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Private, on your own dates · Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

Wonders of Turkmenistan

A three-day crossing of Turkmenistan between Khiva and Bukhara: a night at the burning Darvaza crater, a day in Ashgabat, and the ruins of Merv before the border back into Uzbekistan.

3 days, 2 nightsDuration
4-star hotels · breakfastStay and meals

Twin share · land only, flights extra

Overview

A three-day crossing of Turkmenistan between Khiva and Bukhara: a night at the burning Darvaza crater, a day in Ashgabat, and the ruins of Merv before the border back into Uzbekistan.

Trip highlights

  • 01Khiva to Bukhara by way of Turkmenistan, without doubling back
  • 02A night by the Darvaza gas crater
  • 03Ashgabat, Nisa and the mosque at Gypjak
  • 04The ruins of Merv, once one of the Silk Road’s greatest cities
  • 05Visa support, guiding and border transfers included

Day-by-day itinerary

The route

Khiva → Dashoguz → Ashgabat → Mary → Bukhara

5 cities.
The route5 cities.
Loading map…

Explore the daily plan, including overnight stops and meals.

Pickup in Khiva at nine and a short drive to the Shavat–Dashoguz border. Formalities on both sides can take an hour or two, and the neutral zone between them is crossed by minibus; your Turkmen guide and driver are waiting on the far side, and the visa is issued at the border against your invitation letter.

The drive south crosses the Karakum desert to Darvaza, the crater that has been burning in the sand for decades. The usual account traces it to a Soviet gas survey in 1971, though the story is disputed; what is not in doubt is the sight of it after dark, a pit about seventy metres across glowing from rim to rim.

Dinner and the night are at a yurt camp nearby.

  • Border crossing at Shavat–Dashoguz
  • The Karakum desert
  • The Darvaza gas crater after dark
  • Dinner and a night in a yurt camp
overnight
Darvaza yurt camp
Meals
Dinner

Border formalities can take 1–2 hours. Yurt camp with shared facilities; dinner included.

What's included

Included in your trip8 items covered in this fare
Your hotels
  • 4-star hotel accommodation
Hotels
  • A night in a yurt camp at Darvaza, with dinner and breakfast
Transport
  • All transport during the tour as set out in the itinerary
  • All border pickups and drop-offs, from Khiva to Bukhara
Entrance fees
  • Entrance tickets to the monuments and museums named in the itinerary
Guide
  • A licensed local guide throughout
Visa
  • Turkmenistan visa support: the letter of invitation needed to obtain a tourist visa
Other
  • Round-the-clock assistance from the local team
Plan and pay separately9 items not covered by this fare
Not included
  • 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
Accommodation4-star hotel accommodation
MealsDaily breakfast included
Ashgabat1 night
Hotel confirmed before travel

Your hotel names are confirmed before you travel. Where alternatives are listed, the confirmed property will be a 4-star hotel of the same standard.

A planned visit does not automatically include an admission ticket. Check the inclusions and your booking summary for ticket costs.

Darvaza
KhivaDay 1
DashoguzDay 1
DarvazaDay 1

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

Can I combine this with an Uzbekistan tour?

Yes, that is what it is designed for. It starts in Khiva and ends in Bukhara, so it fits between the western and central parts of any Uzbekistan itinerary. You will need a double- or multiple-entry arrangement for Uzbekistan if your passport is not visa-free.

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.

Dates & prices

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