3-Day Turkmenistan Tour: Ashgabat, Darvaza & Koytendag
This 3-day Turkmenistan tour is designed for travelers who want to discover the country's hidden gems: the flaming Darvaza Gas Crater and the mysterious Dinosaur Plateau in Koytendag. Ride legendary Akhal-Teke horses, taste authentic Turkmen cuisine, and enjoy genuine local hospitality before flying east to Kerki and the Koytendag Mountains, a land of waterfalls, caves, and canyons. Every moment combines unique nature, comfort, and unforgettable emotions.
DAY BY DAY
Day 1 — Arrival in Ashgabat – Horse Riding – Darvaza Gas Crater
On arrival at Ashgabat International Airport you are met by an English-speaking guide and transferred to the hotel for a short rest and a traditional Turkmen breakfast. Enjoy a one-hour ride on the legendary Akhal-Teke horses near the Presidential Residence, then lunch at Josgun restaurant with plov, ishlekli, and kebabs. In the afternoon drive about 4 hours through the Karakum Desert, visiting the smaller mud and water craters before reaching the flaming Darvaza Crater at sunset. Enjoy a grilled dinner by the fiery 'Gates of Hell', optional camel rides, then return to Ashgabat around midnight.
Day 2 — Ashgabat – Kerki – Koytendag Mountains
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for a domestic flight to Kerki (departure 10:00, arrival 11:30). At Kerki you meet your local driver with a comfortable 4WD vehicle for the journey into the wild Koytendag Nature Reserve. Stop for photos at Kaynarbaba, a natural spring with a turquoise lake said to have healing waters, then continue through canyons and valleys to the foothills of the Koytendag Mountains. Arrive at the Koytendag tourist base by evening for a home-style dinner and an overnight stay in a cozy mountain guesthouse.
Day 3 — Koytendag – Turkmenabat – Farab Border
A full day is dedicated to the natural wonders of Koytendag, starting with the Dinosaur Plateau, where hundreds of footprints over 150 million years old are preserved. Explore the Gaurly (Gulshirin) Cave with its underground lakes and stalactites, the legendary Kyrk Gyz ('Forty Girls') Cave, the Umbar-Dere Waterfall, the Koytendag Canyon, and the peaceful Koyten-Darya River. Visit the sacred Astana-Baba Mausoleum and the villages of Khojapil and Garashor, then enjoy lunch prepared by local villagers. After lunch, drive to Turkmenabat and continue to the Farab border, where the tour ends at the Uzbekistan crossing.
- Invitation letter support and foreigner registration in Turkmenistan
- Accommodation in standard rooms
- Ashgabat city tour
- Transport and guide
- Meals at Darvaza and yurt night stay at Darvaza
- All breakfasts
- All driver and guide expenses, including fuel, meals, accommodation, and border transfers
- All taxes
- Tour from the Turkmenistan border to the Turkmenistan border, covering everything possible within the time available
- 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 (roughly no more than $10 per day if any)
- Tips (welcomed but optional)
7 STOPS
- 01AshgabatDay 1
- 02Darvaza Gas CraterDay 1
- 03AshgabatDay 2
- 04KerkiDay 2
- 05KoytendagDay 2
- 06TurkmenabatDay 3
- 07Farab BorderDay 3
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- 3-Day Turkmenistan Tour: Ashgabat, Darvaza & Koytendag
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- Ashgabat · Mon–Sat · 09:00–18:00 TMT
