Welcome to Turkmenistan
By far the most mysterious and unexplored of Central Asia’s 'stans, Turkmenistan became famous for the truly bizarre dictatorship of Saparmyrat Niyazov, who ruled as ‘Turkmenbashi’ (‘leader of the Turkmen’) until his death in 2006. Niyazov covered this little-known desert republic with grandiose monuments and golden statues of himself. Although many of these statues have since been dismantled, plenty of visitors still think of Turkmenistan as a sort of totalitarian theme park. But the least-visited of Central Asia’s countries is far more than this – it's an ancient land of great spirituality, tradition and natural beauty.
Top experiences in Turkmenistan
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Turkmenistan activities
Private 19th Century Oil Baroons Tour
We shall meet you at your place of stay. It could either be an apartment in Baku, the Airport or your Hotel Lobby. We shall then proceed with our tour with new model SUV, which is an ideal vehicle tailor made to comfortably transport 4 people. For a group of 5-8 we will use Mercedes Vito Minivan. The cars are spacious, impeccably clean and powered by a strong air conditioner. You would be picked up by us and go toward to Nobel brother’s amazing Villa located in the city center of Baku. “Nobel Brothers” was an oil company set up by Ludvig Nobel and Baron Peter von Bilderling, mainly in Baku, Azerbaijan but also in Cheleken, Turkmenistan. Originally established by Robert Nobel (who contributed 25,000 rubles) and the investments of barons Peter von Bilderling (300,000 rubles) and Standertskjöld (150,000 rubles) as a distillery in 1876, it became, during the late 19th century, one of the largest oil companies in the world. Next stop will be National Museum of History of Azerbaijan Which is the largest museum in Azerbaijan, located in Baku, in the former mansion of Azerbaijani biggest oil magnate and philanthropist Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev. At the end Well-known oil millionaire Musa Nagiyev’s great designed buildings will be shown.As his son Ismayil died earlier, the building built by him in Istiglaliyyat street was called “Ismayilliyya” for the memory of Ismayil. The twin mansions in 28 May street, the grandiose building built of red brick in the same street, the residential building near the Opera Theatre in Nizami street, Old building of Central Post Office in Azerbaijan avenue, the grandiose residential building in Nigar Rafibayli street, Winter Club in Samad Vurgun street (Present Officers’ House), “Astoriya” and “Yeni Avropa” hotels and other such kind of visible buildings of the city were constructed on account of funds of Aga Musa Nagiyev.
Best of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan
Cross two 'stans off your hit list with a 14-day tour through Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. This well-rounded tour takes you through bustling bazaars and beautiful city mosques in Samarkand and Bukhara, as well as bucket-list natural landscapes like the Derweze gas crater known affectionately as the Door to Hell. Destinations less-ventured can be challenging to visit on your own, but with a skilled Chief Experience Officer (CEO) leading the way, you'll have incredible experiences without sacrificing safety or your sense of adventure.
The Five Stans of the Silk Road
See all the 'stans (well, most of them) on this comprehensive 26-day tour through Central Asia. Learn about nomadic life in Song Köl, explore natural landscapes like Kaindy Lake's sunken forest, and witness the hustle and bustle of capital cities and their bazaars, cathedrals, and historical sites. Along the way, you'll sleep like the locals do in homestays and yurts to get even closer to this underexplored destination.