Ashgabat, Nisa, Merv and Darvaza: a Journey through the Ages

Culture and history, the nature of the regions, a vivid route and UNESCO heritage. Individual or group tour.

Day by day

1. 01

   Arrival in Ashgabat

   • Your driver meets you at the airport and takes you to the hotel
   • Free time to rest
2. 02

   Ashgabat and Nisa

   • In the morning you meet your guide at the hotel for the city tour
   • Old Nisa, Turkmenbashi Ruhy Mosque and the Neutrality Arch
   • Independence Park, the Wedding Palace, the Alem Ferris wheel and the memorial complex
3. 03

   Mary and Merv

   • After breakfast, the drive to Mary and hotel check-in
   • After lunch, Merv, the most ancient trading centre on the Great Silk Road
   • 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
   • Lunch with traditional Turkmen dishes at the Gadymy Turkmen Ojagy restaurant
   • Drive to Ashgabat
4. 04

   Ashgabat and Darvaza

   • After breakfast, the road to Darvaza
   • Across the Karakum to the famous Darvaza gas crater
   • Dinner in a national yurt by the crater, traditional Turkmen cuisine included
   • Back to Ashgabat
5. 05

   Departure

   • Transfer to the airport

Route