Ancient Cities Of Turkmenistan - 4 Day Tour
About this tour
Ashgabat, Nisa, Gypchak, Mary, Merv
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1: Ashgabat
Ashgabat – Nisa – Gypchak – Ashgabat. Your guide will pick you up at the airport and accompany you to the capital city of Turkmenistan – one of the most beautiful cities of the world which was recently included into the Book of Guinness as the Most-White Marble City in the World. Today you will visit main tourist attraction in the capital parks and monuments, impressive mosque and other iconic buildings. You will drive to Nissa fortress – the Sanctuary of Parthian Kings. UNESCO declared fortress a World Heritage Site in 2007. Afterwards you will visit the biggest Mosque in Central Asia Ruhy Mosque (Gypjak), Mausoleum of the first President of Turkmenistan. Overnight is in the hotel.
Day 2: Ashgabat to Mary
Ashgabat – Mary. Today you will visit the State Museum of Turkmenistan. It stores ancient artifacts found at the excavations of the settlements Nisa, Merv and Gonurdepe, collection of vintage Turkmen carpets, rare examples of national clothing, jewelries, and antique weapons. The 9 halls display figurines of Athens, Eros, silver gilded griffin, horn-shaped ivory vessels-rhytons of the Parthian era, gold jewelries, medallions-stamps from Margiana and Buddhist artifacts. There are also a fossilized piece of wood of the Paleozoic period, aged 270,000,000, dinosaurs’ footprints, an 820-kg meteorite fallen in Kunya-Urgench in 1998 and a lot more. Afterwards is drive to Mary city. On the way you will stop at Annau, the ruins of 15th century – Seyit Jamal-ad-Din Mosque and Abiward – an ancient Sassanid city. Archaeological excavations at the ancient city of Abiward have been made in the last century to about 8 km west of the Kahka station in an area of 12,000 m2. The central tell is 60 feet high and 700 feet round. Overnight is in the hotel.
Day 3: Mary to Ashgabat
Mary – Merv – Ashgabat. After breakfast at 8:00 tour starts with visit the glorious Ancient Merv (UNESCO World Heritage Site). One of the major archaeological sites of Central Asia, Merv played an important part in the development of the Silk Road for more than 2 000 years. Within the limits of the archaeological park, which is 1200 ha, we will have a chance to observe all constituent parts of the “wandering city”. The splendid XII c. mausoleums of Sultan Sanjar and Muhammed ibn-Zeyd, demonstrate exquisite Seljuk period brickwork and architectural décor. Then is drive to visit Museum with an extensive ethnography section, including a large collection of Turkmen jewellery, carpets, stuffed animals, a fully decorated yurt and pottery from the time of the Mongol occupation. But best of all is the archaeological section, bringing together artifacts found at both Merv and Margush, including pottery, weapons, household implements and jewelry. Then you will drive to Ashgabat. Overnight is in the hotel.
Day 4: Ashgabat
Ashgabat – Airport. In the morning is transfer to the airport.
What's included
What to know
comfortable clothes and shoes, summer clothes, cap, and sunblock, 2 photos (5x6)
Route & locations
Ashgabat