Darvaza burning gas crater - the Door to Hell

Turkmenistan Holidays

Name: Turkmenistan
Brand: Exodus
Rating: 4.9 (13 reviews)

Turkmenistan Tours

Turkmenistan is not the best-known tourist destination around, and certainly not the easiest to visit with tight visa regulations and the occasional closed borders, but it is a fascinating place. Of the five ‘Stans’ that formed the USSR’s Central Asian territory before its collapse in the early 1990s, Turkmenistan is probably the least known. Made up largely of desert, the country has rich gas deposits, reflected in the fascinating Darvaza gas crater. Also known as the ‘door to hell’, this gas pit has been burning since 1971 and is a site unlike any you’re likely to have seen.

Tours to Turkmenistan also visit its capital city, Ashgabat. This, too, is an unusual place, holding the world record for white marble buildings and monuments, a former world record for the biggest flag, a world record for the biggest carpet… it is a city that likes to make things on a grand scale.

Turkmenistan Adventure Holidays

23 Days from £ 5599

Guided Group (Excl. Flights)

Five countries, three weeks, one epic trip through Central Asia's Silk Road

Culture

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If you want to discover 5 countries and their varied cultures, histories and scenery and meet some lovely people, all in three weeks, this trip is for you. We saw some wonderful, stunning scenery, met some amazing friendly people, found out about the past complicated history and the challenges they face today. It is fast paced, there are long journeys but totally worth it and loads to see and do on the way.

Jacqui Cottom The Five Stans of the Silk Road

This was the longest duration trip I’ve ever taken, covering the most ground by road and with some (by my standards) fairly extreme variations of temperature, altitude and landscape. But it was mostly very unusual, often spectacular and totally worth the bumpy ride – take layers, medications and a better camera than I did. The people were also a particular highlight. Jabbar in Turkmenistan was an impossible act to follow, but the local leaders were all very good. The group was a great mix and we bonded over one or two minor glitches and some medicinal vodka. We met the friendliest local people in markets, at the border crossings, on the road. They were very often willing to share my three words of Russian, and to practice their English. It was also very nice to be asked to join them for their photos – probably some of these invitations were from other tourists, but was still great to feel like the exotic extra for a change.

Helen Cassaday The Five Stans of the Silk Road

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