Akhal Teke

From the songs of the mystic Bakhshy troubadours come the treasures of mysterious Turkmenistan. A warm, Turkmen welcome is waiting for you here. Shop the markets and bazaars; redolent with silk, spices and tradition. Find one of the Telpek fur hats or a gorgeous bracelet of silver and carnelian. Enjoy the rich pilaf rice dishes, herb-filled pastries, chorek bread and hearty soups. Visit skilled artisans in their workshops and see the production of luxurious keteni silks and gorgeous, hand-woven carpets. Tour the best of Turkmenistan sightseeing through the romantic Karakum desert. Visit the ancient sites at Gonur Depe, and the UNESCO sites of Merv and Konya Urgench, witnesses to thousands of years of history from the Achaemenid Empire to Genghis Khan and Alexander the Great. Stop at the "Gates of Hell" in early evening when the Darvaza gas crater is at its most dramatic. Explore the archaeological fortress site of Nisa, the ancient Parthian capital and with luck, you'll see a red moon, a phenomenon of the desert. From the Yangyqala Canyons, the shores of the clear Caspian Sea welcome you to the resort at Awaza to see the other side of this incredible country. Arriving back in the capital of Turkmenistan; the "marble city" of Ashgabat, you'll experience this gold-accented, purpose-built creation of the former president Turkmenbashi and visit the hippodrome to see the legendary Akhal Teke horses. Turkmenistan astonishes and entertains with its almost surreal mix of ancient and modern.