Ecological tours of Turkmenistan.

Exploration tour passes on territory of unique relic reserve Kugitan. We shall visit a plateau of Dinosaurs where mineral traces of pangolins Jurassic the period were kept. Visiting of gorge Kyrkgyz "40 girls", well-known Karlyuk caves Kap-Kotan with fantastic halls and grottoes in thousand stalactites and stalagmites. Among them a hall of the Grandfather of the Frost and the Snow Maiden, a hall of the Jellyfish, a hall of Fairy tales. Further visiting of a unique warm hydrosulphuric source the Keinar-baba which for a long time is famous as wonder-working, curing of the diversified illnesses. Visiting of the mausoleum Astana-baba XIV centuries, being one of the most known pilgrim centers in territory of Turkmenistan.

Short description of route of tour to natural reserve Koitendag:

Ashgabad - Turkmenabad – nature reserve Koitendag.

Distance route: 962 km.
Season: from 15 of April to 30 of September.
The best time for an excursion: April, May, June. 
Duration: 6 days and 5 nights.

The detailed program of tour day by day on plateau of Dinosaurs and Karlyuk caves in reserve Koitendag:

 Walking holiday to on natural sights in mountains Kugitang.

Day 1. Excursion on Ashgabad (34 km).
Arrival at 7:00 in Ashgabad. A meeting at the airport. Transfer to hotel, accommodation. Short rest, breakfast. Beginning of an excursion at 9:00. V
isit 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 2. Ashgabad - town of Türkmenabad - settlement Koytyn (374 km).
Transfer to the airport, departure morning flight to Türkmenabad (1 hour). Arrival in the Türkmenabad airport, meeting at the airport. Transfer: Türkmenabad - settlement of Sayat - settlement of Halach - architectural complex of Astana baba (200 km). Arrival on the Astana baba complex (the XII - XIX century). The Mausoleum of Astan-Baba is unique structure in its type, built in the area of the Medieval Zemm, north-west from Kerki. It has been rebuilt many times in the course of the centures. Kerki is an administrative centre forming part of Lebap velayat. It's a town with a population of 20.000. The city differs from others with its' XIX c architecture. Kerki is rich in archaeological monuments. Visit and photography of an architectural complex and vicinities. Lunch on the way.
Transfer: Astana baba complex - settlement of Kotendag - settlement of Karlyuk - Gurshun magdanly (The lead mine) - settlement of Koytyn (174 km). Arrival in the settlement of Koytyn (Chilon-ata). Transfer to guest house, accommodation, dinner. The settlement of Koytyn is on the suburb of southeast part of Turkmenistan in Mountains Kugitangtau. In the settlement of Koytyn there is grove of trees of an unabi (the Chinese date, zizifus) of 0,75 hectares. Trees have an inclination in one party, age of some trees more than 200 years.
Nearby there is pistachio grove of 1500 hectares age of 200 - 250, thickness of trees about 1 meter. Evening walk on the lake Kyotte-Kel. The deepest in Turkmenistan, 59 meters. The lake is on the suburb of the settlement of Koytyn, in the western part at the height of 737 meters above sea level. From North side of the lake it is filled with rain and snow waters. Length of the lake is 466 meters, width is 380 meters. Coast are put from clay and loam. The lake Kyotte-Kel covers the area of 25 hectares. At water of the lake there are many minerals and locals consider it medical. Elders of the village call the lake "Dead". Return to the guest house, overnight.
Day 3. Natural reserve Koiendag (40 km).
Breakfast. Transfer to the reserve Koitendag which is on border with Uzbekistan in Mountains Koitendag (earlier these mountains were called Kugitang). Mountains are located in the extreme southeast of Turkmenistan, the western slope of Ridge Kugitangtau in the southwest of the Gissar Range of the Pamir-Alay mountain system. Mount Kugitangtau are located in the Koytendag etrap, Lebap Region the southern slope includes Kugitangtau of the ridge and mountain part from the river Kugitang Darya to the Amu Darya River. The highest point of Mountains Kugitangtau peak Ayry baba 3137 meters above sea level. The reserve is in the ridges Baysuntau and Kugitang. Our way lies in the vicinity of the mountain Ayry baba.
Transfer: settlement of Koytyn - gorge and cave Kyrk Gyz "Forty girls" (9 km). This huge and deep gorge in which it is possible to take refuge from the hot sun. In the gorge, there is also a cult grotto attracting to itself it is a lot of pilgrims. Visit of a grotto Kyrk Gyz, walk on the gorge, photography of vicinities of the gorge Kyrk Gyz.
Transfer: gorge Kyrk Gyz - settlement Hodzhapil – Sary Kiya valley (plateau of Dinosaurs) (7 km). Walk on the plateau of Dinosaurs. Very interesting and informative paleontologic place of world value in Western Kugitang, is the known plateau of Dinosaurs with prints of ancient pangolins, age about 160 million years. This small inclined plateau, about 500 by 200 meters in size is in Hojapil the state wildlife area at the height about 1400 meters above sea level, near the settlement of Hojapil ata. Sizes of traces from 18 to 71 cm.
The biggest trace could belong to a megalozavr. In total more than 2500 traces were revealed. Generally traces belong to biped dinosaurs from class of Archosaurs. Three types of traces belonging to new childbirth - Turkmenozavrus, Hojapilozavrus, Gissarozavrus are also revealed (are listed as reduction of the sizes of prints and length of step). Picnic on the nature.
After the picnic trip to the gorge to Umbar Dera (5 km). Visit of falls in the gorge to Umbar Dera (5 km). There are magnificent falls more than 27 meters high. To falls it is necessary to pass 500 meters across the narrow gorge. After short way the gorge is blocked by a stone wall nearly 30 meters high from which height with noise the falls Umbar Dere will fall. End of walk.
Return to settlement Koytyn (19 km). Dinner and overnight in the guest house.
Day 4. Karlyuk caves and canyons (140 km).
Breakfast. Transfer: settlement of Koytyn - settlement of Karlyuk (43 km). Arrival in the settlement of Karlyuk, walk in vicinities. 
Further transfer: settlement of Karlyuk - cave Hoshimayuk (10 km). Descent in cave. In underground labyrinths by the light of lamps outlines of stalagmites and stalactites are visible. The cave Hoshimayuk is geological and archaeological sight in the mountain system Kugitang. Extent of cave makes 3.5 kilometers it consists of set of labyrinths from 5 to 8 meters high and up to 50 meters wide. There are many sinter caves. Return from cave. 
Transfer: cave Hoshimayuk - gorge Bulak Dera (13 km). Walk to vicinities of the gorge of Bulak Dara.
Transfer:  gorge of Bulak Dara - gorge Ob Dara - (11 km). Walk on natural sights the gorge Ob Dara. Lunch in way.
Transfer: gorge Ob Dara - hydrosulphuric springs of Kaynar baba (8 km). Walk in the neighborhood of spring of Kaynar baba. 
Return to the settlement of Koytyn (55 km). Dinner and overnight in the guest house.
Day 5. Koytyn - Türkmenabat (374 km).
Breakfast. Departure from the settlement of Koytyn at 06:00 to Türkmenabad (425 km). Lunch in way. Arrival in Türkmenabad, transfer to the airport, departure to Ashgabad (1 hour). Arrival in Ashgabad, meeting at the airport, transfer to hotel, accommodation, dinner and overnight.
Day 6. Ashgabad.
Transfer to the airport. Departure from Ashgabad. 

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

Photos
from tourist company "Ovadan tourism".