5-Day Turkmenistan Tour from Ashgabat with Novruz and Darvaza

The journey

Trip highlights

• 01 Attend the Novruz Holiday Festival with costumed performances, folklore groups, and horse races
• 02 Explore Ashgabat's iconic landmarks, monuments, and impressive mosque on a city tour
• 03 Visit the UNESCO-listed Sanctuary of Parthian Kings at Old Nisa
• 04 Browse Altyn Asyr Bazaar, one of the largest markets in Central Asia
• 05 Witness the spectacular Darvaza Gas Crater by day and night in the Karakum Desert
• 06 Camp in a tent under the starry desert sky near Darvaza
• 07 Discover the architectural monuments of Kunya Urgench, the former capital of Khorezm

Join this 5-day journey through Turkmenistan during Novruz, one of the region's most revered holidays. Explore Ashgabat's iconic landmarks, visit the UNESCO-listed Old Nisa and Gypjak Mosque, experience the festive atmosphere of the Novruz Holiday Festival, and browse the vast Altyn Asyr Bazaar. The tour also takes you into the Karakum Desert to witness the spectacular Darvaza Gas Crater and camp under the starry sky, before continuing to the architectural monuments of Kunya Urgench.

Observe the fantastic view of the crater during daylight and at night, feel the heat, and listen to the sound this giant oven creates.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 5 Days

Tour type Private

Activity level Easy

Accommodation Included · Standard

Transport Included

Cities Ashgabat, Dasoguz, Kunya Urgench, Darvaza

Languages Azerbaijani, English, Russian, Turkish

Day by day

The itinerary

1

Day 01

Ashgabat City Tour, Old Nisa and Gypjak Mosque

• Meet your local guide at Ashgabat International Airport.
• Transfer to the hotel and enjoy some time to rest.
• In the afternoon at 14:30, set out on an Ashgabat city tour. Visit the capital's main tourist attractions, including parks and monuments, an impressive mosque, and other iconic buildings.
• After lunch, visit "Old Nisa" - the Sanctuary of Parthian Kings, a UNESCO site - and then continue to the "Gypjak" Mosque and the Mausoleum of the late President of Turkmenistan.
• Transport - Regular bus
• Meals - Lunch at a local restaurant / Dinner at a local traditional restaurant (not included in the tour price)
• Accommodation - Overnight at the hotel - Sport 4* or similar

2

Day 02

Novruz Holiday Festival Experience

• After breakfast, meet your guide at the hotel and drive to the hippodrome to visit the Novruz Holiday Festival.
• Turkmenistan prepares to celebrate one of its most revered holidays - the Novruz Holiday - which has international status.
• Many of our tourists participate in the Novruz holiday festival every year.
• Turkmen people always welcome the Novruz Holiday with great celebration. Festive events are held in keeping with national traditions and rituals. Costumed performances featuring song and dance ensembles and folklore groups from across the country are staged at impromptu concert venues.
• An integral part of the celebrations includes folk bakhshish performances, young boys and girls riding high swings, and horse races at the hippodromes. During the holiday, it is customary to wear new clothes, visit others, give gifts, and forgive old grievances.
• Novruz, the bright holiday of the spring equinox, carries the values of kindness and peacefulness, inspiring people toward creativity, renewal, and shared success.
• Transport - Regular bus
• Meals - Breakfast at the hotel. Lunch on the way at a road cafe / Dinner at a local restaurant (not included in the tour price)
• Accommodation - Overnight at Hotel Sport 4* or similar

3

Day 03

Altyn Asyr Bazaar and Darvaza Gas Crater

• Meet your local guide in the hotel lobby.
• At 9:00, after breakfast, visit the eastern bazaar "Altyn Asyr." It is the largest market in Ashgabat and Turkmenistan, and the fifth-largest in Central Asia. Located in the suburbs of Ashgabat in the Choganly residential area, it was built in a shape reminiscent of a carpet göl of the Ahal Velayat and covers a vast area of 154 hectares.
• In the afternoon, have lunch at a local restaurant (lunch not included in the tour price). Continue driving through the Karakum Desert to Darvaza at 3:00 p.m. Travel to the Darvaza Gas Crater, a huge flaming crater located 270 km north of Ashgabat. On the way, visit one of the villages, Bahardok or Erbent, to observe the rural life of Turkmen people. Continue on to the water, clay, and gas craters.
• Enjoy the spectacular and fascinating view of the gas crater in the evening. Visit the Gas Crater and stay in a camp with tasty catering, the perfect way to enjoy this highlight. Observe the fantastic view of the crater during daylight and at night, feel the heat, and listen to the sound this giant oven creates.
• Accommodation - Overnight in a tent under the starry sky

4

Day 04

Kunya Urgench Monuments and Return to Ashgabat

• After breakfast, drive to the northern province of Turkmenistan to see the architectural monuments of Old Urgench, the capital of Khorezm in the 10th-12th centuries. Visit the Mausoleums of Najm al-Din al-Kubra, Tyurabek Khanum, Il-Arslan, and Tekesh Ibn Hadzhibey, as well as Kutlyg Timur, the highest minaret in Central Asia. Continue with a Dashoguz city tour.
• Transfer to the airport for a local flight at 20:10. From Ashgabat Airport, transfer to a local restaurant for dinner.
• Transport - Regular minibus / Jeep
• Meals - Breakfast picnic-style. Lunch at a local restaurant / Dinner at a local restaurant (lunch not included in the tour price)
• Accommodation - Overnight at the hotel - Sport 4* or similar

5

Day 05

Departure Transfer to Ashgabat Airport

• Transfer to Ashgabat International Airport for your onward flight to the next destination.

The route

Where you'll travel

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

• Hotel stay
• Local flight
• Guide for 4 days
• Transport for 4 days
• Meals (FB), hotel breakfast, and daily water
• Transfers during the entire route
• Entry tickets: Nisa, Museum in Mary, Ancient Merv

What's Not Included

• Meals, services, folklore concerts, and shows
• Private expenses and gratuities
• Insurance
• Fee for using cameras at monuments
• Tips for the driver and guide

What to bring

• Each traveller should have two photos (5x6) to present at entry points.

Know before you go

• You have to pay extra for the visa fee, migration tax, and bank fee. Total = 120 USD.
• If you want to stay at the hotel in different rooms, you have to make an extra payment of 60 USD per night.
• Tour validity: 20.03.2024-24.03.2024.

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point

Ashgabat International Airport, Ашхабад, Туркменистан

Tour start

Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

Tour ends at the same location as the start point.