Turkmenistan Independence Day Mega Tour

Name: Turkmenistan Independence Day Mega Tour
Start: 2026-09-26
End: 2026-10-07
Location: Ashgabat

Start

Sep 26, 2026
Ashgabat

End

Oct 7, 2026
Ashgabat

Duration

12 days

Price

US$2295.00

TOUR OVERVIEW

This tour is designed to be, well you guessed it - comprehensive! Beginning in Turkmenistan's white and gold capital city, Ashgabat, the first couple of days will be spent taking in all the monuments, white buildings, colourful lights and general absurdity of Ashgabat.

We'll then head out of the city and spend a night at the Gates of Hell, before heading west, with stops at the underground lake of Kow Ata, the mountain village of Nokhur, and the ancient ruins of Nisa.

We'll spend a night in Balkanabat, home to one of our favourite Turkmenbashy statues, before venturing into the desert to Yangykala Canyon. Eventually reaching the Caspian Sea coast we'll spend a night in the town of Turkmenbashy, before flying back to Ashgabat on Turkmenistan Airlines.

At this point we'll head into the far east of the country to see a completely different side of Turkmenistan. Out here you'll meet people who have never seen a foreigner before, see things that not many people outside of Turkmenistan even know exist, and it'll suddenly feel like Ashgabat's a cosmpolitan modern world hub.

We are here for Indepedence Day, however it is unfortunately very unlikely that tourists will be allowed to attend any special events. With the increase in use of social media and sharing things online, and a larger number of tourists trying to attend each year, the government has become stricter about outside access to high level events. This is of course very frustrating after a decade of working to gain access to things, however this is just how it is. Of course, we will absolutely be attending anything that we are able to, however we cannot guarantee any specific events.

View the full itinerary

Turkmenistan tracksuits at Yangykala Canyon, Turkmenistan

Independence Monument, Independence Park, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

If you like the look of this tour but the dates don't work for you, or you'd like to do part of the tour, please get in touch and let us know. All our tours are able to be split into smaller sections, we're always scheduling new tours and your dates might work for one of them, or we can always organise an independent tour.

There are also shorter versions of this tour, with both the Whirlwind Tour and the Original Tour .

INCLUSIONS:

✓	Letter of Invitation
✓	Accommodation in twin share at roughly 3 star hotels (breakfast included), camping at Gates of Hell
✓	Transport as per itinerary, beginning and ending in Ashgabat
✓	Entrance fees to all sites mentioned in the itinerary, including Independence Day events
✓	Western and local guides

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: $700

What is the single supplement? This is paid to guarantee a single room. If you are travelling alone and would like to be roomed with another single traveller, you do not need to pay this.

EXCLUSIONS:

⨯	Visa fee (can be paid on arrival at the airport or land border, or at an embassy beforehand)
⨯	Meals other than breakfast at hotels
⨯	Transport to and from Ashgabat at the beginning and end of the tour
⨯	Accommodation and any other services before or after the tour
⨯	Personal expenses such as souvenirs or any optional activities
⨯	Any COVID related expenses

Goat massage, Koytendag, Lebap, Turkmenistan

Dinosaur Plateau, Koytendag, Lebap, Turkmenistan

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

Stand on the edge of the vast and vibrant Yangykala Canyon

Explore the glimmering white and gold city of Ashgabat

Get a Goat Massage and climb the Dinosaur Plateau in possibly the most off-the-beaten-path region you've ever been to

Itinerary

Day 1Sat Sep 26

Ashgabat

You’re going to be in awe of everything that the capital has to offer. We’ll spend the day taking in all the main sites of Ashgabat, including all those crazy monuments you’ve probably seen pictures of, as we begin explaining all the weird and wonderful aspects of Turkmenistan that make it such a special place.
We’ll start with a driving tour of Ashgabat's main sites, including Independence Park and Independence Monument, the Monument to the Constitution, the Arch of Neutrality, Lenin Park, and a drive-by of the Olympic Complex which was built for the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games. The complex is home to the famous Horse Stadium ( the largest structure in the shape of a horse in the world – you’ll hear plenty more of these records! ), but unfortunately is closed to the public.
A highlight of the day will likely be the Alem Centre, which is the complex in which the Wheel of Enlightenment is, the largest indoor ferris wheel (yes, there’s another one). And YES, for just $2.50, you can even take a ride!
Stop for lunch at Berkarar Shopping Centre, where you can go ice-skating, play in the games centre, ride a miniature double-decker bus, and even have a cappuccino in a hipster café – bet you weren’t expecting that!
In the afternoon we’ll visit the state-run bookshop, a great chance to pick up some very cool, unique Turkmenistan swag, including where you can find amazing coffee table books written by and about the president, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, as well as ones about Ashgabat and Turkmenistan. You can even get them in English! They also have postcards and posters, and if you're lucky they might even have a copy of the Ruhnama, the book written by Turkmenbashy.
Spend the night at the Ak Altyn Hotel.
We are here for Indepedence Day, however it is unfortunately very unlikely that tourists will be allowed to attend any special events. With the increase in use of social media and sharing things online, and a larger number of tourists trying to attend each year, the government has become stricter about outside access to high level events. When we first started doing this, getting a group of 10 people together felt like a massive achievement and our presence was so unexpected and confusing that we almost could get away with anything! But it has been getting increasingly more difficult over the years with more and more tourists going at this time of year. This is of course very frustrating after a decade of working to gain access to things, however this is just how it is. Of course, we will absolutely be attending anything that we are able to, however we cannot guarantee any specific events. However, luckily Turkmenistan is such an exciting and interesting place, that there's never a dull moment anyway, regardless of events or no events!

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Day 2Sun Sep 27

Nisa, Turkmenbashy Mosque, Ashgabat

Happy Independence Day!
Today we’ll start off by leaving the city, to visit Nisa, a UNESCO site which was once the capital of the Parthian Empire.
We’ll then continue on to Kipchak to see the resplendent Turkmenbashy Mosque and Mausoleum, where Turkmenbashy is buried beside his mother, father and two brothers in their white marble mausoleum. There aren’t too many Turkmenbashy related sites still around, but this one is truly spectacular.
Return to Ashgabat in the afternoon and you'll have some free time to enjoy a beer by the pool at the hotel or take a walk around the old part of the city where the hotel is located, before we set off in the evening.
Night tour of Ashgabat. With the white marble buildings lit up by brightly coloured neon lights, Ashgabat is a truly spectacular place after dark. We'll make a stop at the Palace of Happiness in the foothills of the Kopetdag Mountains, from where you can get a fantastic panorama of the whole city.
For dinner this evening we’ll go to the Yyldiz Hotel – the newest and most expensive hotel in Turkmenistan, where you can have a real 5 Star restaurant experience for 1 Star prices, complete with 360 degree views of the city.

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Day 3Mon Sep 28

Ashgabat, Gates of Hell

This morning we will have free time, so you'll have a chance to organise yourself for the evening ahead. We'll be checking out of the hotel in Ashgabat, but you can leave luggage behind for the overnight.
In the early afternoon, we'll set off on our desert adventure, driving the 250km north to Darvaza, The Gates of Hell.
One the way we’ll make a few stops – including to see a salt lake, and two other craters (one full of mud, one full of water).
Our favourite stop on this drive though is the town of Erbent, where you'll get a real up-close look at how rural Turkmens live - very different to what you've seen so far in Ashgabat and other regional cities and towns. We'll patronise the village shop, no doubt take some photos of some dust, possibly an old motorbike or two, maybe even a camel, and if we're lucky we might bump into some school kids. We will also of course use their toilet (not a luxurious one!) before continuing on our way.
Crossing the sand dunes to get to Darvaza, we’ll arrive in time to watch the sunset over the fiery crater and experience dusk turn to dark at this breathtaking site.
We will either set up tents near the crater, or stay in one of the nearby yurt camps, depending on many factors, including weather. Either way though, we'll spend the evening viewing the fiery crater from every angle, seeing the colour change as the sun sets and the darkness creeps in, until the crater is in full glow. It's completely mesemerising.

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Day 4Tue Sep 29

Gates of Hell, Ashgabat

We'll wake up this morning at the Gates of Hell. What a place to wake up!
Make sure you get your fill of fiery pits over breakfast, before we drive back to Ashgabat, arriving around lunchtime.
We'll check into the hotel and have free time for the rest of the afternoon.
Most people will probably want to head to one of our favourite bazaars in Central Asia – the Russian Bazaar. Here you'll have the opportunity to get some super cheap, local food for lunch, do some souvenir shopping, or if you’re in the market for a Turkmen carpet we can show you a good place to get them.
This is also where one of the main shops for buying the famous Turkmenistan tracksuits is, so if you've made it to this point in the tour without one, and you're a bit jealous of your tracksuit-adorned fellow travellers, this is your chance to get one.
You also might like just to go exploring, whether it's a walk to the psychadelic Ashgabat Mall, or to Tashkent Park, or to the alabay (dog) statue, or you could simply walk through one of the areas of new white marble buildings. And of course we'll be there to help you figure out what to do with your time.
For dinner this evening we’ll go to the Yyldiz Hotel – the newest and most expensive hotel in Turkmenistan, where you can have a real 5 Star restaurant experience for 1 Star prices, complete with 360 degree views of the city.

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Day 5Wed Sep 30

Kow Ata, Nokhur, Balkanabat

Checking out of our hotel in Ashgabat, we'll begin heading west, with our first stop at an underground thermal cave lake which is said to have many medical attributes, but is also used by locals as a swimming hole and makes for a very fun and relaxing swim.
After a refreshing swim in the cave lake, we'll sit down and chill for a while with some shashlik from one of the restaurants just outside the entrance to the cave.
We’ll continue driving west, away from Ashgabat, to the village of Nokhur, situated in the Kopet Dag mountains. Unlike the rest of Turkmenistan, even during the Soviet Union and the era of Turkmenbashy, the people in this village were largely left to their own devices, and as such live a much more traditional lifestyle than most Turkmens.
Here we’ll visit Nokhur Cemetery, where each grave is adorned with the horns of a mountain goat and a small market next to a wishing tree where you can buy all sorts of natural teas and potions.
Back on the road in the afternoon, we'll keep heading west until we arrive in Balkanabat, the capital of the western Balkan region.
On arrival we'll check into one of our favourite hotels in Turkmenistan, which is in the shape of a giant yurt, and will walk across the road to check out the local Turkmenbashy statue.

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Day 6Thu Oct 1

Yangykala Canyon, Turkmenbashy

Before leaving Balkanabat in the morning, we'll make a quick stop at a supermarket to stock up on snacks and drinks for the day, as we'll spend the whole of today in the desert with nothing in the way of civilisation until the evening.
We'll also stop at the Caravan Monument - a sand coloured depiction of a camel and travelers making their way through the harsh desert.
Leaving Balkanabat, we'll venture off the main road for the highlight of today - Yangykala Canyon. Wide and vast, the area was once a seabed, and scattered with all sorts of fossils, it stretches as far as the eye can see. In 4x4s, we’ll drive over the canyon walls, through the canyon itself, and up the other side.
We'll make several stops along the way, including our favourite, the crocodile mouth. This will be our main stop for the day, and we'll spend plenty of time there so we can enjoy all the shapes and colours of this spectacular natural phenomenon.
In the afternoon we'll continue on our way, arriving in Turkmnbashy in the late afternoon.
We'll have some free time before dinner, during which you can use the hotel gym, pool and sauna facilities, have a beer in the bar, or we may take a walk down to the former shoreline of the receding Caspian Sea.
Overnight in Turkmenbashy.
Previously we have included Avaza in this part of our tour itineraries, however it is currently closed to foreigners, as of April 2023. We are working on the assumption that it will not be open before the time of this tour, however if it was, we would rearrange the itinerary in such a way that we'd be able to include a visit there.

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Day 7Fri Oct 2

Turkmenbashy, Ashgabat

This morning we will make our way to Turkmenbashy Airport, which has the airport code KRW, in reference to the Soviet name of the city, which was Krasnovodsk.
We'll fly back to Ashgabat on Turkmenistan's national carrier and the only option for domestic flights, Turkmenistan Airlines.
Arriving back in Ashgabat you'll have a chance to have some free time, during which you might want to shop for a tracksuit or a carpet, sit down for a coffee or a beer, go for a stroll, or just have a rest.
In the afternoon we'll hop on a public bus and explore Ashgabat from a slightly different perspective. This is a great way to interact with locals, and get a first-hand view of how normal Ashgabatians live on a daily basis.
Using the bus, we'll make our way to Berkarar Shopping Centre, going through the new part of the city, past the Presidential Palace, the Ashgabat Monument, and the 2017 Olympic Complex. We'll then have a chance to explore this incredibly Turkmenistan-style shopping centre, where you can go ice-skating, play in the games centre, ride a miniature double-decker bus, and even have a cappuccino in a hipster café – bet you weren’t expecting that!
We'll catch the bus back to our hotel, before heading out for dinner in the evening.
Overnight at the Ak Altyn Hotel.

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Day 8Sat Oct 3

Ashgabat, Turkmenbashy, Koytendag

In the morning we'll go to the airport and fly to the tiny town in the very north east of the country, called Kerki.
From here we will drive into the Koytendag mountains.
Straight away you'll be struck by how different this part of the country feels to anywhere you've been so far. If you thought Ashgabat was off the beaten track - try Koytendag! You will likely come across people who have literally never seen a western tourist before.
We'll be able to wander around the village a little bit and get a feel for the place, and we'll have dinner in a local restaurant.
Spend the night at a lodge in Kugitang.

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Day 9Sun Oct 4

Koytendag, Goat Massage, Kugitang

We'll spend today exploring the Koytendag mountains. We'll visit one gorge which becomes a river when it rains, but assuming it's possible we'll climb through it, and at the end is a massive waterfall of snow melt. Locals will be running under the waterfall, screaming from the cold and laughing as they jump straight back out again. If you're game you can join them! And at the end of the gorge familes will be set up in the shade with mangals (barbeques), picnic tables and rugs, and food and drink for the day.
There are a number of other swimming or climbing opportunities, so we can play it by ear and do as much or as little as people feel like.
Probably a highlight of the tour will be getting a goat massage. An old guy who lives in the area and owns some land and some animals has devised this unique and fun activity, that he calls goat massages. In reality though it's having a goat (of the weight of your choice) walk and stand on your back and shoulders. Some people love it, some people would rather just watch others loving it, but whichever camp you fall in it's certainly a unique and hilarious experience!
We'll return to the lodge in Kugitang in the evening and have some dinner and settle in for the evening.

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Day 10Mon Oct 5

Dinosaur Plateau, Kyrk Gyz Cave, Kugitang

Another highlight! We'll start the day with walking up onto the Dinosaur Plateau, t he largest repository of dinosaur footprints in the world. Discovered in 1980, the limestone slab that sits at a 20 degree angle on the side of the mountain, is covered in pre-historic footprints ranging from 20-70cm in size. Although scientifically explained as this, one local legend tells us that the plateau was a place where white elephants gathered to perform sacred dances, and another tells us that the footprints are those of battle elephants brought by Alexander the Great.
It's quite a walk to get up there, and the hillside itself is quite steep, but once we get there you can explore as much as you like, or simply sit next to some footprints and take in the spectacular view.
Once we've had our dinosaur footprint fix, we'll c ontinue on to Kyrk Gyz Cave. This cave is covered in a peculiar layer of stalactites, which are in fact cloth rags dangling from the ceiling. Legend has it that anyone who can fling a mud pie with a cloth attached to it, and make it stick, will have a wish come true. So obviously we'll all give it a go!
Return to Kugitang for our last night in the lodge.

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Day 11Tue Oct 6

Kugitang, Turkmenabat, Ashgabat

Today we'll make the picturesque drive to Turkmenabat, with loads of stop along the way in odd little towns, beautiful scenery, and Astana Baba Mausoleum and Alamberdar Mausoleum.
We'll have a wander through the bazaar and have lunch in the small town of Atamyrat, where we'll more than likely be spotted by some locals who've never seen a tourist before and end up with some good company over lunch.
Arriving in Turkmenabat in the afternoon, we’ll visit the Lebap Regional Museum. You wouldn’t expect much, but it’s actually a pretty cool little museum, with a fascinating array of taxidermy, multiple dioramas, and huge models and murals of the surrounding area, including depictions of dinosaurs making the footprints in the plateau we will have just seen. Not to mention some very informative displays about the wheat production and oil production of Turkmenistan of course.
We'll squeeze in a quick dinner at our favourite Fitchi House - a local hotspot. And you'd never believe it, but it's not the only one. They also have a branch in Seattle!
And then this evening we'll fly on Turkmenistan Airlines again!
We'll arrive in Ashgabat in the evening, and transfer to our hotel.

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Day 12Wed Oct 7

Ashgabat, End of Tour

Last day of the tour.
Transfers to the airport for your flights, or if you'd like to spend longer in Turkmenistan let us know and we can help you arrange something.

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Extensions

Horse Farm Day Trip

Turkmenistan is known for their unique Akhal Teke horses, this is your opportunity to experience them up close and even take a ride if you fancy.

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Cross the land border at Dashoguz or Konye Urgench

Planning on joining a Turkmenistan tour, but you're already going to be in Uzbekistan and you'd rather cross at a land border? Well, that's what this is for!

1 day

US$380.00

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Cross the land border at Dashoguz or Konye Urgench

Merv Day Trip

For those history buffs who want to see a bit more of the ancient stuff whilst in Turkmenistan.

1 day

US$400.00

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Other Tours

Turkmenistan Independence Day Whirlwind Tour

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Turkmenistan Independence Day Whirlwind Tour

The Original Turkmenistan Independence Day Tour

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The Original Turkmenistan Independence Day Tour

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Nomad Games Tour Kyrgyzstan 2026

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VIEW DETAILS

Turkmenistan Independence Day Mega Tour

TOUR OVERVIEW

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

Itinerary

Day 1Sat Sep 26

Ashgabat

Day 2Sun Sep 27

Nisa, Turkmenbashy Mosque, Ashgabat

Day 3Mon Sep 28

Ashgabat, Gates of Hell

Day 4Tue Sep 29

Gates of Hell, Ashgabat

Day 5Wed Sep 30

Kow Ata, Nokhur, Balkanabat

Day 6Thu Oct 1

Yangykala Canyon, Turkmenbashy

Day 7Fri Oct 2

Turkmenbashy, Ashgabat

Day 8Sat Oct 3

Ashgabat, Turkmenbashy, Koytendag

Day 9Sun Oct 4

Koytendag, Goat Massage, Kugitang

Day 10Mon Oct 5

Dinosaur Plateau, Kyrk Gyz Cave, Kugitang

Day 11Tue Oct 6

Kugitang, Turkmenabat, Ashgabat

Day 12Wed Oct 7

Ashgabat, End of Tour

Extensions

Horse Farm Day Trip

Cross the land border at Dashoguz or Konye Urgench

Merv Day Trip

Other Tours

Turkmenistan Independence Day Whirlwind Tour

The Original Turkmenistan Independence Day Tour

Equatorial Guinea Independence Day Tour

Nomad Games Tour Kyrgyzstan 2026

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