- Duration
- 5 days / 4 nights
- Price Per Person
- From $4,000
The modern city of Mary is the base from which to discover the nearby ancient sites of wonder. The city's museum contains exhibitions and displays to give visitors a good foundation for exploring the surrounding area. Each city (or "kala") within the vast complex of historic Merv tells its own story of a slice of Turkmenistan's amazing history from the 7th century BC until well past the Medieval period. And, even further back, the excavation site at Gonur Depe marks central Turkmenistan as one of the earliest seats of civilization in the world.
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The Abdulla-Khan Kala marks the area of Merv developed after the Medieval period. Founded in 1409, it’s the smallest of Merv’s cities; the rectangular walls enclose some 44 towers including the citadel - home of the city’s ruler.
Another and slightly larger post-medieval city of Merv, Bayram-Ali-Khan Kala features a collection of crumbling-but-stunning architectural wonders, fortress walls, towers and citadels, well-preserved given the area’s checkered history.
Erk Kala marks the location of the earliest civilisation on the site. As far back as the 7th century BC, the Persian empire had a fortress here. The modern ruins show signs of it being later used as an acropolis and a sacred Islamic place of safety.
A worthwhile three-hour journey from Mary is the archeological site of Gonur Depe, the location of the first agricultural settlement in the oasis by the Murgab River - one of the five oldest civilizations on the planet. Here, a vast dig was undertaken to discover monumental temples and castles dating back millennia.
When Alexander the Great conquered Merv in the 4th century BC, it was incorporated into the city of Antiochia. The remains of the city fortress walls are known today as Gyaur Kala and includes ancient places of worship for Buddhists and Christians.
One of the two most important museums in the country, Mary Museum was opened in 1984 in an old Russian brick factory. Extended in 1998, the museum’s halls house collections featuring ancient Turkmen ethnography, indigenous flora and fauna and information on the country’s fascinating history.
The original site of the ancient city of Merv is located nearby modern-day Mary. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Merv is a collection of cities (kalas) that are home to numerous ancient remains and ruins spanning its 4,000 year history.
The largest of Merv’s cities, Sultan Kala became the central core of medieval Merv. In this Kala, archaeologists have discovered building types unique to central Asia including mausoleums and citadels bearing centuries of occupation and history.
Built over three centuries, from 600 to 900 AD, the large and small kalas of Kyz are characteristic of the pre-Arabian era and feature rectangular wall structures enclosing the ruins of the interconnecting rooms.
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Recently opened in 2011, the comfortable and modern Dayanch Hotel is easily accessed by car from the airport in Mary, Turkmenistan. The rooms sleep two, four, and eight people and all come with private bathrooms and the usual mod-cons. If guests have time to kill, there are enough activities at the Dayanch Hotel to keep everyone occupied for the day, with a sauna, bar, restaurant, and a cute little cafe with tables set inside colorful yurts (traditional tents). The hotel is located in the rural area of Sakarchaga and guests can find plenty of amenities such as local cafes and bars in the nearby area. There’s also several nearby households willing to open their doors for visitors to take a peek into their live craft workshops.
This three-star hotel is one of the most popular places to stay in the oasis city of Mary, which is situated in the Karakum Desert, on the Murghab River. Close to the ancient and famous ‘Murgab’ site, Margush Hotel offers 28 spacious guestrooms, all of which are relatively modern with this hotel only having opened in 2004. What really makes this hotel special is its interior design, such as the impressive white marble at the entrance and pastel tones featured throughout the rooms giving reference to the surrounding desert terrain of Turkmenistan. The hotel also boasts an excellent swimming pool, an all day restaurant serving local and international food, as well as a bar and fitness center.
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