Trip from Yangikala canyon to gas crater Darwaza.

The short description of route of tour across Kara Kum Desert in historical and cultural memorial estate "Old Urgench":

Iran - Ashgabad - city Turkmenbashi – Gozli ata mausoleum - Yangikala canyon - settlement Melegoch - gas crater Darwaza - historical and cultural memorial estate "Old Urgench" - city Dashoguz - Ashgabad.

Distance route: 876 km.
Season: from 1 of April to 30 of September.
The best time for an excursion: April, May, September
Duration: 7 days and 6 nights.

The detailed program of tour day by day from city of Turkmenbashi on Gozli ata canyon to settlement of Melegoch in Kara Kum desert:

Tours on Gozli ata mausoleum and canyon Kemal ata.

Day 1. Iran - Ashgabad (45 km).
Arrival at Check point "Badzhiran»\”Gaudan”, the Iran-Turkmen border from the Iranian city of Mashhad. Meeting on Iranian-Turkmen border, going through formalities of border and customs service of Iran and Turkmenistan. Transfer to Ashgabad (45 km). Arrival in Ashgabad, transfer to hotel, accommodation, dinner, rest, overnight.
Day 2. Excursion on Ashgabad (34 km).
Breakfast. Beginning of an excursion at 9:00. Visit of the park of Independence. One of the main touristic attractions of Turkmenistan is the National Independence Park  in Ashgabat. Today covers an area of 7 hectares. Laid in 1887 and initially called the city summer garden. Founded in 1890 as Officer Park, in the park was located building of Nobility Assembly of Russian Empire. In the USSR was called Lenin Park, and the people was called First Park.
Visit of Arch of the Neutrality. At 63 meters, there is a 12-meter sculpture of Saparmurat Turkmenbashi on  a background of a fluttering flag. This part of the monument rotates slowly, making one full every day. The President thus seems to survey his country, meeting and seeing off the sun the Arch of Neutrality reaches a total of 75 meters, making it the highest building in Turkmenistan, above the 600 year old Kutlug-Timur minaret.
Walk on observation whell in the park Alem. Cultural entertainment center Alem is located in Ashgabat. The general height of a construction - 95 meters with a spike, represents a step pyramid on which the big wheel with a diameter of external circle of 57 meters towers. This largest big wheel of the closed type in the world, is included in the Guinness Book of Records. In total in the building of the center of 6 levels, on 7 meters of each, including 2 underground. The total area of the center - about 26 thousand square meters.
Visit of the Wedding palace. Bagt Koshg wedding palace opened in 2011. Eleven-floor building more than 38 000 square meters. Represents a three-stage construction which each party has an appearance of an eight-pointed star. The cube towering on big columns forms its top step and incorporates a sphere with a diameter of 32 meters – the symbolical planet Earth with the image of the map of Turkmenistan.
Visit to Ertogrulgaza mosque. Ertogrulgaza mosque or Azadi Mosque one of the most beautiful mosques of Ashgabat built in the Turkish style is the biggest in the city.The mosque contains four minarets. In 1998 one of the most beautiful buildings of our world. It was constructed soon after declaration of the state of Turkmenistan independent and became one more symbol of its freedom. Gilded words from the Koran are entered manually. In the mosque which is considered as the house of God, the first floor is the men's hall, and the second - women's. In halls about 5 000 people can pray at the same time.
Trip to mosque and the mausoleum of the Turkmenbashi Rukhy in the settlement of Kipchak (17 km). Huge snow-white mosque with four minarets and the huge gold dome, in the ancestral village of former Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov, Kipchak. The mosque was named "Turkmenbashi Ruhi", which is Turkmen for "spirit of Turkmenbashi”. Rukh Turkmenbashi is not the biggest mosque only in Turkmenistan, but also throughout Central Asia. 
After the end of an excursion return to Ashgabad. Transfer to the railway station. Accommodation in a 4-seater compartment of the train. Transfer to city of Turkmenbashi. Dinner and overnight.
Day 3. Turkmenbashi - Yangikala canyon (203 km).
Arrival to railway station in city of Turkmenbashi, meeting. Breakfast. Transfer: Turkmenbashi - Gozli ata mosque (153 km). Arrival on Gozli ata mausoleum at walk in vicinities. Visit of the mausoleum of Gozli ata. Gozli ata the mausoleum is in Balkan Region in the west of Turkmenistan. Gozli ata mausoleum - the most remote place of pilgrimage in Turkmenistan. The mausoleum is in picturesque place surrounded with pink, greenish, reddish mountains of surprising form and beauty. On these lands the Turkmen soldiers from troops of Khivan khan courageously defended, defending the independence. Lunch in the way.
Transfer: Gozli ata mausoleum - Yangikala canyon (50 km. On the way to Yangikala canyon we pass near mountains of the Western Turkmenistan - Small and Big Balkhan. Big and Small Balkhan - ridges in the west of Turkmenistan, near the Caspian Sea, the mountains extended from the West on the East on 60 kilometers, width - 20 kilometers. The highest point - the mountain Arlan of 1880 meters above sea level. In a mountain landscape ridges, deserts, and mountain steppes dominate.
Near Big Balkhan ridge there is an oil field - Nebit Dag. Lunch on the way. Arrival in canyon. An excursion in Yangikala canyon to volcanic and rocky formations of the valley Kemal-ata. Yangi-Kala canyon ("fiery fortresses"). Yangikala canyon is in Balkan Region, in 160 kilometers to the East from the town of Turkmenbashy. Locals call this massif Kyzyldag (Red mountains). Steep breaks white, yellow, ochre, purple and red colors, fancifully cut out by winds and rains, are very similar to stone locks.
Canyons at sunset when everything is painted in bright-red color around are especially beautiful. Once the bottom of canyons was a bottom of the ancient sea. Then sea water receded, and on a surface hills and breaks, similar to plateaux, seemed. In the main canyon of Yangikala the small canyon Kemal ata punched in rocks by the stream which appeared in the middle of the desert which laid itself (himself) a way from a spring is especially interesting. From this spring sheep and camel herds satisfy thirst. Ornament Kemal - Ata is stone educations, many of which are on canyon slopes. Dinner and overnight in tents.
Day 4. Yangikala canyons - settlement Melegoch (204 km, 6 hours).
Breakfast. After breakfast transfer: Yangikala canyons - valley Amanbulak - mountain of Aymammedchaga of 328 meters above sea level - Aymammedchaga sands - settlement Koymat (116 km). After Yangikala canyon our way goes to East, on highway which conducts to monuments of Old Urgench and to city of Dashoguz. From settlement of Gyzylgaya  way Koymat and to the mountains Kyzyk Koymat directs us to southeast to settlement. In east part of settlement Koymat we will visit cliffs Kyzyk Koymat.Lunch in way.
Further transfer: cliffs Kyzyk Koymat - pass Ikikat of 147 meters above sea level - mountains Ullakan-Koymatdag - settlement Melegoch (88 km). On the way visit of multi-colored mountains Ullakan-Koymatdag. Heights of Koymatdag with height of 300 - 330 meters above sea level, with steeps - cliffs alternate with extensive saline hollows. In the vicinities of settlement of Melegoch visit of an ancient necropolis of Melegoch. Only 1 kilometer separates the settlement of Melegoch from the ancient course Uzboya which is in the south from the settlement. Dinner and overnight in tents in vicinities of the settlement.
Day 5. Settlement Melegoch - gas crater Darwaza (189 km, 6 hours).
Breakfast. Transfer: settlement Melegoch - bed of river Uzboy - reservoir - Igdy kala fortress (31 km). Approximately, through 20 kilometers after the settlement of Melegoch, we drive on the territory of Ahal Region and here we cross the course Uzboy. The further way lies along the course Uzboy, on roads in the desert. We pass a reservoir, unique oasis in the desert, here the mouth of the canal Murghab and Uzboy. We pass dam and we go to ancient settlement Igdy kala. Walk in the vicinities of the ancient fortress of Igdy kala. Igdy kala fortress - the wrong trapeze with the parties 60 x 60 x 75 × 45 meters. The northeast wall is built on break up to 30 meters high, from three other parties fortress is surrounded constructed in the rock by ditch. Fortifications are put from flat stone plates with rectangular towers (on all perimeter of walls 11 towers remained, walls escaped up to the height of 1,5 m).
Transfer: Igdy kala - settlement Ataki (106 km). Our way from Igdat kala fortress lies on deserted open spaces of Kara Kum desert. In settlement of Ataki walk on the settlement, acquaintance to life of locals.
Transfer: settlement Ataki - Darvaza Mud crater (41 km). Arrival on the Mud crater, walking in vicinities. The Mud crater Darvaza is in valley of Darwaza, in a northern part of Akhal the velayat, to the south of the settlement of Darwaza. From West side at distance of 4 kilometers the Darvaza Mud crater is adjoined by the valley Odolanshor. The crater has the failure form, it is a unique sight in the Kara Kum Desert. Depth of a crater is, about, 15 meters. At the bottom of a crater - the bubbling liquid dirt of light gray color.
Further transfer: Darvaza Mud crater - gas crater Darwaza (11 km). Arrival on gas crater of Darwaza. This unique technogenic show in sand of Kara-Kum which we shall observe, in a crater burns gas since 1971. Walking and photographing of vicinities. Dinner and overnight in tents near the crater.
Day 6. Gas crater Darwaza - historical and cultural memorial estate "Old Urgench" (381 km, 6 hours).
Breakfast. Transfer: Gas crater Darwaza - Kara Kum desert - fortress Diarbekir (209 km). Arrival on fortress Dirabekir, walk in vicinities. Diyarbekir (Yarbekir kala), antique and medieval ancient settlement. Well medieval fortifications with an internal corridor and oval towers, in east wall - the remains of perverse construction remained. There is set of the remains of constructions in fortress and around it. Emergence and the first period of functioning of fortress belongs to the IVth century BC - IIIrd century AD.
Transfer: fortress Diarbekir - historical and cultural memorial estate "Old Urgench" (65 km). Arrival on Old Urgench complex. 
Visit of fortress of  Ak kala (XVI century). The fortress was named Ak-Kala after its population had abandoned it. With the retreat of water the whole oasis dried up and turned into a desert. On the way to Mamun minaret visit of gate of caravanserai. 
Further visit of the mosque mausoleum Il Arslan. The mausoleum of Khorezm Shakh of Il-Arslana called also by the mausoleum Fakhred-dina Razi - other well-known building of the cultural and historical reserve Old Kunya-Urgench. The first monumental construction of Central Asia built in second half of the XIIth century. Known also the magnificent relief ornament of the main facade which is cut out on terracotta and unique tent with 12 sides.
Visit of the mausoleum of Sultan Tekesh. The mausoleum of Anushtigid ruler Tekesh (1172 - 1200) stands near the Fakhr al-Din al-Razi mausoleum and Kutlug Timur minaret, in Kunya Urgench (or Gurganj), the dynastic capital of the Khorezm Shakhs (1077 - 1231).
Visit of fortress Kyrk Mola. Fortress Kyrk Mola (the 40th mullahs), is located on the northeast suburb of Kunya-Urgench - near Khorezm Shakh Tekesh mausoleum. The area of fortress is 3 hectares. Maximum height of towers of 12,5 meters. During excavation by archeologists the fortification of the antique period, and also an altar was found. Fortress is the most ancient center of Gurgandzha. Scientists believe that during the Middle Ages era there was the well-known library of Mamun here.
Visit of minaret of Kutlug Timur. For unknown reasons, construction was interrupted for a very long time, and was completed only in 1321-1336, in the time of Kutlug-Timur (the vice-regent of the Golden Horde). This 62m tower was named after him; and is the tallest minaret in Central Asia.
Visit of the mosque mausoleum Seyit Ahmed. Visit of the mausoleum Tyurabek khanum. Tyurabek- khanym Mausoleum, dated to the middle of XIV century and belonging to the time of the governing of Sufi Dynasty in the Old Urgench, is the real pearl of Khorezm and whole Turkmen агсhitecture. The high and light 6-faceted hall of about 100 sq. m is the peculiarity of this creature. Its walls are decorated with coloured mosaic.
Visit of mausoleums of Nadzhmetdin Kubra. The Mausoleum of Shaykh Najm al-Din Kubra (1145 - 1221) is located in the ancient cemetery adjacent to the, modern city center of Kunya Urgench. Built by Qutlugh Timur (1321 - 1333), the governor of Khorezm, the mausoleum is named after Najm al-Din Kubra al Khorezmi, the Muslim philosopher who founded the Kubrawiyyah Sufi order.
Visit of the mausoleum of Piryar Vali. Nearby, only in 15 meters from the well-known mausoleum of Nadzhmeddin al-Kubra (XIVth century), in the territory of the extensive cemetery called in the people of "Uch yuz altmysh" ("Three hundred sixty") the small ancient mausoleum is located. After creation in Kunya-Urgench of the National historical and cultural park the mausoleum was reconstructed.
Visit of the mausoleum Sultan Ali. Mausoleum of Sultan Ali XVI century. or the XVI century (date not specified). Erected in the ensemble "Kosh" with khanaka Nadzhmeddina Kubra. Compositionally, he imitates the mausoleum of the Sufi: in terms of a hexagonal and a rectangular darshanu gurkhan.
Visit of mosque Matkerim Ishan. Visit of madrasah Dash. In ancient Kunya-Urgench, in 80 meters to the east of Nadzhmeddin Kubra mausoleum there is a madrasah of Dashmechet. The building is built in 1907 - 1908 for Mahomed-Amin at the expense of the treasury of the Khivan khan as madrasah including the room of the mosque.
End of an excursion. Transfer: Kunya-Urgench - city of Dashoguz - airport (107 km). Arrival in airport, flight to Ashgabad (45 min.). Arrival in Ashgabad, meeting at the airport. Transfer to hotel, accommodation, dinner and overnight.
Day 7. Ashgabad.
Accompanying service at departure to airport, departure from Ashgabad.

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

Ovadan tourist company
photos.