Today marks the first day of our Turkmenistan Expedition, and it will begin at the border between Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, in the ancient city of Khiva (Uzbekistan). For those arriving early, we’ll offer a city tour and a delicious local meal. After lunch, we’ll cross the border into Turkmenistan and head to our first stop — the city of Dashoguz.

We depart Dashoguz to visit our first UNESCO World Heritage Site (we will visit 3 out of 3 in Turkmenistan) — Konye-Urgench. This is one of the oldest cities in Central Asia, once located along the main route of the Great Silk Road and the former capital of the medieval empire of the Khwarazmshahs. After exploring the atmosphere of ancient Urgench, we head off-road in jeeps toward Darvaza. The road will be challenging and at times completely absent, but by evening we will be rewarded once more — with the spectacular Darvaza gas crater, a natural wonder that has been burning continuously for over 55 years.

In the morning, we return to Ashgabat. After lunch, we visit the Ertugrul Gazi Mosque, named in honor of Ertugrul, the father of Osman I, the founder of the Ottoman Empire. Next, we visit a stud farm to get acquainted with the pride of the Turkmen people — Akhal-Teke horses. Additionally, there will be a short show featuring Akhal-Teke horses and an opportunity to see their stables. Return to Ashgabat.

After breakfast at our luxurious white-marble hotel, we’ll head to the “Altyn Asyr” bazaar — the largest market in Ashgabat, where you can experience the beauty of Turkmen carpets and silver crafts. Ashgabat has many fascinating places, and we will visit as many as time allows. After lunch, we’ll go to the Independence Park of Turkmenistan. After dinner — a night tour of Ashgabat’s main streets.

In the morning, we’ll take a flight from Ashgabat to Turkmenbashi. Upon arrival, we’ll head out to the amazing natural wonder — the Yangykala Canyons, located in the northwest of Turkmenistan in Balkan province, about 180 km away. “Yangykala” in Turkmen means “fiery fortresses” — a name inspired by the red-colored rock formations that make up the mountains and cliffs. The canyons are a breathtaking sight. Once, the waters of an ancient sea lapped at these cliffs (even today, from some viewpoints, you can see the waters of the Karabogazgol Bay, formerly part of the Caspian Sea). As the sea receded, it revealed steep banks and massive hills. The most impressive aspect is the color of the rocks — from pure white to fiery red. Depending on the time of day and lighting, the colors of the mountains shift before your eyes. The canyons are especially beautiful at sunset, when everything around glows in warm, fiery hues. Return to Turkmenbashi.

At noon, we fly from Turkmenbashi to Mary, where we’ll visit the second UNESCO World Heritage Site on our program — Ancient Merv. Located at the crossroads of the Silk Road, Merv quickly grew into one of the largest cities in the region. It was once a capital that rivaled major Islamic cities like Baghdad, Cairo, and Damascus. During our visit, we’ll explore Gyz-Gala, Erk-Gala, Sultan-Gala, the Mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar, Eshbi, Yusuf Hamadani, and the Mausoleum of Ibn Zayd. We’ll dedicate the remaining time to the city of Mary itself, which is no less fascinating than Ashgabat or Turkmenbashi — a truly vibrant eastern city with a traditional bustling bazaar.

In the morning, if time allows, we’ll take a walk through Mary before continuing on to Ashgabat. On the way, we’ll visit "Ancient Nisa" — a sanctuary of the Parthian kings, the Ruhy Mosque, and the Mausoleum of the late president of Turkmenistan in the village of Kipchak. The tour ends with a late arrival at the airport for the night flight to Europe.