6 days in Turkmenistan: white marble, desert fire and hidden villages
This route is created for those who want to see Turkmenistan in one trip not only through the capital but also through the desert, mountains, canyons, villages, and living traditions. In 6 days you will discover white-marble Ashgabat, ancient Nisa, Akhal-Teke horses, Turkmen carpets, the village of Bokurdak, the Darvaza gas crater, the Yangykala canyons, Nokhur, and the Kov-Ata underground lake.
This is a rich tour with beautiful contrasts: a modern city and Soviet heritage, an overnight stay in yurts at the «Gate of Hell», a trip on a night train to the Caspian Sea, the «Martian» landscapes of Yangykala, the mountain village of Nokhur, and a swim in a warm underground lake.
The simplest way to see the soul of Turkmenistan in one week
The program brings together the country’s main impressions: the shining Ashgabat, ancient Parthian Nisa, the legendary Akhal-Teke horses, the record-breaking carpet, life in the village of Bokurdak, a night by the fiery Darvaza, the Caspian Sea, the Yangykala canyons, the mountain Nokhur and the underground lake Kov-Ata.
What the trip includes
Over 6 days the route shows different sides of Turkmenistan: the city, the desert, the mountains, the Caspian region, village life, crafts and natural landscapes.
White marble Ashgabat
A sightseeing tour of the capital: museums, monuments, panoramas, Nisa, avenues, Independence Park and the Soviet heritage.
Akhal-Teke horses and carpets
The Geokdepe horse farm, a meeting with Akhal-Teke horses and the Carpet Museum with unique handmade items.
Darvaza — the Gates of Hell
Transfer to the Karakum, sulfur and water craters, dinner in the desert, a bakshi by the campfire and an overnight stay in a yurt not far from the crater.
Bokurdak village
Meeting local residents, yurts, adobe houses, traditional crafts and the preparation of ishlekli.
Yangykala
Fantastic white, pink and orange canyons, the “crocodile’s mouth” and landscapes resembling Mars and the Moon.
Nokhur and Kov-Ata
The mountain village of Nokhur, shrines, a tribal cemetery and bathing in the warm underground lake Kov-Ata.
Turkmenistan through contrasts: city, desert, canyons and villages
This tour shows Turkmenistan as a country of strong contrasts. In the morning you can walk along the wide white-marble avenues of Ashgabat, in the evening drink tea by the fiery Darvaza crater, and the next day drive to the Caspian Sea and the Yangykala canyons.
A special part of the route is the villages of Bokurdak and Nokhur. Here the journey comes closer to living culture: crafts, traditional food, adobe-brick houses, mountain landscapes, shrines and local legends.
Day-by-day itinerary
The basic tour program is for 6 days / 5 nights. The order of visits and timing can be adapted to the flight schedule, season and road conditions.
Arrival in Ashgabat — sightseeing tour
Airport meeting, assistance with formalities and transfer to the hotel. After a rest — an introduction to Ashgabat: the State Museum of History and Ethnography, the ruins of Nisa, the Halk Hakydasy Memorial Complex, panoramic views from the Palace of Happiness, modern avenues, the Neutrality Monument, Independence Park and a welcome dinner.
Ashgabat — Geokdepe — Bokurdak — Darvaza
A visit to the Geokdepe stud farm and an introduction to Akhal-Teke horses. Then — the Kipchak complex and a drive in SUVs into the Karakum desert. Along the way — the water and sulfur-mud craters. In the evening, arrival at Darvaza, dinner in the desert, bakhshi music by the fire and a night in yurts near the crater.
Darvaza — Bokurdak — Ashgabat — night train
Breakfast at the camp and a last look at the fiery crater. On the way to Ashgabat — a stop in Bokurdak: mud-brick houses, yurts, local crafts, preparation of ishlekli and a home-cooked lunch. In Ashgabat — the Carpet Museum, the Russian Bazaar, Lenin Square and a transfer to the night train to Turkmenbashi.
Turkmenbashi — Caspian Sea — Yangykala — Balkanabat
Arrival in Turkmenbashi, meeting with the driver, a walk by the Caspian Sea and the local fish market. After breakfast — a trip to the Yangykala canyons, known for their white, pink and orange limestone formations. Then — the Kemal Ata canyon and transfer to Balkanabat.
Balkanabat — Nokhur — Kov-Ata — Ashgabat
Transfer to the Kopetdag mountains and a visit to the village of Nokhur: the Kyz-Bibi shrine, a great plane tree, a tribal cemetery with ram’s horns and lunch in a guest house. Then — the Kov-Ata underground lake, a limestone cave with warm mineral water. In the evening, arrival in Ashgabat.
Ashgabat — departure
Early transfer to Ashgabat international airport. End of the program.
Darvaza and a night in the Karakum
The day with Darvaza is one of the most emotional moments of the tour. After the drive across the desert, guests arrive at the gas crater towards evening, when the fire becomes especially bright against the darkening sky.
A night in a yurt camp gives you the chance to feel the silence of the Karakum, see the stars and spend the evening in the atmosphere of a real desert journey.
- Transfer across the desert in off-road vehicles
- A visit to the water and sulfur-mud craters
- A dinner near Darvaza in nomadic style
- A night in a traditional yurt
- Singing of the bakhshi by the campfire as part of the program
Tour price
The price depends on the group size. On the page, the price can be shown as “from” so that the tourist immediately understands the minimum cost of participation.
from $998 / person
The minimum price is indicated for a group of 20 people. For smaller groups, a separate calculation according to the table applies.
What is included in the price
Accommodation along the route
Where we stay overnight
- Ashgabat — Sport Hotel 4* with early check-in
- Darvaza — accommodation in a traditional yurt
- Ashgabat — Turkmenbashi — sleeping compartment on a night train
- Balkanabat — Nebitchi 3*
- Ashgabat — Sport Hotel 4*
Important terms
- The amenities at the yurt camp are simple
- There is no internet or showers at the Darvaza camp
- Internet in hotels may be limited
- Hotels may be replaced with equivalent ones in terms of level
Yangykala, Nokhur and Kov-Ata
The second half of the route goes far beyond the classic tourist program. Yangykala impresses with colored canyons and almost unearthly landscapes, Nokhur reveals mountainous Turkmenistan with its legends and shrines, and Kow-Ata offers a rare opportunity to swim in a warm underground lake inside a limestone cave.
- Yangykala Canyons — the “fiery fortress” of Turkmenistan
- Kemala Ata and unusual spherical formations
- Nokhur: Kyz-Bibi, the great plane tree and the tribal cemetery
- Kov-Ata — a warm mineral lake in a cave
Important information on the visa and entry
For most foreign tourists, a visa and a letter of invitation are required. Visa, medical and migration requirements must be confirmed for the date of travel.
Letter of invitation
An LOI usually requires a confirmed route, an application form, a copy of the passport and a passport-style photograph.
Visa on arrival
If you have an invitation, you can obtain a visa on arrival, if this is suitable for your citizenship and route.
Preparations and formalities
Visa fees, tests and migration payments are paid separately and depend on current rules.
FAQ — questions about the 6-day tour
We briefly answer the frequent questions about the route Ashgabat — Darvaza — Turkmenbashi — Yangykala — Nokhur — Kov-Ata.
Request a 6-day tour of Turkmenistan
Write your travel dates, number of people and the desired format. We will calculate the cost, select transport and accommodation, and prepare a program.
