The Journal

Guides & Stories

Practical guidance and quiet dispatches from a country few have seen — written by the specialists who travel it.

July 10, 2026·5 min read

The Darvaza crater at night: what it is actually like

A burning hole in the middle of the Karakum, roaring since 1971. The photographs prepare you for the light. They do not prepare you for the heat, the sound, or the silence around it.

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When to visit Turkmenistan: a season-by-season guide — Ak Gamyş

Practical guide

July 10, 2026·7 min read

When to visit Turkmenistan: a season-by-season guide

Spring and autumn are the obvious answers, and they are the right ones. But winter has the clearest skies of the year, and summer is not what you think.

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Practical guide

July 10, 2026·6 min read

Do you need a visa for Turkmenistan? A practical guide

Turkmenistan is one of the hardest countries in the world to enter independently — and one of the easiest to enter with an operator. Here is how the process actually works.

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