Excursion coach trips on Turkmenistan.

The short description of tour from Ashgabad to Karakum desert:

Ashgabad - gas crater Darvaza - kishlak Dalma - kishlak Akmola - oasis Tugai - town Mary - ancient Merv - site of ancient settlement Abiverd - Ashgabad.

Distance route: 1342 km.
Season: April - September.
The best time for an excursion: April, May, September
Duration: 9 days and 8 nights.

The detailed program of round day by day on desert Karakym and monuments of history of Turkmenistan:

Jeep tours over desert Karakum in Turkmenistan.

1  Day. Ashgabad.
Arrival in Ashghabad. A meeting at the airport, transfer to hotel, accommodation. Breakfast. The beginning of excursion across Asgabad. Visiting of mosque Ertogrulgazy is one of the most beautiful mosque of Ashkhabad, constructed in turkish style, the biggest is in town.
On a mosque there is four minarets a height of each of them of 62,22 meters In a mosque, considered the house of the God, on a ground floor there is a man's hall, on the second floor there is a female hall. In halls can simultaneously pray up to 5 000 person. At manufacturing domes and roofs of a mosque lead in quantity of 160 tons was used.
Visiting of a monument of the Neutrality also known, as the Arch of the Neutrality - constructed in 1998, height of 95 meters, including 12 a meter sculpture - the highest construction in Turkmenistan with gold statue Turkmenbashi at top. In 2010 the monument has been dismantled with its carry on a today's site. Inside of a construction there is the Museum of the Neutrality consisting of 3 halls.
Visiting of the state national historical museum of Turkmenistan, in halls new, constructed after acceptance of independence, the National museum valuable archeological finds of ancient history of Turkmenistan are presented.
In funds of a museum - tens man-made monuments of traditional craft creativity and a folk art XVII - XIX centuries. Weaving, an embroidery, ceramics, rug weaving, products of jewellers. In total in an exposition more than 2500 exhibits. Lunch at local restaurant.
After lucnh excursion in museum of  Turkmen carpet. In a museum there are some hundreds the best samples of carpets Turkmenistan, the oldest carpet concerns to XVII century. Here there is a second-largest carpet in the world of manual work - «Golden Age Great Saparmurat Turkmenbashi» which area makes almost 301 square meters, weight - more than ton.
Walk on «Track of health». It is possible to carry “Track of health” to sights of Ashkhabad "Serdar-Yoly" which is on southern slopes Kopetdag of a ridge «Asma Yoly” in 12 kilometers from town. It is the concreted foot road, length of 36 kilometers and width of 5 meters which passes on slopes Kopetdag of a ridge.
On a precept of the first president each inhabitant of Ashkhabad should pass daily on this path for maintenance of the health and a tone. Rise on cable a way on one of tops of a ridge Kopetdag. Walk on vicinities and road of health «Serdar-Yoly». Survey of Asgabad from height of the bird's flight. Returning to Asgabad. Dinner and overnight in hotel.
2 Day. Ashgabad -  gas crater Darvaza (277 km). 
Breakfast. Departure from Ashgabad. Transfer: Ashgabad - settlement Bakhordok - kishlak  Erbent (165 km). On road for Ашгабадом the great and boundless desert of Turkmenistan - Kara Kum begins, infinite barchans and mountains of sand will accompany on travel on desert of Turkmenistan.
Arrival in kishlak Erbent. In a kishlak there live local residents who grow up sheeps and camels. Here it is possible to get acquainted with a life of Turkmen nomads. For the summer they leave for desert and there among sand their sheeps and camels are grazed. Visiting of houses of local residents. Walk on settlement Erbent.
Transfer: kishlak Erbent - Turquoise lake in a crater (85 km). Following local sights in desert Karakum, it is a crater filled by water which has a shade of turquoise. The crater is near to road. Walk to a crater, photographing of vicinities. A lunch in a way.
Further transfer: Turquoise lake - Mud crater (15 km). A stop at crater, walk in vicinities, survey and and photographing of the Mud crater.
Further transfer: Mud crater - district Darvaza - gas crater Darvaza (12 km). We pass yurts Turkmen nomads at road and soon we leave asphalt road and we turn off to the right on road which leaves in sand. Arrival on gas crater Darvaza, this unique technogenic show in sand of Kara Kum which we shall observe, in a crater burns gas since 1971. Survey and photographing of vicinities. A dinner on the nature in vicinities of a crater. Overnight in tents.
3 Day. Darvaza - kishlak Akm (190 km).
Breakfast. Transfer: gas crater Darvaza - kishlak Damla (90 km). Kishlak Damla, is a Turkmen kishlak which is in the heart of desert Karakum. People in a kishlak live in yurts or traditional small houses combined of clay. We shall get acquainted with their traditional Turkmen crafts and we shall observe process of manufacturing of clay cups. Lunch on the way.
Transfer: Damla - akishlak in desert Akmola (100 km). In a kishlak Akmola we shall get acquainted with a life the Turkmen, here to us will prepare for traditional national dishes from mutton. Walks in vicinities, photographing of a kishlak and vicinities. Overnight in tents in vicinities of a kishlak. 
4 Day. Akmola - oasis Tugai (100 km).
 Breakfast. Transfer: a kishlak Akmola - oasis Tugai (100 km). It is the most green oasis in desert Kyzyl-Kum, here we investigate flora and fauna of desert Karakum. Lunch in a way. Walk on vicinities, photographing of local sights. Dinner. Accommodation and a overnight in tents.   
5 Day. Oasis Tugai - town Mary (240 km).
Breakfast. Transfer: oasis Tugai - town Mary (240 km). Lunch in a way. The town Mary is located in Murgab an oasis on the river Murghab. Arrival in Mary, transfer to hotel, accommodation, dinner and overnight.
6 Day. Mary - monuments of ancient Merv (67 km). 
Breakfast. Excursion on ancient sites of ancient settlement and ruins of ancient Merv. Visiting of ancient monuments. Transfer: Mary - settlement Bairam-Ali - site of ancient settlement Abdulla-khan Kala (XV century) (32 km). Excursion on a site of ancient settlement Abdulla-khan Kala. Transfer: to fortresses Greater Gyz kala and Small Gyz kala, walk in vicinities. Transfer: to mausoleums Askhabs (VII century), walk in vicinities, excursion to the mausoleums. Visiting of sites of ancient settlement Gyaur-kala, Erk-kala, visiting of citadel Shakhriar-ark. Visiting of a mosque and minaret Ysup Khodzha Khamadani (XIII century). Visiting of the mausoleum Sultan Sandzhar (XII century). The end of excursion across ancient Merv. Returning in Mary (35 km). Transfer in hotel, dinner and overnight.
7 Day. Trip on site of ancient settlement Gonur-depe (250 km). 
Breakfast. Trip on excursion in ancient country Margush (125 km, from them the road passes of 50 kilometers on desert). Lunch on the way. Visiting and excursion on ancient excavation of capital of the ancient country Gonur depe. Returning in Mary, on a way visiting Prthian fortresses and caravan-serai Gebekly. Arrival in Mary, visiting of town ethnographic museum and shopping center. Dinner and overnight in hotel.
8 Day. Mary – Ashgabad (381 km) 
Breakfast. Departure from Mary in 6 o'clock AM. Transfer: Mary - settlement Tedzhen - tomb MalikAdzhar  Palvan (55 km.).
Transfer to tomb Malik Adzhar Palvan (1,5 km). Excursion in vicinities of a religious monument, descent to a burial place.
Further transfer: tomb Malik Adzhar Palvan - settlement Kaakha - ruins of site of ancient settlement Abiverd (108 km). Arrival on site of ancient settlement Abiverd, visiting of a site of ancient settlement, walk in vicinities.
Transfer: site of ancient settlement Abiverd - mosque Seiit Dzhamal-Etdin - Ashgabad (20 km). Arrival to ruins of ancient mosque Seiit Dzhamal-Etdin (the rests of architectural architecture Timrids of XV century), excursion on ruins of a mosque, walk in vicinities. The further transfer in Ashgabad. Transfer to hotel, accommodation. Dinner and overnight in hotel.
8 Day. Ashgabad.
Transfer to airport. Departure from Ashgabat.

Note:
Author program of Alexander Petrov. Copying and introduction -  from the sanction of the author  petrovsra@mail.ru

Alexander Petrov
photos.