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© SAIGA Tours
Start
Mar 20, 2027
Ashgabat
Ashgabat
2027-03-20
End
Mar 23, 2027
Ashgabat
Ashgabat
2027-03-23
Duration
4 days
Price
US$1095.00
TOUR OVERVIEW
This tour is your chance to see Nowruz, but Turkmen style. And everything is more fun Turkmen style! Although Nowruz is originally a Persian holiday, marking the start of spring and the start of their new year, it has been well and truly commandeered by Central Asia. You'll find Nowruz celebrations all throughout Central Asia, with differening extents of extravagance and authenticity, but Turkmenistan has really taken it to the next level and made it their own. As Turkmenistan tends to do!
We'll explore Turkmenistan's gleaming and sparkly capital of Ashgabat, seeing all that this incredibly unique city has to offer. And of course, while exploring this bizarre sparkly city, we'll visit the Nowruz yurt village and see all the festivities that come with this festival in Turkmenistan. We'll also head out into the desert and spend a night at the Gates of Hell.
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 is also a longer 12-day version of this tour for those who would like to see even more of Turkmenistan, or a shorter 4-day version of this tour, for anyone who would like to see Ashgabat, the Gates of Hell and Nowruz, but doesn't have time to explore the rest of the country.
INCLUSIONS:
| ✓ | Letter of Invitation |
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Accommodation in twin share at roughly 3 star hotels (breakfast included), camping at Gates of Hell |
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Transport as per itinerary, beginning and ending in Ashgabat |
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Entrance fees to all sites mentioned in the itinerary |
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Western and local guides |
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: $150
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:
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Visa fee (can be paid on arrival at the airport or land border, or at an embassy beforehand) |
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Meals other than breakfast at hotels |
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Transport to and from Ashgabat at the beginning and end of the tour |
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Accommodation and any other services before or after the tour |
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Personal expenses such as souvenirs or any optional activities |
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
Join in the vibrant and oh so photogenic Nowruz celebrations
Explore the white marble city of Ashgabat
Bask in the glow of the Gates of Hell
Itinerary
Day 1Sat Mar 20
Ashgabat
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Our first day in 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, the complex which houses the Wheel of Enlightenment, 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 university 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 former president (and father of the current president, Serdar Berdimuhamedov), 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.
Day 2Sun Mar 21
Nowruz celebrations, Ashgabat
- Today is the main event, and the highlight of the trip. Happy Nowruz!
- Although Nowruz is originally a Persian holiday, marking the start of spring and the start of their new year, it has been well and truly commandeered by Central Asia. You'll find Nowruz celebrations all throughout Central Asia, with differening extents of extravagance and authenticity, but Turkmenistan has really taken it to the next level and made it their own. As Turkmenistan tends to do!
- It always changes exactly what happens on this day, what we can attend, and how it works, but we will drive out to the outskirts of Ashgabat to the yurt village that is built for the event. There's usually a sort of progressive concert which we will walk through, with various different performances and demonstrations, including dancing and music from Turkmenistan, but also from around the world. There will be displays of carpets and carpet weaving, cotton harvesting and production, various types of wrestling and other martial arts, depictions of traditional ways of living, as well as nods to Silk Road architecture and sites that are within Turkmenistan.
- Usually some food is served at the celebrations - most likely including plov, and probably many types of plov.
- We've got the whole day to enjoy the full extent of the Nowruz experience, so we will spend as much time there as we can, depending on the exact format of events.
- When the Nowruz events have concluded, we'll make our way back to Ashgabat.
- Overnight at the Ak Altyn Hotel.
Day 3Mon Mar 22
Ashgabat, Gates of Hell
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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).
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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.
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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.
Day 4Tue Mar 23
Gates of Hell, Ashgabat
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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 start heading back to Ashgabat, arriving around lunchtime.
- Arriving back in Ashgabat, you will have some free time until you need to be driven to the airport for your departure flight.
- If you'd like to see some more of Turkmenistan while you're there, why not join us on the Turkmenistan Nowruz Tour , where we'll also visit Kow Ata, Nokhur, Balkanabat, Turkmenbsahy and Yangykala Canyon, or the Turkmenistan Nowruz Easter Comprehensive Tour , where we'll visit all those things plus the remote far east of the country..
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.
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!
Merv Day Trip
For those history buffs who want to see a bit more of the ancient stuff whilst in Turkmenistan.
Other Tours
Turkmenistan Nowruz Tour
Originally Persian New Year, Nowruz has been well adopted by Central Asia, and in true Turkmen style they have really made it their own.
Turkmenistan Nowruz Easter Comprehensive Tour
Turkmen-style Nowruz celebrations, the Gates of Hell, dinosaur footprints, caves, villages and canyons, and of course the glistening capital of Ashgabat.
Syria Easter Tour
Got some easter holidays and looking for a cool adventure to have? Join us in Syria this spring!
Iran Spring Tour
Vibrant Tehran, quaint Meybod, beautiful Isfahan, fascinating Persepolis, and a whole lot in between, this tour will show you the best of Iran.