Turkmenistan: Silk Road Sites, Deserts and Traditions
Accommodation in Turkmenistan
Ancient oasis cities, Parthian fortresses and colorful cliffs give a trip to Turkmenistan a variety of focal points. There are also desert habitats, a warm underground lake and traditions expressed through music, storytelling, horses, carpets and cuisine. To plan your trip, you can first decide whether historical sites, nature or cultural traditions should take center stage.
Silk Road Sites and Early Empires
Ancient Merv is the oldest and best-preserved oasis city on the Silk Road in Central Asia. The Ancient Merv Archaeological Park includes the remains of Bronze Age centers dating from 2500 to 1200 BCE. The 866-kilometer Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor follows ancient caravan routes through the Karakum Desert to the Merv oasis. It passes through highlands, foothills, dry steppes, oases, fertile valleys and arid desert areas. From the 2nd century BCE to the 16th century CE, the corridor brought together East–West exchange along the Silk Roads.
The Parthian Fortresses of Nisa comprise Old Nisa and New Nisa and mark the site of one of the earliest and most important cities of the Parthian Empire. Nisa also preserves unexcavated remains of an ancient civilization that combined its own traditional cultural elements with Hellenistic and Roman influences. The Parthian Empire lay along important trade and strategic routes and served as a center of communication and trade between East and West, as well as North and South.
Kunya-Urgench lies in northwestern Turkmenistan, on the left bank of the Amu Darya. Its well-preserved monuments dating from the 11th to the 16th century include mosques, caravanserais, fortresses, mausoleums and a minaret. The monuments influenced architecture in Iran and Afghanistan, and later in the 16th-century Mughal Empire in India. The variety of building types gives the site a distinctive architectural range.
Deserts, Rock Landscapes and Kow-ata
The Cold Winter Deserts of Turan are a transnational serial World Heritage Site shared by Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. There, very cold winters give way to hot summers, and flora and fauna are adapted to the harsh conditions. The deserts provide habitat for threatened mammals such as goitered gazelles, saigas and urials. They also provide habitat for breeding birds, while migratory bird species use the areas as stopovers.
Yangykala means “Fire Fortress” in Turkmen. The sea, wind and rain shaped the cliffs over thousands of years. The steep rocks display shades of white, yellow, red and purple, making Yangykala a colorful natural attraction. In the sandy desert area, formations created by collapses are also among the landscape’s sights.
The underground lake of Kow-ata lies 60 meters below the cave entrance; access involves more than 350 steps. The water stays between 33 and 38°C all year round. As access conditions may change, check them before your visit.
Carpets, Music and Storytelling Traditions
Traditional Turkmen carpet weaving includes handwoven wool carpets and carpet products with ornamental designs. The National Museum of Turkmen Carpet is dedicated to preserving, studying and promoting handmade carpets. On the ground floor of the State Museum of the State Cultural Centre of Turkmenistan, the Carpet Hall displays carpets and runners made by the Turkmen people in the 19th and 20th centuries.
The Dutar is a traditional two-stringed long-necked lute from Turkmenistan. Its pear-shaped body and thin wooden soundboard give it its distinctive shape. Dutar music is part of festivals, ceremonies, national celebrations, cultural festivals and social gatherings.
The epic art of Gorogly is an oral storytelling tradition about the deeds of the legendary hero Gorogly and his forty horsemen. Performances combine storytelling, singing, poetry, vocal improvisation and composition. Kushtdepdi is a Turkmen performing art that combines poetic singing with vocal improvisation and dance. Occasions on which Kushtdepdi is performed include ceremonies and national celebrations. There are also traditions associated with Akhal-Teke horses, including beauty contests, races and equestrian games.
Cuisine and Leisure in Avaza
The Turkmen tandyr is used to bake flatbread and gutap, and to cook fish, game, leg of lamb and vegetables. Turkmen cuisine also includes ishlekli, a meat pie, Turkmen pilaf and unash, a bean soup with hand-pulled noodles. Melons also have a place in the holiday calendar: Turkmenistan celebrates a national holiday in their honor.
A description published on August 15, 2026, lists seaside relaxation, wellness centers, parks, and cultural and sports facilities in Avaza. It also lists a water park, amusement parks such as Älemgoşar, Jadyly kenar and Deňiz merjeni, the Gämiler dünýäsi (World of Ships) Museum, cycling routes, and opportunities for walks along the coast and the Avaza River. Facilities and routes may change; if you plan to use these offerings, check the latest information.
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