TOUR ITINERARY:
Day 1: Arrival at Turkmen border “Farap” from Bukhara (Uzbekistan/Turkmenistan). Drive to Mary (280 km.)
Crossing the border at Farap / Alat. Transfer to Mary via Turkmenabat and Merv (350 km/4.5 hrs.). Upon arrival tour of Merv which was located at the crossroads of Great Silk Road and quickly became one of most important and biggest cities of the Ancient World. Sightseeing will include: Gyz Gala and Oglan Gala, Complex of Askhabs, Gyaur Gala, Erk Gala, Soltan Gala, Soltan Sanjar Mausoleum, Ibn Zeid Mausoleum. Overnight in Margush 3* hotel.
Day 2: Mary - Ashgabat
Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to airport for your flight to Ashgabat. Arrive in Ashgabat and transfer to Ak Altyn 4* hotel. Check in time: 12:00 at hotel. Today we will have a sightseeing tour of Ashgabat including visits to Park and Monument of Independence, Arch of Neutrality, a 75m- high monument with a revolving golden statue of the first President Turkmenbashy. Hit the viewing platform of the Arch of Neutrality to see the beautiful panorama of Ashgabat. Panoramic tour to “Alem” the largest Indoor Ferris wheel, “Bagt Koshgi” the Wedding Palace and Yildiz hotel. Continue tour to the historical and archaeological site “Ancient Nisa – the Residence of Parthian Kingdom” UNESCO site from 2007. The Parthian Empire was one of the most powerful and influential civilizations of the ancient world, and a brilliant rival of Rome which prevented the expansion of the Roman Empire to the east. Then visiting of Turkmenbashi Mosque and Mausoleum, one of the biggest mosques in Central Asia. Overnight at Ak Altyn 4* hotel.
Day 3: Ashgabat – Darvaza (by 4WD car - 260 km.)
Meet with your English speaking guide-driver at the hotel. Check out time: 12:00. Drive to Darvaza by 4WD car. En route stopover to visit Erbent Nomadic village where you can enjoy seeing the local life in the desert - Turkmen yurts, dromedaries, tamdyr (mud oven) and many others. Arrive at Darvaza, explore the gas craters, first full of water, and second the sulfur - muddy. Leave the road and venture in the desert to see the flaming gas crater. Arrive at site of flaming gas crater. Explore the flaming gas crater at sunset. Overnight in yurt or tent with sleeping bag.
Day 4: Darvaza – Koneurgench (270 km) – departure to Uzbekistan
In the early morning drive to Koneurgench - the capital of Khorezmshahs (3-16th cc.) inscribed into the World Heritage Book of UNESCO. Koneurgench (known as Gurganch in the past) is the largest historical and archaeological park in the north of Turkmenistan. It is a large reserve with numerous ruins and monuments on the territory of modern Kunyaurgench. Such great Muslim scholars as al-Biruni, al-Khorezmi and Avicenna once worked here.
Sightseeing (with duration of 3-4 hours) of the old city: Portal of Caravansaray (11-14th cc.), Il Arslan Mausoleum (12th c.), Mausoleum of Khorezm shahSultan Tekesh (13th c.), Academy of Horezm (3-13th cc.), Mausoleum of TurabekHanum, Minaret of KutlugTimur (14th c.) - one of the tallest minarets in Central Asia, Najmeddin Kubra (13th c.) and Soltan Ali (15th c.) Mausoleums.
After sightseeing of Kone Urgench drive to the border crossing at Koneurgench for departure to Uzbekistan. Arrival at border before 4 p.m. Farewell. End of program.

WHAT'S INCLUDED?:
1. Letter of invitation to Turkmenistan, entry travel pass and visa registration
2. A/C transportation as per program, 4WD car for off road part
3. Economy class domestic flight ticket: Mary – Ashgabat
4. Local English speaking guide-driver’s services
5. All accommodation (breakfasts and travel tax included) as per program
Accommodation (local star & standard): Double/Twin shared room in hotels
Ashgabat: Ak Altyn 4* hotel (breakfast is included), 1 night
Mary: Margush 3* hotel (breakfast is included), 1 night
Darvaza: Turkmen yurt or tent with sleeping bag, 1 night