Classic Turkmenistan: Darvaza, Merv and Carpets

Day by day

1. 01

   Arrival in Ashgabat

   • Meeting at Ashgabat international airport, transfer to the hotel, rest
   • Dinner at a local restaurant
2. 02

   Ashgabat sightseeing

   • City tour: parks, monuments, an impressive mosque and other iconic buildings
   • The horse farm: Akhal-Teke horses, a tea break and a short horse show
   • Night drive along the main streets of Ashgabat
3. 03

   Darvaza

   • Through the Karakum desert with a stop in Bahardok village, then the Water and Mud craters
   • The gas crater: feel the heat and listen to the sound of this giant oven
   • Drive back to Ashgabat
4. 04

   Mary and Merv

   • Early flight to Mary
   • The historical park of Ancient Merv, once a rival of Baghdad, Cairo and Damascus: Gyz Gala, Erk Gala, Soltan Gala, the mausoleums of Soltan Sanjar, Ashab, Yusup Hamadani and Ibn Zeid
   • The Museum of History, with finds from Margush and Merv
   • Back to Ashgabat
5. 05

   Nisa and Kow-Ata

   • Nisa, once the capital of the Parthian Empire (UNESCO)
   • Kow-Ata (“Father of caves”), 107 km from Ashgabat: stalagmites and warm emerald water at 33–37 °C — bring a swimsuit
6. 06

   Bazaar and carpets

   • Altyn Asyr, Ashgabat’s largest bazaar: Turkmen carpets, silver ornaments, souvenirs
   • The Carpet Museum: medieval to 20th-century carpets, including over 1,000 from the 18th–19th centuries
7. 07

   Departure

   • After breakfast, transfer to Ashgabat international airport

Route