Turkmenistan and the Gates of HellTurkmenistan and the Gates of Hell

After a leisurely breakfast, we’ll spend the day touring Ashgabat, a brave new world of marble skyscrapers and totalitarian monuments. Among the towering shapes, imposing statues, and futuristic environs of the city we'll also be able to find old Soviet charm, dusty narrow alleys, crumbling 19th-century Russian houses, and lively bazaars, reminding us that even under the shadow of postmodern totalitarianism, remnants remain of the USSR. There’ll be some free time in late afternoon to explore on your own before we reconvene for dinner.

This morning we’ll leave the steel-glass-and-concrete cityscapes of Ashgabat and make the 40-minute flight to Mary, an oasis town located in the Karakum Desert along the road to Bukhara, Uzbekistan. After a quick visit to Mary’s sleepy and archetypically Soviet downtown we’ll tour the stunningly preserved ruins of ancient Merv, formerly known as Alexandria Margiana. Merv was once known as the Queen of the World and it has been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site since 1999. We’ll spend the entire day touring the legendary sights and historical landmarks of Merv and its surrounding areas such as the towering medieval kalas (fortresses), the splendidly preserved Islamic mausoleums, the rickety minarets of some of the earliest mosques of the region, and the odd Sufi shrines scattered all around the site. While touring Merv you’ll also have the chance to meet with local tourists and silver-bearded holy men who enliven the Sufi shrines with their prayers. We’ll have dinner and spend the night in Mary.

In the morning we board the short return flight to Ashgabat. From the airport, we’ll head toward the remote Nokhur region, famous for its picturesque villages and traditional architecture. In Gokdepe we’ll stop at Saparmurat Haji Mosque, built within the former Teke stronghold, which is known for the 1881 battle that led to the Russian conquest of Turkmenistan. From the mosque we’ll proceed to a private stud farm, where you’ll have a chance to see fabled Akhal-Teke horses. We’ll then continue to Kow Ata, a natural underground thermal lake and a popular weekend escape among the busy citizens of Ashgabat, who flock here to enjoy the therapeutic attributes of the salt- and mineral-heavy holy waters. After a rejuvenating bath at Kow Ata, we’ll move on to remote Nokhur, a picturesque village famous for the unique culture and peculiar language of its inhabitants. After relaxing over tea, we’ll then head to the rather anonymous but pleasant Turkmen backcountry town of Serdar for the night. 

Today we will head further inland across Turkmenistan's Wild West. We’ll admire otherworldly landscapes and moving sand dunes near Boydag and tour extremely remote hamlets scattered along the way. In the early afternoon, we’ll then arrive in Balkanabat, a quintessentially Soviet town in the barren badlands of western Turkmenistan. Just north of Balkanabat, right in time for a splendid desert sunset, we'll visit the Uly Balkan Gershi massif, a hidden natural treasure of green pastures and flaming red rocks.

We’ll depart from Balkanabat early in the morning and head to the Yangykala Canyon, a stunningly wide geological landscape that rivals its more famous American counterpart, the Grand Canyon. With bands of pink, red, and yellow rock searing across the sides of steep walls, Yangykala is a breathtaking sight and one of the most spectacular natural attractions in Central Asia. After these postcard views, we’ll continue to the shores of the Caspian Sea, stopping at the awe-inspiring pilgrimage site of Gözli Ata along the way. In the afternoon we'll reach the lively seaside town of Turkmenbashi, where we’ll enjoy a lazy afternoon on the beach, observe the local fishermen, visit the seafood market, and have dinner at the Pyongyang-meets-Las-Vegas Awaza resort area. We’ll stay in Turkmenbashi for the next two nights.

We’ll explore the Turkmenbashi area today, enjoying the pleasures of the seaside in the morning and an afternoon drive through the dystopian badlands surrounding the Garabogazköl depression. This shallow lagoon is characterized by a salinity level comparable to that of the Dead Sea. We'll also visit the abandoned Soviet city of Bekdash before returning for dinner in the evening.

This morning we’ll board our domestic flight to Dashoguz, a frontier town with a diverse population of Turkmens, Uzbeks, Koreans, and Tatars. After a quick drive around downtown Dashoguz we’ll stock up on food at the lively central bazaar and start our adventure across the mythical sands of the Karakum Desert. We’re heading to the most famous sight in the country: the Darvaza Gas Crater. En-route we’ll stop at Izmukshir and Shassenem medieval fortresses, which used to be some of the largest outposts of Southern Khoresm along the caravan road from Khiva to Nissa. We’ll reach Darvaza in the early afternoon. The burning crater is also known as "The Gates to Hell," being indeed quite reminiscent of the entrance to Dante’s inferno. While drilling in 1971, Soviet geologists tapped into a cavern filled with natural gas. The ground beneath the drilling rig collapsed, leaving a hole 200 feet wide and 66 feet deep. To prevent gas discharge, the geologists decided to burn it off, hoping the fire would use all the fuel in a matter of days. The gas is still burning. As night falls, we’ll admire the spectacular view of the glowing gas crater and enjoy a shashlik dinner on its edge. We’ll stay in top-quality tents at Darvaza Camping Site, taking time before bed to appreciate the fire below and the stars above.

After a picnic-style breakfast at the camp, we’ll slowly head back to Ashgabat, traveling through a classic desert landscape of moving dunes, camel caravans, nomadic settlements, and ramshackle Soviet outposts. After a reinvigorating rest at the hotel pool in Ashgabat, we’ll drive to Kipchak to visit the shining Turkmenbashi Mosque, where the president of Turkmenistan from 1990 to 2006, the notorious Saparmurat Atayevich Niyazov, rests beside his family. While in office, Niyazov banned lip syncing, exiled all dogs from Ashgabat, and renamed the month of September after a largely nonsensical book he wrote. After wrapping our heads around these feats and many more, we’ll head back to Ashgabat for our final delicious Turkmen dinner.