5-Day Turkmenistan Tour: Darvaza, Ashgabat, Turkmenbashi & Yangikala
This rich five-day journey starts at the Shavat border and carries you across desert, mountains and the Caspian coast. Watch the fiery Darvaza Gas Crater glow at sunset and spend the night in a traditional yurt beneath the desert stars. Explore Ashgabat, the "White Marble City," with its museums, monuments and UNESCO-listed Nisa, then head west to swim in the Kow Ata underground lake, meet villagers in Nokhur, relax on the Caspian shore in Turkmenbashi and marvel at the colorful Yangikala canyons.
DAY BY DAY
Day 1 — Shavat → Dashoguz → Darvaza
Meet your guide and driver at the Shavat border crossing near Khiva, Uzbekistan, then cross into Turkmenistan and drive about an hour to Dashoguz for a lunch of traditional Turkmen cuisine. In the afternoon you head across the Karakum Desert to Darvaza (about 3.5 hours), arriving in the evening at the famous Darvaza Gas Crater, the "Gates of Hell," which has been burning continuously since 1971. Enjoy a traditional dinner prepared at the yurt camp and an unforgettable overnight stay in an authentic yurt under the desert stars beside the crater.
Day 2 — Darvaza → Ashgabat
After a final morning viewing of the Darvaza crater and breakfast at the yurt camp, you drive toward Ashgabat (about 4 hours), stopping at the turquoise Water Crater and the bubbling Mud Crater with its active mud volcanoes. Arriving in Ashgabat, the "White Marble City," you enjoy a comprehensive city tour including the National Museum of Turkmenistan, the National Carpet Museum, the Neutrality Monument, the Independence Monument and other striking marble landmarks. In the late afternoon you visit the ancient Nisa ruins, a UNESCO World Heritage site and former capital of the Parthian Empire, followed by dinner at a local restaurant and an overnight in a comfortable Ashgabat hotel.
Day 3 — Ashgabat → Kow Ata → Nokhur → Turkmenbashi
In the morning you leave Ashgabat for Turkmenbashi on the Caspian coast, stopping en route at the Kow Ata underground lake for a swim in its warm 37°C thermal waters inside a unique cave. You then visit Nokhur village, a traditional mountain settlement that offers authentic Turkmen rural life and stunning scenery. Continuing on (about 5–6 hours of driving with stops), you reach the Caspian shore by evening, with dinner and overnight at a hotel in Turkmenbashi.
Day 4 — Turkmenbashi → Yangikala → Ashgabat
Set off early for the Yangikala Canyons (about 2 hours' drive) and spend the morning exploring these breathtaking multicolored rock formations, often called the "Grand Canyon of Turkmenistan," with plenty of opportunities for photography and hiking. After a picnic lunch in the canyons, you drive back to Ashgabat via Balkanabat (about 6 hours), arriving in the evening. A farewell dinner at a traditional restaurant rounds off the day, with an overnight stay at a hotel in Ashgabat.
Day 5 — Departure
Guests with early 8:00 AM flights are transferred to Ashgabat International Airport at 5:00 AM. Those departing later have free time in the morning for last-minute shopping at Tolkuchka Bazaar or souvenir shops, with a midday transfer at 12:00 PM for guests on 3:00 PM flights. This marks the end of the tour services.
- 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/guide, including fuel, meals, accommodation and transfers to and from the border meeting point
- All taxes
- The tour starts and ends at the Turkmenistan border
- You will see everything possible within the time available; the itinerary can be adjusted on the go as needed
- 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)
9 STOPS
- 01Shavat BorderDay 1
- 02DashoguzDay 1
- 03Darvaza Gas CraterDay 1
- 04AshgabatDay 2
- 05Kow-Ata LakeDay 3
- 06NokhurDay 3
- 07TurkmenbashiDay 3
- 08Yangykala CanyonsDay 4
- 09AshgabatDay 4
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- 5-Day Turkmenistan Tour: Darvaza, Ashgabat, Turkmenbashi & Yangikala
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- Ashgabat · Mon–Sat · 09:00–18:00 TMT
