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Days
Your desert adventure begins today with a journey of about 280 kilometres into the heart of the Karakum Desert. After meeting your guide and driver, you will set off in a comfortable vehicle toward the Darvaza Gas Crater. The Karakum, meaning "black sand", covers most of Turkmenistan and is one of the largest deserts in the world.
Along the way, you will make several stops to enjoy the landscape and look for desert wildlife. You may see camels grazing near the road, as well as lizards, desert tortoises and birds of prey. Your guide will tell you about the plants and animals of the desert and how they have adapted to the extreme heat and dryness. You will also pass small villages where people still live by herding camels and sheep. In the late afternoon, you will arrive at the Darvaza Gas Crater, known as the "Gates of Hell". This huge crater has been burning since the 1970s, when geologists set it alight to burn off dangerous gas. You will watch the sunset over the desert and see the flames glow brightly in the darkness. In the evening, enjoy a barbecue dinner at the yurt camp. Overnight in a yurt near the crater.
If you wish, you can wake up early to see the crater once more in the quiet light of dawn. After breakfast at the camp, you will drive north through the desert toward Kunya Urgench. This ancient city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was once the capital of the Khorezm Empire and one of the most important cities in Central Asia.
You will visit the Gutlug Timur Minaret, which stands around 60 metres high and is one of the tallest minarets in the region. Next, you will see the Mausoleum of Turabek Khanum, whose dome is decorated with an exceptional mosaic. You will also visit the Mausoleum of Sultan Tekesh and the Mausoleum of Il-Arslan, which has an unusual cone-shaped roof. Your guide will tell you about the history of Kunya Urgench and its destruction by the Mongols. You will also learn about the pilgrims who still come here to pray at the holy sites. After the visits, you will drive about 300 kilometres back to the border. Our team will assist you with the border formalities. We hope you have enjoyed this short but unforgettable adventure in Turkmenistan.
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