3 Day Ashgabat & Darvaza Tour
Discover the highlights of Turkmenistan in a short, action-packed journey. Begin in Ashgabat, the city of white marble, with its UNESCO-listed Nisa fortress and grand monuments. Continue to the Darvaza Gas Crater, the famous "Gates of Hell," for a sunset barbecue and an overnight stay in traditional yurts. Finish in Dashoguz before crossing the Shavat border into Uzbekistan, completing a perfect mix of culture, history, and desert landscapes.
DAY BY DAY
Day 1 — Arrival in Ashgabat – City Tour
Meet your guide at Ashgabat International Airport on arrival (most international flights land after midnight). After breakfast, enjoy a full day sightseeing tour of Ashgabat, the City of White Marble listed in the Guinness World Records. Visit the Turkmenbashi Ruhy Mosque, the ancient Nisa Fortress (UNESCO World Heritage Site), and the Carpet Museum, home to the world's largest handwoven carpet. In the afternoon explore modern Ashgabat including Independence Park, the Neutrality Monument and the Wedding Palace, then the Alem Center with the world's largest indoor Ferris wheel. Overnight in a hotel in Ashgabat.
Day 2 — Ashgabat – Darvaza Gas Crater
After breakfast, visit the National Museum of Turkmenistan and the lively Russian Bazaar (Tolkuchka Market), a great place to meet locals and buy snacks for the desert trip. After lunch, drive about 271 km (4.5 hours) toward the Darvaza Gas Crater, stopping at the Water Crater and Mud Crater along the way. Arrive before sunset to admire the fiery crater at its best, then enjoy a barbecue dinner prepared by your guide and driver near the yurt camp. Spend the night in a traditional Turkmen yurt beside the burning crater under the stars.
Day 3 — Darvaza – Dashoguz – Shavat Border
After breakfast at Darvaza, drive north toward the city of Dashoguz (about 300 km, roughly 5 hours); road conditions on this segment are challenging. On arrival in Dashoguz, spend some time in the city before heading to the border. Continue to the Shavat border crossing, located between Dashoguz and Khiva, and exit Turkmenistan to Uzbekistan.
- Invitation letter support and foreigner registration in Turkmenistan
- Accommodation in standard rooms
- Ashgabat city tour
- Transport and guide
- Meals at Darvaza and overnight yurt stay at Darvaza
- All breakfasts
- All driver and guide expenses, including fuel, meals and accommodation, transfer to the meeting point and farewell at the border
- All taxes
- The tour starts and ends at the Turkmenistan border
- You see everything possible within the available time; the itinerary can be adjusted on the go
- Visa and other fees at the border (usually no more than $110 per person)
- Meals ($3–8 per meal per person)
- Entrance fees to museums and sites along the tour (roughly no more than $10 per day if any)
- Tips (welcomed)
4 STOPS
- 01AshgabatDay 1
- 02Darvaza Gas CraterDay 2
- 03DashoguzDay 3
- 04Shavat BorderDay 3
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- 3 Day Ashgabat & Darvaza Tour
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- Ashgabat · Mon–Sat · 09:00–18:00 TMT
