Country guide
Turkmenistan
The flaming Darvaza gas crater, Ashgabat's white-marble spectacle and Silk Road ruins, seen on guided tours only.
Currency
TMT
Language
Turkmen
+ Russian
English
Rare
Payment
Cash only
Power
Type C / F
230 V, 50 Hz
Dialing
+993
Bring cash. Foreign cards and ATMs are unreliable to unusable here, so plan on carrying what the trip needs and changing money on arrival.
Destinations
Ashgabat
A white-marble capital on the edge of the Karakum, and one of the hardest countries on earth to walk into.
✓ best Mar-Apr, Oct-NovMerv (Mary)
One of the great lost cities of the Islamic world - four abandoned capitals on one plain, and you will probably walk them alone.
✓ best Mar-May, Sep-NovThe sweet-spot windows
Good weather, thinner crowds, better prices: the windows worth aiming for.
| Where | When | Why it works | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkmenistan | Apr-May, Sep-Oct | Desert + Darvaza gas crater without the furnace heat | Jun-Aug brutal desert heat |
Climate zones, month by month
Turkmenistan has 2 distinct climate zones. The right month depends on where in the country you're going.
Ashgabat →
✓ Best Mar-Apr, Oct-Nov · ✗ Avoid Jun-Aug
Conditions Jan-Feb Cool · Mar Spring · Apr Ideal · May Hot · Jun Very hot · Jul-Aug Extreme heat · Sep Hot easing · Oct Warm, ideal · Nov Mild · Dec Cool
Watch for Jun-Aug extreme heat risk
Cards tinted by verified verdict · big number = typical daily high, small = low · hover for conditions
Merv (Mary) Silk Road →
✓ Best Mar-May, Sep-Nov · ✗ Avoid Jul
Watch for Jun-Aug extreme heat risk
Cards tinted by calculated verdict · big number = typical daily high, small = low · hover for conditions