Turkmenistan 5 Day Itinerary

Day 2: Ashgabat 

On the 2nd day it was time to visit the capital - Ashgabat. On the way from campsite we stopped by mud and water craters, whose formation also had something to do with underground gas. While less impressive than Darwaza fire pit, they were still worth a visit.

Driving to the capital we also saw a lot of houses with bright green roofs. The guide explained that houses situated alongside main roads of the country have to have their roofs painted green, color symbolizing fertility, so that when president's convoy passes by he can admire his fertile country. On a side note, girls' school uniforms are also green for the same symbolic meaning.

Before entering Ashgabat, we had to stop for a car wash as it is legally not allowed to drive a dirty car in the capital (it can result in a fine). Turkmenistan boasts a whole array of interesting rules and regulations, and the fact that only white and only clean cars are allowed in the capital is one of them. This is especially hard to achieve given that the city is situated smack in the middle of a dusty desert.

The first stop after arriving to Ashgabat was to exchange USD to local currency (link), which was quite literally a handful. After that it was time for sightseeing which was mainly done by car while it was possible to hop out and walk around some of the monuments. Ashgabat is absolutely massive, scorching hot and sights are miles away , so it is NOT a walkable city.

Some monuments such as presidential palace, Olympic stadium etc. can only be seen from a car window, however we were allowed to walk around some other monuments, such as Independence Park (did you know that majority of Turkmens actually wanted to stay a part of Soviet Union?), monument of Neutrality (Turkmenistan is a proudly neutral country),  Ertugrul Gazi mosque, indoor ferry wheel etc . You may ask what's the point of an indoor Ferris wheel since it has no views? Guinness world record of course as it is the biggest indoors ferry wheel.  In general, Turkmens seem to be very fond of Guinness world records, as the country holds several, including the largest building in the shape of a bird (which is of course the airport) and highest density of white marble clad buildings.

Public buildings in Ashgabat all carry a not so subtle symbolism, e.g. A ministry of finance has a massive coin on the roof, ministry of education is shaped like a book, ministry of foreign affairs has a big globe on top, olympic stadium has a head of white marble horse poking above the structure etc.

If you're ever seen instagram reels / Youtube videos showcasing an extremely empty and deserted Ashgabat city, I have to disappoint (?) you as the city is as lively as bustling as any other central asian cities. The sidewalks arounds the monuments are indeed deserted, as it's normally brutally hot, no shade and nothing to do besides look at the monuments , so these places are normally only visited by the few tourists Ashgabat gets (only around 17.000 a year). Also, government strongly encourages population growth by awarding a free 5 room apartment to families with 8 kids!

After visiting the main sights of the city, we headed to bathhouse to take a shower and to the store to buy some snacks as we were about to spend the night on the train to Yangikala canyon. The train station store was an experience of its own, with some rather empty but neatly arranged shelves and shop assistants wearing old-school uniforms.

After buying sufficient food to last us through the night, we boarded the train and settled in our sleeper coupe, simple arrangement with 4 bunk beds and some blankets. While we were hoping for a fully private coupe, this was unfortunately not possible and we had to share with our guide. We had one precious unoccupied bed which has a become a target for many people throughout the night. Since the door lock was broken, lots of people were actively looking for spaces, barging in and asking if they can take the free bed. Due to safety reasons we were strongly advised not to feel bad about declining and keep the private coupe private to ensure that we both arrive and leave Turkmenistan with our valuables. One peculiar thing to note is that Turkmen trains have both western and squat toilets. Western toilets are normally reserved for diplomats or other important guests while squat toilets are freely available to use for everyone. Unfortunately, due to the sheer number of people on the train and the fact that toilet also doubles as a smoking area, the guide asked the train conductor to open up the western one. The conductor reluctantly obliged the first couple of times (toilet got locked immediately after use), however the journey was 14 hours and in the end we had to bribe conductor to keep using the western amenities.

Day 3: Yangikala canyon

In the morning we arrived perfectly on schedule to Turkmenbashi , industrial town by the Caspian sea. Another interesting Turkmenistan rule- you're not allowed to swim in Caspian sea due to covid. What does swimming has to do with covid? No one knows, but the water by the industrial city did not look too inviting so no damage done.

After having the breakfast in a local restaurant, we met with a driver and started a several hour ride towards the Yangikala canyon. Yes, we spent 14 hours on the train to be followed by several hour drive with 4x4 to the canyon. While booking the tour we weren't aware that a flight from Ashgabat to Turkmenbashi was an option, which would have definitely been a preferred way to travel saving a lot of time. You're welcome to learn from our experience and book a flight in good time (they need to be reserved by the agency really early and needless to say you cannot just book it yourself) unless you're want to immerse in the experience of Turkmen train travel.

After stopping for a coffee break at a desert store manned entirely by children, we finally reached the destination.

 The weather gods were not in our favor, as it was raining the whole day and didn't stop when we reached the canyon. Since rain in a desert is a very rare but welcome by farmers phenomenon, none of us were prepared with a rain gear so hiking was out of the question. We admired the canyon while getting more and more soaked by the rain, but it was so worth it! The colors and formation of the canyon were absolutely impressive and unique and felt more magical than e.g. Great Canynon probably also due to the fact that we were absolutely alone in the undisturbed majestic desert nature.

After getting enough pictures and videos, we got back in the car, got treated by a  driver with a sweet snack "to warm up" and braced ourselves for another long drive back to the capital. While the drive was long, desert scenery was both peaceful and majestic, with almost empty road and mountain silhouettes in the horizon.

In Ashgabat we were staying in the 3 star hotel with a "happiness palace" (as marriage registration offices in Turkmenistan are called) situated on the upper floors. The hotel itself had a futuristic / brutalist design and kept changing the colours every few minutes (red, blue, green, you name it). The hotel was also located on the top of the hill with great views of the city. The whole city was brightly lit with many colourful buildings. Electricity in Turkmenistan is totally free so the city is definitely not saving on the lights!

Day 4: Mary / Merv

After having breakfast at the hotel in Ashgabat, we made our way to the city of Mary to visit the ancient site of Merv.  Merv is known for its impressive archaeological remains, including city walls, fortresses, mosques, mausoleums, and other structures that reflect its rich history. The site of Merv is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its significance as once a major oasis city along the Silk Road.

City of Mary itself has a very different vibe from Ashgabat, as it resembles a more "traditional" central Asian city with no grandeur of Ashgabat and also cars of all colors :)

After mini city sightseeing includings mosques, churches and local market we were ready for the dinner and guide took us to a surprisingly western outdoor restaurant, where we had the most "expensive" meal in Turkmenistan of around 10 usd per person.