welcome lunch and discuss the days ahead. In the afternoon, explore the vibrant Altyn Asyr (Golden Age) Bazaar, best visited on Sundays when the camel market is lively. Wander through colourful stalls of carpets, spices, and local crafts, absorbing the energy of Turkmenistan’s marble capital and gaining insight into its rich traditions before returning to your hotel for an evening at leisure. (B,L)

Begin the day at Nissa, a UNESCO-listed Parthian site that once served as an important trading centre before an earthquake in the 1st century BC brought its short-lived settlement to an end. Continue to Magtymguly Pyragy Park for a distant view of the new statue honouring Turkmenistan’s most celebrated poet. Visit the National Museum of Turkmenistan for helpful context ahead of your journey, then the People’s Memory Monument Complex, dedicated to wartime history and the 1948 earthquake. After a late lunch, travel to the Turkmenbashy Ruhy Mosque, noted for its scale and striking modern design. (B,L)

Begin with Ashgabat’s early Soviet legacy at the 1927 Lenin Statue, notable for its rare Arabic script. Continue to the small Pushkin bust and walk past central landmarks such as the Paytagt Hotel, Mollapenes Theatre and the Main Drama Theatre before a visit to the Altyn Asyr Shopping Centre, known for Turkmen-made crafts and rugs. In the afternoon, travel by 4WD into the Karakum Desert to see the Darvaza Gas Crater. Watch the flames after sunset and enjoy a simple dinner at a nearby yurt camp before returning to the city late evening. (B,L,D)

NB: For those who would prefer to omit sightseeing in Darvaza we can instead arrange further sightseeing in Ashgabat. This will see a slight reduction in the package price. Please contact us for further details.

Leave Ashgabat and head east to the 15th-century Seyit Jemaleddin Mosque near Anau, where only fragments remain of what was once an important Timurid complex. Continue to Yashlyk for lunch at the Berk Brewery & Restaurant before travelling to the ruins of Abiverd, a former Silk Road city destroyed during the Mongol invasions. From here, drive across the desert plains to Mary, arriving late afternoon or early evening. Check into your hotel for a two-night stay. (B,L,D)

Begin at the Mary Museum for an overview of the region’s history before a short visit to the 1900 Russian Orthodox Church and a quick stop to photograph a Soviet-era MiG fighter. Continue to the lively Gök Bazaar. This afternoon explore the vast archaeological site of Merv, a UNESCO World Heritage city that flourished along the Silk Road for over two millennia and sprawls across 1,200 hectares. Return to Mary late afternoon for an evening at leisure, with dinner options available locally. (B,L)

Travel by road from Mary to Ashgabat, a journey of approximately 370 km along a modern motorway. Pause en route for refreshments before arriving in time for lunch and checking into your hotel for the final night. The afternoon offers flexible time to revisit missed sights, explore independently, or simply relax in your comfortable hotel. This is a chance to enjoy the city at your own pace, taking in any last views of Ashgabat’s marble architecture or local markets. (B,L)

Transfer to the airport for the return flight. (B)