United States
Turkmenistan Travel and Destination Guide
PLACES TO SEE
Ashgabat
This small city nestled beneath the Kopet Dag, and just a few miles from Iran, has become a political statement built to the peculiar tastes of President Niyazov.
Merv
Once one of Central Asia's greatest cities, Merv is an archaeologist's dream and has moved travel writers to muse for pages on the life and death of civilisations, but may leave the casual visitor a bit nonplussed. The area wears the remains of no less than five walled cities from different periods.
Kugitang Nature Reserve
Kugitang is the most impressive and pristine of Turkmenistan's nature reserves. Set up in 1986 to protect the Kugitang Mountain Range, its unique ecosystem and in particular the rare markhor mountain goat, it includes the nation's highest peak, several huge canyons, rich forests, mountain streams, caves and the unique Dinosaur Plateau.
Tolkuchka Bazaar
With its teeming cast of colourful thousands, this bazaar is Central Asia, Cecil B. De Mille-style. It sprawls across acres of desert on the outskirts of town, with corrals of camels and goats, avenues of red-clothed women squatting before silver jewellery, and countless trucks from which vendors hawk everything from pistachios to car parts. Expect to haggle.
Karakum Desert
In the heart of Central Asia's hottest desert, Turkmen villages such as Jerbent get by on rural agriculture, livestock breeding and pluck. Here you can see you can see nomadic people, experience their customs, see handicrafts, watch carpet making and taste their food while staying in an ak oi (Turkmen yurt) or chaikhana. It's the real, traditional Turkmen experience.
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