3-Day Ashgabat to Khiva Tour with Darvaza Gas Crater Camp

Arrive at Ashgabat International Airport and transfer to the hotel with early check-in. In the afternoon, enjoy a comprehensive city tour of Ashgabat - the Guinness World Records' whitest city - including the Ashgabat Olympic Stadium, Monument and Park of Independence, the towering main flagpole, Arch of Neutrality, Constitution Monument, Ferris Wheel, Wedding Palace, a panoramic hilltop viewpoint, Halk Hakydasy Memorial Complex, Alabay Monument, and Ertogrul Gazi Mosque.

Visit a working Akhalteke horse stable with more than 35 horses of this 5,000-year pure breed, never crossbred and historically coveted by Alexander the Great and Darius I. Overnight at the hotel in Ashgabat.

After breakfast at the hotel, check out at noon. In the morning, visit either the Altyn Asyr Oriental Bazaar, open on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, 20 km north of Ashgabat - a sprawling open-air market selling handwoven rugs, jewellery, silk, traditional costumes, carpets, and livestock - or the Gulistan Bazaar in the city centre, one of the oldest covered markets in Turkmenistan, with fresh produce and spices on the ground floor and clothing and souvenirs above.

In the afternoon, drive approximately 276 km (about 4 hours) north into the Karakum Desert. Observe the Darvaza water and mud craters along the route before reaching the Gas Crater. Arrive at dusk as the crater's intense glow takes over the landscape. Enjoy an evening barbecue dinner, then overnight in a Turkmen yurt or private tent at the desert camp, where a sleeping mat, sleeping bag, pillow, and lighting are provided.

Enjoy a picnic-style breakfast at the desert camp with the crater as your morning view. Then drive approximately 309 km (about 5 hours) north to the Turkmen-Uzbek border crossing at Shavat.

The tour concludes here - cross into Uzbekistan and continue your journey onward to the ancient walled city of Khiva.