the day before (Tuesday, 20/03/2018): Flight Kyiv - Minsk - Ashgabat.

 Day 1 (Wednesday, 21/03/2018): arrival in Ashgabat by BelAvia flight B2-0745.

 04:15 Meeting at the airport, passing through all customs formalities. Transfer to the hotel. Rest after the flight.

After lunch we will start going to tour in Ashgabat. We will see the Presidential Palace, the Rukhiet Palace of Congresses and Arts, the Wedding Palace, the modern Yildyz Hotel, the Ferris Wheel, the Constitution Monument, the Neutrality Monument, the Independence Monument and Park, the Ertogrul Gazi Mosque, the Ashgabat 2017 sports and housing complex. Next we will see the Renaissance ( Galkynysh) is a new administrative, business and cultural center of Ashgabat, take a walk in the Ilham park, what does inspiration mean. Overnight at Gypjak 3* hotel.

 Day 2 (Thursday, 22/03/2018): Ashgabat - Kov-BUTta – Gokdepe – Ashgabat

 Breakfast in the hotel. We continue our journey with a trip to "Altyn Asyr" - East Bazaar Yugildyk, located 20 km north of Ashgabat. This is one of the largest open bazaars in the world, filled with colorful carpets, jewelry, silk fabrics and national Turkmen costumes, pets, which are sold in another part of the bazaar.

Next we go to underground lake Kov-ata, which is located 107 km from Ashgabat. The Turkmen name Kov-Ata means "father of the caves". The total length of the cave is 230 m, its height reaches 20 m, and its width at some points is 57 m. ° C. (You can swim in it if you want).

After visiting the underground lake, we will continue our Journey to Gökdepe Fortress, to which in December 1880, the army of the Russian Empire attacked. The siege of Gokdepe lasted 23 days, after which the city was taken by storm. Visit the Gokdepa Mosque (Saparmurat Haji), which was built in 1995 to commemorate this defeat. We will visit the historical museum of the fortress to learn the history of Gökdepe, understand the reason for the Russian attacks, see illustrations of the Russian-Turkmen battle and get acquainted with other aspects of the socio-historical development of the Turkmen people. 

The culmination of today a trip to a farm where horses are bred — Akhal-Teke horses, which are recognized as the most beautiful representatives of their kind in the world. 5000 years ago the Turkmens began to breed Akhal-Teke horses. This magnificent breed has no analogues in the world, due to the fact that it has never been mixed with other breeds. Such prominent emperors as Alexander the Great and Darius the First were admirers of the Akhal-Teke horses. More than 35 of these beautiful creatures live on the farm. According to legend, if a sick person touches this horse, he will definitely recover.

At the end of the day we will visit  Mosque of Turkmenbashi Rukhy (the largest mosque in Central Asia).

Return to Ashgabat. Overnight at Gypjak hotel.

 Day 3 (Friday, 23/03/2018): Ashgabat - gas crater Darvaza

 CULMINATION DAY - we go to the Darvaza gas crater

After breakfast we go to the National Museum of History and Ethnography. The museum will bring to our attention a rich collection of ancient artifacts from Turkmenistan. There are more than 500,000 exhibits here. It has 9 halls, each dedicated to a particular period or theme. The museum demonstrates the diversity of the landscape of Turkmenistan, its flora and fauna, fossils and rare geological finds. Independence Hall illustrates the modern development of the country. The Hall of Ancient History is a set of flint tools from the Mesolithic era (50,000 BC), which were the tools of labor for primitive people who once lived in Western Turkmenistan, along with Neolithic ceramics and ornaments from the first settlements found in the area along the northern slopes of Kopet- Doug. After lunch, our journey will continue in the direction Darvaza - a burning gas crater (268 km), which is also called "Gate to Hell" While drilling in 1971, Soviet geologists came across a cave filled with natural gas. The ground beneath the drilling rig collapsed, leaving a large hole 70 meters in diameter. To avoid the release of poisonous gas, it was decided to set it on fire. Geologists hoped the fire would use up all the gas in a few days, but the flames are still blazing today. Further along the route we we will cross the Karakum desert, stopping to rest in the small deserted village of Erbent. Arriving at the gas crater in the evening, we will have a delicious barbecue, a night in the camp and unreal views of the Gas crater itself!

 Day 4 (Saturday, 24/03/2018): Darvaza - Kunya Urgench (flight 50 min) - Ashgabat

 Picnic breakfast at the Gas Crater. Morning drive to Kunya Urgench. Sightseeing tour to Kunya Urgench: visiting the Main Gate of Caravanserai, Mamun Minaret, II Arslan Mausoleum, Sultan Tekesh Mausoleum, Khorezm Academy, Kutlug Timur Minaret, Turabek Khanum Mausoleum. Then we will go to Dashoguz airport for flight to Ashgabat at 19:30. Accommodation at Gypjak hotel.

 Day 5 (Sunday, 25/03/2018): Ashgabat (flight) - Mary - Merv - Mary

After breakfast we transfer to Ashgabat airport for a flight to the city of Mary. Arrival and accommodation at the hotel "Mary". moving to Merv, acquaintance with the Old City, once called the “Queen of the World” and once one of the most important capitals of Islam, along with Baghdad, Cairo and Damascus. The sights of ancient Merv include: Great Kyz Gala and Small Kyz Gala (VI-VII century), Askhab Complex (VIII-XIV century), Erk Gala (VI century), Gyaur Gala (IV century), Khoja Yusup Khamadani complex, Sultan Sanzhar mausoleum , Mausoleum of Muhammad Ibn Zeid. After sightseeing we will go to the city of Mary. After lunch – city tour of Mary, during which we will visit the Central Theatre, the Rukhiet Koshgi Conference Center, the Park and the monument dedicated to the national poet Mollanepes, the Archaeological Museum of the Mary region, which stores finds from Gonurdepe and Ancient Merv. Dinner at a local restaurant (additional fee). Overnight at the hotel Margush.

 Day 6 (Monday, 26/03/2018): Mary - Chashgin - Mary - Ashgabat

Breakfast in the hotel. After that we have to drive 40 km to the north to visit the village of Chashgin, where we will see how the locals are engaged in ancient crafts such as carpet making, rug making, yarn dyeing, weaving, broom and brush making, and much more. Local residents will show how to milk a camel and demonstrate the creation of national tools. Lunch with a local family (additional payment). Return to Mary. Transfer to the airport for flight to Ashgabat. Arrival and accommodation at the Gypjak hotel. Overnight at Gypjak hotel.

 Day 7 (Tuesday, 27/03/2018): Ashgabat

Breakfast in the hotel. Walking tour near the hotel. Visiting the Gundogar (Russian) Bazaar and the Inspiration Park, where there are many statues of Turkmen heroes. Further a trip to the fortress of Nissa - the sanctuary of the Parthian kings. UNESCO declared the fortress a World Heritage Site in 2007. Nissa is one of the first capitals of the Parthians, which was founded by Arsas I (reigned around 250 BC - 211 BC). The ruins of the ancient settlement of Nissa are located 18 km from Ashgabat in the village of Bagir. At the end of ttransfer to the hotel. Free time.

 Day 8 (Wednesday, 28/03/2018): Ashgabat - Airport

Transfer to Ashgabat International Airport.

05:15 Departure to Kyiv via Minsk by BelAvia flight B2-0746 and Minsk - Kyiv by flight B2-0843