7-Day Turkmenistan Tour: Ashgabat, Merv, Darvaza & Yangykala Canyon
Overview
This 7-day Turkmenistan tour shows you the whole of one of the world’s most mysterious and least-visited countries, from the Guinness-record white-marble capital to the colourful canyons near the Caspian Sea.
Explore Ashgabat’s golden domes, monuments and old Soviet downtown, and visit Ancient Merv, once one of the great capitals of the Islamic world. Discover Nisa, the UNESCO-listed sanctuary of the Parthian kings, then camp beside the Darvaza Gas Crater and watch the sunrise over the Karakum Desert. Meet the legendary Akhal-Teke horses at Gokdepe, visit the mountain village of Nokhur with its ancient traditions, and end in the red, ochre and purple cliffs of Yangykala Canyon.
Your Turkmenistan e-visa (prepared by us, visa fee included), guide, all transport including a 4x4 to the crater, entrance fees and daily breakfast are included.
Highlights
Is this trip for you?
- Travellers who want to see Turkmenistan properly, not just pass through
- Couples, friends and families who prefer their own guide and vehicle
- Photographers — marble city, desert crater, mountain village and canyons
- History lovers, from Parthian Nisa to medieval Merv
- You don’t enjoy long drives — several days have 4–6 hours on the road
- You need to be online every day — internet is very limited in Turkmenistan
- You expect the Darvaza crater to look like the old viral photos
Our honest opinion
- It covers the whole country, from Merv in the east to the Caspian canyons in the west
- Yangykala Canyon and Nokhur are rarely visited and unforgettable
- Two internal flights save long return drives
- Your own private guide and vehicle
- Days 5 and 6 are long road days, and Day 6 ends with an evening flight
- Only breakfast and the Darvaza BBQ are included — bring cash for other meals
- The Darvaza flames are much weaker than they used to be
- A border fee of about USD 40 per person (customs, bank and health check) is paid on arrival
Most visitors only see Turkmenistan on a quick crossing between Uzbekistan and Iran. This tour gives it a whole week, and that’s when the country really opens up. Don’t miss sunrise at the crater: it’s quieter and more magical than the night.
The trip in numbers
Your route
Line style shows how you travel each leg: solid = train, dotted = car, dashed = flight.
Day by day
Arrival at Ashgabat International Airport.
Meet our representative and transfer to your hotel (early check-in).
Free time to rest.
Ashgabat city tour. In 2013, the Guinness Book of Records named Ashgabat the city with the largest number of white-marble buildings in the world.
Highlights include:
Ashgabat Olympic Stadium – the centrepiece of the city’s Olympic complex.
Independence Monument and Park – the national monument and its gardens.
The main flagpole of Ashgabat – one of the tallest flagpoles in the world.
Arch of Neutrality – a symbol of Turkmenistan’s neutral status.
Constitution Monument – a tall monument celebrating the Turkmen constitution.
The Ferris Wheel – the world’s largest indoor Ferris wheel.
Wedding Palace – a striking star-shaped building crowned with a globe.
Panoramic view of Ashgabat from the top of the hill.
Halk Hakydasy Memorial Complex – the national memorial to the heroes of Turkmenistan.
Alabay Monument – a golden statue of the beloved Turkmen shepherd dog.
Ertugrul Gazi Mosque – an elegant mosque in Ottoman style.
Breakfast at the hotel.
Drive to Mary (360 km, approx. 4 hours).
Arrival in Mary and lunch.
Drive to Merv (35 km, approx. 45 minutes).
Explore Ancient Merv, the “Queen of the World”, once one of the most important capitals of Islam, alongside Baghdad, Cairo and Damascus.
Sightseeing includes:
Greater and Lesser Kyz Kala (6th–7th centuries) – mysterious fortified mansions with corrugated mud-brick walls.
Complex of the Askhabs (8th–14th centuries) – the tombs of two companions of the Prophet.
Erk Kala (6th century BC) – the oldest part of Merv.
Gyaur Kala (4th century BC) – the city of the Hellenistic and Sasanian era.
Hoja Yusuf Hamadani Complex – a revered place of pilgrimage.
Sultan Sanjar Mausoleum – the great 12th-century tomb, the symbol of Merv.
Muhammad ibn Zeid Mausoleum – a fine example of medieval brickwork.
After sightseeing, flight back to Ashgabat.
Breakfast at the hotel.
Morning visit to Nisa Fortress, the sanctuary of the Parthian kings:
A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2007.
One of the first capitals of the Parthian Empire, founded by Arsaces I (reigned c. 250–211 BC).
Reputedly the royal necropolis of the Parthian kings.
Afternoon drive to the Darvaza Gas Crater (276 km, approx. 4 hours):
The crater has been burning for more than 50 years in the middle of the Karakum Desert.
Nearby, you can also see the water and mud craters.
Enjoy the fresh desert air and a glimpse of the nomadic way of life.
At night, the crater’s glow lights up the sky.
Barbecue dinner at the camp.
Overnight in a Turkmen yurt or private tent near the crater.
Wake up early to watch the sunrise over the crater and the Karakum Desert glowing in the warm morning light.
Time for photos and a peaceful moment in the desert.
Breakfast at the camp.
Drive to Ashgabat (270 km, approx. 4 hours) and hotel check-in.
Walking tour of the old part of the city (approx. 1.5 km):
Magtymguly Drama Theatre – the starting point of the walk.
Historic downtown – streets shaded by century-old trees.
Lenin statue – one of the few remaining monuments of the Soviet era.
State Central Archive – with Soviet-style architecture still preserved on its façade.
Ashgabat Mayor’s Office.
Russian Bazaar – one of the most vibrant and authentic places in the city, full of daily local life and local products.
Inspiration Park – adorned with statues of Turkmen poets.
Breakfast at the hotel.
Drive to Gokdepe (54 km, approx. 45 minutes) by 4x4 vehicle:
Gokdepe Fortress – attacked by the army of the Russian Empire in December 1880. The siege lasted 23 days before the fortress was taken by storm.
Gokdepe Mosque (Saparmyrat Hajy) – built in 1995 in memory of the battle, known for its turquoise roof and white marble walls.
Visit to the Akhal-Teke horse stable:
The national pride of the Turkmen people, a pure breed with roots going back 5,000 years.
Rulers such as Alexander the Great and Darius I desired to own these horses.
The farm keeps more than 35 beautiful horses, and local belief says that a sick person who touches an Akhal-Teke will soon get well.
Drive to Nokhur (100 km, approx. 1.5 hours), a village in the western Kopetdag Mountains:
The village cemetery – each grave is guarded by the huge horns of mountain goats, which locals consider sacred.
Many houses have a goat’s skull on a stick outside to ward off evil spirits.
Kyz Bibi pilgrimage site – an ancient plane tree covered with scraps of cloth, each one a wish. Concrete steps lead up to a tiny sacred cave in the hillside.
Drive to Balkanabat (320 km, approx. 3.5 hours).
Breakfast at the hotel.
Drive towards Yangykala Canyon (180 km, approx. 3 hours).
On the way, visit the pilgrimage site of Gozli-Ata.
Yangykala Canyon, one of the most spectacular natural sites of Turkmenistan:
The name means “fire fortress” in Turkmen.
Sheer cliffs of white, yellow, ochre, purple and red, carved by wind and rain into shapes that look like stone castles from a fantasy.
Time to explore and take photos.
Drive to Turkmenbashi (170 km, approx. 3 hours).
20:30 – Flight to Ashgabat.
Arrival in Ashgabat and transfer to the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel (depending on your flight time).
Transfer to Ashgabat International Airport for your departure flight.
What’s included
What’s not included
Where you’ll stay
Or equivalent, depending on season.
Choose your hotel category
Same itinerary, same guide — pick the comfort level that suits you. The price switch is in the booking box.
- Ashgabat - Ak Altyn
- Balkanabat - Cynar
- Darvaza - Yurt Camp
- Ashgabat - Sport
- Balkanabat - Nebitchi
- Darvaza - Yurt Camp
- Ashgabat - Yldyz
- Balkanabat - Nebitchi
- Darvaza - Yurt Camp
Good to know
All visitors need a visa for Turkmenistan. We prepare your e-visa ourselves and the visa fee is included in the tour price — just send us a clear passport scan when you book. At the border you pay about USD 40 per person in local fees (customs, bank charges and health check). Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after your trip.
You’ll sleep in a Turkmen yurt or a private tent near the crater, with a BBQ dinner under the stars and breakfast in the desert. A 4x4 takes you from the main road to the camp. Bring a warm layer — desert nights are cold.
Yes, but much less strongly than in the famous older photos. The crater, the sunset and sunrise, and the night in the desert are still a unique experience.
Yes, two short flights: Mary to Ashgabat on Day 2 and Turkmenbashi to Ashgabat on Day 6. Keep your passport handy — it’s checked on domestic flights.
Photography is restricted near government buildings and some monuments in Ashgabat. Your guide will tell you where photos are allowed.
The local currency is the Turkmen manat (TMT). Foreign cards rarely work, so bring clean, recent US dollar notes to exchange — your guide shows you where.
April–May and September–October are ideal. July–August is very hot in the desert and canyons (40°C and more), and winter nights at Darvaza can be freezing.
Plug types C and F, 220 V — the same as most of Europe. Travellers from the UK, US and Asia need a standard Euro adapter.
Relaxed in Ashgabat. Shoulders and knees should be covered at mosques and mausoleums. Photographing government buildings is not allowed — your guide will tell you where.
Internet is slow and many sites and apps are blocked; plan to be offline at Darvaza. Your guide keeps in touch with our office throughout.
Free cancellation 40 days or more before departure. 39–30 days: 30% of the price is kept; 29–15 days: 50%; 14 days or less or no-show: 100%. One free change of dates or hotel category 45+ days before departure.
Travel insurance is not included in the tour price. We recommend a policy covering medical care, repatriation and cancellation, and we can suggest trusted providers.
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