© way tofullyexperiencethecountry. through thecountry.Whilethismaydampenyourindependentspirit, itisfornowtheonly dependent travel. Anyonewithatouristvisaisrequired tohire aguidetoaccompanythem ‘white beards’,revered elders)willgreet claspandaslightbow. youwarmlywithatwo-handed dresses decorated withTurkmen motifs, whileeveryone fromyoungboysto andankle-length headscarves the stuffoflegend.Womenare outincolourful seendecked generations removed fromanomadiclifestyle andawelcomingpeoplewhosehospitalityis men experienceisultimately aboutminglingwiththeTurkmen themselves, onlyacoupleof to burninggascraters, are lessexpected butequallymesmerisingsights. ButthefullTurk- and otherquirkynaturalphenomena,fromvastcoloured canyonsand dinosaurfootprints desert vans ploddingalongtheancientSilkRoad,whilehauntingbeautyofKarakum tion andnaturalbeauty. asbeing,andisanancientlandofgreattheme parkit’soften spirituality,tradi- portrayed age’. Buttheleast-visited ofCentral Asia’s farmore countriesisactually thanthetotalitarian with goldenstatuesofhimselfandgrandiosemonumentstotheachievements ofhis‘golden (‘leader oftheTurkmen’) republic untilhisdeathin2006,covering desert thislittle-known famous forthetrulybizarre ofSaparmyratNiyazov, dictatorship whoruledas‘Turkmenbashi’ By farthemostmysterious andunexplored ofCentral Asia’s ’stans, Turkmenistan became Turkmenistan 424

L Xenophobia runsdeepintheupperechelonsofTurkmen in- authority,whichconstricts inspire andKonye-Urgench visionsofslow-moving Misrian cara- The ancientcitiesofMerv, FS FACTS FAST o n          e Population 4.88million nahili? (howare you?) be withyou/hello); sagh bol(thanks);siz Phrases inTurkmen €1 =3.64M Moneymanat(M);US$1=2.85M, LanguagesTurkmen, Russian,Uzbek true adventure trytheYangykala Canyon Offthemap reserves, Akhal- horses,carpets Famous forMultiplepersonalitycults,gas Countrycode Capital Area 488,100sqkm l y

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L t d salam aleykum(peace aksakal (literally TURKMENISTAN 425 Explore the above sights at a the above Explore Around the time of Christ, the Parthians, Christ, the Parthians, Around the time of (p 445 ), the Yangykala Canyon (p 445 ) ) 445 Canyon (p Yangykala ), the 445 (p in the ). While 446 (p and Turkmenbashi desert, out some remote scope Karakum in to overnight for the chance villages a yurt. Two centuries later Chinggis (Genghis)Two centuries later Three weeks the time for some and take slower pace riding in as horseback activities, such exploration in ), cave 436 (p Geok-Dere ) and hik- 456 ReserveKugitang Nature (p ). 443 ing in Nokhur (p  HISTORY Khan stormed down from the steppes and Khan from the steppes stormed down the through east of Trans-Caspia (the region Caspian Sea) to Central to lay waste Asia. city-states, including and Konye- Entire razed and their populations were Urgench, agricultural settlements appeared in Kopet agricultural settlements appeared Dag in the 6th millennium BC. Bronze More been in the Margiana located have sites Age Viktor Sarianidi archaeologist Oasis, where that en- culture has identified a sophisticated compassed several and an extensive villages the centuries over that shifted capital. Rivers thesecaused settlements, the abandonment of civilization the way for a great but paved established Alexander the Great around Merv. on his way to India. a city here Rome’s main rivals for power in the West, set up a capital at Nissa, near present-day 11th century the Seljuq In the Turks Ashgabat. Merv, Alexander’s old city and a appropriated Silk Road staging as a base post, from which to expand into Afghanistan.  Central although its dry desert climate Asia, always uncomfortably means that it’s not warm. That said, only the insane or deeply in Ashgabat find themselves unfortunate the temperature in July and August, when times to visit are can push 50°C. The best between April and June, and September to cold can be very Winters early November. time a great throughout the country and aren’t to visit, though you may equally find bright warmth even in the blue skies and spring-like gamble. December, but it’s a of depths From Conquerors to Communists been identified in the have sites Stone Age Big Balkan signs of Mountains but the first CLIMATE & WHEN TO GO CLIMATE Turkmenistan in country is the hottest U$18 US$0.07 US$0.24 (p 442 ) A bizarre com- ) A bizarre 442 (p US$9 (p 445 ) A painted desert) A painted 445 (p US$0.70 (p 457 ) Ancient minarets, minarets, ) Ancient 457 (p •• Highlights TURKMENISTAN US$0.70 Along with the sights men- Arriving on a transit visa, see Spend at least three days around days Spend at least three (p 430 ) Extraordinary Turkmen 430 (p (p 451 ) Extensive ruins of Merv, Merv, ruins of ) Extensive 451 (p

1L petrol 1L bottled water sites Entry to major archaeological US$4 Bus ride in Ashgabat Bus ride Traditional hat Ashgabat in Good dinner Snickers bar       

HOW MUCH?        tioned above, head west to Dekhistan tioned above, Two weeks One week Ashgabat before heading east to visit the heading before Ashgabat ) and Gonur 451 Merv (p of ancient sites to Ashgabat return ). From here, 453 (p north to Konye-Urgench, and travel at the unforgettable camping en route ). 442 Darvaza (p Gas Craters Three days that wouldn’t look out of place in a John place in a John that wouldn’t look out of for camping and explor- Ford film, great ation. Merv with ancient foundations and littered shards, with Gonur, the largest pottery in the Near excavation archaeological East, nearby. ) in a day and wander 430 p ( Ashgabat Cross the Karakum Bazaar. Tolkuchka then wrap things up ) and 442 desert (p with a visit to historic Konye-Urgench (p 457 ). Yangykala Canyon Ashgabat capital laden with marble palaces, golden fountains than Las statues and more home to the wonderfully chaotic Vegas; Bazaar. Tolkuchka Darvaza Gas Craters natural human accident and bination of amid hell of phenomenon, and a vision Ka- the of lunar landscapes the incredible rakum desert. Konye-Urgench that standmausoleums and palaces testa- the Khorezm- of ment to the former glories shah empire.        

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