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Private, on your own dates · Turkmenistan

Door to Hell: Ashgabat and the Darvaza Crater

A short private tour of Turkmenistan: a day in marble-clad Ashgabat and the ruins of Parthian Nisa, then into the Karakum desert for a night in a yurt camp beside the burning Darvaza gas crater.

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

Twin share · land only, flights extra

Overview

A short private tour of Turkmenistan: a day in marble-clad Ashgabat and the ruins of Parthian Nisa, then into the Karakum desert for a night in a yurt camp beside the burning Darvaza gas crater.

Trip highlights

  • 01A night beside the Darvaza gas crater in the Karakum desert
  • 02Ashgabat, the white-marble capital
  • 03The Parthian ruins of Nisa
  • 04Akhal-Teke horses, Turkmenistan’s national breed
  • 05Visa support, guide and camp meals included

Day-by-day itinerary

The route

Ashgabat → Dashoguz

2 cities.
The route2 cities.
Loading map…

Explore the daily plan, including overnight stops and meals.

You are met on arrival in Ashgabat and taken to your hotel, then out for five or six hours of sightseeing.

Ashgabat was levelled by an earthquake in 1948 and rebuilt, and since independence it has been reclad almost entirely in white marble — enough of it to have been recognised by Guinness World Records. The effect is unlike any other capital: broad empty avenues, gold domes, fountains and monuments, all of it spotless.

The tour takes in Independence Park and the monument at its centre, the National Museum with its collection from Nisa and Merv, and other landmarks of the new city. Just outside Ashgabat are the mud-brick walls of Nisa, an early capital of the Parthians, whose empire at its height reached from the Euphrates to the Indus.

  • The white-marble capital
  • Independence Park and monument
  • The National Museum
  • The Parthian fortress of Nisa
overnight
Ashgabat

Sightseeing about 5–6 hours.

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 barbecue dinner and breakfast
Transport
  • All transport during the tour as set out in the itinerary
  • Airport pickup in Ashgabat and transfer to the Dashoguz–Shavat border
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 separately7 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
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
DarvazaDay 2

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 close can I get to the crater?

You can walk right up to the rim. There are no barriers, so keep well back from the edge, especially after dark and in wind, and follow your guide’s instructions.

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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