🇹🇲 Desert, ruins and marble
Turkmenistan
Karakum sands, ancient Silk Road ruins and the strange white symmetry of Ashgabat. The least-visited country in the region.
- Typical length
- 5–9 days
- Difficulty
- Easy to moderate
- Best time
- March–May, September–November
Highlights
- Karakum Desert
- Darvaza gas crater
- Ancient Merv and Silk Road ruins
- Ashgabat architecture
- Desert camping
- Carpet and craft traditions
Practical information
- Getting there
- International flights to Ashgabat; overland entry from neighbouring countries.
- Entry requirements
- Entry to Turkmenistan is tightly controlled and documentation lead times are long. Plan well ahead.
- Guiding
- Most itineraries require a licensed local guide throughout.
- Climate
- Extreme desert heat in summer.
Availability of specific sites, including the gas crater area, can change. We confirm what is currently possible before any booking.
More ways to explore
Alongside time in the mountains
Silk Road Adventures, Desert Adventures, Cultural Experiences may complement a trek here. We will list specific experiences only after the local operator has supplied and confirmed the details.
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