Day 1: Khiva to Shavat → Darvaza Gas Crater
Start your adventure with a pickup from your location in Khiva. Drive to the Turkmen border at Shavat, where you’ll meet your Turkmen guide and complete border procedures.
Drive deep into the Karakum Desert towards Darvaza, stopping for photos among the endless sand dunes. Experience the surreal Darvaza Gas Crater, a flaming pit that has burned since 1971. Capture stunning photos as daylight turns to golden hour.
Enjoy a BBQ dinner under the desert sky, then spend the night at a camp near the crater.
Day 2: Darvaza → Ashgabat City Tour
Wake up to breakfast with views of the crater. Then, take a scenic drive to Ashgabat. Check into your hotel and enjoy lunch before embarking on a full city tour.
Visit the Nissa Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and meet the world’s most elegant horses at the Akhalteke Horse Farm. See the Spiritual Mosque, one of Central Asia’s largest, and stop for photos at the Presidential Palace and Ruhyyet Palace.
Marvel at the futuristic architecture of the Wedding Palace, and pay your respects at the Earthquake and WWII Memorials. Visit the Ertugrul Gazi Mosque, inspired by Ottoman design, and see the Arch of Neutrality and Independence Park.
End your day with an optional ride on the Alem Indoor Ferris Wheel, a Guinness record-holder. Spend the night in a 4-star hotel in Ashgabat.
Day 3: Ashgabat → Mary → Ancient Merv (UNESCO)
After breakfast at the hotel, drive to Mary, stopping at Abiverd, an ancient Silk Road settlement. Check into your hotel and enjoy lunch before exploring Ancient Merv, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Walk the ruins of a city once called “Queen of the World” and visit key sites like Sultan Kala, Gyz Kala, Great Kyz Kala, and the Mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar. Your guide will bring to life the glory days of the Seljuk Empire. Spend the night in a 4-star hotel in Mary.
Day 4: Mary → Turkmenabat → Farap Border
After breakfast, drive to Turkmenabat. Cross the Farap border via the Amudarya River Bridge. Your tour ends in Bukhara, where your driver will drop you off at your hotel.
