Legends of Turkmenistan

Tour title: Legends of Turkmenistan

Places to visit: Ashgabat, Mary, Merv, Margiana, Darwaza, Yekeldeshik Cave.

Day 1: Ashgabat
You will arrive to the International Airport of Ashgabat and will meet your guide and a group. In the afternoon we will a horse-farm and will see the pride of the Turkmen people which is Akhal-Teke horses. We will see Akhal-Teke show program and enjoy a tea. Then we will return to the capital city and have evening tour in Ashgabat. The night is in the hotel.

Day 2: Ashgabat
This day we will visit Old Nissa which is a Sanctuary of Parhian Kings and also it's a UNESCO Heritage Site. Then we will Gypchak Mosque and Mausoleum of the last president of the country. Then we will visit a State Museum of History which has ancient artifacts from the settlements like NIssa, Merv and Gonurdepe. There the different collections of the vintage carpets, national clothing, jewelry 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 the wood pieces of the Paleozoic period from 27 000 000, footprints of the dinosaurs and 820kg meteorite which fall to Kunya Urgench in 1998 and many other things. The night is in the hotel.

Day 3: Ashgabat - Merv - Mary
This day we will drive to the east of Turkmenistan and visit Mary region. Then we will visit an Old Merv ehich is a UNESCO Heritage Site and this city was located on the cross road of the Great Silk Road. This city became very big city of the ancient world. We will continue our tour visiting Gyz Gala, Erk Gala, Soltan Gala, Soltan Sanjar Mausoleum and Ibn Zeid Mausoleum. Then we will drive back to Mary. The night is in the hotel.

Day 4: Mary - Talkhatan Baba - Yekedeshik Caves - Mary
In the morning we will drive to Talkahatan Baba Mosque which was built in 1095. Then we will drive to Yekedeshik Caves and see the sandstone hills. Ekedeshik means "single entrance". This place has more than 40 visitable rooms on two levels. Also there are few smaller cave complexes next to it, one is known as Bashdeshik ('Five Entrances'), but these places, many of which have not been systematically explored. Then we will return to Mary city.  The night is in the hotel

Day 5: Mary - Margiana (Margush) - Mary
In the morning we will drive to Margush which was an important center for human settlement from the 5^th century. It's time long before Achaemenian times. A Bronze age civilization existed here known as Mragush which means Lowland or from the Greek language Margiana.  This area was explored by Viktor Sarianidi in 1970s. He was a head of Margiana Archeological Expedition. Climatic change and progressive desertification caused the abandonment of the area, with the result that the ruins of the Bronze Age settlements are well preserved beneath the desert soils. Sarianidi argues that the Bactria- Margiana complex was a major center of ancient civilization, and has speculated that Margiana may even have been a birthplace of Zoroastrianism. The night is in the hotel..

Day 6: Mary - Ashgabat
In the morning we will drive back to Ashgabat and stop at Annau on the way. We will see the remains of Seyit Jamal-ad-Din Mosque from 15^th century. Also Abivard or Abi-ward were an ancient Sassanid city. Archeologists made excavation works in the last century on the territory of 12 000m2. In the afternoon we will visit a Russian bazaar. The night is in the hotel.

Day 7: Flight
Night transfer to the Ashgabat International Airport to board a flight to next destination.

Transport - Minibus

Price per person:
02 pax - 875 $
04 pax - 755 $
06 pax - 615 $
08 pax - 545 $
10 pax - 500 $
Single - 130 $

Early check-in - 35 $
Single early check-in - 50 $ 

Half board - 65 $
Full board - 125 $
 

Service includes:
- Transport
- Accommodation:
Ashgabat - "Menzil" Hotel 3*
Mary - "Merv" Hotel 3*
- Visa support
- English speaking guide
- Entrances to all museums
- Mineral water during the tour                                            

Service does not include:
- Visa
- Full board
- Single rooms             
- Early check-in
- Travel insurance
- Migration tax (12$)
- Fee for using cameras on monuments 

Note: Each Traveler should have 2 photos (5×6) to be presented at the points of entry.