Experience Turkmenistan & Uzbekistan

Arrival in Tashkent at the airport and transfer to your hotel. Early check-in and tour of Tashkent, which, like no other city, reflects the spirit of Uzbekistan, the modern age, oriental traditions, and remains from the Soviet era. The Hazrat Imam complex is the religious center of the city, with the Barak Khan Madrasa, the Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum, and the Library for Islamic Literature, which houses a Quran from the 7th century. You can explore the modern part of Tashkent by subway. There you will visit Amir Timur Square, the Museum of Applied Arts, the Earthquake Monument, and Independence Square.

1 night at Miran International Hotel in Tashkent

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport and morning flight to Urgench, then drive to the edge of the Karakum desert, to the oasis city of Khiva. There you will visit the historic old town of Khiva, Itchan Kala, which was added to the UNESCO list in 1990 as the first World Heritage Site of Uzbekistan. The impressive historical and religious buildings, such as the imposing Konya Ark fortress with the Muhamad Amin Khan Madrasa, and the unfinished Kalta Minor minaret with its blue tiles, are just as significant. Also, visit the Madrasa of Muhamad Rahim Khan, the central and large Juma Mosque with its 213 wooden columns and its minaret, the Tasch Hauli Palace of the Khan of Khiva, and the Pahlavan Mahmud Memorial, which houses the tomb of the saint as well as the burial sites of the Khan of Khiva.

1 night at Erkin Palace Hotel in Khiva.

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the border crossing at Dashoguz where your Turkmen tour guide will be waiting for you. The first excursion takes you to another UNESCO World Heritage Site, the magnificent city of Konye-Urgench. You will see the gate of the caravanserai, elaborately decorated with colored bricks, the Mamun minaret, the II Arslan mausoleum from the 12th century, the Sultan Tekish mausoleum with its high domed roof, the Academy of Horezm, the Qutlugh Timur minaret, which is 62 m is still the highest in Central Asia today, as is the Tura Beg Chanum Mausoleum.

Afterwards, drive to the famous gas crater Darvaza. The gas crater was formed during drilling for natural gas in 1971, during which the drilling platform collapsed and gas has been flowing out since then. To avert the danger of the released gas, it was set on fire and has been burning ever since, earning it the nickname "Gateway to Hell" from the locals. Dinner, rest, and overnight stay in the camp near the crater.

1 night in a yurt (traditional tent of the Asian nomadic tribes).

Breakfast is a picnic today. Then return to Ashgabat. On the way, we cross the Karakum desert and stop in the small desert village of Erbent.

Arrival in Ashgabat and thus back in the modern age. The face of the young capital of Turkmenistan is characterized by monumental structures, wide boulevards lined with tall white marble buildings, and expansive parks. The city was rebuilt after the devastating earthquake of 1948 and made earthquake-proof with imposing buildings made of glass, reinforced concrete, and marble. You will see the Presidential Palace with the Golden Dome visible from afar, Ruhyyet Palace, the extravagant Wedding Palace, and the drop-shaped Yildyz Hotel, the enclosed Ferris Wheel, the Constitutional Monument, the Neutrality Arch, the Monument and Park of Independence, the great Ertogrul Gazi Mosque, the sports and accommodation facilities at the Olympia Complex of Ashgabat, and the memorials to the earthquake victims and the victims of World War II.

2 nights at Hotel Sport in Ashgabat.

Breakfast at the hotel. Afterward, take a short drive to the archaeological site of Nisa, the sanctuary of the Parthian kings, which lies at the foot of the Kopet Dag Mountains. The city impresses with its high earth walls and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2007. Nisa is considered one of the first capital cities of the Parthians, dating from the 3rd century BC until the 3rd century AD.

Afterward, drive to the underground cave lake Kov-Ata, which is 107 km away from Ashgabat. The Turkmen name Kov-Ata means "father of the caves." This underground area looks like a magnificent auditorium. The total length of the cave is 230 m, its height reaches 20 m, and its width is 57 m in some places. The bottom of the cave is covered with stalagmites, and its warm and bubbling water is clear and emerald-colored, has a constant temperature of 33-38°C, and is said to have healing powers.

Afterward, continue to Gökdepe Fortress, which was attacked by the Russian Imperial Army in December 1880. The siege of Gökdepe lasted 23 days, after which the town was taken by storm. With more than 14,000 deaths on the Turkmen side and not even 400 on the Russian side. Visit the Gökdepe Mosque (Saparmyrat Hajy), which was built in 1995 in memory of the defeat and is famous for its mint turquoise blue roof and white marble structure. In the Gökdepe Museum, you can learn about the battle between Russians and the local Akhal Teke tribe in 1881.

Later you will drive to a horse farm to see the national pride of the Turkmen people - Akhal-Teke horses, probably the most beautiful horses in the world. Already 5000 years ago Turkmen started to breed Akhal-Teke. This worldwide unique breed was never mixed with other breeds. Such famous emperors as Alexander the Great or Darius I wanted to own Akhal-Teke horses. There are over 35 beautiful horses on the farm. According to popular belief, every sick person who touches an Akhal-Teke will soon get well. Drive to the largest mosque in Central Asia, the Turkmenbashy Ruhy Mosque in Gypjak, which is also the last resting place of the first president of Turkmenistan Niyazov.

Overnight stay at Hotel Sport in Ashgabat.