5 Day Tour: Ashgabat – Darvaza – Mary (Merv) – Turkmenabat – Farap
This five-day journey is designed for travelers arriving in Ashgabat late at night, who can rest at the hotel and begin their adventure the next morning without any rush. It brings together Turkmenistan's top highlights: the glowing Darvaza Gas Crater known as the "Gates of Hell," a rich Ashgabat city tour blending modern and historic landmarks, and the ancient Silk Road city of Merv, once among the largest in the world. The route then continues to Turkmenabat and the Farap border, making it ideal for travelers heading onward to Bukhara or Khiva, or starting a longer Central Asia journey across Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.
DAY BY DAY
Day 1 — Ashgabat Arrival
On arrival you are met and transferred to your hotel in Ashgabat. The day is left free for rest after your flight, with an overnight stay in the capital so you can begin the tour fresh the next morning.
Day 2 — Ashgabat → Darvaza (overnight in yurts)
After breakfast you set out on an Ashgabat city tour, taking in the white-marble monuments and main landmarks of the capital. In the afternoon you depart for Darvaza, aiming to arrive before sunset so you can watch the burning gas crater come alive in the dark. Dinner is served and you spend the night in traditional yurts beside the "Gates of Hell."
Day 3 — Darvaza → Ashgabat (city tour)
After breakfast you leave Darvaza and make short stops at the Mud Crater and Water Crater near the highway. You then drive back to Ashgabat for a city tour, including an evening drive past its illuminated modern monuments. Dinner is taken in town and you spend the night in Ashgabat.
Day 4 — Ashgabat → Mary
You depart Ashgabat and drive east towards Mary. On arrival you visit the ancient city of Merv, once one of the largest cities in the world and a key stop on the Silk Road, exploring its mausoleums, fortresses and ruins. Overnight in Mary.
Day 5 — Mary → Turkmenabat → Farap border
After breakfast you drive to Turkmenabat for a short city tour. You then continue to the Farap border crossing, where the tour ends. This is the ideal point to continue your journey on to Bukhara or elsewhere in 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 expenses of the driver and guide, including fuel, meals and accommodation, plus transfer to the meeting point at the border and farewell at the border
- All taxes
- The tour starts at the Turkmenistan border and ends at the Turkmenistan border
- You will see everything possible within the available time; the itinerary may be adjusted as needed along the way
- 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 other sites as per the tour (roughly no more than $10 per day, if any)
- Tips (tips are welcomed)
6 STOPS
- 01AshgabatDay 1
- 02Darvaza Gas CraterDay 2
- 03AshgabatDay 3
- 04MaryDay 4
- 05TurkmenabatDay 5
- 06Farab BorderDay 5
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- 5 Day Tour: Ashgabat – Darvaza – Mary (Merv) – Turkmenabat – Farap
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- Ashgabat · Mon–Sat · 09:00–18:00 TMT
