3-Day Northern Loop: Darvaza, Ashgabat & Ancient Kunya-Urgench
Route: Shavat - Dashoguz - Darvaza - Ashgabat - Dashoguz (Overnight Train) - Kunya-Urgench - Border crossing
A 3-day adventure from the Shavat border through Turkmenistan’s highlights. Experience the Darvaza Gas Crater, the white marble of Ashgabat, and the UNESCO sites of Kunya-Urgench. Includes a nostalgic overnight train and flexible border drop-offs. Perfect for travelers heading to Khiva or Nukus.
3
days
2
groups
1
options
Available Departure Dates
2 open groups
24.04.2026
00:00
3 / 4
seats
Available
1
person:
$343
4
people:
$208
24.06.2026
00:00
4 / 4
seats
Available
1
person:
$343
4
people:
$208
What is included
- Letter of Invitation (LoI) for Turkmenistan visa and assistance with mandatory registration of foreign visitors.
- Accommodation in standard hotel rooms: twin rooms shared by same-gender guests; double rooms for couples; single rooms arranged when needed (other room categories on request).
- Private transport and English-speaking guide for the days and routes specified in your itinerary.
- All expenses of your driver and guide, including fuel, meals, accommodation, meeting you at the border and seeing you off at the border.
- Daily breakfasts during the tour.
- Dinner and overnight in a yurt at the Darvaza gas crater and at Gozli Ata (if included in your itinerary).
- Entrance fees and photography permits for museums and attractions visited with your guide.
- Travel insurance.
- All local taxes and mandatory service charges for services included in the tour.
- The tour usually starts and ends at the Turkmenistan side of the border (other pick-up or drop-off points can be arranged on request).
What is not included
- Visa and other border fees are not included. The visa can be obtained either at the embassy or at the border.
- International flights and any transport to/from Turkmenistan at the start and end of the tour.
- Meals not included in the program (estimated 3–8 USD per meal per person, depending on the location and restaurant).
- Personal expenses (e.g. souvenirs, laundry, minibar) and tips for guides/drivers (optional but appreciated).
- Drones (not allowed in Turkmenistan).
- Entrance fees. meal costs and photo fees at the Turkmen Ojagy Ethnographic Complex (if included in your itinerary).
Tour program
* 10:00 AM: Meet and greet at the Turkmen side of the Shavat Border Checkpoint.
* Short drive to Dashoguz for a traditional lunch and a visit to the local market (shopping for supplies/snacks for the desert).
* Begin the journey to Darvaza (~300 km, 5 hours). The route crosses the Central Karakum Desert.
* Arrival at the Darvaza Gas Crater ("Gates of Hell"). Experience the sunset over the desert as the crater’s glow begins to intensify.
* Traditional BBQ Dinner served at the campsite. Spectacular nighttime viewing of the burning crater—the best time for photography.
* Overnight: Stay in a traditional Turkmen Yurt or tent campsite.
* Short drive to Dashoguz for a traditional lunch and a visit to the local market (shopping for supplies/snacks for the desert).
* Begin the journey to Darvaza (~300 km, 5 hours). The route crosses the Central Karakum Desert.
* Arrival at the Darvaza Gas Crater ("Gates of Hell"). Experience the sunset over the desert as the crater’s glow begins to intensify.
* Traditional BBQ Dinner served at the campsite. Spectacular nighttime viewing of the burning crater—the best time for photography.
* Overnight: Stay in a traditional Turkmen Yurt or tent campsite.
* Breakfast at the camp and optional pre-dawn sunrise visit to the crater for final photos.
* Drive from Darvaza to Ashgabat.
* En route: Short photo stops at the Water and Mud Craters. Experience these unique natural desert bubbles before leaving the Karakum sands.
* Arrival and Ashgabat City Tour: A flexible program tailored to your arrival and departure times. The final itinerary depends on your personal preferences, your guide’s professional advice, and the time available in your schedule. We will visit as many landmarks as possible, ensuring a perfect balance of history, culture, and modern architecture.
* Board the overnight train from Ashgabat to Dashoguz at 20:30
* Drive from Darvaza to Ashgabat.
* En route: Short photo stops at the Water and Mud Craters. Experience these unique natural desert bubbles before leaving the Karakum sands.
* Arrival and Ashgabat City Tour: A flexible program tailored to your arrival and departure times. The final itinerary depends on your personal preferences, your guide’s professional advice, and the time available in your schedule. We will visit as many landmarks as possible, ensuring a perfect balance of history, culture, and modern architecture.
* Board the overnight train from Ashgabat to Dashoguz at 20:30
* 08:20 Arrival in Dashoguz Arrival by overnight train from Ashgabat. Meet your driver at the railway station.
* After breakfast drive to the Kunya-Urgench State Historical and Cultural Park (UNESCO World Heritage Site).
* Full guided tour of the historical park:
Kutlug-Timur Minaret (The tallest in Central Asia).
Turabek-Khanum Mausoleum (Famous for its exquisite ceiling mosaic).
Mausoleums of Sultan Tekesh and Il-Arslan.
Caravansaray Gate
* Lunch at a local restaurant in Kunya-Urgench.
* Border Transfer (Upon Request):
Option A (Shavat Border): Transfer to the Shavat crossing (Best for Khiva).
Option B (Hojaili Border): Transfer to the Hojaili crossing (Best for Nukus).
* Assistance with border formalities and crossing into Uzbekistan.
* End of Tour.
* After breakfast drive to the Kunya-Urgench State Historical and Cultural Park (UNESCO World Heritage Site).
* Full guided tour of the historical park:
Kutlug-Timur Minaret (The tallest in Central Asia).
Turabek-Khanum Mausoleum (Famous for its exquisite ceiling mosaic).
Mausoleums of Sultan Tekesh and Il-Arslan.
Caravansaray Gate
* Lunch at a local restaurant in Kunya-Urgench.
* Border Transfer (Upon Request):
Option A (Shavat Border): Transfer to the Shavat crossing (Best for Khiva).
Option B (Hojaili Border): Transfer to the Hojaili crossing (Best for Nukus).
* Assistance with border formalities and crossing into Uzbekistan.
* End of Tour.
Accommodations
-
Darvaza
(1 nights)
Standard: Yurt Camp
