| Duration: | 7 Day(s) - 6 Night(s) |
| Tour Category: | Archaeological Tours |
Day 1 (Mon.): Arrival in Ashgabat
Meet the group at the International Airport of Ashgabat. Transfer to the hotel. Check in and overnight at the “AkAltyn” 4* hotel.
Day 2 (Tue..): Ashgabat - Kow-ata – Nokhur
Sightseeing in Ashgabat with visiting the Park and Monument of Independence, the Arch of Neutrality. Discover the remains of Parthian Royal Residence Old Nisa (12 km to the west of ASB), 3rd cent B.C - 3rd cent A.D. Religion- Zoroastrism. Drive to Nohur village. En route to visiting the “Kov-Ata” underground lake in Baharly. This cave impresses with its greatness. A warm hydrogen sulfide lake lies in a cave at the Kopet Dag foothills.
The lake is available all year round because of the constant temperature of water (33-37◦C) and air. Swimming in the lake. Continue driving to Nokhur - set 1,100 m above the Garagum Desert in the cool mountain valleys of southwestern Turkmenistan. Arrive in Nokhur. The family stays.
Day 3 (Wed.): Nokhur– Anau – Mary
Discover the Nokhurarea, its flora, and fauna. Nokhur is in many respects an extraordinary culture and region in the western Kopetdag range. Accented by two small flowing streams, the flora and fauna of this region are exceptional. There are mountain goats (umga and marhur), Urial mountain sheep, wolves, foxes, jackals, porcupines, and even snow leopards in these mountain ridges.
Outstanding carpentry and unusual stone houses are characteristic of their hillside villages amidst picturesque pomegranate and almond orchards. Visiting the craftsmen, we experience extraordinary hospitality and stroll through the tiny alleyways of the main village, enjoying the hospitality of the locals.
Drive to Mary. En route to Mary visiting the ensemble of “Seyitjemaletdin” mosque (15th century “Beauty house”) and the ancient city of Abiverd (14th century).Arrival in Mary. Accommodation in the “Margush” 3* hotel. O/N.
Day 4 (Thu..): Mary – Merv
Mary's city sightseeing tour. Visiting of Mary museum. Transfer to Bairamali (28 km to the east of Mary). Tour to “the Ancient Merv” (Margiana Alexandrine 1st century BC – 18th) visiting monuments – Greater and Lesser Gyz Gala, Ashabs’ Mausoleum, Soltan Sanjar Mausoleum, Erk Gala, and Muhammed-ibn-Zeid Mausoleum, Mausoleum of Hoja Yusup Hamedany. Return to the “Margush” 3* hotel. O/N.
Day 5 (Fri.): Mary – Tagtabazar(225 km. to the south from Bairamali)
Drive to Tagtabazarto to visit Yekegowak Cave Complex. Tagtabazar -is a district where once passed great caravan routes from Iran &Khorasan. Yekegowak is a unique and spectacular cave that doesn't have any analogs anywhere else.
The word "Yekegowak" from the Turkmen language means "One orifice" because it's only one entrance. The emergence of this cave is a mystery, and there are many versions of how it appeared.
According to one of the caves was dug by the legions of the Alexander Macedonian army. Consequently, people used the cave as a dwelling. Inside the cave, there are blocks of rooms similar to modern ones where one can see bedrooms, kitchens, and others. The cave consists of two floors.
On the lower floor, people collected water for their needs. There are 44 rooms, and the cave is still under archeological excavations nowadays. Arrival at the site. Visiting a unique and spectacular cave – Ekegowak. Return to Mary. Overnight at the “Margush” 3* hotel.
Day 6 (Sat.): Mary – Ashgabat
Morning flight to Ashgabat. Arrival. Transfer to the hotel. Accommodation in the “AkAltyn” 4* hotel. Visiting “Gulistan” (so-called Russian bazaar), “AltynAsyr” shopping center with numerous Turkmen handmade carpet shops, jewelry shops, souvenirs, and many others. Return to the hotel. O/N.
Day 7 (Sun.): Ashgabat – Departure
Transfer to the Ashgabat city airport for International departure. Farewell. End of the program.
