Our representative will meet you at the Turkmen/Uzbek border “Shavat” at 09:00 AM.

Drive to Darwaza burning Gas Crater (300km, 5h). The Crater is also called "The Door to Hell". The area is rich in natural gas. While drilling in 1971, Soviet geologists tapped into a cavern filled with natural gas. The ground beneath the drilling rig collapsed, leaving a large hole with a diameter of 60 m and 20 m. To avoid poisonous gas discharge, it was decided to burn it off. Geologists had hoped the fire would use all the fuel in a matter of days, but the gas is still burning today. In the evening, watch the spectacular and fascinating view of the gas crater.  BBQ dinner & overnight at Gas Crater. Overnight at the Yurt camp. Meals:  BBQ dinner.

Picnic-style breakfast. Drive to Ashgabat (280km, 4h). Transfer to the hotel. Drive to visit the Carpet Museum, one of the best in Central Asia, featuring designs from the Tekke, Yamud, Sarik, and Chodor tribes. The Turkmen carpet museum is one of the cultural centers of Turkmenistan, where about 2000 carpet exhibits, including rare ones, are exhibited. For example, the museum has the smallest carpet with keys, as well as the world’s largest hand carpet with a total area of 301 m², which was woven in 2001, and in 2003 it was added to the Guinness Book of Records.

In the afternoon, you will take a city tour of Ashgabat. In 2013, the Guinness Book of Records named Ashgabat a “white marbled city” – here you can see the largest number of structures in the world made out of white marble. You will see the Ashgabat Olympic Stadium, Monument and Park of Independence, the main flagpole of Ashgabat, the Arch of Neutrality, the Constitution Monument, Ferris Wheel, Wedding Palace, and enjoy a panoramic view of Ashgabat from the top of the hill, Halk Hakydasy Memorial Complex, Alabay monument, and Ertogrul Gazi Mosque. Overnight in Ashgabat.Meals:  breakfast.

BF at the hotel. Morning drive to Mary (360km, 4h). You will see all the major buildings of Mary in downtown. Also visit Mary Bazaar to see a variety of local products, and the Russian Orthodox church (one of the oldest in Turkmenistan). Overnight at the hotel. Meals:  BBQ dinner.

BF at the hotel. Drive to Merv to explore ancient Merv – “Queen of the world”, was one of the most important capitals of Islam, along with Baghdad, Cairo, and Damascus. Sightseeing in ancient Merv includes the Greater Kyz Gala & Lesser Kyz Gala (VI-VII), the Complex of Askhabs (VIII-XIV), the Erk Gala (VI BC), the Gyaur Gala (IV BC), the Hoja Yusup Hamadani complex, the Sultan Sanjar mausoleum, and the Muhamed Ibn Zeid mausoleum. After sightseeing, drive to the Turkmen-Uzbek border, Farap (260km, 5h) to durther travel to Bukhara in Uzbekistan.

Meals:  Breakfast.