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Ancient Capitals & Desert Infernos
Turkmenabad to Dashoguz Expedition
DAY 1. Turkmenabad - Mary
Our representative will meet you at the border Farap. After crossing the border you’ll take a drive to Mary for exploring Cultural and Historical park “Ancient Merv” (UNESCO site). Ancient Merv – “Queen of the world”, was one of the most important capitals of Islam along with Baghdad, Cairo and Damascus. Sightseeing of the place includes Greater and Lesser Kyz Galas (VII-VIIIc.c.), Complex of Askhabs (VII-XIV c.c.), Erk Gala (V BC), Gyaur Gala (IVc.), Complex of Hoja Yusup Hamadani (XIIc.), Sultan Sanjar mausoleum (XII c.). Overnight in Mary.
DAY 2. Mary – Ashgabat
BF at the hotel. In the morning you’ll take a drive to Ashgabat. At arrival visit the National museum of Turkmenistan. The Museum of History and Ethnography has ancient artifacts found at the excavations of Nisa, Merv and Gonur, collection of vintage Turkmen carpets, rare examples of national clothing, jewelries, and antique weapons. The 9 halls display figurines of Athens, Eros, silver gilded griffin, horn-shaped ivory vessels-rhytons of the Parthian era, gold jewelries and medallions-stamps from Margiana, and Buddhist artifacts. There are also a fossilized piece of wood of the Paleozoic period, aged 270,000,000, dinosaurs’ footprints, an 820-kg meteorite, fallen in Kunya-Urgench in 1998, etc.
Opposite the museum there is the main flag of Turkmenistan attached to one of the highest flagpole in world.
Afternoon you’ll have Ashgabat city tour. Ashgabat is world famous for its marble architecture of the independence period. Many modern structures in the Turkmen capital, including not only buildings, but also monuments and sculptures, have already become the main city’s attractions, while some of them were even recorded in the Guinness Book of Records as “best of the best”. You will visit Ertogrul Gazy Mosque, Monument and park of Independence, Arch of Neutrality, Constitution Monument, “Alem” cultural and entertainments center. Along the way you will see Presidential Palace, Ruhiyet Palace and Ashgabat 2017 Sports and Housing facilities. Overnight at hotel
DAY 3 Ashgabat
BF at the hotel. In the morning you’ll visit Old Nissa. 18 km to the west from Ashgabat there overlook the ruins of Nisa, the capital of ancient Parthia, existed at the turn of the I millennium BC and I millennium AD. In the III century BC New Nisa was the capital of Parthia and the Old Nisa fortress was an imperial residence at that time. Old Nisa was the place where palace and temple buildings were concentrated. There also located a treasury, huge wine warehouse and storerooms with numerous stocks. The fortress at Nisa was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2007.
Then you’ll drive to Geokdepe fortress. The fortress was erected to the end of XIX century to defense from Russian Empire Army. It was attacked by Russian army in December 1880. The siege of Geokdepe fortress lasted 23 days. You will visit the mosque named after Saparmyrat Haji, which was build in 1995 to commemorate the victims of the battle. Also, you will drive the Horse Stable to see the national pride of Turkmen people – Akhal-teke horses there. Akhal-Teke horses are a cultural treasure and historic symbol of the tribal, desert nomads of Turkmenistan. Among the oldest and rarest breeds in the world today, they are highly prized internationally for their intelligence, endurance and speed.
On the way back to the city you’ll visit the biggest mosque of Turkmenistan located in Gypjak village. The mosque which was constructed in 2004, was named “The Spiritual mosque of Turkmenbashi. Near the mosque, there is the Turkmenbashi Mausoleum – more modest in décor and size. The first President of Turkmenistan – Saparmyrat Turkmenbashi is buried in the central sarcophagus, and around it, there are three more sarcophagi with his mother and two brothers, and one in addition, which is empty – a symbolic sarcophagus with the name of Turkmenbashi’s father, buried in another place.
DAY 4 Ashgabat – Darvaza
BF at the hotel. Free morning
Afternoon you’ll drive to the Karakum desert for visiting famous settlement Darvaza with it’s spectacular fire crator so called “Door to hell”. On the way to Darvaza you will enjoy pristine nature of Karakum, Central Asia’s hottest desert and one of the main caravan paths on the Great Silk Road. The Darvaza gas crater also known as the Door to Hell or Gates of Hell is a burning natural gas field collapsed into a cavern. You’ll camp in the Turkmen national yurt or private tents.
DAY 5. Darvaza – Dashoguz
After the picnic style breakfast, you’ll drive to Dashoguz province for crossing the border back to Urgench Uzbekistan
Service includes:
Letter of invitation
Accommodation in DBL rooms:
— Merv/ Mary – 1 nights
— Ak Altyn/ Sport – 2 night
— Yurt Camp – 1 night
Escort English-speaking guide service
Transportation as per program minibuses and 4×4 where terrain requires
Entrance fees: Horse Stable, Ancient Merv, National Museum, Nissa Fortress
Meals: Full board
Travel tax
Service doesn’t include
International flights
Cost of Turkmen visa/ border fees (70-100 USD)
PCR test fee
Payment for photo and video
Tips for guide and drivers
Medical insurance
Services not shown in the program