Grand Turkmenistan — Coast & Canyons
Grand Turkmenistan — Coast & Canyons
For travellers who want to see it all, this fourteen-day grand tour adds the wild west of the country to the classic circuit. Alongside Ashgabat, the Darvaza crater, Kunya-Urgench and Merv, you reach the Caspian Sea — the modern Awaza resort strip, the ruined caravan city of Dekhistan and the astonishing striped cliffs of the Yangykala canyons.
It is a journey of dramatic contrasts: burning desert and cool sea breeze, ancient ruins and a marble seaside resort, silence and colour. Domestic flights connect the far-flung regions, keeping the pace civilised despite the distances.
A premium private itinerary for up to eight guests, with comfortable hotels throughout, a beachfront stay at Awaza and one night camped beside the Gates of Hell.
At a glance
Moments you will carry home
Yangykala canyons
Wind- and water-carved cliffs banded in pink, red and cream above an ancient seabed.
The Caspian & Awaza
A day on the Caspian shore and the marble Awaza resort — sea air after the desert.
Three UNESCO cities
Nisa, Kunya-Urgench and Merv, the full historic core of the country.
Darvaza by night
A desert camp beside the burning crater under a sky thick with stars.
The route unfolds
Scroll the itinerary — the map traces your journey as it goes.
Ashgabat
Arrival
Airport welcome and transfer to your hotel, with an evening glimpse of the illuminated capital.
Ashgabat
The marble capital
Monuments, the National Museum and the Altyn Asyr bazaar — a full day in the world’s whitest city.
Nisa & Kow-Ata
Parthians & a warm lake
The UNESCO ruins of Old Nisa, then a swim in the Kow-Ata underground thermal lake on the road west.
Darvaza Crater
The Gates of Hell
Into the Karakum to camp beside the burning gas crater, its glow deepening through the desert night.
Kunya-Urgench
Medieval Khorezm
Cross the sands north to Dashoguz and the UNESCO monuments of Kunya-Urgench — the towering Kutlug-Timur minaret and its great mausoleums.
Fly to Turkmenbashi · Awaza
To the Caspian
A flight west to Turkmenbashi on the Caspian coast, and check in to the marble Awaza resort strip for a first taste of sea air.
Yangykala Canyons
Cliffs of fire
A full-day expedition to the Yangykala canyons — a labyrinth of pink, red and white cliffs above the bed of a vanished sea, unforgettable at sunset.
Dekhistan (Misrian)
A caravan city lost
Drive south to the haunting ruins of Dekhistan — the minarets and gateways of a great medieval caravan city now standing alone in the empty steppe.
Fly to Mary · Merv
Queen of the world
Fly east to Mary and out to the vast oasis of Merv — walls, castles and the great dome of the Sultan Sanjar mausoleum.
Gonur-Depe
Bronze-Age Margiana
Into the desert to Gonur-Depe, the 4,000-year-old capital of the Margiana civilisation, its palace and necropolis raised from the sand.
Mary
Museum & oasis town
A gentler day in Mary — the excellent regional museum and the green oasis town on the Murghab before the journey turns back to the capital.
Return to Ashgabat
Gypjak
Fly back to Ashgabat and visit the golden-domed Türkmenbaşy Ruhy mosque at Gypjak, one of Central Asia’s largest.
Ashgabat
At leisure
A free day in the capital for carpets, the cable car or a spa, gathering the threads of a two-week journey.
Ashgabat
Departure
Transfer to the airport for your onward flight.
What's included
- ✓Private English-speaking guide throughout
- ✓All accommodation per the itinerary (hotels + desert camp where shown)
- ✓Private air-conditioned vehicle with driver
- ✓All domestic flights and transfers in the programme
- ✓Daily breakfast and selected meals
- ✓Entrance fees to the sites and museums listed
- ✓Letter of invitation (LOI) and visa support
- ✓Bottled water and all travel documents
Not included
- —International flights to and from Turkmenistan
- —Visa fee paid on arrival
- —Lunches and dinners not specified
- —Travel insurance
- —Tips for guides and drivers
- —Personal expenses and drinks
Destinations you'll explore
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