Verified Company
Had an amazing time in Turkmenistan! These 4 days were the highlight of my whole 40 day trip!
Shoutout to our guide Aiza who was amazing! She was super funny and nice and she made the whole trip amazing!
Highly recommend taking a tour!
What customers say about Turkmenistan Tours with Darvazatour
Recent reviews
We had a fantastic 3 day tour of Darvaza Gas Crater and Ashgabat. I highly recommend the company who were very easy and accommodating to deal with from start to finish. We started planning this trip a year ago and the company gave plenty of help and advice before we agreed to use them. They made the visa process as simple as possible by asking once for our detailed information and then doing it on our behalf before sending us our LOIs. They adapted the itinerary to our preferences and booked accommodation that we wanted. Very quick replies by e-mail and were obliging with any questions I had about other aspects of Central Asia, such as currency. The guide (Ruslan) was extremely friendly and accommodating. It was clear that his main objective was to make sure that we had a good time and he did his very best to achieve this. His English was excellent and it made it very easy to understand what he was explaining to us and he was adaptable to do whatever we wanted. The 2 drivers were also very good who had specific local knowledge of the 2 locations and acted as an additional guide, for which Ruslan translated. Between the 3 of them, the itinerary was often adapted to make sure that we were making the best use of time and doing what we wanted. We were very happy with all 3 of them and it made a change from trips in other countries as it felt like a friend was showing us around his place rather than a formal guide.
The border crossing at Shavat was slow (3 hours), so be prepared for that. Firstly we ate dinner at Bay Town restaurant in Dashoguz. This was upmarket and wouldn’t look out of place in Europe, but had cheap prices. Ruslan chatted to us here and asked our opinions on his plans. Before leaving the town we went to the supermarket to buy supplies for the camp site. This allowed us to pick food which we like to eat.
Darvaza was obviously the highlight of the trip. Seeing it in the dark is amazing and I strongly recommend anyone going and seeing it, particularly before it slowly dies out. We were allowed as much time as we wanted there. Ruslan acted as a great photographer and adapted himself to the angles that we wanted. The dinner and morning afters breakfast was cooked at the camp site by the employees there using the food that we bought. The Yurt itself was spacious and comfortable, a great experience. It was not as cold as I expected in the desert overnight. It had 2 single beds and ample room to move around. There was a separate toilet block and no showers. We awoke early to see sunrise and the surroundings looked very different in the daylight. We left at 7:15am.
In Ashgabat, firstly we had lunch at another very good restaurant with lots of tasty options at very good prices. I had chicken & pineapple curry and we shared a crispy eggplant salad. Then we went to the horse stables booked for 2pm. This was interesting to see the Turkmen horses and ride a horse.
Afterwards we drove around and saw some buildings and went to the Turkmen museum. I commented that we were less interested in ancient history than modern history and then our guide & driver showed their adaptability again to take us to a different museum which had modern history including Russian occupation and the 1948 Ashgabat earthquake. This was interesting and a better museum in our opinions.
We rode the Ferris wheel. This was great and we were given a souvenir fridge magnet too. The views were brilliant. We visited again after dark to see it lit up. After this we went to the bazaar to buy souvenirs. The stall was a recommendation from the driver and there were multiple good and cheap options.
In the evening we had a drive around to see the lit up buildings. The driver was happy for us to stop and take photos. He knew good routes and avoided traffic to make the best use of time. We saw several monuments, the mall and Olympic village.
We ate dinner in a modern shopping centre at a high quality French styled restaurant, frequented by Turkmens. This was very tasty food with local options and a good idea to see how local city life is like.
The trip was absolutely wonderful! Mekan was an amazing guide, making the whole experience truly special. Everything was perfect, and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Highly recommend! ✨
I would like to thank the DarvazaTour team for helping with all the nuances.
What about the guide Mekan, at first I didn’t immediately understand what kind of person he was, but he turned out to be very kind and polite, helped me until the moment of departure and made me a delicious gift. And since lamb is very expensive in California, he decided to please me with lamb. A very attentive young man. I hope that I will still be able to visit this wonderful country and get to know the whole team in person.
Reply from Turkmenistan Tours with Darvazatour
Dear Anna,
Thank you very much for taking the time to share such a warm and detailed review of your experience with Darvaza Tour.
We are truly happy to know that you enjoyed your journey in Turkmenistan and that our team was able to assist you throughout your trip. Your kind words about Mekan mean a lot to us. We will certainly share your wonderful feedback with him - we are sure he will be happy to hear it.
It is especially nice to know that his kindness, attentiveness and hospitality made your trip more memorable, including the special lamb meal he prepared for you.
Thank you again for choosing Darvaza Tour and for sharing your beautiful photos and impressions. It was a pleasure to welcome you to Turkmenistan, and we sincerely hope that one day you will return and we will have the opportunity to meet you again in person.
We wish you many more wonderful journeys, good health and unforgettable experiences around the world!
Warm regards,
Darvaza Tour Team
Turkmenistan
Thank you very much for taking the time to share such a warm and detailed review of your experience with Darvaza Tour.
We are truly happy to know that you enjoyed your journey in Turkmenistan and that our team was able to assist you throughout your trip. Your kind words about Mekan mean a lot to us. We will certainly share your wonderful feedback with him - we are sure he will be happy to hear it.
It is especially nice to know that his kindness, attentiveness and hospitality made your trip more memorable, including the special lamb meal he prepared for you.
Thank you again for choosing Darvaza Tour and for sharing your beautiful photos and impressions. It was a pleasure to welcome you to Turkmenistan, and we sincerely hope that one day you will return and we will have the opportunity to meet you again in person.
We wish you many more wonderful journeys, good health and unforgettable experiences around the world!
Warm regards,
Darvaza Tour Team
Turkmenistan
I have just completed a 5-day fully guided tour through Turkmenistan provided by Darvazatour and had a wonderful time. Our tour guide, Gujian is very nice, thoughtful, considerate and her knowledge of local history, culture and nature is wonderful and her English is near native speaker. 3 drivers supported us throughout the travel - long distance travels on bumpy road and they did their best to search for the better part of the road. I am also grateful for the tour organizers who arranged everything details smoothly before the tour so the entry visa, Uzbekistan hotel pickup, etc were all well settled, removing all the concerns that I had before the tour. I highly recommend this company and especially Gujian if you are planning to visit Turkmenistan in the future
I had the amazing privilege to do a tour with the amazing guide Mekan.
The tour was great and he went more than out of his way to make us able to see as many places (even ones that weren't initially included) and meet as many people as possible. He was helpful, kind, fun and always ready to help. He also bought me a huge cake for my birthday😊
Davud also made sure that before the tour everything was clear and sorted out for us and he was very helpful for the preparation and Letter Of Invitation.
I very strongly recommend Darvazatour for everything that you need in turkmenistan. Weither it is the help before the tour, the actual tour itinerary, the guide, the drivers, the cost, and the overall experience; everything was more than perfect and more than we expected. I am certain that I will go back to Turkmenistan in the future and I will make sure to go through DarvazaTours and especially try to get a tour with Mekan😊
Thank you again for everything
Aubin
This was one of the best trips ever. It was so well organized.
The communication from Gozel was professional and excellent, everything promised was delivered.
I really enjoyed my 5-day tour of Turkmenistan. Tour was seamless and well-organized
My guide, Mekan, was excellent.
He also made me love Turkmenistan, its people, and its culture. He was always ready to help.
A friendly, humorous, and cheerful fellow.
Thank you Darvaza Tour
You made this trip even more enjoyable and memorable.
I had a fantastic 8 day tour of Turkmenistan with Darvaza Tours. My guide Jakob was super professional and really knew his stuff. I didn’t know what to expect going to Turkmenistan but I was so amazed and impressed with the diversity in the country. From the canyons to the sea to ancient sites and modern cities, the country really truly has it all. If you just go to the gas crater, you’ll be massively missing out!
Absolutely loved this tour! Our tour guide was amazing, and she was very accommodating and caring towards our toddler. It was a jam packed itinerary that gave great insight into the Turkmenistan history, present culture, and way of life. Would highly recommend this tour.
Reply from Turkmenistan Tours with Darvazatour
Dear Ailsa,
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a kind and thoughtful review. It truly means a lot to all of us at Darvaza Tour.
It was a real pleasure for Gozel, Guljan, and me to assist you and your family throughout the whole journey, from the first planning stages and visa arrangements to finally welcoming you in Turkmenistan. We are especially happy to know that everything we promised was delivered and that you felt well supported during your trip.
Thank you as well for your wonderful words about Guljan. She will be very happy to hear your feedback. She always tries to make sure our guests not only visit the main sights, but also understand the history, culture, and stories behind the places they see. Knowing that she helped you make the most of your short time in Turkmenistan is very rewarding for our whole team.
We also really appreciate your patience and trust throughout the preparation of the trip. There were several details to arrange before your arrival, including the LOI, border information, payment questions, and last-minute preparations, so we are very glad that everything came together smoothly in the end and that you were able to simply enjoy your journey once you arrived.
Your recommendation is especially valuable to us. Reviews like yours help future travelers feel more confident when planning a trip to Turkmenistan, and they also motivate our team to keep improving our service for every new guest.
Thank you once again for choosing Darvaza Tour and for traveling with us. We sincerely hope that one day we can welcome you and your family back to sunny Turkmenistan again, perhaps for a longer journey to discover even more of the country.
And if you, your family, or your friends ever plan another trip around Uzbekistan or Central Asia, please feel free to contact us anytime. We will always be very happy to help.
Warm greetings from sunny Turkmenistan!
Best regards,
Davud
Darvaza Tour Team
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a kind and thoughtful review. It truly means a lot to all of us at Darvaza Tour.
It was a real pleasure for Gozel, Guljan, and me to assist you and your family throughout the whole journey, from the first planning stages and visa arrangements to finally welcoming you in Turkmenistan. We are especially happy to know that everything we promised was delivered and that you felt well supported during your trip.
Thank you as well for your wonderful words about Guljan. She will be very happy to hear your feedback. She always tries to make sure our guests not only visit the main sights, but also understand the history, culture, and stories behind the places they see. Knowing that she helped you make the most of your short time in Turkmenistan is very rewarding for our whole team.
We also really appreciate your patience and trust throughout the preparation of the trip. There were several details to arrange before your arrival, including the LOI, border information, payment questions, and last-minute preparations, so we are very glad that everything came together smoothly in the end and that you were able to simply enjoy your journey once you arrived.
Your recommendation is especially valuable to us. Reviews like yours help future travelers feel more confident when planning a trip to Turkmenistan, and they also motivate our team to keep improving our service for every new guest.
Thank you once again for choosing Darvaza Tour and for traveling with us. We sincerely hope that one day we can welcome you and your family back to sunny Turkmenistan again, perhaps for a longer journey to discover even more of the country.
And if you, your family, or your friends ever plan another trip around Uzbekistan or Central Asia, please feel free to contact us anytime. We will always be very happy to help.
Warm greetings from sunny Turkmenistan!
Best regards,
Davud
Darvaza Tour Team
Espectacular , de inicio a fin. Nuestra guía Guljan nos acompañó en todo momento y nos sentimos muy bien con ella. Realmente volvería a contratar este tour.
Great experience with this company. The communication from Davud and Gozel was professional and excellent, everything promised was delivered. Our guide, Gulgan was remarkable with her information, organisation and making sure we got the maximum out of our short trip. I have no hesitation in recommending this company.
Reply from Turkmenistan Tours with Darvazatour
Dear Ryan,
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a kind and thoughtful review. It truly means a lot to all of us at Darvaza Tour.
It was a real pleasure for Gozel, Guljan, and me to assist you and your family throughout the whole journey, from the first planning stages and visa arrangements to finally welcoming you in Turkmenistan. We are especially happy to know that everything we promised was delivered and that you felt well supported during your trip.
Thank you as well for your wonderful words about Guljan. She will be very happy to hear your feedback. She always tries to make sure our guests not only visit the main sights, but also understand the history, culture, and stories behind the places they see. Knowing that she helped you make the most of your short time in Turkmenistan is very rewarding for our whole team.
We also really appreciate your patience and trust throughout the preparation of the trip. There were several details to arrange before your arrival, including the LOI, border information, payment questions, and last-minute preparations, so we are very glad that everything came together smoothly in the end and that you were able to simply enjoy your journey once you arrived.
Your recommendation is especially valuable to us. Reviews like yours help future travelers feel more confident when planning a trip to Turkmenistan, and they also motivate our team to keep improving our service for every new guest.
Thank you once again for choosing Darvaza Tour and for traveling with us. We sincerely hope that one day we can welcome you and your family back to sunny Turkmenistan again, perhaps for a longer journey to discover even more of the country.
And if you, your family, or your friends ever plan another trip around Uzbekistan or Central Asia, please feel free to contact us anytime. We will always be very happy to help.
Warm greetings from sunny Turkmenistan!
Best regards,
Davud
Darvaza Tour Team
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a kind and thoughtful review. It truly means a lot to all of us at Darvaza Tour.
It was a real pleasure for Gozel, Guljan, and me to assist you and your family throughout the whole journey, from the first planning stages and visa arrangements to finally welcoming you in Turkmenistan. We are especially happy to know that everything we promised was delivered and that you felt well supported during your trip.
Thank you as well for your wonderful words about Guljan. She will be very happy to hear your feedback. She always tries to make sure our guests not only visit the main sights, but also understand the history, culture, and stories behind the places they see. Knowing that she helped you make the most of your short time in Turkmenistan is very rewarding for our whole team.
We also really appreciate your patience and trust throughout the preparation of the trip. There were several details to arrange before your arrival, including the LOI, border information, payment questions, and last-minute preparations, so we are very glad that everything came together smoothly in the end and that you were able to simply enjoy your journey once you arrived.
Your recommendation is especially valuable to us. Reviews like yours help future travelers feel more confident when planning a trip to Turkmenistan, and they also motivate our team to keep improving our service for every new guest.
Thank you once again for choosing Darvaza Tour and for traveling with us. We sincerely hope that one day we can welcome you and your family back to sunny Turkmenistan again, perhaps for a longer journey to discover even more of the country.
And if you, your family, or your friends ever plan another trip around Uzbekistan or Central Asia, please feel free to contact us anytime. We will always be very happy to help.
Warm greetings from sunny Turkmenistan!
Best regards,
Davud
Darvaza Tour Team
I recently did the 3 day tour with Darvaza Tours and had an amazing experience. My guide Guljan was great, very knowledgeable, accommodating and always went out of her way to make sure everyone was comfortable and happy throughout the trip!
Turkmenistan genuinely surprised me and ended up being one of the most interesting places I’ve visited. The sights were incredible and I really enjoyed my time there.
Would highly recommend Darvaza Tours and Guljan to anyone looking to visit Turkmenistan! 🇹🇲
I really enjoyed my 6-day tour of Turkmenistan. My guide, Mekan, was excellent. He had a great balance between taking care of his guest and giving me enough space to enjoy things on my own. He was always happy to answer my questions, whether I was asking about the basics of Islam as an atheist or about ancient Turkmen history.
I also enjoyed discovering some nice coffee shops that served local Turkmen food, and Mekan helped me find good-quality items at reasonable prices in the bazaar.
One of my favorite experiences was walking around the Darvaza crater, cocoa in hand, taking photos and enjoying the incredible scenery. He even managed some of my more unusual requests, including arranging opportunities for me to meet dogs and horses.
Our driver Allayar was also excellent, made the long journeys comfortable and reassuring.
Thank you Davud for suggesting the itinerary and arranging this trip for me. I trusted as you responded to my inquiries very fast with detailed explanations.
A very memorable trip — highly recommended!
I could enter in Turkmenistan smoothly.
Because when I arrived at the border between Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, a staff member was waiting me to support my process.
It was so long journey at bad load , though, it was a good token of my memory haha.
A phenomenal experience!!! I took a 4D/3N tour with Darvaza Tour company and it was the best. First, they have a whole list of currently booked tours to choose from so that you or others can join in on existing groups to lower the cost, or you can start your own group if no current dates work for you. Even leading up to the tour, the organizers were prompt and responsive to all questions. VOA letter was super easy. They even alleviated my concerns about border crossing and gave me step by step instructions ahead of time! The border crossing into Turkmenistan is easily the most chaotic crossing experience, and they had a guide at the border on the Turkmen side to help!! It was life saving!
It is evident that the company really values feedback and incorporates it into their practices. Truly the customer experience is their priority. They supplied water for us all throughout the tour, took our group’s interests into consideration for day to day activities, and thoroughly asked for feedback throughout and at the end of the tour. Both our guide and driver were 10/10. Very kind folks who took care of us well. Absolutely absolutely recommend traveling with Darvaza Tours.
Darvaza Tour was excellent tour operator, highly recommended! Very communicative from the planning stage all the way through the tour
And the one thing I really want to say is that my guide, Aiza, was the best guide.Her dedication, knowledge, incredibly attentive care, and the itinerary she prepared helped to make my journey so memorable and allowed me to experience not only the famous sights of Turkmenistan, but also the real atmosphere and everyday life of the country.
I was particularly impressed by Aiza’s guiding at the Merv ruins. Her gentle tone and storytelling style really stirred my imagination. I closed my eyes and listened to her speak, It is nothing but a ruin now, yet I feel as though I can hear echoes of what life was like in the city that was once the largest in the world. Her guiding was superb. It was the first time in my life. I’ve had an experience like this.
I had hoped for a group tour, but due to the scorching heat in August, no other participants signed up, so it ended up being a private tour just for me. I was anxious before going because I couldn't speak English (I only understand Japanese) and didn't have an internet connection. However, Aiza worked incredibly hard and gave it her all. Thanks to Aiza, the 1,200 km road trip from the Khiva border to the Bukhara border—a distance comparable to traveling from Tokyo to Kagoshima—became an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime memory.
I cannot say enough good things about the level and quality of service of Darvaza Tour, and would highly recommend them
Mekan was a great guide and accommodated as well as he could to support the trip. He was able to personalise the itenary and include specific things such as karaoke which the group wanted to do
Great trip to Turkmenistan with Darvazatours, exploring all the major attractions. Pre-trip there was good communication, the LOI and itinerary all arranged well. During the trip Mekan our guide is fun, knowledgeable and took good care of us throughout the tour. He went out of his way to make sure we are comfortable, brought us to some great restaurants serving local delicacies, and was flexible introducing new activities while celebrating Melon Day.
All in all a great tour, recommend Darvazatours.
I had a wonderful four-day tour through Turkmenistan and can absolutely recommend Darvazatour.
The organisation and communication before the trip were excellent. I knew exactly what to expect, and everything was organised very reliably.
Our guide was great, and our driver was absolutely amazing – incredibly kind and attentive throughout the whole journey. The hotels were very good, the food was excellent, and I was impressed by how much of this fascinating country we were able to see in only four days.
As someone who normally travels independently, I personally would have enjoyed a little more free time to explore on my own. However, I understand and respect that independent travel in Turkmenistan is restricted and that this is not something the tour company or guide can change.
Overall, it was a very special experience and I enjoyed it very much. Thank you to the whole team for making this trip possible!
Frequently asked questions about Turkmenistan Tours with Darvazatour
How many reviews does Turkmenistan Tours with Darvazatour have?
Turkmenistan Tours with Darvazatour has 77 reviews on Trustindex, collected from Google and Trustindex.
What is Turkmenistan Tours with Darvazatour's average rating?
Turkmenistan Tours with Darvazatour is rated 4.9 out of 5 based on 77 reviews. 92% of reviewers gave five stars.
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