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The Atlas Obscura Guide To Turkmenistan

15 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Turkmenistan

Updated January 19, 2022

Cities

Unusual Attractions in Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan

The Gates of Hell

A fiery crater has been burning in the Karakum Desert since 1971.

Gokdepe, Turkmenistan

Köw Ata Underground Lake

This cavernous swimming spot doubles as a home to the largest known colony of bats in Central Asia.

Merv, Turkmenistan

Ancient Merv

This famed Silk Road oasis was one of the largest cities in the world before it was destroyed by a Mongol horde.

Nokhur, Turkmenistan

Nokhur Cemetery

A cemetery with goat-horn bedecked gravestones.

Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

Wedding Palace

If you want to get married in the White Marble City of Ashgabat, you should do it in this surreal disco ball building.

Balkanabat, Turkmenistan

Yangykala Canyon

Few people have ever heard of, let alone visited, one of Turkmenistan’s most impressive natural attractions.

Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

The Walk of Health

This harsh mountain path was built as a strange attempt to improve the health of Turkmen citizens.

Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

Turkmenbashi's Land of Fairy Tales

An eccentric dictator's take on a Turkmen version of Disneyland.

See All 15 Things To Do in Turkmenistan

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Guided Tours of Turkmenistan

Atlas Obscura Trips

Turkmenistan and the Gates of Hell

On this sweeping, eclectic adventure through Turkmenistan, marvel at the towering white-marble structures of Ashgabat, roam through barren deserts and a world-class canyon, and spend the night camped out beside the flaming Gates of Hell.

Explore Turkmenistan

Sacred Spaces 3

Architectural Oddities 2

Rites And Rituals 2

Natural Wonders 2

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Stories About Turkmenistan

Will the Gates of Hell Be Closed Forever?

Turkmenistan’s Darvaza gas crater has been on fire for decades. The inferno may finally be extinguished.

January 19, 2022

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