Turkmenistan 5-Day Itinerary from Bukhara to Khiva/Nukus: Turkmenabat, Merv, Ashgabat, Darvaza, Kunya-Urgench

This 5-day Turkmenistan tour is designed for travellers wishing to combine visits to Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan within a single trip by booking a ready-made excursion route. The journey begins at the southern border (transit from Bukhara) and concludes in the north, providing convenient onward travel to either Khiva or Nukus.

If you are looking for a comprehensive yet competitively priced tour of Turkmenistan, this programme is the perfect choice. Over the course of 5 days, you will explore three UNESCO World Heritage sites, witness the white-marble architecture of Ashgabat, and spend a night in the Karakum Desert by the burning gas crater. The current price includes guiding services, transport, and accommodation. You can book the excursion for your preferred dates right now.

Tour Programme

Day 1: Farap Border — Turkmenabat

• 09:00 — Meet your guide at the Turkmen border terminal at “Farap” (coming from the Uzbek checkpoint “Alat”). This marks the beginning of our tour of Turkmenistan.

• Dayahatyn Caravanserai: Head north through the Lebap Oasis, retracing the routes of medieval merchants. We will stop at the extensive ruins of Dayahatyn, an iconic 11th-century roadside inn from the Seljuk era. This site is unique due to its preserved decorative brickwork.

• Lunch en route (a first introduction to the regional culinary traditions).

• Discovering Lebap: Return to Turkmenabat. The road passes local cotton fields and authentic Turkmen villages.

• Regional Museum and the Amu Darya: Subject to a swift border crossing and sufficient daylight, we will visit the Lebap Regional Museum to view rare archaeological artefacts from the Amu Darya basin, followed by a panoramic view of the river itself.

• Evening: Hotel check-in in Turkmenabat and a welcome dinner featuring national cuisine.

Day 2: Turkmenabat — Mary — Ancient Merv

• Morning at the Bazaar: After breakfast, we head to the Turkmenabat Green Bazaar to experience the vibrant local trading culture from the inside.

• Amul Clay Walls: A brief stop at the massive remnants of the Amul-Zemur settlement—an ancient fortress constructed from mud brick.

• Transit through the Karakum: Drive to the city of Mary (a distance of approximately 250 km). Lunch or a lunch box is provided on the way.

• Ancient Merv Archaeological Park (UNESCO): A crucial historical location included in our Turkmenistan tour itinerary:

  • Mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar: The central landmark of the park—a 12th-century tomb with a gigantic brick dome that served as a beacon for caravans in ancient times.

  • Kyz-Kala (Greater and Lesser): Two unique mud-brick fortress-mansions dating from the 7th to 12th centuries, featuring instantly recognisable corrugated walls.

  • Askhabs Mausoleums: A visit to the burial memorial of the Prophet Muhammad’s companions—Al-Hakim ibn Jabir and Buraydah ibn Al-Husayb, who are interred here.

  • Medieval Engineering: View the remains of public baths (hammams) and a domed underground water cistern (sardoba).

  • Erk-Kala and Gyaur-Kala: Ascend the defensive ramparts of citadels from various eras, offering the finest panoramic view of the excavations.

• Overnight stay: Check-in and rest at a hotel in the city of Mary.

Day 3: Mary — Ashgabat

• Breakfast and departure heading west along the foothills of the Kopetdag Mountains towards the capital.

• Abiverd Ruins: A short stop at the remnants of an important medieval craft and trading city of Northern Khorasan.

• Anau Mosque Monasteries: Explore the ruins of the Seyit Jemaletdin Mosque (15th century). Its portal is famous for a tile mosaic depicting guardian dragons, which is exceptionally rare in Islamic architecture. The site remains an active place of pilgrimage.

• Discovering the Capital: Arrival in Ashgabat—a city listed in the Guinness World Records, renowned for its grand white-marble architecture. The excursion route is flexible and tailored to the group’s arrival time:

  • Parthian Fortresses of Nisa (UNESCO): A tour of the ruins of Old Nisa, the primary suburban residence of ancient Parthian kings.

  • National Museum of History: Explore galleries housing unique artefacts, including ivory rhytons discovered during the excavations of Nisa.

• Overnight stay: Hotel in Ashgabat.

Day 4: Ashgabat — Darvaza Gas Crater

• Ashgabat Up Close: The second part of the city tour. We will view the monumental squares, fountain complexes, and landmark architectural ensembles of the capital.

• Lunch at a local restaurant.

• Journey into the Desert: Leave civilisation behind as we travel north into the heart of the Karakum Desert (approximately 270 km drive).

• Mud and Water Craters: Stops along the way to view two unusual natural sinkholes—one featuring bubbling mud and the other filled with turquoise lake water.

• The “Gates of Hell” (Darvaza Gas Crater): Arrival at the famous, continuously burning natural phenomenon. We will catch the moment the sun dips below the dunes, as the flame in the middle of the desert becomes the primary source of light.

• Dinner at the Crater: An open-air barbecue dinner served right at the edge of the blazing abyss.

• Overnight stay: At a yurt campsite. You will spend the night in a traditional Turkmen yurt under the starlit Karakum sky.

Day 5: Darvaza — Kunya-Urgench — Border

• Desert Sunrise: Morning coffee overlooking Darvaza, breakfast at the camp, and departure north along the desert highway (approximately 260 km).

• Lunch at a restaurant in the town of Kunya-Urgench.

• Kunya-Urgench Architectural Reserve (UNESCO): Exploration of the surviving masterpieces from the capital of the medieval Khwarazmian Empire:

  • Kutlug-Timur Minaret: The 60-metre shaft of this pre-Mongol minaret is the tallest historical landmark in Central Asia.

  • Turabek-Khanum Mausoleum: A tomb featuring a unique mosaic ceiling designed as a complex zodiacal and astronomical calendar.

  • Mausoleums of Tekesh and Il-Arslan: The oldest tombs of the rulers of Khwarazm, featuring distinctive conical folded roofs made of glazed brick.

  • Caravanserai Portal: The preserved ceremonial arch, recalling the city’s historical commercial prominence.

• Transfer to the Border (of your choice):

  • Option A: Transfer to the “Shavat” checkpoint—the optimal route for those heading onwards to Khiva (approximately 1–1.5 hours’ drive from the border post).

  • Option B: Transfer to the “Khojeyli” checkpoint—a direct route for travel to Nukus (home to the Savitsky Museum of Art).

• Assistance with customs procedures and crossing over to the Uzbek side. End of services.

How to Book a Tour to Turkmenistan

To check the exact cost of the trip for your dates, receive information regarding visa support, or secure your booking, please get in touch via our website’s contact form or send an enquiry via messengers. We will assist you in quickly arranging all the necessary entry documentation.