DESTINATION: TURKMENISTAN LEADING PARTNERSHIP OF DMC’S IN EASTERN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA COUNTRIES GENERAL DESCRIPTION • Territory 490,000 km2 or 190,000 sq mi; north-south distance 700 km, east-west distance 1500 km • Approximately 6 million inhabitants • Continental climate (dry hot summers) • 80% desert (max. 200 m), 20% mountainous terrain (max. 3000 m) and riverine oases • Gas, oil, sulphur and mineral deposits on its land and off-shore territories • Has the 2nd largest natural gas deposit worldwide; only the South Pars Field is larger • Independent state since 1991 (celebrated annually at 27 October) • Nationality: nearly 90% Turkmen (aka Turkoman) • Culture: desert tribal nomadic origin with Persian, Turkic and Slavic influences • Economy: energy export, trade, animal husbandry, cotton industry • Language: Turkmen – a Turkic language (lingua franca Russian in the larger towns) • Values: autonomy and self-sufficiency, neighborly friendship and hospitality towards guests • Religion: moderate form of Sunni Islam mixed with Persian and local beliefs and rituals • Safety: recognized as neutral by UN Security Council since 1995; no political, military or religious affiliations with neighboring countries or foreign/international military alliances LEADING PARTNERSHIP OF DMC’S IN EASTERN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA COUNTRIES ARRIVAL / DEPARTURE Ashgabat International Airport is located approximately 10 km northwest of the capital Ashgabat (Ashkhabad). The airport, with its air traffic control tower and a 12,000-foot (3,700 m) long precision approach runway, opened in 1994 and was named after the country's first president, Saparmyrat Niyazov. The airport includes passenger waiting rooms, service passport, customs, border control, a 24-hour reference service, VIP and CIP rooms, a business club, a ticket office (Turkmenistan Airlines), shops, bars, fast- food outlets, currency exchange, a new baggage handling conveyor system, international telephone, a mother and child room and the offices of the airlines (Star Alliance and Turkish Airlines). Türkmenbaşy International Airport is the second largest international airport in Turkmenistan, located in city Türkmenbaşy (Krasnovodsk). Flights depart for Ashgabat (Ashgabat Airport), Daşoguz (Daşoguz Airport) and Istanbul (Atatürk International Airport). Founded in 1959. In the immediate vicinity of the main body of the terminal there is a facility to receive VIP-persons. It is used for VIP charter and business aviation, as well as to receive special flights and departure of delegations of the Government of Turkmenistan and guests of city of Turkmenbashi. The building has all the facilities for meetings and conferences. Points of arrival with visa offices: Ashgabat International Airport; land border with Uzbekistan (Farab, Shavat, Khojeyli), Kazakhstan (Bekdash)or Iran (Bajgiran/Gaudan); seaport Turkmenbashi (only when sailing on a Turkmen-owned vessel). Points of arrival without visa offices: Talimarjan (Uzbekistan), Serakhs, Idrolium (Iran), Serhetabat (Aghanistan) land borders LEADING PARTNERSHIP OF DMC’S IN EASTERN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA COUNTRIES TRANSPORT Own transport for transfers and excursions throughout Turkmenistan with professional drivers and modern vehicles: • Comfortable touring cars • Minibuses • Minivans • 4WD • Cars for 2-3 pax LEADING PARTNERSHIP OF DMC’S IN EASTERN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA COUNTRIES ACCOMMODATION Turkmenistan does not have hotels that are operated by international hotel chains: Turkmenistan practices the concept of inviting a foreign hotel chain brand for an initial 4- or 8-year operational start-up and staff training period, after which national management takes over control of the hotel operations. In the past this has been done by Sheraton (Ak Altyn and Grand Turkmen hotels) and Sofitel (Oguzkent Hotel) At present, all hotels in Turkmenistan are state-owned and state- run, with one exception (Yelken Yacht Club at Awaza, which is run by Turkish management, and part of the Yelken resort chain) The exterior, interior and room design of all hotels on the territory of Turkmenistan are similar and can be described as “reflections of the grandeur of Ashgabat”, with the exception of Yelken Yacht Club, which has its own style. Hotel staff are young and learning: they often lack good foreign language skills, work experience and knowledge of service- mindedness Hotels rarely have their own websites with good room and service descriptions; exceptions are Yyldyz Hotel and Yelken Yacht Club Hotel room reservations are only accepted from persons, companies, travel agencies or government institutions residing in, based in, registered in or otherwise located in Turkmenistan Hotels are divided in base lodges, motels, 2*, 3*, 4* and 5* categories; only Ashgabat has hotels of all categories LEADING PARTNERSHIP OF DMC’S IN EASTERN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA COUNTRIES HOTELS AND CAMPING Ashgabat Turkmenbashi / Awaza Yyldyz ***** Yelken Yacht Club ***** Oguzkent ***** Seyrana **** Nusay ***** Deniz **** Grand Turkmen **** Serdar **** New Ashgabat **** Balkanabad Ak Altyn *** Nebitchi **** Baght Koshgi *** Serdar Mizan ** Chinar motel Mary Karakum Desert Mary **** camping basic, basic plus Margush *** Karakum Desert Dashoguz camping basic, basic plus Dashoguz **** Yangikala Canyons Uzboy motel camping basic, basic plus Turkmenabad Kopetdag Mountains Jeyhun motel camping basic, basic plus Darwaza Balkan Mountains camping basic till delux camping basic, basic plus RECOMMENDED HOTEL ACCOMMODATION FOR LUXURY LEISURE OR BUSINESS TRAVEL Ashgabat: Hotel Yyldyz ***** Turkmenbashi: Yelken Yacht Club ***** LEADING PARTNERSHIP OF DMC’S IN EASTERN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA COUNTRIES DINING / BOARD National cuisine, mostly consisting of 3 or more of the following components: • soups (creamy and clear, with or without meat) – always in conjunction with fresh bread • salads with fresh vegetables of the season • main hot dish composed of meat, side and vegetable combination • meat: chicken, beef, mutton, fish, minced beef or chicken; pork on request • side dishes: rice, pasta, or potato-based • vegetables: boiled, stir-fried or sautéed mix of fresh vegetables of the season • desert: fresh fruit, sweet pastry, ice cream; tea and instant coffee • Note that national cuisine never includes horse meat, and never includes camel meat • Local drinks include: fruit juices, sweet red and white wines, beer, cognac and vodka) • Regional cuisine (fresh water and salt water fish from Amu Darya River and Caspian Sea respectively) • Turkish cuisine (chicken, lamb, minced meat kebab) • Asian: Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Korean cuisine (in Ashgabat only) • European: Italian cuisine (in Ashgabat only) Notes • Possible to provide halal meals, but unfortunately it is unable to offer kosher meals • Import food items and import alcoholic drinks are expensive at local shops, and even more so in hotel bars and restaurants • Asian and European cuisine are only found in Ashgabat, and at respectable cost LEADING PARTNERSHIP OF DMC’S IN EASTERN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA COUNTRIES TOURS Ashgabat City Tour Rather short but diverse excursion in Ashgabat and its surroundings. You will see not only old and contemporary monuments of Turkmenistan but also have an opportunity to get to know the culture of the country better during this one day tour. The capital city is a business card of the country. Ashgabat is a city that reflects life of the whole Turkmenistan with its wide streets comparable to the scope of the country, massive modern constructions can compared with the economy and its sights of different epochs are rich history of this land. LEADING PARTNERSHIP OF DMC’S IN EASTERN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA COUNTRIES HIGHLIGHTS • Country with surprising diversity and contrasts • Spectacular new capital city with white marble skyline • UNESCO World Heritage sites (3) on the central “Great Silk Road” trade caravan route • Bronze Age Bactrian Ancient Culture excavations at Gonur Depe (Margush) • Darwaza huge burning (already more than 45 years) gas crater (“Door to Hell”) • Karakum Desert with specific flora and fauna, and sand dunes up to 200 m • Spectacular prehistoric Parathetys Sea coastline canyons now known as “Yangikala” • World-famous horse breed: the Ahalteke (just watch them, or ride across the desert) • 150 million years old dinosaur footprints at Kugitang Mountains • Desert nomadic cultural heritage: felt yurts, camel herds, typical cuisine, arts and crafts • Colorful Navruz (Persian New Year) festival near Ashgabat, on 21 March each year • Awaza: top resorts at the Caspian Sea coast, for a relaxing end to your journey LEADING PARTNERSHIP OF DMC’S IN EASTERN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA COUNTRIES HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHTS Bactrian Empire: Gonur Depe (Margush) and the surrounding archeological sites, Ulug Depe archeological site Achaemenid Empire: Erk Kala at Merw Parthian Empire: Gyaur Kala at Merw, Nissa and Ygdy Kala strategically- located fortified settlements Arab Caliphates: graves of ashkhabs (Islamic crusaders) at Merw, oldest local mosque in Dehistan Oguzkhan and Turkmen tribes: no major constructions; Turkmen express themselves through lifestyle, crafts and traditions Seljuk Empire: Sultan Kala and mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar at Merw; mausoleum of Talkhatan Baba, Serakhs Baba, Meane Baba Khorezm Empire: in Kunya Urgench the mausoleums of Sultan Tekesh and Il Arslan Mongol Empire: on the territory of Turkmenistan it brought mostly destruction and neglect, rather than construction Timurid Empire: in Kunya Urgench the mausoleum