Turkmenistan Highlights from Ashgabat: 5 Days with Darvaza, Nisa, Nokhur and Merv

Five days that cover the country from one airport: Ashgabat and its marble lit up at night, the ruins of Parthian Nisa, the burning crater at Darvaza, the Kopetdag foothills and the Akhal-Teke horses, and ancient Merv.

It is a private tour for your own group, from two travellers, with a licensed guide, your own vehicle and driver for all five days, and every meal from dinner on the first day to lunch on the last.

The route at a glance

Good to know

• Visa: your Turkmenistan e-visa is included and we apply for it for you. Send us a scan of your passport and a 3×4 or 4×5 cm photo on a white background, without glasses or a hat. Standard processing takes about 7 working days, so please book at least 4 weeks before you travel; express processing costs USD 40 more per person. Once the application is in, the visa fee cannot be refunded.
• Cash at the airport: the migration fee (about USD 15 per person) and, if it is still required, a PCR test (about USD 33) are paid on arrival in clean, recent US dollar notes. Cards are rarely accepted outside large hotels.
• Flights: you can land at any time on day 1; the last day suits an afternoon or evening flight.
• Hotels: 3★ Mizan in Ashgabat and Rahat in Mary, or 5★ hotels in both, named when you book — you choose when you book. Want a room to yourself? Ask us on WhatsApp for the price.
• Groups: for 10 or more travellers, ask us for a group price on WhatsApp.
• Darvaza: the crater still burns, but much less fiercely than in older photographs.
• Photographs and the internet: government buildings, police, military sites and border posts may not be photographed. The internet is slow and many apps and websites are blocked, so download what you need before you go.
• When to go: April–May and September–October are best. In summer the Karakum often passes 40 °C.