Blue Sky
Tour 2: Blue Sky
Duration: 10 days
Places to visit: Ashgabat - Kov Ata - Nokhur - Balkanabat- Yangykala - Gozli Ata - Turkmenbashi - Avaza - Mary - Merv - Margush - Damla - Darwaza - Ashgabat
Day 1: Ashgabat
On arrival at airport, the guide will meet you and accompany to Ashgabat. The tour will start by having a city tour where you can visit Nisa fortress or the Sanctuary of Parthian Kings. The site is included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007. The next destination is visiting the biggest Mosque in Central Asia as the Ruhy Mosque or Gypjak, Mausoleum of the first President of Turkmenistan. On the route you will have an opportunity to see Akhal-Teke horses. You will find them in horse farm situated in Gokdepe region. You will learn how to ride horse by professional riders. Then we will back to Ashgabat. Overnight is in a hotel.
Day 2: Ashgabat - Kov Ata - Nokhur - Balkanabat
Today's travel destination is visiting Kow-Ata underground lake. This famous lake is situated in 107 km from Ashgabat. It means "father of caves". It looks like a big auditorium with the total length of 230 m, height - 20 m, width - 57 m. there are blocks of liquefied limestone (stalagmites) in the bottom of the cave and has transparent water of emerald color. The water temperature is about 33-37 ° C, so possible for swimming. The next destination is Nokhur. This village is not big and situated on depression valley with creased houses made of local rocks and paved with mud. On the way you will see narrow streets where even cars cannot drive properly. In a tour you will get acquainted with Turkmen people which are different from each other according their tribes. They live close to the mountains near Turkmenistan and Iran border. Talking of Nokhur, it is the largest village. Its population is about 1000 or 2000 people. Afterwards we will continue our way to Balkanabat city. Your night will be spent is in a hotel.
Day 3: Balkanabat - Yangykala - Gozli Ata - Turkmenbashi - Avaza
Having a breakfast, we will start our travel to Yangikala canyons. They are very attractive and situated in 165 km to the north from Balkanabat and 160 km to the east from Turkmenbashi. Yangykala (from Turkmen language means - "fire fortresses"). Canyons have shape of different colors as white, yellow, ocher, violet and red as well as carved by winds and rains. They look fantastically! Moving on, we will visit Gozli Ata, where many pilgrimage move there and pray. It is one of the most beautiful sites in Turkmenistan surrounded by strips of pink and white stone. Gozli Ata is whispered to have been appreciated Sufi who lived in the early 14th century. His mausoleum is made from a brick building with two white ceilings, upright in an old cemetery with many sacred carved stone tombs. Afterwards we will continue drive to Awaza. The night will be spent is in a hotel.
Day 4: Avaza - Ashgabat - Mary/Merv
In the morning you will be transferred to airport for your flight to Ashgabat. On arrival you will visit Abiverd. It is an ancient city of Turkmenistan. Afterwards we will travel to ancient Merv. On the way you will see the Great Silk Road where the city rapidly became one of the largest and biggest of the ancient world as well as famous capitals of Islam along with Baghdad, Cairo and Damascus. The next destination is Gyz Gala, Erk Gala, Soltan Gala, Soltan Sanjar Mausoleum, Ibn Zeid Mausoleum. In the end of the day you will return to Mary city. Night is in a hotel.
Day 5: Mary - Margush - Ashgabat
After breakfast, you will start a tour of visiting the Oasis of Merv of the 5th center of civilization. Before it was one of the significant parts of people who lived in the Achaemen times. In Bronze Age civilization, it was known as Margush - "lowland" or in Greek - Margiana. The site was discovered by Professor Victor Sarianidi in the early 1970s on his Margiana Archaeological Expedition. These wonderful sites of the Bronze Age found at the northern edge of the contemporary retreat or outside, on land which is now desert. The region was left due to dry climate where the ruins of the Bronze Age settlements were preserved under desert soils. Sights in Margiana looks the same as sights in Bactria located in modern northern Afghanistan. Sarianidi entitlements that the Bactria-Margiana minaret was a main center of ancient civilization as well as the birthplace of Zoroastrianism. In the end of the day, you will drive to Ashgabat city. The night will be spent is in a hotel.
Day 6: Ashgabat
the tour will start by having a city tour in Ashgabat. Visit the famous places as Revival Park, Russian Market, Lenin's square, Ertogrulgazy mosque, Park of Independence, Arch of Neutrality. Afterwards you can visit the Museum of Ethnography and Museum of Fine Arts. Overnight is in a hotel.
Day 7: Ashgabat - Damla
Today you will have a tour in Damla village. It is located in the middle of the dry copses of the massive Karakum desert in Turkmenistan. The village is rather small, but best for exploring Turkmen lifestyle. You will find only 60 dwellings. People are very peaceful and hospitable. No doubt that you will like to stay there and have amazing time with locals. Today you will spend a night is tents.
Day 8: Damla - Darwaza
The morning will start by traveling to Darwaza. Being there you will see the famous "door to hell". On the way you will see 2 more craters which are located in the village of Darwaza, in the west of the main road. The first crater has a deep round hole where a metal fence environs this small crater. There is no fire but very strong smell of gas. The second crater is located in 18 km south of Darwaza, on the western side of the main road. It is almost invisible. This crater also does not have a fire, but smell. You will see water and gas covers its top. For seeing legendary view of the main crater, you must leave your car and walk for a while. You will see the gas crater in a round shape with a diameter of 60 meters. It is a deep hole filled with flame and has a very strong smell. The night will be spent in camp.
Day 9: Darwaza - Ashgabat
In the morning you will be transferred to Ashgabat. Visit Annau "Seit Jamaleddin Mosque". It is the primary site from all over the world where its ruins of the 15th century belong to Seyit Jamal ad-Din mosque. In the end of the day you will return to Ashgabat.
Day 10: Flight
In the morning is transfer to airport.
Note: Each Traveler should have 2 photos (5×6) to be presented at the points of entry.
