Sightseeing tour in Turkmenistan

After breakfast — departure to Ashgabat (4 hours, 280 km).
First, you will visit the Carpet Museum, one of the best in Central Asia, showcasing patterns of the Teke, Yomud, Saryk, and Chador tribes. The Turkmen Carpet Museum is one of Turkmenistan’s cultural centers, exhibiting about 2,000 carpet exhibits, including rare ones. For example, the museum houses the smallest carpet for carrying keys and the world’s largest handmade carpet, with a total area of 301 m², woven in 2001, which was entered into the Guinness Book of Records in 2003.

After lunch, you will have a tour of Ashgabat. In 2013, the Guinness World Records named Ashgabat the “City of White Marble” — it has the largest number of buildings clad in white marble in the world. You will see the Wedding Palace, the modern Yyldyz Hotel, the Ferris wheel, the Constitution Monument, the Neutrality Arch, the Independence Monument and Park, the Ertogrul Gazi Mosque, Ashgabat’s sports and residential facilities, as well as monuments dedicated to the earthquake and World War II victims.
Overnight stay in Ashgabat.

Breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast — a trip to the eastern market “Altyn Asyr” (open on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays) — Djygyldyk, located 20 km north of Ashgabat. This is one of the largest open-air markets in the world, filled with colorful carpets, jewelry, silk, traditional Turkmen clothing, as well as animals in its other sections.

Alternatively, you can visit the “Gulistan” market — one of the largest and oldest covered markets, a must-visit for every tourist in Ashgabat. The first floor of the market is dedicated to fresh products: fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, and dairy products. You can also find spices, nuts, dried fruits, and other food items here. On the second floor, there are shops with clothing and souvenirs.

After that — a trip to the Gökdepe fortress, which was attacked by the Russian Empire army in December 1880. The siege of Gökdepe lasted 23 days, after which the city was stormed. Visit the Gökdepe Mosque (Saparmerat Khaji), built in 1995 in memory of the defeat. The mosque is notable for its mint-turquoise colored roof and white marble cladding.

Then — visit to the Gökdepe Museum, dedicated to the battle between Russian troops and the local Akhal-Teke tribe in 1881.

Later — a trip to the stud farm to get acquainted with the national pride of the Turkmen people — the Akhal-Teke horses, among the most beautiful in the world. The Turkmens began breeding Akhal-Teke horses about 5,000 years ago. This unique breed has never been crossbred with others. Famous rulers such as Alexander the Great and Darius I dreamed of owning such horses. The farm houses more than 35 magnificent horses. According to legend, every sick person who touches an Akhal-Teke horse soon recovers.

Next — visit to the Turkmenbashi Ruhy Mosque in Kipchak (the largest mosque in Central Asia).
Overnight stay at the hotel.

Transfer to Ashgabat International Airport. Departure.

Option 2
Transfer to the Khovdan–Bajgiran border crossing to continue the journey to Iran.