Turkmenistan - the most mysterious country in Central Asia

Our tours| When to go | Visa | Travel tips

By far the most mysterious and unexplored of Central Asia’s countries, Turkmenistan has been at the crossroads of civilizations for centuries. In medieval times, Merv was one of the great cities of the Islamic world and an important stop on the Silk Road, a caravan route used for trade with China until the mid-15th century. Turkmenistan is an ancient land of great spirituality, tradition and natural beauty. The ancient cities inspire visions of caravans plodding along the ancient Silk Road, while the haunting beauty of the Karakum Desert and other quirky natural phenomena are less expected but equally mesmerising. The full Turkmen experience is ultimately about mingling with the warm and fascinating Turkmen people themselves, whose hospitality is the stuff of legend.

Annexed by the Russian Empire in 1881, in 1924 Turkmenistan became a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic (Turkmen SSR); it became independent upon the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Independent Turkmenistan became famous for the leadership style of Saparmyrat Niyazov, who ruled as ‘Turkmenbashi’ (‘leader of the Turkmen’) until his death in 2006. Niyazov developed the personality cult manifested in golden statues of himself and grandiose monuments to the achievements of his ‘golden age’. In 2013 the Guinness Book of Records named Ashgabat as “white marbled city” for the biggest number of buildings in the world made out of the white marble.

When to go

The best time to visit Turkmenistan is spring and autumn - the wheather will be suitable for long outdor adventures and activities. In summer the weather can be too hot (up to +50C), and in winter the weather may be a bit cold.

Our tours

In 2017 we run one special tour on a fixed date (Mar 19-24, Nowruz 2017 tour) and a series of theme tours around Turkministan without a fixed date. We can arrange a tour for you and your friends on demand. Please contact us: postmaster@koreakonsult.com

Visa

To visit Turkmenistan you will need to apply for a visa. Please note that you cannot apply for the visa on your own, all visas are issued based on pre-approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs invitation aquired for you by the accredited tour operator. KoreaKonsult will apply for such invitation letter for your tour in advance. In order to obtain the visa you will need to submit the letter to the nearest Embassy of Turkmenistan and get the visa stamped to your passport. If there is no Embassy of Turkmenistan in your country this letter will let you obtain the visa on arrival in the Ashgabat airport.

Travel tips

When you travel to Turkmenistan please observe a few rules:

Important

Money

the best currency to bring with you is USD. It is allowed to bring up to $ 10,000 per person. The recommended minimum amount to take is $ 500-700 per person (cash) in new banknotes. Payments are done mostly in cash. The currency in Turkmenistan is the manat (M), which is made up of 100 tenne

Important

Tobacco / smoking

you can bring up to two cigarette packs. It is forbidden to smoke in public places

Important

Alcohol

you can bring up to 3 liters. It is possible to buy alcohol in the country. It is forbidden to drink alcohol in public places

Food / water

a meal is 15-25 dollars per person (medium level), tap water better to avoid

Dress code

bring a pair of long pants / long skirt for visiting a mosque

Electricity

220V

Photo / video

you are not advised to take photo of government institutions (normally there are military personel in front of them). Local guide will explain the photo policy