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.
Email address: [email protected]
© SAIGA Tours
Start
Mar 17, 2026
Ashgabat
Ashgabat
2026-03-17
End
Mar 24, 2026
Ashgabat
Ashgabat
2026-03-24
Duration
8 days
Price
US$1595.00
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 shorter budget version of this tour available, 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.
Itinerary
Day 1Tue Mar 17
Ashgabat
-
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, 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 $1, 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.
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
Afghanistan April Spring Tour
Historical sites, the hustle and bustle of Kabul, the pristine nature of Bamyan, and a totally unique political and social situation.
Syria Spring Tour
We want to show you every side of this wonderful country - the incredible history, the recent turmoil and destruction, but also the nightlife and the fun stuff too!
Libya Revolution Day Tour
Travelling to Libya is exciting enough already, but join us for Revolution Day to see what it's all about!
Afghanistan February Winter Tour
Covering Bamyan, Mazar i Sharif, Samangan, Balkh and of course Kabul, this tour covers what we think are all the best spots Afghanistan currently has to offer.