Turkmenistan Round Trip — 6 Days from Ashgabat
Overview
Fly in and out of Ashgabat and see the country in a loop: the crater, Merv as a day trip, the Anau mosque, Nisa and the Akhal-Teke horse stables. Four-star hotel in the capital, one yurt night. For travellers who are coming for Turkmenistan itself.
Highlights
Is this trip for you?
- Travellers coming for Turkmenistan on its own
- Anyone who wants one hotel for most of the trip
- Horse lovers — the Akhal-Teke stable visit
- You want to continue overland into Uzbekistan (take one of the border routes)
- You dislike flights — Merv is by air both ways
Our honest opinion
- Unpack once
- Merv in a day with no road time
- Domestic flight times can change at short notice
- One basic yurt night
Ask us about the Yangykala canyon extension if you have two more days.
The trip in numbers
Your route
Line style shows how you travel each leg: solid = train, dotted = car, dashed = flight.
Day by day
Arrival and a first look at the marble city; the Neutrality monument at dusk.
Across the Karakum to the crater; dinner by the fire.
Craters at dawn; afternoon city tour and the Russian bazaar.
Morning flight to Mary, a full day in Merv, evening flight back.
Anau mosque, Nisa, the carpet museum and an Akhal-Teke stable outside the city.
Airport transfer.
What’s included
What’s not included
Where you’ll stay
Or equivalent, depending on season. Hotels are inside or beside the historic centres wherever the town has one.
Traveller reviews
What guests wrote
“Merv at sunset with nobody else there, then Darvaza, then Kunya-Urgench on the way out to Uzbekistan. Six days is right for Turkmenistan. Long drives but good cars. Our guide Maksat deserves a special mention for his patience with the border formalities.”
Good to know
Most nationalities enter Uzbekistan visa-free for 30–90 days. If your passport needs an e-visa, it takes 2–3 working days online — we check your case and guide you at booking.
The local currency is the Uzbek som (UZS). Visa and Mastercard work in city hotels, restaurants and supermarkets; keep some cash for bazaars, taxis and tips. ATMs dispense som and sometimes USD.
April–June and September–November are warm and clear — ideal for walking the old cities. July–August afternoons exceed 35°C; winter departures run at reduced prices.
Uzbekistan uses European plug types C and F, 220V. Travellers from the UK, US and Asia need a standard Euro adapter — one per device is enough, hotels have plenty of sockets.
Everyday dress is relaxed across all four cities. Inside mosques and madrasas, shoulders and knees should be covered; headscarves for women are only needed in a few active mosques — your guide will tell you when.
Your included eSIM is activated on arrival, so you’re online from the airport. Hotel Wi-Fi is reliable in all four cities; your coordinator stays reachable on WhatsApp or Telegram throughout.
Free cancellation up to 30 days before departure. 50% refund up to 15 days before; after that the booking is non-refundable, but you can move to another date once for free.
Medical insurance for the tour days is included. We still recommend personal travel insurance covering cancellation and baggage — we can suggest trusted providers.
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