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Private, on your own dates · Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

Cultural Turkmenistan

Four days through Turkmenistan between Khiva and Bukhara, with a night at the Darvaza crater, a full programme in Ashgabat including Nisa and the earthquake memorial, and a night in Mary before the ruins of Merv.

The route2 cities, 1 nights in each.
Loading map…
4 days, 3 nightsDuration
2 citiesWhere you sleep
Hotel accommodation in a twin or double room with daily breakfast, in the hotel class you choose, A night in a yurt camp at Darvaza, with dinner and breakfastMeals

Twin share · land only, flights extra

Why this journey

Cultural Turkmenistan follows the same line as the shorter crossing from Khiva to Bukhara but gives each part of it room. The extra day means a proper afternoon in Ashgabat, an unhurried morning among its monuments, and a night in Mary so that Merv is seen fresh rather than at the end of a long drive.

The first day crosses from Khiva into Turkmenistan at Shavat–Dashoguz and drives south through the Karakum to the Darvaza gas crater, for dinner and a night in a yurt camp. The next morning passes the water and mud craters on the way to Ashgabat, with time to rest before an afternoon among the National Museum, Independence Park and the Neutrality Monument.

Day three begins at Nisa and the Turkmenbashi Ruhy mosque, then the national memorial complex remembering the earthquake of 1948 and the wars, and the hippodrome of the Akhal-Teke horses, before the drive east to Mary. The final day explores Mary’s bazaar and churches and the great ruined oasis of Merv, then crosses at Farab–Alat for Bukhara.

Visa support, hotels and the yurt camp, camp meals, transport, border transfers, guiding and entrance fees are included.

Trip highlights

  • 01A night by the Darvaza gas crater
  • 02A full afternoon and morning in Ashgabat
  • 03Nisa, Gypjak and the national memorial complex
  • 04A night in Mary and an unhurried visit to ancient Merv
  • 05Khiva to Bukhara, visa support and border transfers included

Day-by-day itinerary

What's included

Included in your trip9 items covered in this fare
Hotels2
  • Hotel accommodation in a twin or double room with daily breakfast, in the hotel class you choose
  • A night in a yurt camp at Darvaza, with dinner and breakfast
Transport2
  • All transport during the tour as set out in the itinerary
  • All border pickups and drop-offs, from Khiva to Bukhara
Entrance Fees1
  • Entrance tickets to the monuments and museums named in the itinerary
Guide1
  • A licensed local guide throughout
Visa1
  • Turkmenistan visa support: the letter of invitation needed to obtain a tourist visa
Other1
  • Round-the-clock assistance from the local team
Meals1
  • Lunch on day three
Plan and pay separately9 items not covered by this fare
Not included9
  • International flights
  • The Turkmenistan visa fee, paid on arrival
  • The migration and registration tax charged on entry
  • Lunches and dinners other than those named as included
  • Any health or entry test in force at the time of travel
  • Travel and medical insurance
  • Tips and personal expenses
  • The Bukhara hotel at the end of the tour
  • The neutral-zone minibus fare at the border, about €1

Your hotels

Hotels are named on your confirmation — all are of the stated category.

7 go inside0 walk through0 exterior only
On the route7 places
KhivaEntrance included in the fare
Goes inside
DashoguzEntrance included in the fare
Goes inside
DarvazaEntrance included in the fare
Goes inside
AshgabatEntrance included in the fare
Goes inside
MaryEntrance included in the fare
Goes inside
MervEntrance included in the fare
Goes inside
BukharaEntrance included in the fare
Goes inside

Turkmenistan & Uzbekistan

IdealGoodFairAvoid
SepGood

Spring (Mar–May) is the best time — lush, not too hot. Autumn (Sep–Oct) is also excellent for sightseeing.

Samarkand
Average High
29°C
Rainfall
5mm
Tashkent
Average High
29°C
Rainfall
6mm
Bukhara
Average High
29°C
Rainfall
3mm

Visa and entry

  • Every visitor to Turkmenistan needs a visa, and a tourist visa can only be issued against a letter of invitation arranged through a registered tour operator. We arrange the letter; allow several weeks for it to be approved.
  • With the approved letter the visa itself is issued on arrival, at the airport or the land border, and the visa fee and migration tax are paid there in US dollars cash. Bring clean, undamaged notes.
  • Independent travel is tightly restricted, so you will be accompanied by your guide for the whole programme.

Border crossings

  • Land borders can take one to two hours, with thorough baggage checks on both sides. At Shavat–Dashoguz there is a neutral zone of about a kilometre and a half, crossed by a local minibus for a small fare.
  • Your guide and driver meet you on the Turkmen side and see you to the border at the end.

Photography

  • Photography of government buildings, military and police sites, and some monuments in Ashgabat is restricted. Your guide will tell you where it is and is not allowed.

The Darvaza camp

  • The night at Darvaza is spent in a yurt camp in the Karakum desert with simple shared facilities. Dinner and breakfast in the camp are included.
  • Nights in the desert are cold outside summer; bring a warm layer and a torch.

Common questions

How is this different from Wonders of Turkmenistan?

Both run from Khiva to Bukhara. This one adds a day, so Ashgabat is seen over an afternoon and a morning instead of a single afternoon, and Merv is visited after a night in Mary rather than at the end of a long drive.

Can I travel to Turkmenistan independently?

Only on a transit visa, which is hard to obtain and short. A tourist visa requires a letter of invitation through a tour operator and a guide for the whole stay, which is exactly what this programme provides.

Is the Darvaza gas crater still burning?

Yes. The Turkmen government has spoken about extinguishing it and reports suggest the fire has become smaller, but it continues to burn and is the centrepiece of every visit to the Karakum.

Which currency is used?

The Turkmen manat. Hotels and a few shops take cards, but most places do not; bring US dollars in clean notes for the visa fee and to exchange at official rates.

Policies & booking terms
Booking terms
  1. Full payment must be completed 30 days prior to departure, unless otherwise specified.
  2. All bookings are subject to availability at the time of confirmation.
  3. Travel insurance is mandatory and must be purchased prior to departure.
  4. Prices are subject to change due to fluctuations in currency exchange rates, taxes, or supplier costs.
  5. Guests are responsible for obtaining valid passports, visas, and any required vaccinations.
  6. Cancellations or amendments are subject to the applicable cancellation policy outlined in the package.
  7. The company is not liable for delays, cancellations, or changes due to unforeseen circumstances such as weather, strikes, or other force majeure events.
  8. All travelers must adhere to the local laws and customs of the destinations visited.
  9. No refunds will be issued for unused services, including but not limited to meals, accommodations, or activities.
  10. The company reserves the right to modify the itinerary or substitute hotels of similar standards if necessary.
  11. All special requests (e.g., room preferences, dietary requirements) are subject to availability and not guaranteed.
  12. Guests are responsible for any additional costs incurred due to personal expenses, such as phone calls, laundry, or minibar charges.
  13. Check-in and check-out times are subject to hotel policies and may vary by property.
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