Turkmenistan Group tour
Accommodation, guides, transport included.
Turkmenistan Group tour Highlights
See the white-marble capital Ashgabat and the burning Darvaza Gas Crater on this 5-day fixed-date group tour of Turkmenistan. The tour starts with your arrival at Ashgabat International Airport or, if you come from Khiva in Uzbekistan, at the Shavat border with a first night in Dashoguz; at the end you fly home from Ashgabat or take a morning flight back towards the Uzbek border near Khiva or Bukhara.
In the Karakum Desert you camp next to the Darvaza Gas Crater, which has been burning for over 50 years, and have a barbecue dinner in a Turkmen yurt camp while the flames light up the night sky. Back in Ashgabat, a city tour takes you past the Wedding Palace, the Arch of Neutrality, the Independence Monument and the Ertogrul Gazi Mosque. The next day you visit the Carpet Museum with the world's largest handmade Turkmen carpet, a stable of the legendary Akhal-Teke horses and the busy Gulistan (Russian) Bazaar. We assist with your Turkmenistan e-visa application.
Difficulty: Easy Short walks during sightseeing in Ashgabat and at the crater. A 276 km drive each way between Ashgabat and Darvaza, partly by 4x4, and one night in a yurt or tent at the crater. Summers are very hot (up to 50°C in July and August).
Tour Itinerary
Option 1: Arrival at Ashgabat International Airport. Our representative meets you at the airport and transfers you to the hotel (check-in at the regular time). Overnight at the hotel in Ashgabat. Option 2: Our representative meets you at the Shavat border crossing between Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan and transfers you to your hotel in Dashoguz (15 km). Overnight at the hotel in Dashoguz.
Ashgabat
Overnight: Ashgabat (Hotel)
Breakfast at the hotel. In the afternoon, drive to the burning Darvaza Gas Crater (about 276 km from Ashgabat), one of the top international tourist destinations. The area is rich in natural gas, and the crater has been burning for over 50 years, shining like a pearl in the middle of the Karakum Desert. One of the most vivid features of this trip is the fresh desert air and a taste of nomadic life. At night, while the light of the gas crater hits the sky, you camp in a Turkmen national yurt or in private tents and have a barbecue dinner. This unique landscape will fascinate you and make you want to come again.
Darvaza Gas Crater, Karakum Desert
- Ashgabat → Darvaza Gas Crater (276 km)
Overnight: Darvaza Gas Crater (Yurt camp)
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Picnic-style breakfast at Darvaza. After breakfast, drive to Ashgabat (276 km). In the afternoon, Ashgabat city tour. You will see the Wedding Palace, the modern Yildyz Hotel, the Ferris Wheel, the Constitution Monument, the Arch of Neutrality, the Monument and Park of Independence, the Ertogrul Gazi Mosque, the Ashgabat Olympic Stadium and the Halk Hakydasy Memorial Complex. Overnight in Ashgabat.
Ashgabat, Ertuğrul Gazi Mosque
- Darvaza Gas Crater → Ashgabat (276 km)
Overnight: Ashgabat (Hotel)
Meals: Breakfast
Breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast, visit the Turkmen Carpet Museum, one of the best in Central Asia and one of the cultural centres of Turkmenistan, with about 2,000 carpets, including rare ones, featuring designs of the Tekke, Yamud, Sarik and Chodor tribes. Among them are the smallest carpet, made to hold keys, and the world’s largest handmade carpet, 301 m² in size, woven in 2001 and entered in the Guinness Book of Records in 2003. Then drive to a horse stable to see the national pride of the Turkmen people – the Akhal-Teke horses, the most beautiful horses in the world. Turkmens began breeding Akhal-Teke horses 5,000 years ago, and this unique breed was never mixed with other breeds. Illustrious emperors such as Alexander the Great and Darius I desired to own them. There are over 35 beautiful horses on the farm, and according to local belief, every sick person who touches an Akhal-Teke horse will soon get well. In the afternoon, visit the Gulistan Bazaar (Russian Bazaar), one of the largest and oldest covered markets and a must for any traveller to Ashgabat. The ground floor is dedicated to fresh produce such as fruit, vegetables, meat, fish and dairy products, with stalls selling spices, nuts, dried fruit and other food; the second floor is home to shops selling clothing and souvenirs. Overnight at the hotel.
Ashgabat
Overnight: Ashgabat (Hotel)
Meals: Breakfast
Transfer to Ashgabat International Airport for your flight home. Optional: morning flight to Dashoguz or Turkmenabat, followed by a transfer to the Turkmen/Uzbek border near Khiva (from Dashoguz) or Bukhara (from Turkmenabat), for an additional 110 USD per person.
What's included
Included
- Assistance with the e-visa application (a letter of invitation is no longer required): once we receive your documents, we submit the application, and the State Migration Service then sends you a link to complete the form and pay the fees
- State registration and travel pass
- Hotel accommodation in double/twin rooms: Sport Hotel 4* in Ashgabat – 2 nights, plus night 1 at the Sport Hotel 4* (arrival at Ashgabat airport) or at a 4* hotel in Dashoguz (arrival from the Uzbek border)
- Yurt camp at Darvaza – 1 night (incl. sleeping mats, sleeping bags, pillows and light)
- Escort English-speaking guide service
- Transportation as per program in air-conditioned vehicles, and 4x4 where the terrain requires
- Entrance fees as per program
- Meals: breakfast at the hotel, barbecue dinner at Darvaza
- 5 L water per person per day
- Travel tax
Not included
- International flights
- Turkmenistan e-visa fee: standard 40 USD per person (processing about 10–14 business days) or urgent 80 USD per person (about 5–7 business days)
- Customs fee, paid at the border or airport: 16 USD per person
- PCR test, still mandatory, paid at the border or airport: 35 USD per person
- Payment for photos and videos at UNESCO sites and museums
- Meals: lunch and dinner (on average 13–17 USD per meal, except the barbecue dinner at Darvaza)
- Tips for the guide and driver
- Medical insurance
- Services not shown in the program
- Single supplement: 105 USD (hotels only; charged if no suitable roommate is found)
- Optional morning flight on day 5 to Dashoguz or Turkmenabat with transfer to the Uzbek border: 110 USD per person
Nargiza is the office manager of Central Asia Guide and mostly responsible for multi country "Stan" tours.
Where you'll stay
-
Night 1
Ashgabat
Sport Hotel or Hotel in Dashoguz or similar
-
Night 2
Darvaza Gas Crater
Darvaza yurt camp or similar
-
Nights 3–4
Ashgabat
Sport Hotel or similar
Good to know
- Driving times: Because of changing road and traffic conditions, drives may take slightly more or less time than stated in the program.
- Flights: Flight times are subject to change by Turkmenistan Airlines. Hand baggage is 5 kg and checked baggage 20 kg per person; overweight baggage costs about 2–3 USD per kg.
- Registration: If you stay more than 3 working days in Turkmenistan, the travel agency registers your passport and has it stamped at the local Tourist Board.
- Early departures: A breakfast box is provided for very early morning departures.
- Cash: Bring spare change (small US dollar banknotes) to speed up procedures at the border or airport.
Turkmenistan travel information
Practical essentials for travelling in Turkmenistan. Open a topic to read more.
Visa policy
Find your country from the list and check possible visa requirements for Turkmenistan before booking. For Turkmenistan tourists need an e-visa, and we assist with the application.
The official currency is the manat. Most shops and restaurants take cash only, so carry your money in cash, preferably new US dollar notes.
Cards and ATMs
A Visa card works for payments or cash withdrawals in some hotels and banks, but most ATMs only accept local Turkmen cards.
Exchanging money
US dollars are easy to exchange throughout the country, but euros only in Ashgabat, and euro notes are not widely accepted. Exchange money legally at banks, and only as much as you expect to spend: manat cannot be changed back into dollars. The official rate is fixed at 3.50 manat to the US dollar; there is no fixed rate for euros.
Meals
If lunch and dinner are not included in your tour, expect to pay an average of 13–17 USD per meal.
Keep a reserve
A cash reserve for unexpected situations is wise anywhere in Central Asia, and especially in Turkmenistan.
Turkmenistan is a safe country as long as you stay within the law; overstepping it can have unpleasant consequences.
Staying safe
- Carry identification with you at all times while travelling around the country.
- Wear a money belt, keep an eye on your belongings, avoid poorly lit streets at night and do not use unofficial taxis when travelling alone.
Photography and internet
- Photographing military zones, transport hubs and government buildings is prohibited by law. People may also be sensitive about being photographed without consent.
- Several social media apps and websites are blocked and cannot be used without a VPN.
- Drones are in practice banned.
Laws and customs
- Avoid public displays of affection. Homosexuality is illegal. Relationships with Turkmen women are best avoided, as they can lead to fines and deportation.
- Avoid talking about politics, human rights, religion, or criticising the president, the country or its people.
- During Ramadan, the Muslim holy month whose dates move each year, eating, drinking, smoking and chewing gum in public are forbidden in daylight hours, as are loud music, dancing, revealing clothing and swearing in public.
- Smoking is banned in all public places except designated smoking areas. Possessing or using illegal drugs can mean a long prison sentence.
Earthquakes
Turkmenistan is prone to earthquakes, mostly tremors, though stronger ones occasionally occur.
All international visitors need a visa for Turkmenistan. Tourists now get an e-visa, and a letter of invitation (LOI) is no longer required.
E-visa fee and processing
- Standard e-visa: 40 USD per person, processing takes about 10–14 business days.
- Urgent e-visa: 80 USD per person, processing takes about 5–7 business days.
Booking with us
We assist with your e-visa application. Once we receive the necessary documents, we submit your application. Upon confirmation of this submission, the State Migration Service provides you with a dedicated link to complete the form and pay the required fees.
Fees on arrival
- Customs fee: 16 USD per person.
- PCR test: 35 USD per person. The test is still mandatory and is conducted as a procedure.
The best times to visit Turkmenistan are March to June, when the sun shines and temperatures are pleasant, and September to November. Spring is especially lovely, with a short burst of delicate flowers and green landscapes.
Summer
Turkmenistan's dry continental climate makes it one of the hottest places in Central Asia. July and August are the least favourable months, with temperatures in Ashgabat reaching 50°C. Most of the main sights are in the treeless desert, but the Caspian coast is usually milder than inland and suits summer travel.
Winter
Cold weather arrives in December, with temperatures below 0°C, occasional frosts down to −20°C and snow in parts of the country.
Medical services in Turkmenistan are rudimentary at best. Make sure your insurance covers unforeseen medical situations, including repatriation.
Food and water
To avoid traveller's diarrhoea, drink only bottled, filtered or boiled water, and do not use tap water for brushing your teeth or for ice. Avoid ice cream. Choose meat and fish that are thoroughly cooked and served hot, cook vegetables and peel fruit.
Vaccinations
Vaccinations against diphtheria, hepatitis A and tetanus are advisable.
Medical care
If you need urgent medical care, contact your travel insurer straight away. Check the rules for travelling with medicines before you go.
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