Tour duration: 3 days/ 2 nights

Tour date:Flexible

Tour tipe: Group and Individual

Transportation, accommodation, meals and guiding tours.

It starts at 8.00 am from Khiva arrive for the lunch time in Dashogus and visit sighseeing places in Dashagus and stay a night. Next day after breakfast going to Kunya Urgench visit sightseeing places and go to Darvaza on the same day  it takes around three hours from Kunya Urgench to Darvoza. Having dinner there and stay a night in tent. Next day after  breakfast drive to Khiva and finish the tour.  This tour doesn’t include visa you shake take visa 1 month or 3 weeks ago from Tashkent Turkmenistan embassy.

Türkmenistan, officially the Republic of Turkmenistan (Turkmen: Türkmenistan Respublikasy), is a country in Central Asia, bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north and east, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the south and southwest, and the Caspian Sea to the west. Ashgabat is the capital and largest city. The population of the country is 5.6 million, the lowest of the Central Asian republics and one of the most sparsely populated in Asia.

Turkmenistan has been at the crossroads of civilizations for centuries. In medieval times, Merv was one of the great cities of the Islamic world and an important stop on the Silk Road, a caravan route used for trade with China until the mid-15th century. Annexed by the Russian Empire in 1881, Turkmenistan later figured prominently in the anti-Bolshevik movement in Central Asia. In 1925, Turkmenistan became a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic (Turkmen SSR); it became independent upon the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.^[7]

Turkmenistan possesses the world's sixth largest reserves of natural gas resources.^[8] Most of the country is covered by the Karakum (Black Sand) Desert. From 1993 to 2017, citizens received government-provided electricity, water and natural gas free of charge.^[9]

The sovereign state of Turkmenistan was ruled by President for Life Saparmurat Niyazov (also known as Turkmenbashi) until his death in 2006. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow was elected president in 2007. According to Human Rights Watch, "Turkmenistan remains one of the world’s most repressive countries. The country is virtually closed to independent scrutiny, media and religious freedoms are subject to draconian restrictions, and human rights defenders and other activists face the constant threat of government reprisal."^[10] After suspending the death penalty, the use of capital punishment was formally abolished in the 2008 constitution.^[1][11]

History

Main article: History of Turkmenistan

Historically inhabited by the Indo-Iranians, the written history of Turkmenistan begins with its annexation by the Achaemenid Empire of Ancient Iran. In the 8th century AD, Turkic-speaking Oghuz tribes moved from Mongolia into present-day Central Asia. Part of a powerful confederation of tribes, these Oghuz formed the ethnic basis of the modern Turkmen population.^[16] In the 10th century, the name "Turkmen" was first applied to Oghuz groups that accepted Islam and began to occupy present-day Turkmenistan.^[16] There they were under the dominion of the Seljuk Empire, which was composed of Oghuz groups living in present-day Iran and Turkmenistan.^[16] Turkmen soldiers in the service of the empire played an important role in the spreading of Turkic culture when they migrated westward into present-day Azerbaijan and eastern Turkey

Turkmen helmet (15th century)

In the 12th century, Turkmen and other tribes overthrew the Seljuk Empire.^[16] In the next century, the Mongols took over the more northern lands where the Turkmens had settled, scattering the Turkmens southward and contributing to the formation of new tribal groups.^[16] The sixteenth and eighteenth centuries saw a series of splits and confederations among the nomadic Turkmen tribes, who remained staunchly independent and inspired fear in their neighbors.^[16] By the 16th century, most of those tribes were under the nominal control of two sedentary Uzbek khanates, Khiva and Bukhoro.^[16] Turkmen soldiers were an important element of the Uzbek militaries of this period.^[16] In the 19th century, raids and rebellions by the Yomud Turkmen group resulted in that group's dispersal by the Uzbek rulers.^[16] According to Paul R. Spickard, "Prior to the Russian conquest, the Turkmen were known and feared for their involvement in the Central Asian slave trade."^[17][18]

City of Chardzhou in Russian Turkestan, 1890

Russian forces began occupying Turkmen territory late in the 19th century.^[16] From their Caspian Sea base at Krasnovodsk (now Turkmenbashi), the Russians eventually overcame the Uzbek khanates.^[16] In 1881, the last significant resistance in Turkmen territory was crushed at the Battle of Geok Tepe, and shortly thereafter Turkmenistan was annexed, together with adjoining Uzbek territory, into the Russian Empire.^[16] In 1916, the Russian Empire's participation in World War I resonated in Turkmenistan, as an anticonscription revolt swept most of Russian Central Asia.^[16] Although the Russian Revolution of 1917 had little direct impact, in the 1920s Turkmen forces joined Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and Uzbeks in the so-called Basmachi Rebellion against the rule of the newly formed Soviet Union.^[16] In 1924, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic was formed from the tsarist province of Transcaspia.^[16] By the late 1930s, Soviet reorganization of agriculture had destroyed what remained of the nomadic lifestyle in Turkmenistan, and Moscow controlled political life.^[16] The Ashgabat earthquake of 1948 killed over 110,000 people,^[19] amounting to two-thirds of the city's population.

During the next half-century, Turkmenistan played its designated economic role within the Soviet Union and remained outside the course of major world events.^[16] Even the major liberalization movement that shook Russia in the late 1980s had little impact.^[16] However, in 1990, the Supreme Soviet of Turkmenistan declared sovereignty as a nationalist response to perceived exploitation by Moscow.^[16] Although Turkmenistan was ill-prepared for independence and then-communist leader Saparmurat Niyazov preferred to preserve the Soviet Union, in October 1991, the fragmentation of that entity forced him to call a national referendum that approved independence.^[16] On 26 December 1991, the Soviet Union ceased to exist. Niyazov continued as Turkmenistan's chief of state, replacing communism with a unique brand of independent nationalism reinforced by a pervasive cult of personality.^[16] A 1994 referendum and legislation in 1999 abolished further requirements for the president to stand for re-election (although in 1992 he completely dominated the only presidential election in which he ran, as he was the only candidate and no one else was allowed to run for the office), making him effectively president for life.^[16] During his tenure, Niyazov conducted frequent purges of public officials and abolished organizations deemed threatening.^[16] Throughout the post-Soviet era, Turkmenistan has taken a neutral position on almost all international issues.^[16] Niyazov eschewed membership in regional organizations such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, and in the late 1990s he maintained relations with the Taliban and its chief opponent in Afghanistan, the Northern Alliance.^[16] He offered limited support to the military campaign against the Taliban following the 11 September 2001 attacks.^[16] In 2002 an alleged assassination attempt against Niyazov led to a new wave of security restrictions, dismissals of government officials, and restrictions placed on the media.^[16] Niyazov accused exiled former foreign minister Boris Shikhmuradov of having planned the attack.^[16]

Between 2002 and 2004, serious tension arose between Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan because of bilateral disputes and Niyazov's implication that Uzbekistan had a role in the 2002 assassination attempt.^[16] In 2004, a series of bilateral treaties restored friendly relations.^[16] In the parliamentary elections of December 2004 and January 2005, only Niyazov's party was represented, and no international monitors participated.^[16] In 2005, Niyazov exercised his dictatorial power by closing all hospitals outside Ashgabat and all rural libraries.^[16] The year 2006 saw intensification of the trends of arbitrary policy changes, shuffling of top officials, diminishing economic output outside the oil and gas sector, and isolation from regional and world organizations.^[16] China was among a very few nations to whom Turkmenistan made significant overtures.^[16] The sudden death of Niyazov at the end of 2006 left a complete vacuum of power, as his cult of personality, comparable to the one of eternal president Kim Il-sung of North Korea, had precluded the naming of a successor.^[16] Deputy Prime Minister Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, who was named interim head of government, won the special presidential election held in early February 2007.^[16] He was re-elected in 2012 with 97% of the vote.^[20]

Kunya-Urgench, Turkmenistan

Kunya-Urgench: the ancient capital of Nothern Khorezm

Kunya-Urgench is an architectural reserve, located 480 km to the north from Ashgabat. In the past it was the ancient capital of Northern Khorezm in the first century A.D. In the middle of the eighth century it was conquered by Arabs and in the year of 995 it was renamed Gurgandzh and became the residence of Khorezm Shah and the second-largest city after Bukhara - the capital of Samanid Empire.

Being a major cultural and shopping center during the Middle Ages it gave shelter to Ibn-Sino, Beruni and other well-known thinkers of that time. In 1221 the city regarded as "the heart of Islam " rebelled against Genghis Khan a nd was destroyed by Mongols. Kunya-Urgench was quickly restored its power after that defeat but in 1388 the army of Tamerlane, who saw the city as a competitor to Samarkand, destroyed it again . After that Kunya-Urgench got in oblivion until 1831 when people came there to build Khan-Yab canal. This is the reason why many great monuments of Kunya-Urgench have survived in poor condition; but some of them are practically intact and draw close attention of specialists and tourists.

The main places of interest in Kunya-Urgench are the mausoleum of Nadzhimetdin Kubra (12 - 13th centuries), the mausoleum of Mongolian princess Turabek-Khanym (Turabekkhanum, 12 - 14th centuries), the minaret of Mamun (10 - 11th centuries), the minaret of Kutlug Timur (12 - 14th centuries) - the highest minaret in Central Asia - its height is 60 m, the mausoleum of Kyrkmollah ( 2nd century B.C. - 3rd century A.D.), Ibn-Khadzhib madrasah (14 - 16th centuries), the mausoleum of Arskan II - the oldest building in the city (11th century), the mausoleums of Fakhr ad-Din Razi (13th century), Azizan Al'-Ramatani (13 - 14th centuries), Seid Akhmed (12 - 14th centuries), Piryarveli (14 - 17th centuries), Guligerdan (12th century), Khorezimbag (13 - 18th centuries), Dashgala (14 - 16th centuries), Matkarim - Ishan (19 - 20 th centuries), Sultan Ali (1580), Tekesh - Khorezmshakh (13th century) with a minaret of the 14th century, Dashmedzhet (1903-1908) and Ak-Kala Fortress (Akgala, 1 - 13th centuries). Kunya Urgench historical sites are included into the UNESCO World Heritage List.

How To Visit The Gates To Hell / Darvaza Gas Crater In Turkmenistan.

Darvaza Gas Crater is better known as the Gates To Hell. Some people call it the Door To Hell, and it is one of the most remarkable natural sites in Turkmenistan.
The Gates to Hell are famous throughout Central Asia and the rest of the world as one of a kind. It also made a once in a lifetime camping spot.

And a place that eventually will disappear in the future.

Dashoguz, Turkmenistan

Dashoguz is located in the northern part of Turkmenistan. The territory of Dashoguz area hosts the capital of ancient Khoresm - one of the strongest medieval empires in Central Asia - the city of Keneurgench. From 995 when Gurgandzh was the capital of Horezmshakh state and the second-largest and important after Bukhara - a diamond crown of Samanid, this city has preserved its magnificent architectural monuments - il Arslan and khorezmshakh Tekesh mausoleums dated the 12th century. Especially significant 14th century monuments of Keneurgench are Tyurabek-khanym with a mosaic panel on the inner side of the dome which is considered a masterpiece of Oriental art which has no analogues in entire medieval architecture and the grandiose 60-meter Kutlug-Timur the highest in the Central Asia. There are also magnificent ancient fortress cities Devkesen, Shasenem, Zmukshir, Kenevas and a lot of others.

Kunya-Urgench

Almost 100 kilometers from the city of Dashoguz (480 km from Ashgabat) is located the ancient city of Kunya-Urgench (Old Urgench). Today this ancient settlement is the state historical and cultural reserve with the area of about 640 hectares (created in 1985).

The name of the city of Urgench is stated in the history of Central Asia with gold letters. In the end of the 10th century Urgench ( formely Gurgandzh) was the capital of the huge and prospering Khorezmshakh state which occupied the entire area of the Amu Darya delta in northern Turkmenistan and western Uzbekistan.

Kunya - Urgench stood on the extremely favorable geographical location - the crossing of two major caravan routes: to the east, to China, and from the south - to the northwest, to the Volga. Such position inevitably influence the city's growth rate and it did grew, quickly expanding turning in to a true center of civilization. In the beginning of the 11th century Gurgandzh became so well-known that eclipsed the glory of Bukhara. Scientists and poets, who glorified the city as "the capital of thousand wise men", flocked there. The ingenious scientist , doctor and philosopher Abu Ali ibn Sina (Avicenna) and the great encyclopaedist Abu Reikhan Berunyi used to live and work there.

During entire 13th century Gurgandzh had been a heart of "the Islamic World" until its governor rebelled against Genghis Khan. Mongols completely destroyed the famous city, razed it to the ground. That is why contemporary Kunya - Urgench is considerably wrecked. Many historical buildings of Kunya-Urgench have remained from the times of Khoresmshakh dynasty. They can serve as examples of the variety of Islamic architecture of Central Asia. Various types of contruction designs, rare dome shapes, tremendous purity of colors - they all cause admiration.

Urgench reached its particular bloom during the rule of Kutlug Timur and his wife Tyurabek-khanym. During this period the most magnificent architectural monuments of Urgench were erected.

The first of them is a jewel of ancient Khoresm - the mausoleum of Tyurabek-khanym and the minaret of Kutlug-Timur. There are also majestic ancient fortified cities like Devkesen, Shasenem, Zmukshir, Kenevas and many others.

Kunya-Urgench is a unique place on the globe. The magnitude and value of its monuments are indisputable. The architectural masterpieces of the city have been entered into the list of the World's Legacy of UNESCO.

Dashkala, Dashoguz

Dashkala, the ancient settlement of pre-Mongol Gurgandzh, is a polygon surrounded by a deep moat and a high rampart. Its base is occupied by the ruins of a burnt-brick wall. In Dashkala there are also the ruins of "the Gate of caravan serai", the remains of the minaret of Mamun and Dzhuma mosque.

The fragment of "the Gate of caravan serai" (peshtak) is covered by decor from fancy carved little bricks of natural beige color with dark blue, white and turquoise patterns. The majority of researchers agree that this peshtak is too fancy for a caravan serai and most likely belonged to the palace of Khorezmshakhs or a major madrasah. The only known fact is that it was deliberately destroyed by Tamerlane and later, the caravan serai was built around the survived portal.

The ancient settlement of Dashkala existed in Mongolian, Timurid and post Timurid periods.

Mausoleum of Khoresmshakh Tekesh, Kunya-Urgench

Near the minaret of Kutlug-Timur there is the mausoleum of Khoresmshakh Tekesh - one of a few survived monuments of pre-Mongol Urgench. The people call it Sherepbaba and Gyok-Gumbez. Together with the mausoleum of Il'-Arslan they constitute the necropolis of one of the ruling Khoresm clans.

Khoresmshakh tekesh was an odious person. He managed to unite the huge territory stretching from the Aral Sea in the north to the Persian Gulf in the south and from Pamir in the east to Iran plateau in the west. In 1172 in order to capture the throne he addressed for help to his former enemies - Kara-Chinese who agreed to help in exchange for annual levy to dethrone his brother. Afterwards, having come to power in Khoresm, he ordered to assassinate his mother.

The Mausoleum of Khoresmshakh Tekesh once towered above there at the height of 30 meters and was used as a beacon in the desert. The exhausted travelers in the heated desert saw it from a distance and understood that their long journey was coming to an end.

The massiveness and art expressiveness of this monument is often compared to an other masterpiece of the 12th century - the mausoleum of Sultan Sandzhar in Merv. Both structures towered above ordinary houses and were the so-called "symbols of authority".

Mausoleum of Tyurabek-khanym, Kunya-Urgench

Tyurabek-khanym was a real historic figure, a Mongolian princess, the favorite daughter of the governor of Golden Horde - Uzbek-khan and the spouse of his deputy in Khoresm Kutlug Timur. Tyurabek - khanym was the patroness of women. Eventually she was canonized and declared a saint. The name of Tyurabek-khanym was always surrounded by numerous romantic legends. According to one of them Tyurabek-khanym promised to master Gulgardan, who was in love with her, to marry him if he constructed her a building the finest on the earth. Gulgardan worked hard: the mausoleum he built, which later become a tomb of Sufi kings and her own, was flabbergasting; it still amazes with its accuracy of lines, wealth of interior decorations and beauty of multi-color ornaments. But the proud beauty did not fulfill her promise and preferred the governor of Khoresm Kutlug Timur. The deceived master could not cope with his disappointment and threw himself from the top of the mausoleum.

The Mausoleum of Tyurabek-khanym indeed became the most magnificent structure in the entire country. Amazing in its beauty and grace, it is the structure with the richest interior and exterior finish, with surprisingly open and light hexagonal hall with the area of about a hundred square meters, decorated with carved mosaic. It was crowned with a huge dome. It was, probably the most perfect dome in the entire Central Asian Turan. The dome is tied on the top according to the tradition of that time.

The inner part of the dome is covered by a fine mosaic panel with the ornament consisting of stars and flowers. The panel is a masterpiece of Oriental art which is equal to none in all medieval architecture. Long time ago above the building on a high drum with twelve apertures there was a dark blue glazed tabernacle. Unfortunately, it cannot be seen now: the structure was heavily damaged. But the tomb of Tyurabek-khanym has always been the center of mass pilgrimage.

Mausoleum of Il-Arslan, Kunya-Urgench

This unique architectural construction also called the mausoleum of Fakhreddin Razi has survived by a miracle. It had been constructed before the Mongol invasion to Urgench. The form of the mausoleum is distinguished by precision and simplicity of composition: a cube with a 12-side drum prism on it and external dome in the form of 12 - side tabernacle.

The Mausoleum of Il-Arslan was manually decorated with a relief carved terracotta expressed in an intricate ornament: vegetative and geometrical patterns. While decorating, a special medieval technique was applied. Raw bricks lying on the ground were covered with clay which was used for creating the most complicated relief ornament. Then the entire composition was cut in seams between the bricks and fired to be further assembled on facade.

So, the mausoleum of Il-Arslan is an absolutely unique building of the epoch testifying about the achievements of medieval architecture. 700 years have passed but this decoration still causes admiration with its perfection.

Mausoleum of Nadzhimetdin Kubra, Kunya-Urgench

The Mausoleum of Nadzhimetdin Kubra is the founder of the dervish order "Kubraviya" in Islam, a Sufi sheikh - the main monument in the memorial complex "360". This place is considered holy. Pilgrims from all world pay visits there.

According to the legend, Horesmshakh Mohammed II executed of one of the best Kubra's pupils after by a false denunciation. The holy man got angry and damned Khoresm. The damnation soon come true - the mighty state fell under aggressive Mongol invasion. Kubra himself and his 360 pupils fought side by side to protect their city. This battle was the last heroic deed of Nadzhimetdin for the glory Islam: a Mongolian warrior beheaded the holy man. The cemetery, where today the Mausoleum of Nadzhimetdin Kubra and th e mausoleums of Sultan Ali and Piryarvali stand, was built on the site of the battle. Right beside them is the grave of young Dzhamildzhan, Nadzhimetdin Kubra 's favorite pupil.

The Mausoleum of Nadzhimetdin Kubra includes 4 dome d premises: the lobby, two assembly rooms and gurkhanu - a hall in the center of which a beautiful gravestone used to stand right on the spot where the body of the holy man fell with a high obelisk mark ing the place where his head cut by a Mongolian sword dropped. Unfortunately, whe the dome fell down, about fifty years ago, these obelisks were heavily damaged and are wait ing for restoration.

The Minaret of Kutlug-Timur, Kunya-Urgench

60 - meter high minaret of Kutlug-Timur is the highest monument in Central Asia even in comparison to the mausoleum of Sultan Sandzhar.

The minaret is shaped like a conic column. Slim tapered circular trunk is divided by eighteen belts (strips) painted by an ornament and three belts of inscriptions in Kufi. In the past the minaret had a wooden Iranian lantern which had burned during a fire. To get to the top you would use a spiral staircase of 145 steps but the staircase was only accessible from the roof of the mosque which does not exist any more    

     The Minaret of Kutlug-Timur is deprived of the rich decor of Central Asian minarets of the 11th - 12th, but it  surpasses them due to its boldness of design: the height and harmony of proportions.

Scientists still argue about the age of the minaret. Some of them believe that the foundation and construction of  the minaret were performed during Kutlug -Timur's rule. Others, however, say that its construction began under Mamun shakh (11th century). There is also data confirming that it was constructed in days of sultan Makhmud Gaznevi (998-1030). It has been established that it was the minaret of Kutlug-Timur (not the minaret of Mamun) survived during Mongols invasion in 1221. But the dome of the minaret being a valuable specimen of architecture had suffered heavily and was restored later.

Darvaza (a.k.a Door-to-Hell) tour is a trip to the natural gas crater with the size of American football field that appeared in 1971 and has been burning ever since. You will see it at night, the most beautiful time, also enjoy fire cooked dinner and explore pristine nature of Karakum, the hottest desert in Central Asia. In the north of the vast desert you will discover famous city of Kunya-Urgench, the capital of ancient Khorezm Empire that encounters more than 2000 years of history. Book Door to Hell at Night tour and spend a wonderful night in the tent next to the crater of fire.