50 Best Places to Visit in Turkmenistan: The Ultimate Travel Guide

Turkmenistan, one of Central Asia's most enigmatic and off-the-beaten-path nations, blends ancient Silk Road history with futuristic white-marble monuments and extraordinary desert landscapes. From the famous flaming Darvaza Gas Crater in the heart of the Karakum Desert to the grand ruined fortresses of ancient Merv, Turkmenistan offers an unforgettable journey into history and unique natural wonders.

Why Visit Turkmenistan

Visiting Turkmenistan offers an authentic adventure through vast desert expanses, ancient UNESCO-listed Silk Road cities, and surreal modern architecture. It is ideal for history enthusiasts, desert trekkers, and travelers seeking rare and unusual destinations.

• Witness the fiery glow of the Darvaza Gas Crater ("Door to Hell") burning in the Karakum Desert.
• Explore UNESCO World Heritage ruins at Ancient Merv, Kunya-Urgench, and the Parthian fortress of Nisa.
• Marvel at Ashgabat's Guinness Record-setting white-marble architecture and extravagant public monuments.
• Traverse the dramatic multi-colored band formations of Yangykala Canyon.

Quick Facts

50 Best Places to Visit in Turkmenistan

1. Darvaza Gas Crater (Door to Hell)

• Location: Karakum Desert, Ahal Province
• Best Time to Visit: April to May and September to November
• Category: Natural Wonder / Desert Attraction
• About the Place: A 70-meter wide natural gas cavern ignited in 1971 that has been continuously burning in the Karakum Desert, creating a glowing pit especially striking at night.
• Travel Instructions: Accessible via a 3.5-hour 4x4 drive north from Ashgabat across the desert highway.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Darvaza Gas Crater

2. Ancient Merv

• Location: Mary Province
• Best Time to Visit: March to May and September to November
• Category: UNESCO World Heritage / Archaeological Site
• About the Place: One of the oldest and most important oasis cities along Central Asia's Silk Road, featuring ancient fortress walls, mud-brick citadels, and the Mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar.
• Travel Instructions: Fly from Ashgabat to Mary, then drive 30 minutes east to the ruins.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Ancient Merv

3. Ashgabat White Marble City

• Location: Ashgabat
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: Modern Capital / Architecture
• About the Place: Recognised by the Guinness World Records for having the highest concentration of white marble buildings, featuring gold-plated statues, wide avenues, and illuminated fountains.
• Travel Instructions: Served by Ashgabat International Airport (ASB).
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Ashgabat

4. Yangykala Canyon

• Location: Balkan Province
• Best Time to Visit: March to May and September to November
• Category: Geological Canyon / Scenic Wonder
• About the Place: Often called "Turkmenistan's Grand Canyon," featuring multi-colored chalk cliffs that shift from pink and orange to deep red as the sun sets.
• Travel Instructions: Hire a 4WD vehicle from Turkmenbashi or Balkanabat (approx. 3-4 hours drive).
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Yangykala Canyon

5. Kunya-Urgench

• Location: Dashoguz Province
• Best Time to Visit: April to May and September to November
• Category: UNESCO World Heritage / Ancient Silk Road Ruins
• About the Place: The capital of the medieval Khwarazmian Empire, preserving the 60-meter Kutlug Timur Minaret, mausoleums, and ancient Islamic architectural monuments.
• Travel Instructions: Fly to Dashoguz from Ashgabat, then drive 100 km northwest.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Kunya-Urgench

6. Parthian Fortresses of Nisa

• Location: Bagyr, near Ashgabat
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: UNESCO World Heritage / Archaeological Site
• About the Place: The ancient capital of the Parthian Empire founded in the 3rd century BC, featuring ruined royal palaces, treasury vaults, and defensive walls.
• Travel Instructions: Located a 20-minute drive southwest from downtown Ashgabat.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Ancient Nisa

7. Köw Ata Underground Lake

• Location: Bäharden, Ahal Province
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: Underground Thermal Cave Lake
• About the Place: A sulfurous underground thermal lake set 55 meters deep inside a limestone cave, maintaining a warm water temperature of 33–38°C year-round.
• Travel Instructions: Drive 1.5 hours west from Ashgabat along the highway to Turkmenbashi.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Köw Ata

8. Turkmenbashi Ruhy Mosque (Gypjak Mosque)

• Location: Gypjak, near Ashgabat
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: Mosque / Monument
• About the Place: One of the largest mosques in Central Asia, built of white marble with four 91-meter-high minarets, housing the mausoleum of President Saparmurat Niyazov.
• Travel Instructions: Located 15 km west of central Ashgabat; easily reached by taxi.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Gypjak Mosque

9. Monument of Neutrality

• Location: Ashgabat
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: Modern Landmark / Viewpoint
• About the Place: A 95-meter-tall three-legged rocket-like arch topped with a golden statue of former President Niyazov that rotates to face the sun throughout the day.
• Travel Instructions: Located in the southern district of Ashgabat near the Kopetdag foothill parks.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Monument of Neutrality

10. Gonur Depe

• Location: Karakum Desert, Mary Province
• Best Time to Visit: March to May and September to November
• Category: Archaeological Site / Bronze Age Complex
• About the Place: A sprawling 4,000-year-old Bronze Age city belonging to the Bactria-Margiana Archaeological Complex, believed to be an early cradle of Zoroastrianism.
• Travel Instructions: Requires a 3-hour off-road 4x4 expedition north from Mary town into the Karakum Desert.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Gonur Depe

11. Awaza (Avaza) Resort, Turkmenbashi

• Location: Turkmenbashi, Caspian Sea
• Best Time to Visit: June to September
• Category: Caspian Beach Resort Zone
• About the Place: A multi-billion dollar luxury resort development along the Caspian Sea featuring high-rise hotels, white sand beaches, water parks, and yacht clubs.
• Travel Instructions: Fly to Turkmenbashi Airport, then drive 20 minutes west to the Awaza strip.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Awaza Resort

12. Nokhur Mountain Village

• Location: Kopetdag Mountains, Ahal Province
• Best Time to Visit: April to October
• Category: Cultural Village / Nature
• About the Place: An isolated mountain village in the Kopetdag range home to the distinct Nohurly tribe, known for unique stone houses, sacred mountain shrines, and ram-horn gravestones.
• Travel Instructions: Drive 3 hours west from Ashgabat up winding Kopetdag mountain roads.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Nokhur Village

13. Turkmen National Carpet Museum

• Location: Central Ashgabat
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: Cultural Museum
• About the Place: Houses a vast collection of historic hand-woven Turkmen carpets, including the world’s largest hand-woven carpet spanning over 300 square meters.
• Travel Instructions: Located along Atamurat Niyazov Avenue in central Ashgabat.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Turkmen Carpet Museum

14. Koytendag Nature Reserve & Dinosaur Plateau

• Location: Lebap Province (Eastern Border)
• Best Time to Visit: April to May and September to October
• Category: Nature Reserve / Paleontology Site
• About the Place: Home to the "Plateau of Dinosaurs," preserving over 2,500 fossilized Jurassic dinosaur footprints, alongside deep caves, gorges, and Aýrybaba peak.
• Travel Instructions: Fly to Turkmenabat or Kerki, then hire a 4WD vehicle to Koytendag.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Koytendag Reserve

15. Altyn Asyr Bazaar (Tolkuchka Market)

• Location: Outskirts of Ashgabat
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round (Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings)
• Category: Traditional Market
• About the Place: One of Central Asia's largest open-air markets, designed in the shape of a carpet pattern, selling rugs, traditional garments, jewelry, spices, and camels.
• Travel Instructions: Located 20 minutes drive north of central Ashgabat in the desert outskirts.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Altyn Asyr Bazaar

16. Independence Monument & Park

• Location: Ashgabat
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: Public Park / Monument
• About the Place: A 118-meter white column crowned with a golden crescent, surrounded by statues of historic Turkmen heroes, fountains, and landscaped gardens.
• Travel Instructions: Located in the southern sector of Ashgabat.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Independence Monument

17. Dekhistan (Mishrian) Ruins

• Location: Balkan Province (Southwest)
• Best Time to Visit: March to May and September to November
• Category: Ancient Silk Road Ruins
• About the Place: An isolated ancient Silk Road city in the Misrian desert plain, featuring minarets, mosque portals, and ruined caravanserais.
• Travel Instructions: Accessible via 4WD drive south from Balkanabat town.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Dekhistan Ruins

18. Ashgabat Cable Car & Kopetdag Range

• Location: South of Ashgabat
• Best Time to Visit: April to October
• Category: Cable Car / Viewpoint
• About the Place: A scenic 4 km cable car system ascending into the Kopetdag mountains, offering panoramic lookouts over Ashgabat and the desert expanse.
• Travel Instructions: Located 15 minutes drive south from central Ashgabat.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Ashgabat Cable Car

19. Geok Depe Fortress & Mosque

• Location: Geok Depe, Ahal Province
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: Historical Battlefield & Mosque
• About the Place: Site of the historic 1881 siege between Turkmen tribes and the Russian Tsarist army, now marked by a grand mint-green domed mosque.
• Travel Instructions: Located 45 km west of Ashgabat along the M37 highway.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Geok Depe

20. Alem Cultural and Entertainment Center (Indoor Ferris Wheel)

• Location: Ashgabat
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: Entertainment / Architectural Curiosity
• About the Place: A futuristic glass complex housing the world's largest enclosed Ferris wheel inside a white marble wheel-shaped frame.
• Travel Instructions: Centrally located along Archabil Avenue in southern Ashgabat.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Alem Entertainment Center

21. Repetek Biosphere State Reserve

• Location: Lebap Province (Karakum Desert)
• Best Time to Visit: March to May
• Category: Desert Biosphere Reserve
• About the Place: UNESCO biosphere reserve dedicated to protecting Karakum sandy desert ecosystems, desert monitor lizards, and saxaul forests.
• Travel Instructions: Located 70 km south of Turkmenabat city.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Repetek Reserve

22. Gozli Ata Pilgrimage Site

• Location: Balkan Province
• Best Time to Visit: March to May and September to November
• Category: Sacred Pilgrimage Site
• About the Place: One of Turkmenistan’s most revered Sufi pilgrimage destinations, set against red and white canyon cliffs in the desert badlands.
• Travel Instructions: Drive 135 km north from Balkanabat by 4WD vehicle.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Gozli Ata

23. Anau Mosque Ruins & Fortress

• Location: Anau, near Ashgabat
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: Historical Ruins
• About the Place: Features the 15th-century ruins of Seyit Jemaletdin Mosque, famous for dragon mosaics on its main archway and ancient settlement mounds.
• Travel Instructions: Drive 15 km east of downtown Ashgabat along the M37 highway.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Anau Mosque

24. Ertugrul Gazi Mosque (Azadi Mosque)

• Location: Central Ashgabat
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: Ottoman-Style Mosque
• About the Place: Modeled after Istanbul’s Blue Mosque, featuring white domes, marble courtyards, and four slender pencil minarets in central Ashgabat.
• Travel Instructions: Located on Azadi Street in downtown Ashgabat.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Ertugrul Gazi Mosque

25. Wedding Palace (Bagt Koshgi)

• Location: Ashgabat
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round (Evening illumination)
• Category: Architectural Landmark
• About the Place: A futuristic 11-story wedding venue topped with a massive metallic globe encased inside an eight-pointed Turkmen star frame.
• Travel Instructions: Located on the hills of southwestern Ashgabat overlooking the city skyline.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Bagt Koshgi

26. Ashgabat National History Museum

• Location: Ashgabat
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: Museum
• About the Place: Preserves ancient ivory rhytons from Nisa, Silk Road gold coins, weapons, and archaeological treasures from across Turkmenistan.
• Travel Instructions: Located along Archabil Highway near the foothills of the Kopetdag range.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to National History Museum

27. Sarakhs Ruins & Abul Fazl Mausoleum

• Location: Sarakhs, Mary Province
• Best Time to Visit: March to May and September to November
• Category: Historical Silk Road Landmark
• About the Place: A historic Silk Road stopover on the Iranian border, preserving the 11th-century Abul Fazl (Sarakhs Baba) Mausoleum with brick domes.
• Travel Instructions: Located 170 km south of Mary city near the Iran border post.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Sarakhs Ruins

28. Badkhyz State Nature Reserve

• Location: Mary & Ahal Provinces
• Best Time to Visit: April to May (Wild tulip bloom)
• Category: Wildlife & Nature Reserve
• About the Place: Protects herds of wild Central Asian kulan (wild ass), Persian leopards, wild sheep, and vast fields of spring wild tulips.
• Travel Instructions: Special permit required; accessible via guided 4WD excursion from Mary.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Badkhyz Reserve

29. Turkmenbashi Port & City

• Location: Balkan Province, Caspian Coast
• Best Time to Visit: May to October
• Category: Caspian Port City
• About the Place: Turkmenistan's main Caspian seaport, featuring harbor views, fish markets, historic Russian colonial buildings, and gateway to Awaza.
• Travel Instructions: Served by Turkmenbashi International Airport or passenger ferry links.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Turkmenbashi Port

30. Halk Hakydasy Memorial Complex

• Location: Ashgabat
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: National Memorial Grounds
• About the Place: A monument complex honoring victims of the 1948 Ashgabat earthquake, WWII, and historical Turkmen wars.
• Travel Instructions: Located in southwestern Ashgabat along the Bekreve highway.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Halk Hakydasy Memorial

31. Garabogazköl Basin

• Location: Northwestern Balkan Province
• Best Time to Visit: April to October
• Category: Salt Lagoon / Geographical Feature
• About the Place: A shallow, highly saline lagoon of the Caspian Sea known for white salt crusts, mineral salt deposits, and desolate landscapes.
• Travel Instructions: Located north of Turkmenbashi near the town of Garabogaz.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Garabogazköl Basin

32. Gökdepe Akhalteke Horse Complex

• Location: Geok Depe, Ahal Province
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round (April Turkmen Horse Day)
• Category: Equestrian Center / Cultural Site
• About the Place: Dedicated to breeding Turkmenistan’s legendary metallic-sheen Akhal-Teke horses, known as "Heavenly Horses."
• Travel Instructions: Located 40 km west of Ashgabat; visitable on guided tours.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Akhal-Teke Horses

33. Gyaur Kala Fortress (Merv)

• Location: Ancient Merv, Mary Province
• Best Time to Visit: March to May and September to November
• Category: Archaeological Fortress
• About the Place: The vast mud-brick defensive enclosure of Hellenistic and Seleucid Merv, preserving walls up to 20 meters high.
• Travel Instructions: Located within the main Ancient Merv archaeological park complex.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Gyaur Kala

34. Sultan Sanjar Mausoleum

• Location: Ancient Merv, Mary Province
• Best Time to Visit: March to May and September to November
• Category: Historical Monument / Seljuk Architecture
• About the Place: A 12th-century masterpiece of Seljuk brick architecture featuring a 38-meter dome once adorned with turquoise tiles.
• Travel Instructions: Centrally located inside the Ancient Merv archaeological park.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Sultan Sanjar Mausoleum

35. Damla Oasis

• Location: Deep Karakum Desert
• Best Time to Visit: April to May and September to October
• Category: Traditional Desert Settlement
• About the Place: An isolated traditional Turkmen village surrounded by sand dunes, offering visits with desert semi-nomads living in felt yurts.
• Travel Instructions: Accessible exclusively via specialized off-road 4x4 desert expeditions.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Damla Oasis

36. Saglyk Ýoly (Kopetdag Health Trail)

• Location: Ashgabat Foothills
• Best Time to Visit: October to April
• Category: Hiking Trail / Public Recreation
• About the Place: A 36-kilometer concrete staircase path winding across Kopetdag mountain ridges, constructed for public health walks.
• Travel Instructions: Drive 20 minutes south from downtown Ashgabat to the trail entrance.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Health Trail

37. Turkmenabat City & Amu Darya River

• Location: Lebap Province
• Best Time to Visit: April to May and September to November
• Category: River City / Regional Hub
• About the Place: Turkmenistan's second-largest city, set on the banks of the mighty Amu Darya River near the Uzbekistan border.
• Travel Instructions: Served by Turkmenabat International Airport or long-distance trains from Ashgabat.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Turkmenabat

38. Ashgabat Olympic Complex & Monorail

• Location: Central Ashgabat
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: Modern Sports Complex
• About the Place: A state-of-the-art sports complex built for the 2017 Asian Indoor Games, featuring white marble arenas and an overhead monorail system.
• Travel Instructions: Centrally located in Ashgabat near Atamurat Niyazov Avenue.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Ashgabat Olympic Complex

39. Gulistan Bazaar (Russian Bazaar)

• Location: Central Ashgabat
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: Indoor Food Market
• About the Place: A lively covered market built in Soviet modernism style, selling fresh Caspian caviar, dried fruits, Turkmen melons, and street snacks.
• Travel Instructions: Located in downtown Ashgabat at the corner of Azadi and Makhtumkuli streets.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Gulistan Bazaar

40. Sultan Kala (Merv)

• Location: Ancient Merv, Mary Province
• Best Time to Visit: March to May and September to November
• Category: Archaeological Fortress / Silk Road
• About the Place: The 11th-century walled city core of Seljuk Merv, preserving royal palaces, ice-houses, and earthen fortification ramparts.
• Travel Instructions: Located within the Ancient Merv archaeological park.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Sultan Kala

41. Kaplankyr Nature Reserve

• Location: Dashoguz Province
• Best Time to Visit: April to May and September to October
• Category: Nature Reserve / Canyons
• About the Place: A northern desert reserve featuring limestone plateaus, desert gazelles, and Sarygamysh Lake wetlands.
• Travel Instructions: Accessible via 4WD expedition southwest from Dashoguz town.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Kaplankyr Reserve

42. Sarygamysh Lake

• Location: Border of Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan
• Best Time to Visit: April to October
• Category: Lake / Desert Wetland
• About the Place: A large desert lake sitting between the Karakum and Ustyurt deserts, providing sanctuary for pelicans, migratory waterfowl, and fish.
• Travel Instructions: Located 160 km west of Dashoguz town by 4WD vehicle.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Sarygamysh Lake

43. Ekedeshik Cave Settlement

• Location: Tagtabazar, Mary Province
• Best Time to Visit: March to May and September to November
• Category: Subterranean Cave Complex
• About the Place: An ancient underground cave city carved into sandstone hills along the Murghab River, featuring dozens of connected subterranean rooms.
• Travel Instructions: Drive 2 hours south from Mary town toward Tagtabazar.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Ekedeshik Caves

44. Balkanabat City & Mount Arlan

• Location: Balkan Province
• Best Time to Visit: April to October
• Category: Regional Capital / Mountain Base
• About the Place: The industrial oil-and-gas capital of western Turkmenistan, set at the foot of Mount Arlan in the Balkan mountain range.
• Travel Instructions: Reached via direct flight to Balkanabat Airport or long-distance train.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Balkanabat

45. Ashgabat Constitution Monument

• Location: Ashgabat
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: Modern Monument
• About the Place: A 185-meter white tower crowned with a golden spire, honoring Turkmenistan's constitution amidst marble terraces and fountains.
• Travel Instructions: Located along Archabil Highway in southern Ashgabat.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Constitution Monument

46. Abiverd Fortress Ruins

• Location: Kaka, Ahal Province
• Best Time to Visit: March to May and September to November
• Category: Archaeological Site / Silk Road
• About the Place: An ancient Silk Road fortress city between Ashgabat and Mary, preserving earthen walls, pottery kilns, and citadel mounds.
• Travel Instructions: Located 100 km east of Ashgabat near Kaka town.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Abiverd Ruins

47. Erbent Desert Village

• Location: Karakum Desert, Ahal Province
• Best Time to Visit: April to May and September to October
• Category: Desert Village
• About the Place: A rustic desert oasis settlement surrounded by shifting sand dunes, saxaul bushes, and traditional camel herds.
• Travel Instructions: Located 160 km north of Ashgabat along the main highway to Darvaza.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Erbent Village

48. Dashoguz City

• Location: Dashoguz Province (Northern Border)
• Best Time to Visit: April to May and September to November
• Category: Regional Capital / Gateway City
• About the Place: Northern Turkmenistan's primary city, serving as the travel gateway to Kunya-Urgench and border crossings to Uzbekistan.
• Travel Instructions: Served by Dashoguz Airport with daily flights from Ashgabat.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Dashoguz

49. Mary City & Regional Museum

• Location: Mary Province
• Best Time to Visit: Year-round
• Category: Regional Capital / Museum
• About the Place: A clean oasis city along the Murghab River housing the Mary Regional Museum, containing Bronze Age relics from Gonur Depe and Merv.
• Travel Instructions: Reached via domestic flight from Ashgabat or long-distance train.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Mary City

50. Kyrk Gyz Cave & Gorge

• Location: Koytendag, Lebap Province
• Best Time to Visit: April to May and September to October
• Category: Sacred Cave / Natural Gorge
• About the Place: A atmospheric narrow gorge and cave where thousands of mud-soaked cloth prayer ribbons hang from limestone ceilings according to local legends.
• Travel Instructions: Located in the Koytendag mountain foothills in far eastern Turkmenistan.
• Explore More: Read our full guide to Kyrk Gyz Cave

Featured Image

Darvaza Gas Crater ("Door to Hell") in the Karakum Desert