Turkmenistan in 4 Days: Khiva to Bukhara via the Crater
Overview
The add-on that turns the Khiva-to-Bukhara transfer into a country. We collect you at the Shavat border, show you Kunya-Urgench, the crater, Ashgabat and Merv, and hand you to our Bukhara team at Farap four days later.
Letter of invitation, transit visa and all permits handled; a Turkmen guide and driver throughout. Groups of two to ten — the price drops with every extra traveller.
Highlights
Is this trip for you?
- Anyone doing Uzbekistan who wants a fifth country for four days
- Travellers who collect the unusual — the crater, the marble city
- Small groups of friends: ten people pay 20 % less each
- You dislike rules and set routes — Turkmenistan has both
- You are not already going between Khiva and Bukhara
Our honest opinion
- Replaces a 7-hour desert drive with a country
- Every permit and letter is done for you
- Day 1 and day 3 are long drives
- Visa fees and the 2 USD/night travel tax are paid in cash at the border
Book at least five weeks ahead — the letter of invitation takes time.
The trip in numbers
Your route
Line style shows how you travel each leg: solid = train, dotted = car, dashed = flight.
Day by day
Met at the border after breakfast in Khiva. The ruins of Kunya-Urgench, lunch in Dashoguz and the Karakum road to the crater; dinner by the fire.
The craters at dawn, then the capital: the monuments, Nisa and the carpet museum; evening on the marble boulevards.
Morning at the Turkmenbashi mosque and the bazaar, then the road east; Mary museum in the evening.
Ancient Merv in the morning light, then the Farap border and the handover to our Bukhara team.
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
“Turkmenistan is a strange and wonderful place and you need a company that knows how the permissions work. Guided Travels handled the letter of invitation, met us at the border and never missed a step. Camping beside the Darvaza crater — the heat on your face, the dark all around — was the single best night of a two-month trip. Ashgabat is like nowhere else; white marble, empty avenues, a guide who answered every question honestly.”
“El guia de la actividad, Bayram ha sido magnífico. El tour ha estado muy bien organizado, han sido muy puntuales y los chóferes eran muy buenos conductores. Bayram nos ha enseñado muchas cosas sobre la historia del país. Ha estado muy atento en todo momento para que estuviéramos bien y nos ha ayudado en todo lo que necesitábamos. Los hoteles han sido muy buenos. Ha sido una experiencia increíble y nos llevamos un recuerdo muy bonito. Es un viaje impactante por las diferencias culturales, totalmente recomendable.”
“The crater is as good as the photos. The desert camp is comfortable enough but basic (camp toilet, shower), and Ashgabat hotels are big and a little soulless — not the company’s fault, there is no other kind. Guide was knowledgeable and discreet. Obtaining LOI was smooth enough as getting visa stickers at the border.”
“What a great hassle free 4 day tour of Turkmenistan. Azat and his team took care of getting all the paperwork needed to visit Turkmenistan. We met with him the night before the tour to go over logistics. He explained the border crossings. Once we crossed into Turkmenistan there was a representative to help us do everything necessary- pay the visa fee, get Covid test, get passport stamped etc. it was very smooth. We had 2 separate drivers and felt very safe with each one of them. But be warned that the roads in Turkmenistan are very bad, so if you get motion sickness make sure to pack some medicine for it. Our guide was very knowledgeable, and answered any questions we had. He was able to describe everything in English for us. He helped us at restaurants if we had any questions on what the food was if there wasn’t any English menu. The vast differences in what we saw was amazing- from the Devarza Crater, to Ashgabat, to Merv. I would recommend taking this tour with guided travels to anyone wanting to experience Turkmenistan”
“The tour was well organised and every detail taken care of by Guided Travels . Axror, the company owner pays attention every detail and is always available for assyif needed. Merdan and Maxad, my guide and driver were amazing, helpful and great company. They are very flexible and made sure I got all the photos and food I wanted! I would highly recommend this tour”
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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