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September 22 | Monday
Arrival Day
Flights to Astana
- Arrive at Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport (NQZ) from many international destinations. The latest recommended arrival time is before noon. Arriving even earlier is, of course, fine and can be accommodated.
- Let us know which flight you will be on, and we will arrange your pick-up and transfer to the hotel.
Welcome group dinner
- We start our tour with a group dinner of some excellent local food, coordination, and a briefing session, before the adventure ahead!
Accommodation | Hotel in Astana. Kazakhstan's shiny new Capital City!
Included Meals | Dinner
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September 23 | Tuesday
Astana
Astana City Tour
- A new city rightly famed for its unique approach to architecture, Astana piles together a wide range of different styles and forms. The result is either a glimpse at the future of post-modern cities or a horrifying un-curated mish-mash of clashing buildings.
- Bayterek Tower | The icon of the city, this ornate monument has a viewing platform 97 metres above the ground. This relates to 1997 when Astana became the capital city. It is designed to evoke a folk tale about a bird laying an egg in a tree. Amazing views over the city from here.
- Palace of Peace and Reconciliation | Glass Pyramid from the eminent architect Norman Foster with the vague but noble aim of reconciling the world’s faiths and ideologies and bringing an end to violence. Even if this goal remains elusive, it is a stunning building and worth exploring!
- Hazrat Sultan Mosque | The biggest in Kazakhstan, and second in the region only to the monstrous Gypjak Mosque in Turkmenistan. Classically Islamic in style and Kazakh in décor, this impressive building can house up to 5000 worshippers at once.
- Khan Shatyr Entertainment Centre | The building that architecturally sums up modern Astana more than any other. Another work-of-genius from Norman Foster, this ingenious structure looks somewhat like a lop-sided tent that maintains an even temperature year-round. It provides leisure facilities, shopping, and entertainment in general.
- River Ishim | We’ll stroll the banks of this waterway in the centre of town, a good way to see a slice of local life and people enjoying their time. Remember that almost all of Astana’s population are recent arrivals so a big mix of people from around the country and beyond can be met with here.
Accommodation | Hotel in Astana
Included Meals | Breakfast, Lunch
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September 24 | Wednesday
Akmol and Karaganda
Akmol
- We take a drive out of the city to the nearby village of Akmol. It is home to the chilling Museum of the Camp for Wives of Traitors to the Motherland.
- Museum of the Camp for Wives of Traitors to the Motherland | A sensitive area. It tells the story of the loan women sent here when their husbands were persecuted. Going to such a place could often be avoided with a divorce or public denunciation.
- Akmol sightseeing | We see a little more of this settlement on a walk around. A church, mosque, and apartment buildings now occupy this former gulag site before leaving for a 3-hour drive to the major city of Karaganda. We will stop for lunch along the way.
Karaganda
- A large city with a very walkable centre, the Russian/Soviet influence in Karaganda is strong. Our guide from Karaganda will tell us all about the city. You're sure to find it fascinating!
Our local guide can also recommend good spots for dinner and evening socializing.
- An introductory walking tour of the city centre | Focusing on the architecture, history, and local culture of this city. All of which are varied and fascinating. We’ll visit the central park, and see and mix with locals spending leisure time here.
- Local painter | He is famed for having no arms and painting with the brush in his mouth. He sells his amazing work and can speak about his history growing up close to the nearby nuclear weapons testing area.
Accommodation | Chaika Hotel.
This hotel is an amazing brutalist Soviet monstrosity. You will feel like you’ve entered a time-warp here. One part of the hotel was built specifically for the visit of Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space. The rooms are comfy and modern, and the building itself is timeless.
Included Meals | Breakfast, Lunch
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September 25 | Thursday
Karaganda Region
KarLag
- We drive an hour out to the museum of KarLag, the local gulag system.
- KarLag Gulag Memorial Museum | A dark part of history told through the rooms of this former NKVD HQ. State ‘enemies’ and 'departed nationalities' were interned here.
A vast number of them were Germans from the west and Koreans from the east and dumped in Central Asia due to Stalin’s paranoia about enemies within. Their stories are told here in this chilling memorial to the all-too-recent evils.
- The village around this museum is made up largely of former Gulag barracks, admin buildings, and medical centres. We will take a look around and also visit the depressing cemetery for children who died in this cruel system.
- The nearby town of Shahtinsk hosts us for lunch and some views of local industries. Primarily coal mining, but also steel production and agriculture.
Karaganda
- We take a trip to a former execution ground marked by tasteful and meaningful memorials to the various nationalities whose people were among the unfortunate souls to perish here.
- Alternatively, you can stay in Karaganda to further explore the city at your own pace.
Accommodation | Chaika Hotel
Included Meals | Breakfast, Lunch
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September 26 | Friday
Return to Astana and Train to Kurchatov
Astana
- We return to Astana by road in the morning.
- Lunch with a local family | A special treat of local delicacies and traditional Kazakh hospitality awaits us when we arrive back in the Kazakh capital.
- Free time before train departure to shop for some supplies for the overnight train ride ahead of us.
Overnight Train through the Kazakh Steppe
- All aboard! We jump onto a sleeper train making its way through the night and across the country to the city of Kurchatov, the home of the Soviet atomic weapons program.
- Comfy beds and a clean restaurant await us, and rolling steppe outside the windows for this 800 km journey. In the evening, we will have a delicious homemade dinner delivered to us on the platform at Ekibastusz Station.
Accommodation | Overnight train in 4-berth compartments
Included Meals | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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September 27 | Saturday
Semey, Nuclear Polygon, and Kurchatov
Semey
- We arrive in the morning in the eastern city of Semey where we grab breakfast and the chance to leave our luggage in a local hotel.
- We will be back in a couple of days. We then board our vehicles for an epic adventure in a fascinating and formerly forbidden area.
Nuclear Polygon
- Deep into the Polygon | We will head for a wide range of sites associated with the Soviet nuclear weapons program. This includes the Atomic Lake, abandoned and derelict ICBM sites, underground bunkers, buildings erected and then destroyed in nuclear test explosions, and much more.
It will be an epic adventure and, of course, protective clothing is provided when required.
- Atomic Lake | Formed by a deep underground nuclear blast, it was made deliberately and is known as the world’s first and only use of industrial nuclear weapons.
Find out what on earth they were thinking and meet some fishermen looking for three-eyed fish in the 180-meter-deep lake.
- Roadside Picnic | To non-literature lovers, this is a joke – read this book and you will find some eerie similarities to this part of the trip.
- After the picnic, we will continue to see some relics of the testing program.
- A local expert will also be with us to explain in detail, answer questions, etc.
Kurchatov
- Kurchatov | The town was founded in 1947 simply to make Soviet Nuclear weapons a reality. Under the control of then-KGB Chief Lavrentiy Beria and scientist Igor Kurchatov, this is where the arms race became a two-horse event.
- As we arrive in Kurchatov, we will check in at our hotel used mainly by scientists still studying the effects of all the nuclear tests in this region.
Accommodation | Mayak Hotel.
Another time-warp hotel with period furnishings and decor.
Included Meals | Breakfast, Lunch
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September 28 | Sunday
Kurchatov and Chagan
Kurchatov
- Museum of the Semipalatinsk Test Site | A detailed and deep explanation of what this place is, what happened here, and what effect their inventions can have. Some machines from that time are displayed here too.
Please note that this museum opens and closes at the whim of higher powers, so its opening cannot be guaranteed. If not open, we will have a lecture on the history of the area at a different location.
- Semipalatinsk Polygon | We board our vehicle and take a drive deep into a formerly off-limits (very off-limits!) area. The nuclear testing ground was chosen due to its remoteness, lack of population, and because it seemed like a good spot to blow a few things up.
- We provide protective gear of course.
Chagan
- Cold War Bomber Base | Once a deeply secret long-range bomber base, today a deeply abandoned former long-range bomber base. See the massive runways where the Tupolev Tu-95s took off and landed, the remaining ammunition hangars, and the collapsing main buildings of the base.
- Garrison Town | Nearby the Bomber Base, this is the place where the base staff was housed from 1954 to 1994 and now stands completely stripped like a spooky post-apocalyptic warning. A bit of UrbEx here.
- Visit with a local family | The family used to live in Chagan. You will hear their stories of what it was like living at the front line of the Cold War so far in the USSR interior, and what things have been like for them since the base closed and their lives changed forever.
Accommodation | Mayak Hotel
Included Meals | Breakfast, Lunch
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September 29 | Monday
Semey
Return to Semey
- Semey | We leave Kurchatov and the Polygon/Test Field behind us today as we return to the administrative centre of the region, formerly known as Semipalatinsk.
Once upon a time Semipalatinsk was a wealthy trading city, situated between China and Russia, and acted as a gateway to the Central Asian territories added to the Russian Empire in the 19th Century.
Semey City Tour
- Cultural Exchange (Koryo Tours Style) | We will spend some time with a very special group of people. The students of a local school that specializes in teaching disadvantaged children from more modest backgrounds.
- They teach English to a very high level here. We will meet with some teachers and children from the school who will give us some information about their hometown and give us a performance. We will have a unique opportunity to learn from these kids as well as help them with a chance for conversation time with visitors.
This is another Koryo Tours exclusive and something you will never forget.
- Fine Arts Museum | Not just the best collection in Kazakhstan but also a display of abnormal anatomy, something quirky and troubling, especially with our trip to the nuclear test site coming up.
- Stronger Than Death Monument | Located in the Tatar section of town, which is an attraction in itself we will explore some more. It shows the resilience of those who live and have lived in this remote part of the world.
- Free time at your own leisure from the later afternoon to explore the city more. Have an evening out away from the shadow of nuclear tests, and enjoy a very unique place on a very special day.
Accommodation | Semey Hotel.
A very Soviet-style place with an aesthetic unlike what you may be used to! All the charm of the late USSR but with free wifi! You’ll love it!
Included Meals | Breakfast, Lunch
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September 30 | Tuesday
Semey and Domestic Flight to Almaty
Semey City Tour
- We will explore mainly on foot and see buildings from various eras, statues and monuments, mosaics, and a little-known part of history. All explained to us as we make our way on a short walking tour around this unexpectedly charming place.
- Lenin Alley | A common sight in Kazakhstan’s smaller cities. It is a collection of Lenins in a nice park setting. The central piece is awe-inspiring.
- Victory Park | Statues, tank monument, and a hang-out place for locals.
- Dostoyevsky Museum | The titan of Russian literature was exiled out here in Semipalatinsk and this museum explains the importance of his works. Pro-tip: Read Crime and Punishment before your visit.
Domestic flight and arrival to Almaty
- After an early lunch, we head to Semey Airport and board FlyAryastan flight KC7151 to Almaty, the former capital and the most charming city in the country.
- Upon arrival, we will transfer to our hotel and you can head out to explore, enjoying the very lively coffee shop scene, hit up some amazing restaurants and bars, and pamper yourself at a beauty centre.
- Do whatever you like in this very modern but also laid-back place. You've earned it after the long journeys of the last few days!
Accommodation | Hotel Kazakhstan.
A towering monstrosity offering great views over the city as well as faded luxury. An iconic structure in an iconic city, ideal for finishing off our Kazakhstan adventure.
Included Meals | Breakfast, Lunch
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October 1 | Wednesday
Almaty
Almaty City Tour
- We embark on a walking tour of this amazing city nestled against the precipitous Tian Shan Mountain range and dotted with parks, theatres, boulevards, and much more.
- Almaty Metro | One of only two subway systems in the whole of Central Asia. The other is the Moscow knock-off in Tashkent. This system opened in 2012 and strikes a balance between Moscow's opulence and modern efficiency.
- Green Bazaar and Rakhat Chocolate Factory | These neighbouring sites are local institutions. You can smell the sweetness from the latter all across this part of the city.
- Banter and barter with sellers in the market, pick up the apples that Almaty is known for as well as all manner of other delicious local delicacies. Get your sweet tooth into action with the terrific and very affordable selection at the chocolate factory. This place is ideal for gifts too!
- Panfilovets Park | Almaty's main place of leisure. Very pleasant and marked with stunning and evocative monuments to the Kazakh soldiers who fell while fighting to defend Moscow from the Nazi invasion.
- Zenkov Cathedral is also located in this park.
- Central Mosque | With its broad ethnic mixture and clear secularism, it is easy to forget that Kazakhstan is a majority-Muslim country. We’ll have a look at the main mosque in Almaty to see how the locals worship and what their faith means to them.
- Arbat Street | Every good former USSR town has one; a pedestrian area ideal for promenading, window shopping, café culture, public art sales, and so on. This one is very modern and is lined with some great examples of brutalist apartment buildings.
- Kok-Tebe | A cable car ride up to a mountain overlooking the city. Amazing views, a statue of the Beatles, a Ferris Wheel and toboggan ride, a small zoo, bars, and entertainment in general.
- Simply put, this is the city’s best spot and a very popular area for local families, youths, and everyone. We’ll have a final lunch of the tour along the way. A fitting relaxing end to an intense, mind-blowing week!
Free time at own leisure
- You may also wish to spend more time exploring Almaty. A truly lovely city, walkable, with friendly people, and lots to see and do.
Accommodation | Hotel Kazakhstan
Included Meals | Breakfast, Lunch
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October 2 | Thursday
Goodbye Almaty, welcome Ashgabat!
Flight from Kazakhstan to Turkmenistan
- Currently, there are no direct flights between Almaty International Airport (ALA) and Ashgabad International Airport (ASB). If a direct flight becomes available, we can help with the booking of the direct flight.
- The safer and most reliable route would be to fly via Istanbul or Dubai. If you opt for any of these options, flights depart from Almaty early in the morning and arrive late in the night in Ashgabad.
Arrival in Ashgabat
- Arriving in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan you pass through its multi-billion dollar marble-clad eagle-shaped airport. The kind of ostentatious building any country in the Middle East would be proud of.
- Exchange the Letter of Invitation (LOI) we have sent you in advance for a visa on arrival and a pickup and transfer to the hotel will be provided along with a local guide.
Accommodation | Olympia Hotel, Ashgabat
Built for the 2017 Asian indoor martial arts game this well-located and modern hotel allows access to malls, shops, and restaurants. It also provides guests with quality facilities in a fascinating part of the city.
Included Meals | Breakfast
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October 3 | Friday
Ashgabat
Relaxing morning
- This morning there is time to relax and soak up your surroundings before this afternoon's orientation walk around the city.
Ashgabat Walking Tour
- Tekke Bazaar | Walk through this real, local slice of life, a true local market very popular amongst local people for shopping.
On weekends, there are also local booksellers in the park opposite the market selling a selection of second-hand books. If you're lucky, you may pick up a copy of the Ruhnama. This book was written by Saparmurat Niyazov, the 1st president of Turkmenistan. Niyazov famously said, "a person that reads Ruhnama three times becomes smart, and after it, he will go straight to heaven."
- Inspiration Park | A public park at the centre of Ashgabat. This narrow parkland is lined with sculptures of Persian poets, scholars, and great thinkers. There is also an artificial river and impressive water fountains.
- Russian Bazaar | Located in the very centre of town, this covered bazaar is where you can buy almost everything you may need in daily life. Fruits, nuts, cables and chargers, sweets, kimchi, baked goods, souvenirs, and so on.
Nearby is also the Alty Asyr Shopping Centre which is a good place to buy cotton goods, all made from local cotton. All very cheap.
- Lenin statue | Best described as a small Lenin on a giant plinth decorated in central Asian tile work.
- Pushkin Monument | This small bust was erected for Russia's most famous poet. Pushkin is only 5 minutes away from Lenin.
- Pervyy Park | This is one of Ashgabat's oldest parks founded in 1890. Throughout history, this park has been known by many names. Officer Park, Lenin Park, First Park, and Independence Park.
- Ashgabat Train Station | Originally built in 1888, the first railway station was destroyed in the earthquake of 1948 along with much of the city. A new station was built shortly after in 1950. It was then remodelled in 2009 taking on its now grand form crowned by the eight-pointed star (Rub El Hizb).
Accommodation | Olympia Hotel, Ashgabat
Included Meals | Breakfast, Dinner
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October 4 | Saturday
Ashgabat
Ashgabat at your leisure
- A free day in Ashgabat. We can make recommendations for what to do and help to arrange drivers, and guides, as needed for excursions outside of the city. Or you can simply wander, relax, go shopping, use leisure facilities, and so on.
- Ashgabat has malls, galleries, museums, and other sites open to visitors. Just tell us what kind of thing you would like to do and our local partners and we can help with making a plan for you.
Welcome group dinner
- We start our tour with a group dinner of some excellent local food, coordination, and a briefing session, before the adventure ahead!
Accommodation | Olympia Hotel, Ashgabat
Included Meals | Breakfast, Dinner
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October 5 | Sunday
Ashgabat City Tour
- Tolkuchka Bazaar | The nation's largest market, built outside the city and home to various sections selling household goods, clothes, the famous Turkmen carpets, camels, other animals, and much more!
- Ashgabat Hippodrome | Sunday is a day at the races, with the sacred Ahal-Teke horses in full display.
- Cooking course | For today's lunch, we attend a local restaurant which gives us a tutorial and the opportunity to bake some local Turkmen pies. If it's not for you, don't worry, you'll be able to relax whilst your meal is cooked for you.
Afternoon city tour of Ashgabat
- Independence Park and Independence Monument | Constructed to celebrate the independence of Turkmenistan on the 27th of October 1991.
- Monument of Neutrality | From Independence to Neutrality, we go! Our next visit is the Monument of Neutrality built in 1998; a gold statue of Turkmenbashi tops this impressive structure.
- Earthquake Monument and Museum | We hope you’re not too tired of statues just yet as we have a few more to go! Next up, is the Earthquake Monument and Museum.
A grim reminder of the terrible earthquake that struck Ashgabat in 1948, killing 110,00 people and leveling the city. Both are tastefully presented and very educational.
- Free evening for a night out in the city.
Accommodation | Olympia Hotel, Ashgabat
Included Meals | Breakfast, Lunch
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October 6 | Monday
Bokhurdag and Darvaza Gas Crater
- Desert adventure! We head off in a fleet of 4x4 vehicles into the deep desert today.
Bokhurdag
- Our first stop is the small desert village of Bokhurdag. It is here that we stop to sample the local cuisine and learn a little more about living outside the bright lights of Turkmenistan’s flamboyant capital.
Desert Trip (Mining History)
- Once our journey resumes, we’ll continue stopping as we travel to see other examples of the desert’s mining history, visiting two other craters (one filled with water, the other with mud). A perfect pretext for the great Darvaza Gas Crater.
Darvaza Gas Crater
- Finally, we arrive at the stunning and unforgettable Darvaza Gas Crater in the center of the country and the scene of a 40-year-old industrial accident that ended with a giant flaming pit burning to this day. A hypnotic sight and one of the strangest and most spectacular things you can possibly see.
- We camp tonight beside the crater as it is best seen at night.
- Our accommodation provides us with the best opportunity to see the burning bit from sunset to sunrise.
- Dinner will be cooked on the spot.
Accommodation | Camping at the Darvaza Gas Crater
Camping in the desert with tents, sleeping bags, and roll mats provided. We will also provide tents based on your rooming options.
Included Meals | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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October 7 | Tuesday
Ashgabat
- We return to Ashgabat, driving through the morning with a stop at the Basmachi Revolutionary Monument. It was built here as this area was a Basmachi stronghold during the 1920s. The Basmachi were an Islamic group fighting the occupying Soviet forces.
Free time in Ashgabat at your leisure
- Once back in the capital the rest of the day is yours to do with as you please.
- You can explore, relax, shop, or take a side trip.
- Drivers are available for hire.
- We and our local guides can give advice on the spot.
Accommodation | Olympia Hotel, Ashgabat
Included Meals | Breakfast
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October 8 | Wednesday
Nisa Fortress and Kow Ata Underground Lake
Nisa Fortress
- A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Fortress of Nisa was the former capital of the mighty Parthian Empire in ancient times.
- We will also visit a stud farm where Ahal-Teke horses are bread. This Turkmen horse breed is considered a heavenly and sacred beast in Turkmenistan. The farm visit will show you why. You can also have a ride on one of the horses if you like.
Kow-Ata Underground Lake
- We drive on to the bizarre Kow-Ata Underground Lake | A Sulphur-heated lake 100 meters deep underground. Take a swim, explore the cave, and then have lunch at a shashlik restaurant on the spot.
- We will drive in our 4x4 fleet to the remote city of Balkanabad, this sleepy town is easily explored on foot in a couple of hours of free time before dinner and overnight in a hotel shaped like a giant yurt.
Accommodation | Hotel Niebitchi, Balkanabat
Yurt-shaped curiosity in the center of town, well situated for wandering around and exploring.
Included Meals | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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October 9 | Thursday
Yangykala Canyon and Turkmenbashi
- We drive to the stunning Yangykala Canyon, known as the ‘Turkmen Grand Canyon’. A little-known but an absolutely beautiful area with shifting colors in the rocks, amazing formations, and some wonderful photos to be taken.
- Through the afternoon, we make our way across the country, stopping at scenic areas, pilgrimage sites, and so on.
- By the evening we will reach the Caspian Sea city of Turkmenbashi and the bizarre ‘tourist zone’ of Awaza. This place has to be seen to be believed and we will have a look around the hotel-covered peninsula before checking in for a relaxing evening at the coast.
Accommodation | Serder Hotel
A comfortable beachside option. You can also upgrade to the Yelken Yacht Club, the finest establishment in Awaza. Contact us for more details!
Included Meals | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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October 10 | Friday
Awaza and Turkmenbashi
Awaza
- A free morning to relax at the coastal resort of Awaza.
- Try swimming (although the Caspian is a cold sea) or some watersports, wandering around, or even sleeping in!
- Late morning we will take a boat ride down a canal stretching the length of the Awaza area, and see the different architectural styles of the buildings here, all of which have sprung up in the last few years.
Turkmenbashi
- We will drive to the city of Turkmenbashi for lunch.
- It is the oldest city in the country and was once settled by Russians during their invasion from across the sea during the late Great Game.
- City tour of Turkmenbashi | We will visit the local bazaar, pre-Soviet railway station, Oil Workers’ Square, various monuments, and even a cemetery for Japanese POWs who were brought here to labor after their capture at the end of WWII, and never got home again.
- Flight back to Ashgabat for the final dinner of the tour, It's time for goodbyes and the last night out, if you’ve got the energy!
Accommodation | Olympia Hotel, Ashgabat
Included Meals | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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October 11 | Saturday
Departure
- Airport transfers are provided to Ashgabat International Airport (ASB) for everyone regardless of the time of flight or where they are flying.
Included Meals | Breakfast
End of Tour
OR
Optional Mary and Margush Extension (+600 EUR)
Mary and Margush
- Flight from Ashgabat to Mary International Airport (MYP) on Turkmenistan Airlines flight T5^127 at 6:20.
- Arrival to Mary at 7:00.
- Mary is in the center of the country and the nearest city to the ancient Silk Road metropolis of Merv.
- Gonur-Deppe (Margush) is another ancient city in this area with some lovely extent architectural features.
- Back to Mary City and explore this modern town, mix with the locals, and go to parks, bars, etc as you like. A sleepy area with welcoming and friendly locals.
Accommodation | Hotel in Mary
Included Meals | Breakfast
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October 12 | Sunday
Optional Mary and Margush Extension
Ancient Merv
- Excursion to Ancient Merv, probably the most important city in the world at certain times of its history.
- At this place, you will learn a great deal about the history of Central Asia, the rise and fall of dynasties and cities, the Silk Road, and human civilization in this part of the world in general.
- This vast area is roamed by animals, explorers, extant buildings, and ruins all contributing to a sense of the dynamism of the ancient Silk Road.
Return to Ashgabat
- Fly back to Ashgabat for a final rest or night out before departure on Turkmenistan Airlines flight T5^130 departing at 19:30.
- Flight arrival to Ashgabat International Airport (ASB) at 20:10.
- Please let us know if you wish to book an extra night in Ashgabat.
Included Meals | Breakfast
End of Tour Extension
