Kunya-Urgench & the North
Kunya-Urgench & the North
This compact five-day journey heads north from the capital across the Karakum, pairing the country’s most famous natural spectacle with its greatest medieval city. You camp beside the burning Darvaza crater, then continue to Kunya-Urgench — once the glittering capital of Khorezm and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Among its wind-worn monuments stands the Kutlug-Timur minaret, at around sixty metres the tallest ancient minaret in Central Asia, surrounded by soaring turquoise-tiled mausoleums. It is an ideal short itinerary for travellers with limited time who still want both the desert and a great Silk Road city.
A premium private trip for up to eight guests, with a desert camp, comfortable hotels and a flight back to keep the pace easy.
At a glance
Moments you will carry home
Kunya-Urgench
A UNESCO city of soaring mausoleums and Central Asia’s tallest ancient minaret.
Darvaza by night
A desert camp beside the burning gas crater under the stars.
Across the Karakum
The long, scenic desert crossing between capital and the northern oasis.
Marble Ashgabat
The white-marble capital to begin and end the loop.
The route unfolds
Scroll the itinerary — the map traces your journey as it goes.
Ashgabat
Arrival
Airport welcome and a first evening among the illuminated marble avenues of the capital.
Darvaza Crater
The Gates of Hell
North into the Karakum, with a stop at the Kow-Ata lake, to camp beside the burning crater under the desert stars.
Darvaza → Kunya-Urgench
Across the sands
A desert sunrise, then the long drive north across the Karakum to Dashoguz and the monuments of Kunya-Urgench.
Kunya-Urgench
Medieval Khorezm
A full morning among the UNESCO monuments — the Kutlug-Timur minaret and the great mausoleums — then fly from Dashoguz back to Ashgabat.
Ashgabat
Departure
A final breakfast and 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
Reserve your private journey
Tell us when you dream of travelling. Our specialists will craft a private itinerary shaped entirely around you.