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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
- Most of today will be spent driving around the new part of the city - the part that is famous for the opulent white marble buildings, huge spotless roads, and very few people or cars.
- We’ll start with the Monument Complex - a complex of three monuments that were moved from elsewhere in the city, including the Soviet war memorial and eternal flame, and the famous earthquake monument.
- We'll then continue on to the rest of Ashgabat's main sites, including Independence Park and Independence Monument, the monument to the Ruhnama (yes, it's a statue of a giant book), the Monument to the Constitution, the Arch of Neutrality, Lenin Park, the Palace of Happiness (wedding palace), Yyldiz Hotel, and the Arkadag statue (the second president on a golden horse riding a white marble wave).
- We'll drive past 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!
- Next we'll stop at the Russian Bazaar, which is a mutli-purpose stop. Here you can visit the Russian Bazaar itself, which is a great place to get lots of types of souvenirs, including an English copy of the Ruhnama, the book written by Turkmenbashy. You can also find Turkmenistan tracksuits, t-shirts and other sportswear, carpets, all sorts of handicrafts and textiles, and lots of other stuff. This will also be our lunch stop, so you can choose whether you want a quick pastry or donor from the bazaar, or use the time to sit down and have a meal in one of the nearby restaurants.
- 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 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, posters, magnets, stationary, and loads of other stuff.
- Spend the night at the Ak Altyn Hotel.
Day 2Wed Mar 18
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.
Day 3Thu Mar 19
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.
Day 4Fri Mar 20
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.
Day 5Sat 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 6Sun Mar 22
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.
Day 7Mon Mar 23
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.
Day 8Tue Mar 24
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.
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.