Tours of Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan Explorer

Home to ancient ruins, marble clad cities and a rich mix of traditional and modern cultures, this undiscovered gem is also blessed with a wealth of natural attractions including the colourful Yangikala Canyons, the Kopetag Mountains and the desert landscapes around Darvaza.Staying in a mix of guesthouses and pilgrim rest stops, this remarkable journey scratches beneath the surface of one of the world's most enigmatic destinations. You'll start in Ashgabat, home to the world's highest concentration of marble buildings, before going on to explore the mountains and valleys of Karakala. A visit to the once important Silk Road city of Dehistan is then followed by walks amongst the beautiful sandstone landscapes of the Yangikala Canyons.After visiting the thriving port of Turkmenbashi and the ancient ruins of Konye Urgench you then head out into the Karakum Desert, to camp close to the site of the Darvaze Crater, the remarkable 'Door to Hell' that was created by a collapsing gas rig in 1971. From here you head back to Ashgabat via the stunning UNESCO ruins at Merv, once one of the greatest cities on earth.

Tour includes: 7 nights three and four star hotel, 1 night wild camping, 2 nights guest houses - 10 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners - Private guided sightseeing - Private driver and vehicle - Entrance fees included as per itinerary - Private guided transfers to and from all airports

Heart of the Silk Road

Steeped in the legacy of Tamerlane, the Parthians and the Seljuks, the great cities of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan are home to some of the Silk Road's most evocative legacies. These are lands that still exude a little of the fabled glory of the great civilisations of Samarkand and Ashgabat, Merv and Bukhara, cities that once lay at the heart of this ancient trading route. Travelling across Uzbekistan and into the more remote regions of Turkmenistan you will explore some of the greatest cities of their age, beginning with Tashkent, the Uzbek capital. After a chance to explore the beautiful medieval city of Khiva, you then cross into Turkmenistan to visit Knye Urgench, home to the tallest minaret in Central Asia. Then it is on to the marbled splendour of Ashgabat and the ancient city of Nisa, the old Parthian capital.After exploring the ancient ruins of Gonor Depe and Merv, you then head back into Uzbekistan, to explore the treasures of Bukhara, Shakhrisabz and Samarkand, the great city of Tamerlane himself.

Tour includes: 2 internal flights - 10 nights 4 star traditional hotels and guesthouses - 10 breakfasts - Private guided sightseeing - Private driver and vehicle - Entrance fees included as per itinerary - Private guided transfers to and from all airports - First class train tickets

Turkmenistan Discovery

One of Central Asia's most unusual destinations, Turkmenistan is still held in the surreal grip of the personality cult that its former president, Niyazov (or Turkmenbashi as he preferred to be known) created. Home to some of the region's most friendly people, and one of its least visited destinations, it is a country that offers a fascinating mix of tradition, culture and historical pedigree.Beginning in Ashgabat you will have a chance to explore the Turkmen capital with a local guide, before continuing via the 18th century Nadir Shah Fortress to the town of Mary, your gateway onto the Bronze Age wonders of Gonur Depe and the ancient ruins of Merv, a UNESCO World Heritage site that was once believed to be the largest city in the world.Flying on to the northern city of Dashoguz, you then have a chance to visit one of the country's cultural highlights, the ancient capital of Khorezm at Konye Urgench, once one of the greatest of the Silk Road cities. Returning to Ashgabat through the desert you will be able to see the peculiar Darvaza Gas Crater at night.

Tour includes: 2 internal flights - 7 nights 3 and 4 star hotel accommodation, 1 night wild camping - 7 breakfasts, 1 Dinner - Private guided sightseeing - Private driver and vehicle - Entrance fees included as per itinerary - Private guided transfers to and from all airports