7 Day Tour: Shavat – Kunya-Urgench – Darvaza – Ashgabat – Yangykala – Merv – Farab
This 7-day crossing from the Shavat border to Farab is one of the most complete ways to discover Turkmenistan in a single trip. It strings together nearly all of the country's highlights — Kunya-Urgench, the Darvaza Gas Crater, marble-clad Ashgabat, the Yangykala Canyons, the Caspian coast and ancient Merv. The route is ideal for travelers entering from Khiva and exiting toward Bukhara, packing roughly 90% of Turkmenistan's top sights into one efficient, balanced itinerary.
DAY BY DAY
Day 1 — Kunya-Urgench & Dashoguz Province
You are met on the Turkmenistan side of the Shavat border at 9:30 AM and head to Kunya-Urgench, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Highlights include the Turabek Khanum Mausoleum with its stunning blue dome and intricate tilework, the 62-meter Kutlug Timur Minaret (the tallest in Central Asia), the Sultan Tekesh Mausoleum, Kyrk Molla Hill, and the Il Arslan and Soltan Ali mausoleums. You also visit the ancient Khorezm fortresses of Shasenem and Zmukshir, which date back to the 4th century BC, and other historical sites of Dashoguz province. Overnight in Kunya-Urgench at the Gurgench Hotel.
Day 2 — Dashoguz to the Darvaza Gas Crater
The morning begins with a visit to Dashoguz city and its local market, a window into everyday life and traditional crafts. You then drive across the Karakum Desert toward Darvaza (about 4–5 hours), stopping for desert landscapes and nomadic settlements along the way. Arriving before sunset, you witness the famous "Door to Hell" gas crater in full flame, enjoy a traditional Turkmen dinner, and spend the night in a yurt camp beside the crater. Under the exceptionally clear Karakum skies you can stargaze and hear the story of how the crater formed in 1971.
Day 3 — Darvaza to Ashgabat
After a final look at the gas crater in the soft light of early morning, you set off for Ashgabat (about 4 hours), stopping en route at the turquoise water crater and the bubbling mud craters of the desert. The afternoon is a city tour of Ashgabat, including the Independence Monument and the 95-meter Arch of Neutrality with its rotating golden statue, the Alem Cultural and Entertainment Center (home to the world's largest enclosed Ferris wheel), the Turkmenbashi Mosque, the Constitution Monument, the Wedding Palace, and the white-marble heart of the city, which holds a Guinness World Record. Overnight in a comfortable Ashgabat hotel.
Day 4 — Ashgabat to Turkmenbashi (Caspian Sea)
Today you drive to the Caspian Sea port city of Turkmenbashi. Along the way you stop at the Kow Ata Underground Lake, a thermal sulfur lake 60 meters below ground in a cave, where the 37°C water is open for swimming and prized for its healing effect on skin and joints. You also visit Nokhur, a traditional mountain village at 1,000 meters with a distinctive culture, ancient petroglyphs and carpet weaving. You reach Turkmenbashi on the Caspian coast with a chance to see the sea, and spend the night in a hotel near the water.
Day 5 — Yangykala Canyons & Return to Ashgabat
An early start takes you to the Yangykala Canyons (about 2–3 hours), where multi-colored cliffs of red, orange, yellow, pink and white rise up to 60 meters — often called the "Grand Canyon of Turkmenistan." You walk the plateau rim for breathtaking views and photograph the canyon in the soft morning light, when the colors are at their best, while learning about the ancient Tethys Ocean that once covered this region. From there you continue to Balkanabat and return to Ashgabat via a scenic desert route. Overnight in Arkadag, the futuristic smart city opened in 2023.
Day 6 — Full-Day Ashgabat City Tour
A comprehensive day exploring Ashgabat and its surroundings. You visit Nisa, the UNESCO-listed ancient Parthian capital and royal residence from the 3rd century BC, the National Museum of Turkmenistan with its sweeping historical and cultural collections, and the Carpet Museum, home to the world's largest hand-woven carpet at 301 square meters. The tour also takes in the Ertugrul Gazi Mosque in Ottoman style, the colorful Russian (Gulistan) Bazaar, and — if it is Sunday — the vast Tolkuchka Bazaar, the largest market in Central Asia. You drive the famous white-marble avenues past local parks, monuments and the Olympic stadium complex. Overnight in Ashgabat.
Day 7 — Ashgabat to Merv & Farab Border Crossing
An early drive brings you to Mary and Ancient Merv (about 4 hours), a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the best-preserved oasis cities on the Silk Road. You explore the 12th-century Sultan Sanjar Mausoleum with its remarkable acoustics, the towering walls of Erk Gala (6th century BC), the Sassanid-era Gyaur Gala, the corrugated walls of the Greater and Lesser Gyz Gala fortresses, an ancient ice house, and the pilgrimage shrine of Mohammed ibn Zeid, while learning how Merv was once among the largest cities on earth. The tour ends at the Farab border crossing into Uzbekistan, toward Alat station.
- Invitation letter support and foreigner registration in Turkmenistan
- Accommodation in standard rooms
- Ashgabat city tour
- Transport and guide
- Meals at Darvaza and the yurt overnight stay at Darvaza
- All breakfasts
- All driver/guide expenses, including fuel, meals and accommodation, transfer to the meeting point at the border and farewell at the border
- All taxes
- The tour starts and ends at the Turkmenistan border
- You will see everything possible within the given time; the itinerary can be adjusted on the go where feasible
- 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 others as per the tour (roughly no more than $10 per day if any)
- Tips (tips are welcomed)
10 STOPS
- 01Kunya-UrgenchDay 1
- 02DashoguzDay 1
- 03Darvaza Gas CraterDay 2
- 04AshgabatDay 3
- 05TurkmenbashiDay 4
- 06AwazaDay 4
- 07Yangykala CanyonsDay 5
- 08AshgabatDay 5
- 09Ancient MervDay 7
- 10Farab BorderDay 7
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- 7 Day Tour: Shavat – Kunya-Urgench – Darvaza – Ashgabat – Yangykala – Merv – Farab
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- Ashgabat · Mon–Sat · 09:00–18:00 TMT
