This 5-day Turkmenistan round-trip tour from Ashgabat<\/strong> brings together some of the country\u2019s most contrasting experiences in one circular itinerary: the burning Darvaza Gas Crater, the white-marble capital, the dramatic landscapes of Yangykala Canyon and the UNESCO-listed ruins of Ancient Merv.<\/p>\n Begin in Ashgabat<\/strong> before travelling north into the Karakum Desert for an unforgettable night beside the Darvaza Gas Crater<\/strong>, staying in a traditional Turkmen yurt or comfortable tent.<\/p>\n Return to Ashgabat and then fly west to Turkmenbashi<\/strong> on the Caspian coast. From there, travel across the desert to the colourful cliffs of Yangykala Canyon<\/strong>, before continuing to Balkanabat and taking an overnight train back to the capital.<\/p>\n The journey then turns east towards Ancient Merv<\/strong>, one of the great historical centres of the Silk Road. A cultural visit to Turkmen Ojagy<\/strong> adds an ethnographic experience with Alabay dogs, Bactrian camels, traditional Turkmen clothing and bread baking before the final return to Ashgabat.<\/p>\n This itinerary is well suited to travellers who want to experience desert landscapes, modern architecture, Silk Road history and traditional Turkmen culture within one 5-day circular journey.<\/p>\n Ashgabat International Airport (ASB) \u2192 Ashgabat \u2192 Darvaza Gas Crater \u2192 Water Crater \u2192 Mud Crater \u2192 Ashgabat \u2192 Turkmenbashi \u2192 Yangykala Canyon \u2192 Balkanabat \u2192 Overnight Train \u2192 Ashgabat \u2192 Ancient Merv \u2192 Turkmen Ojagy \u2192 Mary \u2192 Ashgabat \u2192 Ashgabat International Airport (ASB)<\/strong><\/p>\n Upon arrival at Ashgabat International Airport (ASB)<\/strong>, complete customs and immigration formalities.<\/p>\n Our guide or driver will meet you at the arrivals area and recognise you using the photograph provided in advance.<\/p>\n Transfer to a local restaurant for breakfast and time to refresh before beginning the sightseeing programme.<\/p>\n Start with a morning orientation tour of Ashgabat<\/strong>, often recognised for its distinctive white-marble architecture.<\/p>\n Discover monumental buildings, wide modern avenues and carefully landscaped parks.<\/p>\n Enjoy a traditional lunch at a local restaurant.<\/p>\n In the afternoon, leave Ashgabat and travel north towards Darvaza<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The journey covers approximately 270 km<\/strong> and takes around 3.5 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 desert gradually darken as the glow of the burning crater becomes more visible.<\/p>\n Enjoy a traditional open-air BBQ dinner prepared by our team at the campsite.<\/p>\n After dark, spend time near the crater and enjoy excellent opportunities for night photography beneath the desert stars.<\/p>\n Stay overnight in a traditional Turkmen yurt or comfortable tent campsite<\/strong> near the crater.<\/p>\n Overnight:<\/strong> Darvaza campsite.<\/p>\n Travellers who wish to wake early can make an optional pre-dawn visit to the crater.<\/p>\n See the flames against the changing morning light before sunrise over the Karakum Desert.<\/p>\n Enjoy breakfast at the camp before beginning the journey back to Ashgabat<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The drive covers approximately 270 km<\/strong> and takes around 3.5 hours<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Some sections of the road remain rough and uneven, so the journey may be bumpy.<\/p>\n On the way back to the capital, stop briefly at the Water Crater<\/strong> and Mud Crater<\/strong>.<\/p>\n These unusual geological sites provide another perspective on the varied desert landscape.<\/p>\n Enjoy lunch after arriving in Ashgabat.<\/p>\n Spend the afternoon exploring the city\u2019s remaining landmarks, museums or local bazaars that were not visited on the first day.<\/p>\n The programme can be adjusted to your interests and can also provide time for souvenir shopping.<\/p>\n Stay overnight at a hotel.<\/p>\n Overnight:<\/strong> Hotel in Ashgabat.<\/p>\n Transfer to Ashgabat International Airport<\/strong> for the morning flight to Turkmenbashi, departing at 10:40 AM<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Meet your driver after arrival at the coastal airport.<\/p>\n Enjoy fresh seafood or a traditional lunch at a local restaurant.<\/p>\n Leave Turkmenbashi and travel east into the desert towards the canyon region.<\/p>\n If time permits, make a short visit to Gozli Ata<\/strong>, one of Turkmenistan\u2019s well-known pilgrimage sites, located among striking white and pink cliffs.<\/p>\n Continue towards the dramatic Yangykala Canyon<\/strong>, approximately 160 km from Turkmenbashi<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Explore the plateau and admire the vast red and pink limestone formations, shaped on the ancient floor of the Tethys Ocean.<\/p>\n Leave the canyon in the late afternoon and travel towards Balkanabat<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The drive takes approximately 2.5 hours<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Enjoy a warm dinner at a local restaurant in Balkanabat.<\/p>\n Transfer to Balkanabat Railway Station<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Board the overnight train to Ashgabat, departing at 21:10<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Accommodation is provided in a comfortable 4-berth compartment<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Overnight:<\/strong> Overnight train to Ashgabat.<\/p>\n Arrive in Ashgabat at 06:15 AM<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Meet your private driver at the railway station.<\/p>\n Depart Ashgabat in the morning along the modern high-speed motorway towards the Mary region.<\/p>\n The journey covers approximately 360 km<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Stop at a roadside restaurant for a fresh, warm breakfast.<\/p>\n Explore the vast archaeological park of Ancient Merv<\/strong>, one of the great historical centres of the Silk Road and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.<\/p>\n Visit the 12th-century Seljuk mausoleum, famous for its monumental architecture and double-dome construction.<\/p>\n See the distinctive mud-brick fortresses with their characteristic corrugated walls, dating from approximately the 7th to 12th centuries.<\/p>\n Visit the sacred burial sites associated with the companions of the Prophet Muhammad.<\/p>\n The surrounding area also includes medieval public baths and an ancient sardoba<\/strong>, a traditional desert water-storage structure.<\/p>\n Explore the ancient citadels and take in panoramic views across the archaeological landscape.<\/p>\n Ancient Merv contains many additional ruins, and smaller historical sites within the park can be visited on request depending on available time and personal interest.<\/p>\n After the historical tour, visit the nearby Turkmen Ojagy<\/strong> complex for a cultural experience and traditional lunch.<\/p>\n Meet Alabay dogs<\/strong>, one of Turkmenistan\u2019s most recognised national breeds, and take photographs with Bactrian camels.<\/p>\n Try authentic Turkmen costumes, including traditional telpek hats<\/strong> and silver-decorated clothing, for photographs inside a traditional yurt.<\/p>\n Take part in a hands-on demonstration at a traditional tamdyr clay oven<\/strong> and learn how Turkmen chorek flatbread<\/strong> is prepared.<\/p>\n Enjoy a relaxed dinner at a local restaurant in Mary.<\/p>\n Stay overnight at a hotel.<\/p>\n Overnight:<\/strong> Hotel in Mary.<\/p>\n Enjoy breakfast at your hotel in Mary and check out.<\/p>\n Depart Mary in the morning and travel west along the modern high-speed motorway towards Ashgabat.<\/p>\n The journey covers approximately 360 km<\/strong> and takes around 3.5\u20134 hours<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Arrive in the capital and enjoy a farewell lunch at a city restaurant.<\/p>\n Depending on your international flight schedule, enjoy a flexible final drive through Ashgabat.<\/p>\n This can include architectural landmarks, photogenic monuments or cultural sites that were not visited earlier in the programme.<\/p>\n Private transfer to Ashgabat International Airport (ASB)<\/strong> for your international departure.<\/p>\n End of Tour Services<\/strong><\/p>\n This 5-day Turkmenistan round-trip tour from Ashgabat<\/strong> combines Darvaza Gas Crater, Yangykala Canyon and UNESCO-listed Ancient Merv in one circular itinerary. The journey includes a desert yurt night, a domestic flight to Turkmenbashi, an overnight train from Balkanabat, sightseeing in Ashgabat and a cultural visit to Turkmen Ojagy before returning to Ashgabat.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":2151,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[111],"product_tag":[],"dts_route_point":[125,132,123,122,234,124,145,131,143,127,154],"class_list":["post-2149","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 Ashgabat and Darvaza Gas Crater<\/h2>\n
Arrival at Ashgabat International Airport<\/h3>\n
Breakfast and Refreshment Stop<\/h3>\n
Ashgabat City Highlights<\/h3>\n
Lunch<\/h3>\n
Drive into the Karakum Desert<\/h3>\n
Darvaza Gas Crater<\/h3>\n
BBQ Dinner and Desert Evening<\/h3>\n
Overnight at Darvaza<\/h3>\n
Day 2 \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<\/h3>\n
Overnight in Ashgabat<\/h3>\n
Day 3 \u2013 Turkmenbashi, Yangykala Canyon and Overnight Train<\/h2>\n
Morning Flight to Turkmenbashi<\/h3>\n
Lunch<\/h3>\n
Drive towards Yangykala<\/h3>\n
Optional Gozli Ata Visit<\/h3>\n
Yangykala Canyon<\/h3>\n
Drive to Balkanabat<\/h3>\n
Dinner<\/h3>\n
Overnight Train to Ashgabat<\/h3>\n
Day 4 \u2013 Ancient Merv and Turkmen Ojagy<\/h2>\n
Arrival in Ashgabat<\/h3>\n
Drive to the Mary Region<\/h3>\n
Breakfast En Route<\/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
Turkmen Ojagy Ethnographic Experience<\/h2>\n
Alabay Dogs and Camels<\/h3>\n
Traditional Turkmen Clothing<\/h3>\n
Bread-Baking Experience<\/h3>\n
Dinner in Mary<\/h3>\n
Overnight in Mary<\/h3>\n
Day 5 \u2013 Mary to Ashgabat and Departure<\/h2>\n
Breakfast and Check-out<\/h3>\n
Drive Back to Ashgabat<\/h3>\n
Farewell Lunch in Ashgabat<\/h3>\n
Final Ashgabat Sightseeing<\/h3>\n
Airport Transfer<\/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":"