Things to know before you go

There is no internet as we're used to in Turkmenistan. There only exists a local and heavily censored version of Internet provided by state owned Turkmentelecom.  All the apps that we're used to in the west - Whatspp, Facebook, Instagram , Telegram, X (Twitter) etc. are blocked and while Google search works, search results are censored. Gmail and google maps seem to be working though.

You can in theory buy a local sim card, however it is not recommended as besides internet connection being of limited utility due to censorship, connection in Turkmenistan is not great and you will not have data access in most places, except for major cities such as Ashgabat and Mary, where bigger hotels have wifi access anyway.

If you're travelling for extended period of time, then it might be worth investing in local sim card and VPN access. While many sources online state that VPNs are heavily monitored and blocked immediately, reality seems to be different with local guide telling that both him and almost all of his friends living in the capital are using VPN services with no issues.

In conclusion, if you're travelling only for several days, you can use this time for a digital detox and in case of emergencies, your guide will likely have a way to contact the outside world.

Can you visit Turkmenistan without a tour? Only if you’re very lucky.

There are two main types of visas available for most travelers (excluding diplomats or those with family in Turkmenistan):

1. Transit Visa – In theory, this visa is for travelers passing through Turkmenistan en route to another destination. In reality, however, it is notoriously difficult to obtain. Many applicants face multiple rejections, with only a handful of success stories.
   • If you have time, flexibility, and a strong desire to experience the country without a guide, you can try applying.
   • Be prepared for several attempts and a lot of patience.
2. Tourist Visa – This is the easiest way to visit Turkmenistan, but it requires you to travel with a licensed travel agency.
   • The agency will issue a Letter of Invitation (LOI), which allows you to obtain a visa on arrival.
   • The process is relatively straightforward, but it’s important to plan ahead.

Planning Ahead

• After submitting your documents to the travel agency, the migration office takes about two weeks to process the LOI.
• Start your paperwork well in advance—Turkmenistan is not a destination for spontaneous travel.
• More details on choosing a travel agency and border crossing procedures will be covered in later sections.

The official currency of Turkmenistan is the Turkmenistan Manat (TMT), although dollars are also widely accepted. Note, you can only pay for your on arrival visa with dollars, so come prepared and make sure to have crisp / new dollar bills.

Important: while the official exchange rate of TMT - USD is 1 TMT =0.29 USD and you can withdraw manats in Ashgabat ATM, you definitely should not!

Why? Because black market rate is 1 TMT = 0.05 USD when we were visiting in 2024. Yes, instead of getting approx 3 TMT for your dollar, you can get 18 (!!!). Where to find those black market exchanges? If you're with the guide, it is very likely that he/ she will offer to do the exchange or guide you to the right place. We went to a fabric shop in the Russian market in Ashgabat that also moonlights a currency exchange.

If you're traveling alone after managing to get the coveted transit visa, try asking around but be mindful of cameras and policemen as locals will not help if they fear of getting into trouble.

Turkmenistan is likely one of the cheapest countries you'll ever go to. Just imagine, price of a taxi for up to 10 km - 1-2 USD, meals can vary from 1-2 USD (street food) to 5-6 USD in a nice hotel, to 8-9 USD in a high end restaurants. During the 5 day Turkmenistan trip we were eating in all kinds of establishments and 40 USD for food, drinks and souvenirs were more than enough.

Turkmenistan official language is Turkmen, however Russian is widely spoken in the bigger cities. Staff in high end hotels do speak English, but outside of them be ready to use google translate (remember to download Turkmen and Russian languages for offline use) or rely on your tour guide.

Turkmenistan has a continental desert climate, meaning summers are extremely hot and winters can be surprisingly cold. Around 70% of the country is literal desert, so the climate can be quite harsh depending on the season.

Unless you enjoy sightseeing in 40+°C (112+°F) heat, visiting in summer is not recommended. The intense sun and dry air make outdoor exploration challenging and exhausting.

Winter, on the other hand, can be quite cold, with temperatures dropping close to freezing. While not unbearable, it’s not the most comfortable time for travel.

The best time to visit Turkmenistan is during the shoulder seasons of spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November). These months offer more manageable temperatures, though don’t expect it to be too mild—May, for example, is still hot, just significantly more bearable than peak summer.

Road quality in Turkmenistan varies significantly. In the capital, Ashgabat, the roads are immaculate—smooth, multi-lane highways that make driving a breeze. However, once you leave the city, particularly in desert areas, the situation changes dramatically.

Many desert roads are so poorly maintained that potholes outnumber the remaining patches of asphalt. In some cases, the roads are in such bad shape that our driver chose to drive on the sand beside the road rather than on it, simply because it was less bumpy.

If you're prone to motion sickness, be prepared. The constant jolts and uneven terrain can be uncomfortable, so bringing motion sickness pills and securing a front seat in the vehicle can make the journey more manageable. While driving in Ashgabat is smooth and effortless, traveling through the rest of the country requires patience—and a strong stomach.

 there are not many licensed travel agencies and fewer still that have a clear well laid out website and are good at answering emails.

We narrowed down to 2 agencies: Trawelco https://www.trawelco.com/ and Owadan Tourism https://www.owadan.net/. Both have clear websites and tour descriptions. In the end we decided to go with Owadan Tourism, as they were very good  (quick and precise) with answering our million questions about travelling in Turkmenistan, and adjusted their standard tour package to fit our wants and needs.

All tour agencies provide a selection of hotels where you can stay (3, 4 or 5*) and the cost of the tour is partially influenced how luxuriously you want to stay in Turkmenistan.

P.s. this post is not sponsored by any of the travel agencies

Crossing the Turkmenistan Border from Uzbekistan

We were crossing into Turkmenistan from Uzbekistan via the Shavat-Dashoguz border, about an hour’s drive from Khiva. While getting to the border was smooth with a hired driver, the actual crossing was quite an experience.

Initial Border Procedures

Before even reaching the main customs building, we had to go through:

• Multiple passport checks

• Verification of our Letter of Invitation (LOI)

Once inside, we were handed an arrival form—entirely in Turkmen language. We optimistically tried Google Translate, but the offline Turkmen-English translation was useless.

Desperate, we started scanning the room for other Western travelers who seemed to know what they were doing. Luckily, we spotted a tour guide with an English-translated example form—a lifesaver! With his help, we managed to fill out our forms just as our own designated tour guide arrived.

Why Having a Tour Guide Helps

In Turkmenistan, tour guides are allowed inside the customs building to assist with border formalities. This was invaluable, as none of the officials spoke English and the process was anything but straightforward.

COVID Test, Migration Tax & Visa Payment

With our forms completed, our guide:

1. Took our forms and passports

2. Gave us additional documents with our names, which we had to submit for a mandatory PCR test (yes, Turkmenistan was still testing tourists for COVID*).

3. After our nostrils were swabbed, we were sent to another window to pay for:

   • The PCR test

   • The migration tax

   • The tourist visa on arrival

The total fee was $106 USD, which we had been informed about beforehand.

However, my payment was rejected because my dollar bills were not crisp enough! 😳
Thankfully, I had extra cash and managed to find newer-looking bills that were accepted.

Final Steps: Visa & Customs Check

After payment, our guide:
✔️ Retrieved our passports
✔️ Pushed through the crowd towards another immigration window (only respecting other tour guides in line, but not the locals!)
✔️ Helped us get our fingerprints taken

Soon after, a massive full-page visa was stamped into our passports.

Our bags were scanned, and we noticed a long line of locals having their suitcases and backpacks searched thoroughly. According to our guide, foreign tourists were usually exempt from this—custom agents mainly targeted locals (especially those trying to smuggle cigarettes from Uzbekistan).

Our guide assured the agents that we didn’t smoke, and we were waved through without inspection.

Was the Pricey Tour Worth It?

After this chaotic experience, we definitely considered our expensive tour guide a worthy investment. Without him, the process could have been a complete nightmare—his translations, guidance, and connections made everything much smoother and less stressful.

The “Sham” PCR Test

💡 Fun fact: Our guide confirmed that the Turkmenistan PCR test is a complete scam.
✔️ No samples are actually tested for COVID
✔️ It’s just a way to charge tourists more money at the border
✔️ They don’t even accept fresh PCR tests from other countries

Go figure. 🤷‍♂️

Final Thoughts

Crossing into Turkmenistan is not for the faint-hearted, but with the right preparation and a guide to navigate the complexities, it can be a (somewhat) smoother experience. If you're planning to do this trip, be ready for bureaucracy, unexpected hurdles, and bring only the crispest of dollar bills! 😅