In-Depth Turkmenistan & Uzbekistan — 14 Days

Most Turkmenistan tours show three points: Ashgabat, Darvaza, and Merv. This is the only one that takes you deep into the country’s west, where the multicolored Yangikala canyons look like a Martian landscape and the underground Kow-Ata lake lets you swim in thermal water surrounded by bats. The real Turkmenistan, for travelers who want more than the tourist minimum.

Route

Ashgabat → Turkmenbashi → the Yangikala and Yangisuv canyons → the Gozli Ata mausoleum → the Kemal Ata mausoleum → Balkanabat → Serdar → Nokhur → the underground Kow-Ata lake → Gokdepe → an Akhal-Teke horse farm → Ashgabat → Mary → Ancient Merv → the Darvaza gas crater → Khiva → Bukhara → Samarkand → Tashkent.

Why this tour

• Unlike our other Turkmenistan tours (the shorter Bukhara-Mary-Ashgabat-Darvaza route), this is a genuine deep dive into the country’s west.
• The Yangikala canyons are one of the most underrated natural sights in Central Asia, rarely included in any standard program.
• An Akhal-Teke horse farm lets you see, in person, the breed depicted on Turkmenistan’s national emblem.
• 14 days combine rare Turkmenistan with familiar classic Uzbekistan — two halves of a trip that are seldom paired.

Day by day

1. Arrival in Ashgabat, check-in, free day.
2. Flight to Turkmenbashi, the Yangikala and Yangisuv canyons, the Gozli Ata mausoleum.
3. The Kemal Ata mausoleum, drive through Balkanabat to Serdar.
4. Nokhur village, the underground Kow-Ata lake, the Gokdepe fortress, an Akhal-Teke horse farm. Return to Ashgabat.
5. Flight to Mary, a tour of Ancient Merv — a settlement that was one of the largest cities in the world two thousand years ago. Return to Ashgabat.
6. Ashgabat: a tour of the white-marble capital. In the evening, the Darvaza crater, overnight in a yurt camp.
7. Cross the border to Khiva.
8. Flight to Bukhara.
9. Bukhara: city tour, a folklore show.
10. Drive to Samarkand.
11. Samarkand: a tour of Registan Square and the Gur-Emir mausoleum.
12. Train to Tashkent.
13. Tashkent: city tour.
14. Transfer to the airport, departure.

Included (placeholder — confirm before publishing)

• Ashgabat–Turkmenbashi, Mary–Ashgabat, Urgench–Bukhara flights (economy class), Samarkand–Tashkent train
• Turkmenistan visa support
• Breakfasts, meals as per the itinerary, a folklore show in Bukhara, a farewell lunch in Samarkand

Not included

• Consular fees for Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan visas
• Turkmenistan migration fee and border PCR test
• Full board, insurance

Confirmed hotel categories, guaranteed departure dates and the final price are arranged with your travel consultant at booking.