The Atlas Obscura Guide To Turkmenistan

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

Updated May 1, 2024

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Cities

Unusual Attractions in Turkmenistan

The Gates of Hell.

Turkmenistan

The Gates of Hell

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

The entrance to Köw Ata underground lake in Turkmenistan.

Gokdepe, Turkmenistan

Köw Ata Underground Lake

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

Ruins of Great Kyz Kala fortress at Merv.

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 Cemetery

Nokhur, Turkmenistan

Nokhur Cemetery

A cemetery with goat-horn bedecked gravestones.

The Wedding Palace.

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.

Yangykala Canyon

Balkanabat, Turkmenistan

Yangykala Canyon

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

Turkmenbashi's Land of Fairy Tales

Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

Turkmenbashi's Land of Fairy Tales

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

A view of the 22-mile Walk of Health in the Kopet Dag mountains.

Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

The Walk of Health

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

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Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell

Epic city structures, desert landscapes & local tea at nomadic settlements.

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Monuments 4

Ecosystems 3

Sacred Spaces 3

Mosques 3

Caves 2

Natural Wonders 2

Rites And Rituals 2

Architectural Oddities 2

Silk Road 2

Archaeology 2

Books 2

Ruins 2

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All illustrations: John Mata for Atlas Obscura

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Turkmenistan's fiery pit, the Gates of Hell, may be extinguished after burning for decades.

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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