4-Day Karakum Express: Railway Adventure to Darvaza and Ashgabat - TmTourism
4-Day Karakum Express: Railway Adventure to Darvaza and Ashgabat

4-Day Karakum Express: Railway Adventure to Darvaza and Ashgabat

4
days
0
groups
2
options
There are currently no available dates for this tour. Contact us for a private tour.

What is included/not included

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

Day 1 Shavat Border → Dashoguz → Darvaza Gas Crater
* 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.
Day 2 Darvaza → Ashgabat
Day 3 Ashgabat → Turkmenabat (Overnight Train)
Day 4 Turkmenabat → Farap border

Accommodations

Darvaza
1 nights
Standard: Yurt Camp
Ashgabat
1 nights
Standard: Hotel "Mizan", Bagt Koshgi Hotel
Comfort: Hotel "Oguzkent", Hotel "Archabil"

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Price from :price USD
$11.53