Turkmenistan is a land truly striking in its contrasts. Capital city Ashgabat is coated in glistening white marble that nearly drips from its flamboyant, futuristic constructions. Sheltered in this same country are the time-worn remains of Kunya-Urgench, former capital city of Khorezm that now forlornly awaits pilgrim and traveler alike to pay homage to the memory of its once mighty empire. Situated between these two extremes is the Darvaza Gas Crater, a man-made accident that now draws visitors from every corner of the earth to the timeless desert sands that encircle it.
The Marble City and Desert Tour is an expedition between Turkmenistan’s two extremes. You’ll start in the glitzy capital city of the south before driving through no-man’s land to a remote desert village and the Darvaza Gas Crater, finishing with a tour of the fascinating ruins of Kunya-Urgench in Turkmenistan’s northernmost city. This tour package includes an unforgettable campout in the desert, airport pickup in Ashgabat and transportation to the Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan border near Kunya-Urgench.