An eleven-day private tour of Turkmenistan: Ashgabat's museums and monuments, ancient Merv, the Nokhur village and the Kowata underground lake, the Caspian coast at Turkmenbashy, the Darvaza gas crater with a night in yurts and Kunya Urgench.
A private eleven-day journey through Turkmenistan, starting at Ashgabat International Airport and finishing near Dashoguz. Around Ashgabat the programme covers Independence Park, the Turkmenistan National Museum, the Arch of Neutrality, the memorial complex and the Artogrul mosque. The route continues to Arkadag city and to Merv, a UNESCO site, then to the Nokhur village with the Kowata underground lake and the Old Nissa settlements. It goes west to Turkmenbashy on the Caspian Sea with the Avaza resort and the fiery Yangi Kala canyon, returns to Ashgabat for a night city tour, and ends with the Darvaza gas crater, a night in yurts and the Kunya Urgench UNESCO site.
Private tour: only your group participates. Start time coordinated with the operator; the tour starts on arrival at Ashgabat International Airport.
Availability: all year round. Duration 11 days / 10 nights. Level of difficulty: easy.
English-speaking guide included. Accommodation is 10 nights in twin rooms at hotels plus a yurt camp; meals are full board.
Suggested to bring: summer clothes, warm clothes, baseball cap or panama, sunglasses, sunscreen, swimwear, towel, hiking shoes, umbrella, camera.
The page states a price of 2,800 USD per person for a private group from 2 people up; the operator invites enquiries for a personal quote.
Included in the package: transport with a driver, English-speaking guide, 10 nights (hotels and yurt camp), full board, the Turkmenistan visa voucher and letter of invitation, activities such as horseback riding on Akhal-teke horses, 2 L of bottled water per person daily, admissions and airport transfers.
Not included: flight tickets, the Turkmenistan visa sticker, health insurance and other personal expenses.
The operator provides a visa voucher; the visa sticker is received upon arrival in the country, at Ashgabat airport or at the Farap and Shavat land border checkpoints.
The visa sticker is paid separately in cash in USD and its cost varies depending on citizenship.
On arrival at Ashgabat International Airport, your guide and driver meet you and transfer you to the capital city centre. Highlights of the day: Independence Park, the Turkmenistan National Museum, the Arch of Neutrality, the memorial complex and the Artogrul mosque.
Highlights: the Museum of Fine Arts, the museum of the first president, the Bedew hippodrome, the Geok Tepe fortress and the Arkach shopping centre.
Drive towards Mary with a visit to Arkadag city.
Highlights: Merv, its church and the green bazaar.
Visit to the regional bazaar and the drive back to Ashgabat.
Highlights: Nokhur village, the Kowata underground lake and the Old Nissa settlements.
Transfer to the Caspian coast: highlights are the Avaza resort and the Caspian Sea.
Excursion to the Yangi Kala fiery canyon and return to Turkmenbashy.
Travel back to the capital, followed by a night city tour of Ashgabat.
Highlights: the Darvaza gas crater and a night in yurts.
Final day: the Kunya Urgench UNESCO site near Dashoguz.
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