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6 Days
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Visit the capital of Independent and Neutral Turkmenistan – city Ashgabat (in translation “City of Love”). “Las-Vegas” in the desert! So called the tourists of Ashgabat. Magnificent city with unique buildings where the newest architectural structures interlaced with traditional eastern colouring, with cascades of large waterfalls, grand palaces and parks with southern exotic plants. Tour includes visiting of the “National museum” of Turkmenistan, visiting of Arch of Neutrality, parks of the capital, view of the Presidential Palace, palace of “Rukhiyet” and “Justice” around the Central square. Visiting of the “Ruhy mosque” - the biggest mosque in Central Asia, path of health – “Serdar Yoly”, visiting of the Oriental bazaar (so called “Tolkuchka”) where tourists can buy the original souvenirs and enjoy with variety of colours, doing of fascinating tour around the Ashgabat city.
The Bakharden underground lake is a natural sight in “Kov-Ata” Cave on the northern slope of the Kopetdag. The water in the lake is very famous for its curative characteristics. The lake is located at a depth of 52 meters from the entrance on a vertical line; it has an area of 2,700 square meters and is up to 13 meters deep. It is 72 meters long and about 30 meters wide. The surface of the lake lies 60 meters beneath the surface of the earth. Its warm, running water is clear and emerald-colored. Even in artificial lighting tiny stones at the bottom can be seen. The water has constant temperature between 35-37C. Analysis has shown that it contains a complex combination of chemical elements. Thirty different elements have been found, to date. Their unusual combination and the high temperature suggest that the water have biological activity. A dip in the water refreshes the bather instantly. It would be hard to resist taking a dip, whether in Summer or winter. People come in large number to take bath and for this purpose changing booths and steps leading down into the lake have been built on the shore.
Darvaza is one of the places that should be on the must-visit list of every serious explorer who likes to visit Earth’s most breath-taking sites. Darvaza is a gas crater the burning gates of which have been flaming for upwards of 37 years. The settlement of Darvaza (Derweze in Turkmen) is located in the Central part of the Kara-Kum desert some 260 km from Ashgabat to the north. On the way to Darvaza lies the Kara-Kum desert, withs its moving sands and its typical sparse vegetation of Saksaul, Acacia and Kandym bushes. The locals from Darvaza have given the burning crater a name that suits it well – The Door to Hell. And everyone who visits Darvaza agrees with the name and finds it appropriate. When you look inside the burning gas crater, you do feel like this is what the door to hell would look like. Seeing the door to hell with your own eyes, however is an experience like no other. You will have long stayed in awe after experiencing the viciousness of the fire within the gorge of the burning crater. The Door to Hell would be an amazing vacation experience for the adventurous wonderers.
Visually, Nohur is unlike any other site found in Turkmenistan. Rich in history, nature and tribal custom, Nohur is set 1,100 m above the Karakum Desert in the cool mountain valleys of southwestern Turkmenistan. The Nohur people have maintained a highly homogeneous society based upon ancestral rights, and tribal custom. Varied images in the stunning silk embroideries sewn by local Nohur women, indicating their particular tribe, make Nohur silk renowned throughout the country. The Nohur felts are also thought to be exclusive to this region. They differ from customary Turkmen felts with their original designs and Zoroastrian ornaments symbolising the worship of fire, and the cult of fertility. Constructing their homes from the stones found around the area, the Nohur people have decorated these simple homes with handcrafted wooden columns and capitals unique only to this clan of people. Accented by two small flowing streams, the flora and fauna of this region is exceptional. There are mountain goats (umga and marhur), Urial mountain sheep, wolves, foxes, jackals, porcupines, and even snow leopards in these mountain-ridges. See this ancient way of life uniquely preserved and rarely seen. – Nohur is reached by a road heading south into the mountains from the village of Archman. A 4x4 is required, though the route can become all but impassable after heavy rains. Since 2004, visits to the Nohur area have required a special border zone permit, to be applied for when you request your letter of invitation for Turkmenistan. The border checkpoint lies 12 km south of Archman. Nohur itself is another 10 km further on, and up, at an altitude of around 1000 m.