This 5-day Khiva to Bukhara via Dayahatun tour<\/strong> is a comprehensive overland journey across Turkmenistan, combining UNESCO World Heritage sites, Silk Road ruins, the Karakum Desert and the country\u2019s modern capital.<\/p>\n Enter Turkmenistan through the Shavat border near Khiva<\/strong> and begin with the medieval monuments of Kunya-Urgench<\/strong>. Continue through Dashoguz and visit the mud-brick ruins of Izmukshir Fortress<\/strong> before crossing the Central Karakum Desert to the spectacular Darvaza Gas Crater<\/strong>, where you will spend the night in a traditional Turkmen yurt.<\/p>\n The route then continues south through the Water and Mud craters to Ashgabat<\/strong>, including a guided city tour and Ancient Nisa<\/strong>. From the capital, travel east along the motorway to explore UNESCO-listed Ancient Merv<\/strong> before continuing to Turkmenabat.<\/p>\n The final day takes you deep into the Amu Darya region to discover the remote 11th-century Dayahatun Caravanserai<\/strong>, followed by a visit to Turkmenabat, Amul Fortress and the Amu Darya River before crossing the Farap border<\/strong> towards Bukhara.<\/p>\n This itinerary is ideal for travellers looking for a deeper Khiva to Bukhara overland journey through Turkmenistan<\/strong>, with a strong focus on Silk Road history and lesser-visited archaeological sites.<\/p>\n Khiva \u2192 Shavat Border \u2192 Kunya-Urgench \u2192 Dashoguz \u2192 Izmukshir Fortress \u2192 Darvaza Gas Crater \u2192 Water Crater \u2192 Mud Crater \u2192 Ashgabat \u2192 Ancient Nisa \u2192 Ancient Merv \u2192 Turkmenabat \u2192 Dayahatun Caravanserai \u2192 Amul Fortress \u2192 Amu Darya River \u2192 Farap Border \u2192 Bukhara<\/strong><\/p>\n At approximately 10:00 AM<\/strong>, meet our local guide inside the main hall of the Shavat Border Control Terminal<\/strong> on the Turkmen side.<\/p>\n While you complete migration and passport formalities, the border officers will contact our team. Your local guide will enter the terminal and recognise you using the photograph provided in advance.<\/p>\n Depart towards Kunya-Urgench<\/strong>, approximately 100 km<\/strong> away.<\/p>\n The journey takes around 1.5\u20132 hours<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Kunya-Urgench was once an important capital of the Khorezm Empire and is today recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Enjoy a traditional lunch upon arrival in Kunya-Urgench or en route in Dashoguz, depending on the exact timing of the day.<\/p>\n Explore the principal monuments of the historical park with your guide.<\/p>\n See one of the most impressive surviving medieval minarets in Central Asia.<\/p>\n Visit the historic mausoleum, renowned for its elaborate geometric ceiling decoration.<\/p>\n Explore these important medieval monuments, distinguished by their characteristic conical domes.<\/p>\n See a surviving reminder of Kunya-Urgench\u2019s role as an important Silk Road trading centre.<\/p>\n Drive back to Dashoguz<\/strong>.<\/p>\n In the evening, enjoy a short orientation tour of the city and observe everyday local life before dinner at a local restaurant.<\/p>\n Stay overnight at a hotel in Dashoguz.<\/p>\n Overnight:<\/strong> Hotel in Dashoguz.<\/p>\n Breakfast at the hotel at approximately 08:00 AM<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Visit the lively Bai Bazaar<\/strong> in Dashoguz.<\/p>\n The market provides an opportunity to experience local daily life and purchase fresh fruit, snacks and other supplies for the journey into the desert.<\/p>\n Leave Dashoguz and travel approximately 25 km<\/strong> to the ancient Izmukshir Fortress<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Explore the impressive mud-brick ruins of this historic settlement, known as the birthplace of the medieval scholar Al-Zamakhshari<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Enjoy a traditional lunch at a roadside teahouse in a local settlement before continuing deeper into the Karakum Desert.<\/p>\n Begin the journey towards Darvaza through the Central Karakum Desert<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The drive covers approximately 300 km<\/strong> and takes around 4\u20134.5 hours<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Please note that some sections of the road are rough and uneven, so parts of the journey may be bumpy.<\/p>\n Arrive at the spectacular Darvaza Gas Crater<\/strong> towards sunset.<\/p>\n Watch the surrounding desert darken as the fiery glow of the crater becomes increasingly visible.<\/p>\n Enjoy a traditional open-air BBQ dinner freshly prepared by our team at the yurt camp.<\/p>\n After nightfall, spend time beside the crater and enjoy opportunities for photography beneath the desert sky.<\/p>\n Stay overnight in a traditional Turkmen yurt<\/strong> at the crater camp.<\/p>\n Overnight:<\/strong> Darvaza yurt camp.<\/p>\n Travellers who wish to wake early can make an optional pre-dawn visit to the crater.<\/p>\n See the last strong glow of the flames as morning light begins to spread across the Karakum Desert.<\/p>\n Enjoy breakfast at the yurt camp before beginning the journey south towards Ashgabat<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The route covers approximately 270 km<\/strong> and takes around 3.5 hours<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Some sections of the desert road are rough and uneven, so the drive may be bumpy in places.<\/p>\n On the way to Ashgabat, make short stops at the Water Crater<\/strong> and Mud Crater<\/strong>.<\/p>\n These unusual geological features reveal another side of the Karakum Desert landscape.<\/p>\n Upon arrival in Ashgabat, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.<\/p>\n After lunch, begin a guided exploration of Ashgabat<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Discover the capital\u2019s distinctive white-marble architecture, historical monuments and cultural sites at a pace adapted to your interests.<\/p>\n The programme also includes Ancient Nisa<\/strong>, one of Turkmenistan\u2019s important historical sites.<\/p>\n Stay overnight at a hotel in Ashgabat.<\/p>\n Overnight:<\/strong> Hotel in Ashgabat.<\/p>\n Depart Ashgabat at approximately 08:00 AM<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Travel east along the Ashgabat\u2013Mary High-Speed Motorway<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The journey covers approximately 360 km<\/strong> and takes around 3.5\u20134 hours<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Arrive in the Mary region and enjoy a traditional lunch at a local restaurant in Mary or Bayramaly<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Continue to Ancient Merv<\/strong>, one of Turkmenistan\u2019s UNESCO World Heritage Sites and an important centre of the historic Silk Road.<\/p>\n Explore the principal monuments of the vast archaeological park.<\/p>\n Visit the remarkable 12th-century Seljuk mausoleum, known for its distinctive double-dome construction.<\/p>\n Explore the famous mud-brick fortresses with their characteristic corrugated walls, dating from approximately the 7th to 12th centuries.<\/p>\n Visit the sacred mausoleums associated with the companions of the Prophet Muhammad.<\/p>\n The area also includes the adjacent medieval public baths and an ancient sardoba<\/strong>, a sophisticated desert water-storage system.<\/p>\n Explore the massive ancient citadels and enjoy panoramic views across the archaeological landscape.<\/p>\n Ancient Merv contains many additional ruins. Other smaller historic sites within the park can be visited upon request, depending on available time and personal interest.<\/p>\n After the Merv tour, continue northeast along the Mary\u2013Turkmenabat High-Speed Motorway<\/strong> towards the Amu Darya region.<\/p>\n The journey covers approximately 240 km<\/strong> and takes around 2.5 hours<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Watch the desert landscape change as evening approaches.<\/p>\n Arrive in Turkmenabat<\/strong> in the early evening.<\/p>\n Transfer directly to the hotel for check-in, followed by a relaxed dinner at a local restaurant.<\/p>\n Stay overnight at a hotel.<\/p>\n Overnight:<\/strong> Hotel in Turkmenabat.<\/p>\n Depart at approximately 07:00 AM<\/strong> and travel north along the Amu Darya valley<\/strong> towards the remote Dayahatun Caravanserai<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The journey covers approximately 170 km<\/strong> and takes around 3.5 hours<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Breakfast will be arranged en route.<\/p>\n Please note that the final sections of the road are rough and unpaved desert tracks.<\/p>\n Arrive at Dayahatun<\/strong> and explore the impressive ruins of this 11th-century Seljuk caravanserai<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Hidden in the desert, the site is one of the route\u2019s most distinctive Silk Road monuments.<\/p>\n After the visit, begin the return journey towards Turkmenabat.<\/p>\n The drive takes approximately 3.5 hours<\/strong> and passes through local villages and agricultural areas.<\/p>\n Return to Turkmenabat at approximately 14:30<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Enjoy a substantial lunch at a local restaurant before continuing the afternoon programme.<\/p>\n Visit the Lebap Regional Museum<\/strong> and discover its ethnographic and archaeological collections connected with the history and culture of the Amu Darya region.<\/p>\n Explore the atmospheric mud-brick remains of Amul-Gala<\/strong>, an ancient Silk Road stronghold on the outskirts of Turkmenabat.<\/p>\n Continue towards the border and make a scenic photo stop beside the Amu Darya River<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The river is one of the major waterways of Central Asia and a defining geographical feature of eastern Turkmenistan.<\/p>\n Drive to the Farap Border Checkpoint<\/strong>, approximately 40 km from Turkmenabat<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Upon arrival at the border terminal, our team will escort you and assist with Turkmen customs and departure immigration formalities in accordance with official border regulations.<\/p>\n After completing the crossing, continue towards Bukhara<\/strong>.<\/p>\n End of Tour Services<\/strong><\/p>\n This 5-day Khiva to Bukhara via Dayahatun tour<\/strong> is a comprehensive overland journey through Turkmenistan, combining Kunya-Urgench, Izmukshir Fortress, Darvaza Gas Crater, Ashgabat, Ancient Nisa, Ancient Merv and the remote Dayahatun Caravanserai. The route also includes Turkmenabat, Amul Fortress and the Amu Darya River before exiting through the Farap border towards Bukhara.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":435,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[111],"product_tag":[],"dts_route_point":[125,119,144,123,122,172,124,105,145,171,170,120,113,143,233,174,112,109,173],"class_list":["post-2140","product","type-product","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","product_cat-misc","first","instock","shipping-taxable","product-type-simple"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nTour Route<\/h2>\n
Tour Highlights<\/h2>\n
\n
Day 1 \u2013 Shavat Border, Kunya-Urgench and Dashoguz<\/h2>\n
Meet at the Shavat Border<\/h3>\n
Drive to Kunya-Urgench<\/h3>\n
Lunch<\/h3>\n
Kunya-Urgench Historical Tour<\/h2>\n
Kutlug-Timur Minaret<\/h3>\n
Turabek-Khanum Mausoleum<\/h3>\n
Mausoleums of Sultan Tekesh and Il-Arslan<\/h3>\n
Caravanserai Gate<\/h3>\n
Return to Dashoguz<\/h3>\n
Overnight in Dashoguz<\/h3>\n
Day 2 \u2013 Dashoguz, Izmukshir and Darvaza Gas Crater<\/h2>\n
Breakfast<\/h3>\n
Bai Bazaar<\/h3>\n
Izmukshir Fortress<\/h3>\n
Lunch<\/h3>\n
Cross the Karakum Desert<\/h3>\n
Darvaza Gas Crater<\/h3>\n
BBQ Dinner and Desert Evening<\/h3>\n
Overnight at Darvaza<\/h3>\n
Day 3 \u2013 Darvaza, Desert Craters and Ashgabat<\/h2>\n
Optional Sunrise Experience<\/h3>\n
Breakfast and Departure<\/h3>\n
Water Crater and Mud Crater<\/h3>\n
Lunch in Ashgabat<\/h3>\n
Ashgabat City Tour with Ancient Nisa<\/h2>\n
Overnight in Ashgabat<\/h3>\n
Day 4 \u2013 Ashgabat, Ancient Merv and Turkmenabat<\/h2>\n
Morning Departure<\/h3>\n
Lunch in Mary or Bayramaly<\/h3>\n
Ancient Merv Guided Tour<\/h2>\n
Mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar<\/h3>\n
Greater and Lesser Kyz Kala<\/h3>\n
Askhabs Mausoleums and Ancient Sardoba<\/h3>\n
Erk Kala and Gyaur Kala<\/h3>\n
Continue to Turkmenabat<\/h3>\n
Evening Arrival and Dinner<\/h3>\n
Overnight in Turkmenabat<\/h3>\n
Day 5 \u2013 Dayahatun Caravanserai, Turkmenabat and Farap Border<\/h2>\n
Early Departure to Dayahatun<\/h3>\n
Dayahatun Caravanserai<\/h2>\n
Late Lunch in Turkmenabat<\/h3>\n
Turkmenabat Cultural Tour<\/h2>\n
Lebap Regional Museum<\/h3>\n
Amul Fortress<\/h3>\n
Amu Darya River Photo Stop<\/h3>\n
Transfer to Farap Border<\/h3>\n
No scheduled departure dates are currently available. Contact Darwaza Travel to request a private tour or choose your preferred travel date.<\/strong><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"