Route: Shawat (Uzbek Border)–Kunya Urgench–Darwaza Crater–Ashgabad–Anau–Mary–Merv–Farab (Uzbek Border)-Bukhara

Day 1: Shavat–Kunya Urgench–Darwaza Crater

List of Monuments:

• Caravansaray
• Mamun Minaret
• Arslan II Mausoleum
• Sultan Takash Mausoleum
• Kutlug Timur Minaret
• Turabek Hanum Minaret
• Transfer to Darwaza Crater
• Visit Crater “Door of Hell”

Our representative will meet you at the Turkmen/Uzbek border “Shavat”. Drive to Kunya Urgench (1.5-hours). Sightseeing tour in Kunya Urgench, visit listed monuments and the Academy of Horezm.

Afternoon drive to Darwaza burning Gas Crater (6-hour, 300-kilometers). The Crater is also called “The Door to Hell.” In the evening, watch the spectacular and fascinating view of the gas crater. Dinner and overnight at the Gas Crater.

Day 2: Darwaza Crater–Ashgabat

List of Monuments:

• Carpet Museum
• Presidential Palace
• Ruhyyet Palace
• Wedding Palace
• “Yildyz” Hotel
• Ferris Wheel
• Constitution Monument
• Arch of Neutrality
• Independence Complex
• Ertogrul Gazy Mosque

Have breakfast and then drive to Ashgabat (5-hour, 280-kilometers). Visit 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 carpets, including rare ones, are exhibited.

In the afternoon you will have an Ashgabat city tour. In 2013 the Guinness Book of Records named Ashgabat the “White Marbled City”. You will see the Presidential Palace, Ruhyyet Palace, Wedding Palace, the modern “Yildyz” Hotel, the Ferris Wheel, the Constitution Monument, the Arch of Neutrality, the Monument and Park of Independence, Ertogrul Gazy Mosque, and Ashgabat Sports and Housing facilities. Stay overnight in Ashgabat.

Day 3: Ashgabat–Mary

List of Monuments:

• Mary Bazaar
• Abiwerd Complex
• Anau Mosque
• Russian Ortodox Church

Have breakfast at the hotel. In the morning drive to Mary (5-hour, 360-kilometers). Visit the ruins of Seyitjemalledin Mosque in Anau. The mosque was built in 1456 when Abu-ibn-Kasim Baber Bahadurkhan ruled in Khorasan (1446-1457). Construction of the mosque was financed by Bahadurkhan’s vizier, Muhammed Hudaidot, who also selected a site of construction–near the grave of his father, sheik Jemaleddin, a native of Anau.

On the way visit Abiwerd, a trading town. Also, visit Mary Bazaar and the Russian Orthodox church (one of the oldest in Turkmenistan).

Day 4: Mary–Merv–Farab–Bukhara

List of Monuments:

• Ancient Merv
• Kyz Gala Fortresses (VI-VII)
• Askhabs’ Complex (VIII-XIV)
• Erk Gala Fortress (VI BC)
• Gyaur Gala (IV BC)
• Hamadani Complex
• Sultan Sanjar Mausoleum
• Muhamed Ibn Zeid Mausoleum

Have breakfast at the hotel. Drive to Merv to explore ancient Merv, one of the most important capitals of Islam. Sightseeing of ancient Merv includes the mentioned monuments in the list above.

After sightseeing, drive to the Uzbek border (4-hour, 260-kilometers). Border cross and meet with our driver. Transfer to Bukhara.