Fetching Light

Program’s name: Fetching Light

Quantity of the days: 7 days

Day 1: Ashgabat  
Your “Fetching Light” tour begins in Ashgabat. The capital of Turkmenistan impresses with the whiteness of its modern buildings. Ashgabat is included in the Guinness Book of world records as the city with the largest number of buildings decorated with white marble in the world. You will get acquainted with your guide at the Ashgabat International Airport. Then you will drive to the hotel. Then you will explore the Horse farm for visiting the adoration of the Turkmen people - Akhal-Teke horses. Bred in ancient times on the territory of modern Turkmenistan, the breed has won the respect of athletes for endurance, unpretentiousness, loyalty. You will observe short Akhal-Teke horse show program. Then you will drive back to Ashgabat.  In the evening you will have sightseeing tour, where you will explore the best highlights. Night is in the hotel.

Day 2: Ashgabat
In the morning you will explore “Old Nisa”- UNESCO declared fortress a World Heritage Site in 2007. Nisa described as one of the first capitals of the Parthians. It was based by Arsaces I (reigned c. 250 BC – 211BC), and reputedly the royal necropolis of the Parthian Kings. Then you will visit “Gypjak” Mosque and Mausoleumof the late President of Turkmenistan. The main mosque of Turkmenistan. The largest single-domed mosque in the world and the largest in Central Asia. After you will discover the State Museum of History. The Museum has a rich collection of ancient artifacts of Turkmenistan. There are more than 150 thousand exhibits-archaeological, geological and ethnographic finds. It stores examples of ancient art – ceramics, paintings, drawings, sculptures, carpets, capes, fabrics and clothing. Most of them are priceless rarities-the fruits of painstaking work of Turkmen and foreign archaeologists on excavations on the territory of the legendary Nisa, Ancient Merv and other historical and cultural monuments in the open air. Night will be spent in the hotel

Day 3: Ashgabat – Merv – Mary
After breakfast you will transfer to the East of Turkmenistan to Mary region. Mary is located 400 km South of the capital of Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, on the banks of the Murghab. It is the fourth largest city in the country. In course of the tour you will discover an Old Merv. Merv was one of the most important centers of Muslim civilization. It flourished in the XI–XII centuries. the largest archaeological Park in Central Asia near the small town of Bayramali, where unique mausoleums of Islamic warriors and still revered shrines, numerous ruins of mosques, palaces and clay castles, caravanserais and bazaars, as well as kilometers of powerful fortress walls are preserved.You will discover following highlights: Gyz Gala, Erk Gala, Soltan Gala, SoltanSanjar Mausoleum, IbnZeid Mausoleum. Then you will return to city Mary. Night will be in the hotel.

Day 4: Mary – Talkhatan Baba – Yekedeshik Caves – Mary
Today you will start the tour with visiting Talkahatan Baba Mosque. This is outstanding monument of the XII century-located in an ancient cemetery on the road from Mary to Bayram Ali. Further you will visit Yekedeshik Caves. It has the status of a State historical and architectural reserve. The huge cave complex has a single entrance, which made it inaccessible. Excavations have confirmed that people lived here in the caves since at least the first century BC. The cave itself consists of two floors. Nearby there are smaller caves including one known as Bashdeshik ('Five Entrances'), but these places, many of which have not been systematically explored. In the end of the tour you will drive back to Mary city. Night is in the hotel.

Day 5: Mary – Margiana (Margush) – Mary
In the morning you will transfer to Margush to discover the 5th center of civilization - according to scientists around the world, the country of Margush is considered one of the oldest civilizations on Earth, along with Egypt, Mesopotamia, China and India. The word "Margush "was transcribed by Greek authors as" Margiana", in the Holy book of Zoroastrians" Avesta", the city was mentioned as"Moura". Until the middle of the XX century, the exact location of the country was not known, but thanks to ancient written sources, Eastern academician V. V. Struve proved that Margush was located in the Murgab river basin in the South-East of Turkmenistan. Today, scientists are conducting excavations in order to collect as much information as possible on the restoration of the mysterious and mysterious Margush. Transfer to the hotel. 

Day 6: Mary – Ashgabat
The tour starts with transferring to Ashgabat. En route you will make a stop at Annau, the ruins of the 15th century Seyit Jamal-ad-Din Mosque, Abiward or Abi-ward.  In the past, Abiverd was an impregnable fortress that saved the citizens from the raids of nomads. The fortress had a single gate from the southwest. Inside, in the center, stood the building of the mosque, erected at the beginning of the XV century, near it was a square. After you will explore Russian Bazaar, it is one of the favorite markets of residents and guests of the capital, and its unique design still delights and pleases the eyes of all tourists who come to Ashgabat. In the evening you will have a city tour. Night will be at the hotel

Day 7: Flight
Night transfer to the Ashgabat International Airport to board a flight to next destination.