Kopetdag Mountains

Rising just south of Ashgabat and running along the Iranian frontier, the Kopetdag mountains are a world away from the Karakum sands — juniper slopes, hidden gorges and, in spring, hillsides bright with wildflowers and poppies.

They offer walking trails, birdlife and cool air within easy reach of the capital, and shelter villages like Nohur and sites like Kow-Ata in their folds.