Turkmenistan, on our calendar, is one overland route connecting Khiva with Bukhara.

You start on the Turkmenistan side of the Shavat border near Khiva. Eight days later you finish on the Turkmenistan side of the Farap-Alat border, toward Bukhara. The route takes you through the Karakum Desert for a night beside the Darvaza Gas Crater, into Ashgabat, on to Ancient Merv, then by overnight train into the remote Koytendag Mountains, and finally to the isolated Dayahatun Caravanserai.

The programme is delivered on the ground by a trusted local partner. SnowMonkeys remains responsible for the quality of what is offered, the group fit, and how the trip connects with the rest of your Central Asia plans. You do not book a local operator directly and hope the standard holds.

This is not a ski week and it is not a short city add-on. It is a full overland through desert, capital, Silk Road ruins and mountain valleys that most visitors never reach. Dates are set once a group is confirmed.

Why Turkmenistan

  • The Darvaza night


    Most people see the gas crater as a day trip. Here you sleep beside it. Flames against the dark, then the same landscape at first light.
  • Beyond the usual stops

    Ashgabat and Ancient Merv are on the route. The second half leaves them behind for Koytendag — dinosaur footprints, gorges, sacred caves and sulfur springs — and the remote Dayahatun Caravanserai.
  • One continuous journey

    You enter from Uzbekistan and leave toward Uzbekistan. No internal flights for the core route. Private transport, a licensed English-speaking guide, and one overnight sleeper train sit in a single programme.
  • Quality controlled, not outsourced

    The local partner runs the guiding, vehicles, accommodation and border logistics. SnowMonkeys reviews the itinerary, confirms the standard, and stays the point of contact for the group.

When to go to Turkmenistan

This is not a fixed weekly departure. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable for the desert and mountain sections. Summer is hotter. Winter is colder and quieter. Send the month you have and we will confirm feasibility with the partner.

  • Cross Turkmenistan

    Months | Year-round; spring and autumn preferred

    What it is for | Darvaza, Ashgabat, Ancient Merv, Koytendag, Dayahatun — overland from the Khiva border to the Bukhara border

Our Turkmenistan trip
Cross Turkmenistan — Khiva Border to Bukhara Border

  • Season: On request (spring and autumn preferred)
  • Duration: 8 days / 7 nights
  • Start: Shavat border, near Khiva
  • Finish: Farap-Alat border, toward Bukhara
  • Accommodation: Darvaza desert camp, hotels in Ashgabat and Turkmenabat, guesthouse in Koytendag, one overnight sleeper train
  • Transport: Private road transport plus one domestic overnight train
Meet on the Turkmenistan side of the Shavat border. Drive via Dashoguz into the Karakum for a night beside the Darvaza Gas Crater. Continue to Ashgabat for two nights, then east to Ancient Merv before boarding the overnight train from Mary to Kerki. From there, two nights in the Koytendag Mountains — Dinosaur Plateau, gorges, sacred caves and the Gaynar Baba spring — then Kerki’s medieval sites, Turkmenabat, and a final day to the remote Dayahatun Caravanserai before the Farap-Alat border.

Delivered by a trusted local partner. SnowMonkeys ensures the quality, the group fit, and the connection with Uzbekistan if you want Khiva or Bukhara on either end. Final price depends on dates, group size and rooming.
See details

How to choose

  • Choose this trip if you want eight days of overland through Turkmenistan’s desert, capital, Silk Road ruins and remote eastern mountains, connecting the Khiva and Bukhara sides of Uzbekistan. Ability: comfortable with long driving days, one overnight train, simpler mountain accommodation in Koytendag, and rough-road sections. Not a resort holiday and not a ski trip.

  • If you want winter skiing plus Silk Road cities, look at the Uzbekistan ski & culture trip instead.

Getting there from New Zealand

  • Airports

    The tour itself starts and finishes at land borders. Most people fly into Urgench (UGC) for Khiva, then cross at Shavat. On the way out, cross at Farap-Alat and continue to Bukhara, usually via Urgench or a domestic connection. We can coordinate the Uzbekistan-side transfers if you want them.

  • Flights

    From Auckland or Christchurch the usual pattern is a connection through Istanbul, Dubai or similar into Urgench or Tashkent, then onward. We send a flight window after the group and dates are confirmed.

  • Entry

    Turkmenistan requires a visa for New Zealand passport holders. The local partner provides visa support and registration assistance as part of the programme. Final approval remains with the Turkmen authorities. You remain responsible for a passport valid for the trip.

  • What is included on the trip

    Visa support and foreigner registration assistance. Accommodation as listed on the trip page. International flights and travel insurance are not included.

Who this trip is for

Travellers who want to cross Turkmenistan properly — desert camp at Darvaza, Silk Road sites, and the remote Koytendag Mountains — rather than a single-city stop. Comfortable with long driving days, one overnight train, and simpler accommodation in the mountains than in Ashgabat or Turkmenabat.

Groups stay small. The local partner delivers the ground programme. SnowMonkeys remains responsible for quality and for how the trip sits with any Uzbekistan travel on either end.
Frequently Asked Questions

Looking Further

Turkmenistan sits in a wider SnowMonkeys season.
Plan your Turkmenistan trip
Send preferred dates, group size and whether you want the Khiva and Bukhara connections. We will confirm feasibility with the local partner and return a firm itinerary and price.