Ancient Cities of Turkmenistan

Culture and history, UNESCO World Heritage Sites and the mix of the modern and the ancient. Individual or group tour, by transfers, bus and plane.

Day by day

1. 01

   Arrival in Ashgabat

   • Meeting at the airport, transfer to the hotel
   • Free time to rest
2. 02

   Ashgabat

   • In the morning you meet your driver and guide at the hotel for the city tour
   • Old Nisa, 15 km from the city: capital of the Parthian Empire, founded in the 3rd century BC (UNESCO)
   • Turkmenbashi Ruhy (Kipchak) Mosque, the largest in Central Asia, with the mausoleum of the first President and his family
   • The Neutrality Arch, a 95-metre tower: a funicular to the viewing platform, a small museum and a panorama of the city
   • Independence Park, with the yurt-shaped Independence Monument, fountains and 27 statues of historical figures
   • The Lenin statue, on a platform richly decorated with Turkmen ornaments
   • The National Museum of History and Ethnography, with over half a million exhibits from all regions
   • Gulistan (Russian) Bazaar, one of the oldest and liveliest markets in Ashgabat
   • The Akhal-Teke stables: how the legendary horses are kept and trained
3. 03

   Ashgabat, Mary, Merv

   • Morning drive to Mary (about 370 km), then to Ancient Merv (40 km), a great centre of the Silk Road (UNESCO)
   • The mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar (12th c.), a masterpiece of medieval architecture with a monumental dome
   • Big and Small Kyz-Kala (8th–9th c.), clay fortresses with no known parallels
   • The Ashab complex (9th–12th c.), an important place of pilgrimage
   • Erk-Kala (6th c. BC), the oldest fortress of Merv, with walls up to 30 metres and a panoramic view
   • Gyaur-Kala (3rd c. BC), with walls about 2 km long
   • The Beni Mahan (Friday) Mosque (7th–9th c.) and a well-preserved ancient cistern
   • The mausoleum of Muhammad ibn Zayd (12th c.), a revered Sufi shrine with Arabic inscriptions
   • Back to Ashgabat
4. 04

   Ashgabat, Dashoguz, Kunya-Urgench

   • Morning flight to Dashoguz (about 570 km), then the drive to Kunya-Urgench (120 km), old capital of the Khorezm Empire (UNESCO)
   • The mausoleum of Turabek Khanum (14th c.) and the tomb of Said Ahmed, a Golden Horde leader (14th c.)
   • The Kutlug Timur minaret (11th–13th c.), about 62 metres, the tallest in Central Asia
   • The mausoleum of Sultan Tekesh (12th c.)
   • Kyrk Molla, a sacred hill and old fortress of about 3 hectares with the ruins of the Mamun Library (8th–9th c.) and an old cemetery
   • The mausoleum of Fakhreddin Razi, also known as the mausoleum of Arslan II (13th c.)
   • The mausoleum of Najmuddin Kubra (12th c.), founder of the Kubrawiya Sufi order
   • The mausoleum of Sultan Ali (16th c.), an unfinished complex
   • Transfer to the hotel
5. 05

   Back to Ashgabat

   • Breakfast, flight to Ashgabat, transfer to the hotel
   • Free time for shopping and rest
6. 06

   Departure

   • Check-out, transfer to the airport

Route