5-Day Turkmenistan Tour from Khiva to Bukhara: Darvaza, Ashgabat, Nohur, Kow-Ata & Merv

Continue to the village of Yerbent, where guests can taste camel milk and learn more about life in the desert area.

By lunchtime, arrive in Ashgabat. Check in at the hotel, take a shower, change clothes, and rest after the overnight stay in the desert.

After a short rest, lunch will be arranged at a traditional restaurant in Ashgabat. The main dish will be Turkmen pilaf inside a pie, served with salads and first courses.

After lunch, begin the Ashgabat sightseeing program. Visit the Independence Monument, the Arch of Neutrality, the largest indoor Ferris wheel, and other monuments and architectural ensembles of the capital.

In the evening, enjoy dinner at one of Ashgabat’s restaurants. The final point of the day will be a visit to a panoramic viewpoint overlooking evening Ashgabat.

Overnight: hotel in Ashgabat

Route: Darvaza → mud crater → water crater → Yerbent → Ashgabat

Meals: breakfast at the yurt camp, lunch and dinner in Ashgabat

The first main stop of the day is the underground lake Kow-Ata, one of the most unusual natural places in Turkmenistan. Guests can descend into the cave, see the underground lake, and, if desired, swim in the warm mineral water.

After visiting Kow-Ata, lunch will be arranged at a place known for local shashlik, salads, and other dishes.

Then continue to the mountains of Nokhur. Guests will get acquainted with the village of Nokhur, its atmosphere, traditions, and mountain way of life. The route then continues higher into the mountains, where beautiful views of the surroundings open up.

A stop at a mountain camp will be arranged in a picturesque place. Guests will enjoy traditional-style rest and a master class in preparing a national dish, such as gazanlama or traditional pilaf. Live traditional music with dutar performance will also be arranged.

After dinner prepared together with the guests, return to Ashgabat.

Overnight: hotel in Ashgabat

Route: Ashgabat → Arkadag → Kow-Ata → Nokhur → Ashgabat

Meals: breakfast at the hotel, lunch near Kow-Ata, dinner during the mountain rest program

After breakfast, visit one of Ashgabat’s city bazaars. Guests can buy souvenirs, sweets, dried fruits, spices, local handicrafts, and other keepsakes from Turkmenistan.

After the bazaar, drive toward the city of Mary. The transfer takes several hours, with stops for rest along the way.

Upon arrival in Mary, lunch will be arranged at a local restaurant. After lunch, enjoy a light walk around the city, including the city market, the old Orthodox church if available for viewing, and the main streets of Mary.

This day is intentionally calmer so guests can rest after the previous busy days and prepare for the visit to Ancient Merv.

After the walk, check in at the hotel, enjoy free time, dinner, and overnight in Mary.

Overnight: hotel in Mary

Route: Ashgabat → city bazaar → Mary

Meals: breakfast at the hotel, lunch in Mary, dinner in Mary

During the excursion, guests will see ancient settlements, fortress walls, mausoleums, and architectural monuments that help imagine the scale of this legendary city. For centuries, Merv was a major cultural, trade, and scientific center of the region.

The program includes the main sites of the historical complex: the Mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar, Erk-Kala and Gyaur-Kala, Greater and Lesser Gyz-Kala, the Askhab complex, and other monuments of Ancient Merv.

After the excursion, lunch will be arranged in Bayramaly.

After lunch, continue toward Turkmenabat. Upon arrival, guests will have an early dinner with a traditional Turkmen pie and other local dishes.

After dinner, continue to the Farap border. After passing the Turkmen side of the border, the tour ends. If necessary, a transfer to Bukhara can then be arranged.

Finish: Farap border / transfer to Bukhara if required

Route: Mary → Ancient Merv → Bayramaly → Turkmenabat → Farap border

Meals: breakfast at the hotel, lunch in Bayramaly, early dinner in Turkmenabat